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Apple has begun pushing the Beats Music streaming service via email to iTunes customers. The emails promote the free-to-download Beats Music app’s “Just For You” and “Tune Your Taste” features and note that Beats is now “part of the Apple family.” Apple finalized its acquisition of both Beats Music and Beats Electronics at the beginning of this month, and Apple has already begun promoting Beats Electronics via a new section on the online store and notable discounts....

One of Apple’s first original content efforts was a spin-off of James Corden’s popular Carpool Karaoke segment from The Late Late Show on CBS. While early reviews and user response to the series were mixed, Apple has renewed its Carpool Karaoke spin-off for a second season… CBS made the announcement during its earnings call this afternoon, leaving details sparse but confirming that a second season of Carpool Karaoke is indeed happening....

It’s been officially announced that Apple Pay is coming to Israel through leading payment card company Isracard. It is hoped to be available by the end of the year. Rival card companies Max and ICC are also reported to be ready for launch. The Isracard Group has been operating for more than 40 years, and locally issues American Express, MasterCard and Visa cards, alongside its own-branded Isracard … Over 4 million cards are in current use by Isracard customers in Israel, and over 100,000 businesses accept them....

Apple today released iOS 9.2 for iPhones and iPads after several versions of testing. The point update so far has included improvements to Safari including an improved Safari View Controller for viewing websites within apps and easily dismissing them afterwards, the addition of Arabic language support with the Siri voice assistant for the first time, and more. Previous betas of iOS 9.2 also included AT&T’s new NumberSync feature for iPhone subscribers on their network....

Following the release of iOS 14.3 RC on Tuesday, Apple has just released another build of iOS 14.3 RC to developers and beta testers. Named iOS 14.3 RC 2, the update is now available for users running the previous RC build. Apple has moved away from the previously-used golden master naming for near-final beta releases. Instead, going forward the company will use the term “Release Candidate,” or RC to reference a near-final beta release....

As we inch closer to the release of the iPhone 8 later this year, Apple is starting to solidify its plans for the device. According to a report from Nikkei, Apple has placed an order for 70 million “bendable” OLED displays from Samsung for use in the iPhone 8… The report cites a supply chain source and explains that while Apple at this point has ordered 70 million panels, Samsung is planning to produce as many as 95 million by the end of the year....

Update: Apple Pay is also on tap to launch in Portugal and Greece on Wednesday, reports suggest. Apple is rumored to be continuing its Apple Pay expansion in Europe next week. Following a launch in the Netherlands earlier this month, Apple Pay will reportedly launch in Slovakia this coming Wednesday. According to a local report from Zive, Apple Pay will launch in Slovakia on Wednesday, June 26th. The report cites anonymous bank officials and says Apple Pay in Slovakia will support four banks at launch: Slovenská sporiteľňa, Tatra banka, mBank, and J&T Banka....

With the latest changes to iTunes Connect, Apple has clearly changed its approach to mobile advertising. For the last three years, Apple has targeted large brands with minimum buy-ins ranging in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, uptake of iAd does not seem to have been at the level Apple expected, which has had a negative impact on developers, who have commonly observed low fill rates for their ads....

Following the release of iOS 5.0.1 this afternoon to developers, Apple has released iTunes 10.5.1 Beta 2 to developers this evening. Along with being posted to the Developer Center, Apple has sent out the following email to developers. In the email Apple now reveals that iTunes Match has been made available for Apple TV. This update also includes a number of bug fixes. Sadly, iTunes Match still isn’t available to the public....

Apple may have only just launched its first iPhone with an OLED screen, but technology never stands still. The company is reportedly pressing ahead with work on the microLED display technology which is expected to supersede OLED within the next few years. microLED screens take some of the key benefits of OLED over LCD yet further, offering even greater brightness, color saturation and power efficiency … A Digitimes piece initially sounds pessimistic, reporting that Apple has downsized its microLED R&D team in Taiwan, and that the company is struggling with some of the practical manufacturing aspects of the technology....

Apple Pay has been slow to gain traction in Australia as Apple fights with the large banks for adoption. Now, however, Apple has signed a deal with payments group Cuscal that will see the mobile payments service come to more than 30 credit unions and small banks in the country. Apple also today added Orange Cash in France to its list of banks that support the service. According to a report from news....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDUKt_XgfJ4 Apple has just posted a new iPhone 5 ad to their YouTube channel, detailing many of the ways people use their iPhone to listen to music. The ad is reminiscent of the “Photos Every Day” ad that debuted a few weeks ago. Like the previous photo-centric commercial, this ad is mostly void of a voiceover, simply showing a wide variety of iPhone users, and how they enjoy their music. Both of these ads take a different direction than previous iPhone commercials, highlighting not apps, but rather features of the device....

The 71st annual Emmy Awards are coming up in September and nominations have been announced today. Two of Apple’s ads, both made with the TBWA ad agency, have been nominated for Outstanding Commerical 2019. This year, the Emmys will be held on September 14 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The news about nominations was announced on the Television Academy’s Emmys website. Apple’s two nominees for Outstanding Commerical are for Behind The Mac — Make Something Wonderful and Shot on iPhone XS — Don’t Mess With Mother....

Following the release of the second developer beta yesterday, Apple has released the second public beta of iOS 14.2 today. The update includes new emoji options for users, as well as tweaks to Control Center and more. In iOS 14.2, there are revamped now playing controls on the lock screen alongside redesigned AirPlay 2 controls in Control Center. Another one of the new changes in iOS 14.2 is a brand new Shazam toggle that can be added to Control Center....

A bit early than expected, Apple will release watchOS 8 public beta later today for all users who wants to preview Apple’s upcoming Watch operating system before its official release. During the WWDC21 keynote, Apple said it’s going to release iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8 as public betas in July. One day before the start of July, Apple is already seeding the new operating system to all users who wants to try it out....

After almost 2 years without any updates, Apple’s iAd Gallery app has been pulled from the App Store. Originally introduced in April of 2011, the app was meant to showcase the best ads on the iAd Platform, Apple’s then relatively new mobile advertising push. However, the app received little attention after introduction, languishing in abandonment as it missed many milestones, such as the transition to 4″ display resolution and iOS 7 design changes....

Apple Pay continues to pick up new banks and credit unions every month — and soon to Germany and possibly Austria. These are the latest new banks and credit unions added in the US that let you pay with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac… Androscoggin Savings Bank Baker Boyer National Bank BlueOX Credit Union Desert Rivers Credit Union Fidelity Bank of Florida First Source Federal Credit Union Firstier Bank GHS Federal Credit Union Guaranty Bank and Trust Company (MS & LA now) Investors Bank Miami Firefighters Federal Credit Union North Shore Trust and Savings Orion Federal Credit Union QNB Bank Reliance State Bank Security State Bank (NE) Town of Cheektowaga Federal Credit Union Twin River Bank Valley Bank of Nevada Check out our Apple Pay guide for the latest news....

Apple Pay’s rollout in Australia has been hindered since the start as local banks have pleaded to have access to the NFC hardware in the iPhone so existing mobile payment services can be used alongside Apple Pay. Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has rejected a proposal from a handful of big Australian banks that would have allowed them to negotiate in a group with Apple, according to the Australian site ABC News…...

Apple is committed to its promise of expanding its retail presence in China from 15 to 40 stores within two years. Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts told Chinese website Xinhua on Thursday that the iPhone maker is gearing up to open five new stores in roughly five weeks. “We are opening five new stores before the Chinese New Year this year. Four of the stores are in brand new cities for us,” said Ahrendts in a telephone interview with Xinhua....

Apple has released seventh iOS 9.3 pre-release beta for developers and public beta testers to ahead of its expected public release next week. Features include a new Night Shift mode that auto changes the display temperature, Touch ID- and password-protected items in the Notes app, new CarPlay features, expanded 3D Touch options on apps such as Settings, and more. Beta 6 was released last week and was relatively small in the grand scheme of things....