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First noticed by French news outlet Jeanne Magazine, Apple modified its Mother’s Day iPhone ad in several countries to remove a same-sex couple that appears in the United States version of the ad. The couple does not appear in the German, Italian, Turkish, Japanese, or French versions of the ad, while they do appear in the Mexican, Australian, and Canadian versions (via BuzzFeed News). In the countries where the couple was removed from the video, the image was replaced with an image of one of the mothers and the child....

Following Apple CEO Tim Cook giving remarks at the EU data protection conference CPDP this morning, the company’s senior director of global privacy Jane Horvath also partook in a roundtable discussion. Horvath was asked specific questions about Apple’s use of Google as the default search engine on iPhones and more. Horvath explained during the discussion that “we are truly at an inflection point” in regards to user privacy. She questioned whether users should “continue with the current norm which involves a privacy trade-off, providing unlimited personal data in order to enjoy free services....

Apple has released an update to iTunes that enables iOS users to sync their photo libraries from the new Photos app that was included in yesterday’s 10.10.3 update. Previously users could sync their iPhoto libraries to their devices, but the release of the Photos app marks the end of Apple’s support for the old software. The iTunes update also includes “several refinements to the Get Info window,” and improves the app’s stability....

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple will revamp the iBooks app later this year with a major redesign, with a new ‘Reading Now’ tab, a separate section for audiobooks and a store interface that draws from the same design language as the iOS 11 App Store. The report follows the launch of iOS 11.3 beta, which includes a renaming of the iBooks app to simply ‘Books’. In the current beta, there are no meaningful UI changes to the Books app....

A report from the Daily Mail over the weekend claimed Apple is working with fuel cell company Intelligent Energy on a project that hopes to embed fuel cells in mobile devices “within a few years.” The Daily Mail doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to accuracy, but the report claimed “senior sources in the US” have confirmed the partnership between the two companies. The report noted that Intelligent Energy already has ties to Apple with former Apple Computers product specialist Joe O’Sullivan sitting on the company’s board and a new office in San Jose not far from Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino....

According to a recent Job posting, Apple is looking for an “iPhone Advertising SDK Manager”. This job opportunity obviously stems from their recent purchase of Quattro wireless, a mobile advertising platform. What’s interesting (and different from Google) here is that Apple appears to be integrating the advertising engine INTO the iPhone SDK so developers who want to put advertising in their apps will likely be able to do so from within Apple’s iPhone SDK environment and get payouts from the same place that they currently receive payments from paid apps....

Approximately two weeks following the launch of the revamped iTunes 11 application, Apple has released iTunes 11.0.1 via the Mac App Store Software Update tab to users. The update is generally a bug fix release. It includes fixes for items from iCloud not properly appearing in user libraries, an issue with the AirPlay button not appearing, and making libraries with several items more responsive. Additionally, this new update restores the ability to display duplicate items in user libraries....

Following the launch of iOS 13.4 and watchOS 6.2, Apple today has released macOS Catalina 10.15.4. This update includes several improvements and bug fixes across the system, in addition to the iCloud Drive folder sharing, Apple Music time-synced lyrics, and more. The Music app on macOS Catalina 10.15.4 now offers the same time-synced lyrics feature that came to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac last year. This feature allows you to follow along with a song in real-time....

Apple has released the second beta of WatchOS 2.0 to developers. First announced at WWDC earlier this month, the new version of WatchOS brings both new features to the Apple Watch and support for native applications. This new beta will allow developers to continue testing apps that run directly on the Apple Watch hardware with access to local sensors, the Digital Crown, and the device’s own processor. For consumers, new WatchOS 2 software features include a new Nightstand Mode for seeing the time and alerts in a larger font, three new watch faces, access to third-party watch face complications, a new Time Travel mode for seeing past and future calendar events and weather data on clock faces, and a more feature-rich Music app....

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 and China that let you pay with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac… United States: First Calgary Financial Carrollton Bank Community Bank of Pleasant Hill Community Bank of Raymore Essex Bank Farmers & Merchants Bank (LA) First Bank and Trust (OK) First Community Bank (SC) First National Bank in Howell First National Bank of Sandoval First State Bank New London Flint Community Bank Forward Bank Generations Credit Union Green Dot Bank Home Federal Bank Kentucky Bank Los Alamos National Bank MembersOwn Credit Union Old Hickory Credit Union Old West Federal Credit Union Park View Federal Credit Union POPPY BANK Prospera Credit Union Rhode Island Credit Union Seacoast Commerce Bank Security State Bank (WA joins TX) St....

This may not be the first time there have been rumors that Apple Pay is coming to the Czech Republic, but there’s more evidence that Apple’s mobile payment service is actually about to launch in the country. According to a local report, Apple Pay could go live in the Czech Republic as soon as Tuesday, February 19. The latest Apple Pay country rumor comes from a site that says its source was employed by a company working to bring Apple Pay to the country....

According to newly surfaced screenshots of a modified version of the recently released iOS 8.1 beta, it appears that the upcoming iPad line will have some amount of Apple Pay capability and a Touch ID sensor to match. Additionally, screenshots of a hidden Passbook settings page have surfaced showing what it might look like when adding a credit card for use with Apple Pay. The above screenshots come via Hamza Sood, and include one of the “About Apple Pay and Privacy” page as well....

If an iPhone or iPad stops working, it’s often necessary to restore the device’s firmware using a Mac or PC. That used to work well in the past, but it became complicated as the devices are more independent of a computer now. The situation is even worse with devices like the Apple Watch and HomePod, since they don’t have any kind of external connectors. In this case, if the device stops working, you must take it to an Apple Store or an authorized service provider....

Apple has released iOS 6.1.3 beta 2 to developers for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The first beta was known as iOS 6.1.1 beta 1, but it has been renamed to iOS 6.1.3 due to the recent public releases of iOS bug fix updates. As we previously covered, iOS 6.1.3 includes several enhancements to the Maps application for Japan. Notably, the upcoming iOS 6.1.3 update will also fix the recently publicized Lock Screen bug, according to Apple....

A couple of weeks following the first beta, Apple today released iOS 8.4 beta 2 to developers for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 8.4 beta 2 is available via Software Update for those running the first beta, and it should be available for download soon via the Apple Developer Website. Apple has also released the iOS 8.4 Public Beta 1, which corresponds to this second developer seed, and Xcode 6....

LinkedIn updates suggest that Apple is beefing up its mapping efforts by poaching senior staff from Here – the map technology company which Nokia once hoped to sell to Apple. Now co-owned by German automotive companies Audi, BMW, and Daimler, Business Insider spotted half a dozen hires over the last few months from Here. Interestingly, the roles appear to be based in Berlin, where Apple does not officially have a base but was once the site of Apple Car rumors …...

In a report by Bloomberg, Apple is said to be preparing an update to its iOS Apple Store app, where customers can buy Apple’s hardware and accessories online. The new update will feature recommendations for suggested purchases, in a new ‘For You’ tab (mirroring Apple Music). According to the Bloomberg report, the new recommendations will be part of a wider update to the Apple Store app. Right now, the design of the Apple Store app for iPhone and iPad is quite distinct with the iPad app favouring interactive photo galleries for presentation....

Apple is planning to announce support for Apple Pay in the United Kingdom during its Monday Worldwide Developers Conference kickoff keynote, according to a report from The Telegraph. The report adds that the service will go live in the U.K. within two months. Mike Cowan, a Senior VP at MasterCard, told the publication that his company is “absolutely” ready to support Apple Pay abroad. We have heard this as well, including that major bank Lloyds is a planned launch partner....

Retail data analytics firm InfoScout has told payment industry conference PYMNTS R2 that the percentage of U.S. iPhone 6 owners who have tried Apple Pay fell from 15% in March to 13.1% in June. Usage has also fallen sharply among those who have tried the service. Surveying iPhone 6 owners who have previously used Apple Pay and were shopping in a store that accepts the payment method, the percentage using Apple Pay fell from 39....

Following a delay, Apple has officially announced that it is launching its new Apple Podcasts Subscriptions platform next week. According to an email sent to podcasters today, Apple said that subscriptions and channels in the Apple Podcasts application will go live on June 15. The Apple Podcasts Subscriptions platform was originally slated to go live in May, but Apple delayed the rollout to “ensure the best experience for creators and listeners....