This week Apple pushed out more major updates than it has ever done before at a single time. On Wednesday, iCloud went live, and to support it Mac OS X 10.7.2 was released along with iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Then users were asked to switch their MobileMe accounts to iCloud, or establish a new free iCloud account. New versions of iTunes and iPhoto were sent yesterday as well to support iCloud and iOS 5. There were also new versions of Aperture and Xcode. A new update to Lion’s restore feature was also there, seemingly to support the new “Find My Mac” feature.
iOS 5 included much more than just iCloud support, of course. New features and standard apps were introduced for recent models of iOS devices. The new Reminders and Newsstand apps were added, as well as updates for the Music app (formerly the iPod app), Messages, Maps and Safari. In addition, Apple added more optional apps that you can download from the app store: Cards, Find My Friends and Airport Utility.
Apple Co-Founder, Chairman and former CEO Steven P. Jobs died yesterday at the age of 56. He was recognized as the driving force behind Apple’s first and latest decades of success.
High school friend Stephen Wozniak and Jobs founded Apple in 1976 producing the world’s first successful personal computer. Jobs went on to oversee the development of the Macintosh computer before leaving Apple in the 80s. During his absence he turned Pixar into the leading animated movie studio, later purchased by Disney. He returned to Apple in the 90s to push Apple to new heights with a string of popular products: the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Apple also changed the music and retail industries during that time with iTunes and Apple Stores.
Apple sent out invitations to a press event at its Cupertino headquarters with the text “Let’s talk iPhone.” The icons on the invitation indicate that the event will be on Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. in Cupertino and the message will be about the iPhone. Without a doubt there will be discussion of the release of iOS 5 and iCloud. But most reporters also agree that a new iPhone model will be announced as well.
Meanwhile, the iTunes music store plugged remaining gaps in europe by adding 12 countries. Music can now be purchased from iTunes throughout the European Union.
Apple’s stock price hit new highs this week, contrary to the long-held belief that it would drop following the resignation of Steve Jobs as CEO. But analysts and investors continue to speak highly of the stock.
Strong rumors are pointing to a product announcement on Oct. 5 that could be the new iPhone 5. In addition, the new phone could become available on more networks in the U.S. such as Sprint or T-Mobile.
An iPhone 5 would probably carry iOS 5, the long-awaited update to the iPhone operating system. It may be made available to iPhone 4 and iPad users at the same time. iCloud, Apple’s replacement for MobileMe, would likely also be released at the same time.
Apple produced an update this week to Final Cut Pro X. This update included the ability to export and import projects, paving the way for integration with other tools.
Apple issued updates to firmware for MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros and the Mac mini this week. Firmware is a term used to describe small applications and data stored on chips in a Mac, as opposed to hard drives or memory. Firmware that comes with a Mac can be updated by Apple to fix bugs and add features. See http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1471.
These new updates include improvements to how the new Thunderbolt port can be used with external displays, as well as in target disk mode — a way to access your Mac as a hard drive from another Mac with the Thunderbolt connector.
In addition, the updates provide more support for recovery in case of a hard drive failure. Newer Macs with Lion can recover and even re-install Lion with an Internet connection thanks to a special recovery partition and software in firmware. This way Lion can be restored without needing an optical drive or other storage device with a Lion installer. See http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718 for details.
With the release of iOS 5 growing closer and the current line of iPods and iPhones growing older, many sites report that new models are imminent. The second week of September is usually when Apple unveils new iPods, but they may be looking to come out with a new iPod Touch and iPhone at the same time, for the first time.
Reports from Apple’s Chinese manufacturer, Foxconn, say that iPhone 5s are being built by the millions right now, which would point to a late September or early October release. A German mobile carrier has gone as far as accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 5, even though it lists no specifications or release date.
Rumors speculate that the next iPhone will have a better camera, faster processor and perhaps a larger display. There are some rumors that the iPod touch will get 3G capability, allowing for a mobile data connection like some iPad models.
Reports this week show Apple getting closer to releasing a new OS for the iPhone and iPad, and new features for Mac OS X Lion. Rumor sites are reporting on a new developer release of iOS 5 with only bug fixes, showing that Apple is almost finished with development. In addition, a new version of Mac OS X Lion, version 10.7.2, with iCloud support has been seen, and a new developer version of iTunes with iTunes Match enabled has also been reported. There are also rumors floating around that some of the new iCloud features may be supported in Snow Leopard with an update to that OS.
It is expected that iOS 5 and Lion 10.7.2 will be released simultaneously because both will hook into iCloud, Apple’s network syncing service that replaces MobileMe. The expected release date for iOS 5 and iCloud is “the fall” which could be any time starting at the end of this month.
Steve Jobs, the driving force behind Apple at its start and also for the last decade, resigned as CEO yesterday. In a letter to Apple employees he said he could no longer meet his duties and expectations as CEO, but would like to remain as Chairman of the Board. He recommended COO Tim Cook as his successor, and the Apple board agreed.
Jobs has left the post of CEO several times before on temporary medical leave, each time putting Cook in charge. He has been running the day-to-day at Apple since January. Apple’s site already features Cook’s bio at http://www.apple.com/pr/bios/tim-cook.html.
Lion was updated to version 10.7.1 through Software Update this week. Most of the changes involved fixing bugs and improving reliability. The update was specific to several versions of Mac hardware and whether you had Lion Server installed as well.
You can get 10.7.1 by simply running Software Update from the Apple menu on any Mac with Lion. Details about the update are at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4764.
Apple had two interesting announcements this week. The first was the addition of a low-end iMac strictly for the education market. In the past Apple has kept around older iMac models and continued to sell them to students and educators. But this time around they have produced a new version of the 21.5-inch iMac for that purpose. The model comes with an i3 processor, 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive for $999. You can buy this low-end iMac from Apple, but only if you qualify for educational pricing. Note that for only $200 more you get the standard low-end iMac which comes with an i5 processor, twice the memory and twice the disk space.
The discontinued white MacBook is also available for educational purposed, but cannot be purchased by individuals from Apple. Reportedly it can only be ordered by educational institutions.
Apple released an add-on to Lion this week in the free Lion Recovery Disk Assistant. It allows a Lion user to use an external hard drive, such as a USB flash drive, as a recovery disk. A hard drive with Lion installed will include such a disk as a separate hidden partition on that same drive. But this method will work even if that internal drive is damaged. It will allow you to boot from the external drive and use tools to repair your disk, restore from Time Machine or even log on to the Mac App Store and re-download and install Lion.
The financial turmoil this week has produced an interesting bit of data. While Apple’s stock price went down with the rest of the market, it didn’t suffer as much as others. Several times on Tuesday, and by the end of the day on Wednesday, by the numbers it was the world’s most valuable company. At the end of Wednesday it was valued at $337.2 billion, ahead of Exxon Mobil which was in the lead previously.
Apple made steps this week toward the eventual release of iCloud. They launched iCloud.com, a test site for some of iCloud’s new features. The site is meant for developers who need to test iOS app compatibility with iCloud. Web-based versions of services such as Mail, Contacts, Calendars and iWork document storage are reportedly all part of the test. This shows that Apple is close to releasing iCloud as other portions of the free service, such as iTunes in the Cloud are already available.
In addition, Apple announced pricing for iCloud storage upgrades. You get 5GB of storage for free. Since music, apps, books and photo storage are not counted against your total, then it is hard to imagine needing more. But if you store a lot of iWork documents, then you can get an additional 10GB for $20/year, 20GB for $40/year and 50GB for $100/year.
iCloud is expected to launch at the same time as iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The Apple web site says “Coming this fall.” MobileMe users will be allowed to stick with MobileMe until June 30, 2012, if they wish. Many may choose to wait so they can keep using features like iDisk and MobileMe Web hosting and Photo Galleries.
Apple’s launch of Lion was a success, even if everyone isn’t completely happy with it. The online distribution allowed for more than a million downloads in the first day, and millions more since. Many have been surprised at the speed of the download, while others have needed to stop by an Apple Store or borrow a faster connection.
Professional reviews of the new OS have been positive, as well as many user reviews. Some users complain of issues with the new OS, particularly when it comes to software that is no longer supported. Lion doesn’t include Rosetta, which was used by Snow Leopard and Leopard to run older PowerPC applications. Others have been caught off-guard by having an older copy of Flash that then didn’t work in Lion. The most recent version of Flash does work, but isn’t fully supported. A new version should be coming soon according to Adobe.
Lion is available now in the Mac App Store for those running Snow Leopard. Apple will be releasing a USB disk version of the OS installer next month that should allow for installation without a download and on Macs running Leopard as well.
Apple released Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion” yesterday, the highly anticipated new OS with features like Mission Control, Versions, full-screen apps, AirDrop and new Mail features.
Lion is only available from the Mac App Store as a $29 download for those running the latest version of Snow Leopard. In August Apple will sell a $69 USB flash drive containing a Lion installer. Apple also updated Safari, iTunes and iWork this week for Lion compatibility. Those updates are available with Software Update or in the Mac App Store.
In addition, new MacBook Air models and new Mac mini models were introduced. Both of these lines now come with Thunderbolt ports for connecting peripherals. They both also received processor speed bumps.
All Apple has said about the Release of Lion, Mac OS X 10.7, is that it will happen this month. But many rumors pin the date as early as today. Others say next week.
In addition to the new OS, there are rumors of new Macs. Most rumor sites agree that there will be new MacBook Air models soon with i3 or i5 processors and Thunderbolt ports. Some rumors also claim new Mac minis, new low-end MacBooks and new Mac Pros.
It is likely that if Apple is planning to release new Macs soon that they would wait for Lion so that the new hardware comes with Lion installed. Otherwise, buyers would need to perform a major system update just days after purchase. Apple has its quarterly earnings report due out on Tuesday and has sometimes released new Macs shortly after such reports.
Mac OS X 10.7, AKA Lion, should be released this month. And according to reports Apple is right on schedule. They released a gold master update of Lion to developers on Friday. Such a release usually signals the end of testing.
Once Lion has been released, all new Macs will feature the OS pre-installed. The update will be available in the Mac App Store to Snow Leopard users at the same time. It is expected to be a 4 GB download. Apple has said that users can bring their Macs into Apple Stores and use the wifi there to download the update if their home connection is too slow.
As of today, Verizon is no longer offering unlimited data plans for the iPhone. They warned at the launch of the Verizon iPhone that unlimited plans were only going to be offered temporarily. They offer 2 GB, 5 GB and 10 GB per month data plans, with overage costs of $10 per GB. Presumably anyone currently with an unlimited plan can continue with that plan. Check your Verizon account or their sales site for details and pricing. AT&T also started with unlimited data plans but now only offers similar tiered plans.
A major update for Snow Leopard was released this week that sets up the Mac App Store for the Lion upgrade expected in July. It also fixes many security issues and bugs. You can get the update by running Software Update on any Mac with Snow Leopard. You can read details about the update at Apple’s site.
The Thunderbolt connectors on new MacBook Pros and iMacs became useful this week with the release of the first RAID disk drive system and an official Apple Thunderbolt cable.
With the release this week of Final Cut Pro X, both Final Cut Studio and Final Cut Express have been replaced by a new version of Apple’s video editing software.
In addition to a new interface and new features, Final Cut Pro X is distributed solely through the Mac App Store for $299.99, a price much lower than the previous version of Final Cut Studio Pro and only a little more than Final Cut Express. Companion applications Motion and Compressor are also available through the App Store at $49.99 each.
Reviews by Final Cut users are mixed as they get used to the new interface. Some features expected in Final Cut Pro X are not yet available and Apple has already said they expect to use Mac App Store updating to add more features soon.
While unlocked iPhones have been available for years in other countries, Apple has finally started selling them in America. An unlocked iPhone can be used on AT&T’s network without a 2-year plan, on T-Mobile with the slower Edge network, or taken overseas to use on other carriers. They will not work with CDMA carriers like Verizon. Other GSM carriers may also now be able to offer service to the owners of unlocked iPhones.
You’ll need to pay a premium for these unlocked iPhones with prices starting at $650. Models with a plan from AT&T or Verizon are cheaper as they have been subsidized by the carriers.
This week Mac and iOS developers gathered in San Francisco for Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference. On Monday Steve Jobs and other Apple executives talked about the upcoming releases of Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5, and the new iCloud Service.
Lion will be released in July and sold exclusively as a download in the Mac App Store for $29.99. The new OS will change how the desktop, spaces and applications work with a new Mission Control feature that will make moving between tasks more like iOS. There will also be autosaving, versioning and resuming functions as well as an updated Mail application.
Apple will hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week. In an unusual move, they have pre-announced the topics for Steve Jobs’ keynote presentation. As expected, he will show Lion, the next version of Mac OS X due out later this year. In addition, a new version of the iPhone and iPad operating system will be discussed. Also, the new iCloud service will be unveiled. The keynote will take place on Monday, June 6 at 10 a.m. in San Francisco.
In a rapid series of events this week, Apple began battling it out against a recent attack of trojan malware. Apple released a security update for Snow Leopard on Tuesday that identified and eradicated the Mac Defender malware. But the next day a new variant of the trojan appeared that looked different enough from the original that it was not detected. Apple responded on Thursday with an update to the security definitions that catches that version as well.
