Apple has contributed to Bono’s (PRODUCT)RED charity for quite sometime by donating a portion of profits from sales of special red editions of iOS devices and accessories. Today, the official PRODUCT(RED) Twitter account (via TheLoop) revealed that Apple’s contributions to fighting AIDS through the charity have now topped $65 million, making it the largest contributor to the charity out of all participating companies. U2 singer Bono, who cofounded the charity back in 2006, commented that “Apple is certainly leading the crew” when it comes to donations from (PRODUCT)RED partners....

This year officially marks the end of an era: as announced in 2017, Adobe will stop supporting the once-ubiquitous Flash by the end of 2020. With the newest release of its Safari Technology Preview browser today, Apple has taken the next step as part of its efforts to end all usage of Flash in Safari. Safari Technology Preview is essentially the beta version of Safari. It’s an experimental version of Safari that allows developers and other users to report bugs and performance improvements before the changes are released to everyone....

Hyundai made a bold statement last week, confirming that it was in talks with Apple about a potential partnership for Apple Car. Shortly thereafter, the company backtracked and published a new statement without a mention of Apple. This is yet another example of Apple’s strict approach to secrecy, and a new report from CNBC offers some more detail on Apple’s strategy. For reference, here is Hyundai’s first statement on Apple Car:...

Back in May of last year, a long list of readers in countries around the world reported having access to Apple’s two-step verification security feature for their Apple ID. Shortly after the news broke, the feature disappeared in many countries signaling it had been launched prematurely. The only officially supported countries listed on Apple’s website included the “U.S., UK, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.” However, today the feature has appeared in several new countries including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, & Spain....

Apple subsidiary FileMaker today introduced version 14, the first major update since 2013, of its popular iOS and Mac-based platform, which includes the FileMaker Pro, Go, and Server software suites. This new version focuses on separate enhancements for speed across the different software versions, with the Mac and Windows applications gaining improved features for productivity, and the iOS Go apps for iPad and iPhone receiving end-to-end redesigns for iOS 8. Below, we break down the most significant new features for the Pro, Go, and Server versions....

Apple has just shared a new video to its official Apple Support YouTube channel showing how to use an iPad with the new Magic Keyboard and other trackpads, highlighting some available gestures and settings. The video demonstrates how the advanced cursor feature works on iPadOS 13.4, which appears when you’re using it and disappears as soon as you stop touching the trackpad. It shows that users can slide up with three fingers to open the App Switcher, slide to the right corner of the screen to see the Slide Over apps, and more....

iPhone and Apple Watch launch day at an Apple Store is always a special experience. At six locations throughout the U.S., Japan, and China, Apple made this year’s release a little more special by unveiling all-new and remodeled stores. The first customers to pick up their new phones and watches were also among the first to step inside. The largest and most notable store reopening on September 20 was Apple Fifth Avenue in Manhattan....

Apple 12-inch MacBook + iPad Pro see big one-day price drops Woot is currently offering a selection of certified refurbished MacBooks and iPads on sale. Free shipping is available for Prime members; otherwise a $6 delivery fee may apply. Our top pick is Apple’s 12-inch MacBook 256 GB in certified refurbished condition for $760. That’s good for nearly $540 off and $70 less than our previous mention. You’d pay $340 more direct from the manufacturer for a comparable model....

Software on Apple’s App Store may be reviewed by human editors and approved before distribution, but one business owner claims the iPhone maker is not doing enough to prevent copyright infringement. The Roanoke Times published a piece this week highlighting the issue of paid iOS apps scraping content from the web and packaging it in paid apps. While developer relations issues often get a lot of attention, the problem with the App Store according to Brian Raub is not a story heard often… Raub runs a travel review site called Lakelubbers....

Honda was noticeably slow to the CarPlay scene despite being committed from day one to support Apple’s infotainment feature in 2014. The automaker eventually delivered with CarPlay in the 2016 Accord and Civic, and 2017 Ridgeline, and today Honda announced CarPlay will be returning in the 2017 Accord, one of the most popular cars on the road. Honda’s new Accord is hitting showroom floors on Monday and will start at $22,355....

Earlier this year, Bill Stasior departed Apple after serving as Siri’s vice president for nearly seven years. Now, The Information reports that the former Siri boss has taken a new role in AI at Microsoft. At Microsoft, Stasior will serve as a corporate vice president of technology, reporting to Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott. His main responsibility, according to the report, will be to serve as the head of an artificial intelligence group....

Apple unveiled Podcast Analytics over the summer at WWDC, and today the new feature for podcasters is finally available in beta. From June on Podcast Analytics: Podcasters can access the new analytics feature starting today from iTunes Connect at podcastsconnect.apple.com/analytics. Apple notes that the data “includes devices with iOS 11 or iTunes 12.7, or later” and may be delayed by up to three days. Podcasts can be browsed by show to view devices (total number of unique devices that a show has been played), total time listened (total number of hours a show has been listened to across all devices), and time per device (average time a show has been listened to per device)....

iOS 10.3 is introducing another language, Shanghainese, extending its international advantage even more. In an interview with Reuters, Apple’s head of speech explains how Siri is taught to learn a whole new language … Alex Acero currently leads the speech team at Apple, who joined the company in 2013. Siri voice recognition was once powered by Nuance, Apple replaced it a couple of a years ago with a custom-built in-house voice platform that relies heavily on machine learning to improve its understanding of words....

For the first time since their release in September, Apple is now selling refurbished versions of the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE with a discount of up to 16%. The refurbished Apple Watch Series 6, with GPS, 40mm, and in a Silver Aluminum case, is $60 off for $329. The refurbished Apple Watch SE, with GPS, 40 mm, and also in Silver Aluminum case, is $40 off for $239....

Apple is rolling out the fourth macOS 10.12.5 developer beta through the Mac App Store. macOS Sierra 10.12.5 beta is currently only available to developers. Public beta versions usually come a few days after developer versions if not the same day. The upcoming update follows macOS 10.12.4 which brought Apple’s color shifting Night Shift feature to the Mac for the first time. Apple is also running developer betas for iOS 10....

In a bit of a surprise after the iPhone 12 event, Apple’s iPhone 12 leather cases didn’t go up for sale along with the silicone and clear options. But we learned from fine-print that Apple was slating all of them for release alongside the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max on November 6. However, there’s still no word on availability for Apple’s new leather sleeve and the MagSafe Duo Charger....

Apple has gained several new partners around the world for its universal Search feature on Apple TV. In the United States, Apple TV users can now use the Search app or Siri to find content in BBC America, Classix, and Oxygen. Search on Apple TV lets you look for movies and TV shows in supported channels without hunting for specific content in individual apps. Here’s the full list of new Search partners in the US and around the world:...

Apple is working to bring its online and brick-and-mortar retail experience to India, but creating a plan that lives up to Apple’s standards for location and design is an intensive process that can’t happen overnight. In a statement released Thursday, Apple said that plans for India’s first official Apple Store “will take us some time.” In a report on August 28, Bloomberg noted that Apple was preparing to begin online sales of iPhones in India within months, thanks to the easing of a rule that previously required companies to source 30% of production locally....

As we noted earlier this week, Apple is now offering a one-day-only deal on its products for Black Friday. Customers who purchase qualifying Apple products will receive a (PRODUCT)RED iTunes gift card valued from $25 to $100 depending on the product. Below you’ll find a full list of the qualifying products for each denomination: iPod touch – $25 iPod nano – $25 Apple TV – $25 Select Beats by Dre headphones – $25 Any iPad – $50 Any Mac – $100 Apple is also donating the proceeds from many specially-marked iOS apps to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS until December 7th....

Apple has officially been served with a search warrant for access to the iPhone SE used by the man responsible for the Sutherland Springs, Texas shooting. The move comes after an earlier fumble that saw the Texas Rangers and FBI fail to act within 48 hours to unlock the device in question with Touch ID… As detailed in a report from Fast Company, the Texas Rangers served Apple with a warrant for access to David Kelley’s iPhone SE and his iCloud account, though it’s unclear if one exists at this point....