Apple has informed Mac developers that it is preparing to launch the ability for educational institutions and developers to purchase apps from the Mac App Store in volume for a discount. The upcoming feature was announced in an email: For orders of 20 copies, a discount of 50% to the total order will be applied. This option will not be enabled for developers automatically, but the app sellers will need to enable the feature in iTunes Connect....

Apple has launched its 2020 holiday gift guide in the US and some other countries just after its November Apple Silicon Mac event today. The launch comes a bit earlier than in past years and features Apple’s latest releases like the iPhone 12 lineup, Apple Watch Series 6 and SE, AirPods, the new Apple Silicon MacBooks, accessories, and more. Apple has also shared this season’s extended holiday return period. Last year we saw Apple unwrap its holiday gift guide on November 20....

While Siri did get smarter with the launch of iOS 10, it’s still widely believed that the Apple’s virtual assistant lags behind offering from Google and even the original creators of Siri. Today, tech veteran Walt Mossberg penned a column that asks the question, “Why does Siri seem so dumb?” Throughout the piece, which highlights a variety of common complaints with Siri, Mossberg notes of discussions he’s had with Apple concerning Siri’s flaws....

In the video, which will surely be removed soon, Apple mentions AirTags in reference to the Find My app’s offline finding feature: The Apple tracker tags will allow customers to locate real-world objects — like keys or suitcases — in the Find My app. As Apple’s video teases, the tags will use the offline features introduced in iOS 13 to allow anyone’s device to be able to detect the tracker signal....

Included in the update is a new feature that makes it possible to use Face ID while wearing a mask or facial covering without requiring an Apple Watch. You’ll need to enable the new Use Face ID With a Mask feature, which you can read more about here. iOS 15.4 now allows users to start a SharePlay session directly from an app that supports the FaceTime sharing feature. Siri gained a new voice for those who speak English....

Apple has released iOS 7.1.2 to end users today over-the-air with the following changes: The update is available over-the-air or via iTunes for the latest iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches. The fix for Mail addresses a well-publicized security problem regarding attachments. Apple has also released OS X 10.9.4 with various bug fixes and security enhancements. The build number is 11D257 and it comes in at approximately 30 MB over-the-air on the iPad and 32 MB on the iPhone....

Apple has released several updates for Mac today including macOS 10.15.7 and new versions of Final Cut Pro X and iMovie that squash a number of bugs and improve stability. macOS 10.15.7 includes fixes for a WiFi issue and an iMac graphics card issue. The FCP X update solves problems with brightness levels, keyframes, exporting, and more. First up, macOS 10.15.7 comes about a month after we saw 10.15.6 arrive last month with fixes for a virtualization issue and trouble with the 2020 iMac display....

Apple just published the Gold Master seed of OS X Mountain Lion, which will go on sale to the public later this month. It is available now in the OS X Dev Center on Apple’s Developer website. The Mountain Lion GM build number is 12A269. The previous build was 12A526. The 10.8 Golden Master comes out to a 4.34 GB Mac App Store download. We are hearing from people who have installed the GM that it is smoother....

Update: iOS 13.2 beta 4, iPadOS 13.2 beta 4, watchOS 6.1 beta 5, and tvOS 13.2 beta 4 are now available. iOS 13.2 and iPadOS 13.2 public beta 4 also now available. Apple today is releasing the fourth developer beta of iOS 13.2 and iPadOS 13.2. Today’s release comes exactly one week after the release of the third iOS 13.2 beta with Deep Fusion camera technology, Siri changes, and more....

With a 20 percent discount, the single-person Apple Music plan would come in at $7.99 per month, which is $2 less than the current $9.99 price point. The family package, which allows for up to six people, currently comes in at $14.99, but with the price cut would come in at $12.99. The $4.99 student tier would remain the same. Here’s how the new plans would look compared to the old ones:...

The Financial Times has an interesting detail not disclosed or previously reported about Apple’s new payment system introduced earlier this week and due out next month. Through Apple Pay, which uses a combination of NFC and Touch ID for authorizing mobile payments, the iPhone maker will collect 0.15% of each transaction that goes through the service. That means that every time you use your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus to check out at a supported vendor, a feature which is likely going to save you time, Apple is positioned to build a new revenue stream of its own for facilitating the transaction....

Apple appears to be finally pulling the plug on its iTunes LP format this year. For music sold in the iTunes Store, iTunes LP has served as a useful but not popular digital solution for including a rich multimedia experience with digital music. Like physical records and CDs, iTunes LP content can include lyrics, photos, and liner notes as well as access to video — but the format has never been optimized for iPhone and iPad....

Financial site Bank Innovation reports that Apple has negotiated lower transaction fees with American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Citigroup, and JP Morgan Chase ahead of the debut of its mobile payment system expected to be announced alongside the new iPhone models next week. The report notes that the banks were likely willing to lower rates to ensure participation and due to Apple’s security measures including the iPhone’s Touch ID sensor....

Update, 9:34 AM: Apple has now updated its System Status page to confirm the outages we reported earlier this morning. Apple reports some users experienced issues with account & sign in for iCloud, purchases for iTunes, Game Center, and creating new Apple IDs: Over the last couple of months Apple’s iCloud servers have been experiencing major outages approximately every couple of weeks and today a growing number of users are once again complaining of issues accessing various iCloud services....

In a profile of Apple SVP Eddy Cue, the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple’s new iTunes 11 app will debut tomorrow (Thursday). The report further claims that the new media player was delayed due to engineering issues that required some re-building. iTunes 11 was originally scheduled for an October debut, but Apple announced in late October that the software would arrive by the end of November. The new app includes a new interface, a new MiniPlayer, improved iCloud media content synchronization, and other new features to improve the music listening experience....

French Apple news site MacGeneration today reports that Apple is soon planning to open a new flagship retail store in Paris, France, citing French newspaper Le Figaro. The report claims that Apple has secured a lease for a 20,341-square-feet seven story building at 114 Avenue des Champs-Élysées. The company plans to operate a retail store on the lower levels of the building, while the upper levels will be reserved for office space....

Apple is trialing a new retail store format geared for fast and easy pickup of online orders with safety in mind. The concept design furthers Apple’s comprehensive response to COVID-19 and may help effectively serve customers during a busy upcoming season of new product launches. Apple Burlingame in Burlingame, California is the first location to pilot what Apple calls “Express,” a simplified version of the Apple Store experience that resembles a bank teller window....

Update: The new Apple Sanlitun opens on July 17 at 10 AM. Apple opened its first store in China in July 2008 at Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun mall. 12 years later, that original store is set to be replaced by an enormous new flagship location. The all-new Apple Sanlitun will bring Apple’s most prestigious tier of retail design to Beijing and one day elevate Today at Apple programming in the Chaoyang District....

Following our report earlier this month that Apple was preparing to deliver a bug fix in an upcoming iOS 7.1.1 update, today the update is going live as an over-the-air update for iOS users. Apple’s release notes say the update includes “improvements, bug fixes and security updates” including enhancements to Touch ID fingerprint recognition and fixes for keyboard responsiveness and Bluetooth keyboards used with VoiceOver: This update contains improvements, bug fixes and security updates, including:...

Apple has made its case against Samsung in the patent lawsuit that never ends, and the company’s attorneys rested today after an expert witness testified that Samsung should pay the full $2.191 billion in damages. As CNET reports, Quantitative Economic Solutions economist Christopher Vellturo told the court today that Apple’s claim to over $2 billion is valid based on estimated profits lost to Samsung’s infringing devices as well as royalties owed to Apple for use of its protected software designs....