Apple recently kicked off a new iPad Pro ad campaign that highlights problems real people have with PCs and how iPads can be better solutions. So far Apple has shared seven installments in its ‘Real problems… answered’ series, but there are at least two (now four!) more ads in the wild that haven’t been published on YouTube. These ads follow the same format based on actual tweets from real people and target so-called Windows PC ‘switchers’ Apple wants to reach with the iPad Pro....

After it was revealed that Apple paid an effective tax rate on its European profits of just 0.005% in 2014, a local tax and advisory firm has said that while other multinational companies had similar arrangements with Ireland, Apple’s deal was ‘the most brazen.’ The comment was made by Aisling Donohue, a partner at tax and business advisory firm MGPartners, reports Bloomberg. The European Commission yesterday ordered the Irish government to recover €13B ($15B) in taxation from Apple after it was ruled to have offered the company illegal tax breaks....

As Apple continues to grow and evolve its Services, one product that has been talked about is a “super-bundle” that could offer customers music, video, gaming, and even news. Apple has reportedly been chatting with major music companies about the plans but there appears to be concerns and resistance from some record labels. Reported by the Financial Times, anonymous sources close to the matter say that Apple has been talking with the major music companies about a super-bundle....

Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the Computers, Privacy & Data Protection conference last week with a speech about privacy due to Data Privacy Day. After being broadcast live, the speech was uploaded today on Apple’s official YouTube channel. During the 12-minute speech, Cook once again expressed his concerns about privacy and data security. He argued that the digital advertising market has been invading personal privacy for decades and that Apple wants to stop this by giving users the right to choose whether or not they want to be tracked....

The Pride Edition Woven Nylon band first became popular last year when Apple gifted the band to employees participating in the San Francisco Pride parade. It wasn’t until June of this year that Apple released the band to the general public for $49. The bands carried a charitable component, with Apple donating a portion of proceeds from Pride Edition band sales to LGBTQ advocacy groups. Apple has recently stopped sales of the Pride Edition Apple Watch band, likely due to it switching its focus to its new Fall Collection of Apple Watch bands, first shown during the iPhone X event earlier this week....

Following the release of iOS 14.5 and today’s iOS 14.5.1, Apple has stopped signing iOS 14.4.2, blocking downgrades from the latest major update. Apple first released iOS 14.4.2 to the public back in March with critical security and bug fixes. That was followed by iOS 14.5 a month later – a major release with Apple Watch Unlock for iPhone, App Tracking Transparency, new emoji and Siri voices, Podcast app updates, and more....

Apple updated its mobile shopping apps for both iPhone and iPad today, with each platform getting a different set of new features or fixes. On the iPhone, improvements were made to the way in-store notifications are handled. These notifications can be triggered by a variety of events, such as a Genius Bar appointment or a nearby iBeacon. On the iPad app (which is still a separate download for some reason), shoppers can now purchase Apple gift cards from directly within the app....

A Taiwanese man in a Zhenjiang court filed a lawsuit against Cupertino-based Apple, claiming the company is infringing on his patent with its FaceTime technology that is present in many iOS and OS X products. According to the man’s lawyer, his client earned the patent in 2003 while working under an employer. Once he left, the patent transferred to his name. The patent, which covers a “voice network personal digital assistant” (sounds more like Siri?...

Apple is testing a new type of search result format for some questions. As spotted on Reddit, Spotlight Search can now answer some typed-in questions with direct answers, rather than a generic list of web results. The listing highlights the extract, which should hopefully answer the question, along with the source website and a button to report a concern if the result is inappropriate. An all too familiar experience of using Siri is getting an answer like ‘I found this on the web for [x]’....

Apple has updated its website to announce that it will be live streaming next week’s WWDC Keynote address for all to watch. As per usual, the event will be available on Macs running Safari 4 or later, iOS Devices running iOS 4.2 or later, Windows machines running Quicktime 7, and via an application on the Apple TV. The event kicks off at 10AM Pacific/1PM Eastern time on Monday, June 2nd. Apple says that it has “exciting announcements” in store for the event (as it says for all of its events), which is likely to include talk of iOS 8 with Healthbook, a redesigned OS X 10....

On World Water Day, Apple and the Alliance for Water Stewardship are touting their long-term commitment to their work together. Apple and the alliance will continue to invest in Chinese industries and all around the world, according to a post in Apple’s newsroom. In the past year, the number of Apple’s supply chain partners that received certifications from the Alliance for Water Stewardship increased from 5 to 13. The Alliance for Water Stewardship is a global organization dedicated to promoting cooperation between businesses, governments, and nonprofit organizations to encourage the adoption of common system standards for sustainable water use....

Apple has released iOS 11.1 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The latest software update adds hundreds of new emoji characters including new expressions, vampires and zombies, breastfeeding, dinosaurs and many more. Other changes include the return of the 3D Touch gesture for multitasking, a smoother scroll-to-top animation, and other bug fixes and improvements. Apple first previewed these new emoji over the summer then teased them again in recent betas. Now iOS 11....

Apple has released iOS 6.0.1 to iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users. Apple says that this update includes various improvements and bug fixes. Fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 from installing software updates wirelessly over the air Fixes a bug where horizontal lines may be displayed across the keyboard Fixes an issue that could cause camera flash to not go off Improves reliability of iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) when connected to encrypted WPA2 Wi-Fi networks Resolves an issue that prevents iPhone from using the cellular network in some instances Consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match Fixes a Passcode Lock bug which sometimes allowed access to Passbook pass details from lock screen Fixes a bug affecting Exchange meetings The iPhone 5 apparently shipped with a bug that does not allow the device to receive over-the-air updates....

Following the release of OS X 10.10.3 to the public, Apple has also released iOS 8.3 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update, which has been in beta for several months, brings over 300 new emojis (including diversity options) as well as a new keyboard for inputting the symbols. The new keyboard features a scrolling UI, rather than the old page metaphor, to better accommodate the wider range of emojis available in the update....

[UPDATE: Apple’s system status page says the issues are now resolved after four hours.] If you’re currently experiencing issues with iCloud Mail or Notes, then you’re not alone. Apple is currently reporting an ongoing iCloud outage affecting a small percentage of users (which is probably still a lot of people at Apple’s scale) when sending and receiving email with iCloud Mail or using iCloud Notes. According to Apple’s System Status page, the small outage has been ongoing for almost two hours, although Apple typically acknowledges outages some time after they occur and not immediately....

Two weeks after a surprise launch of the first macOS 11.5 beta, Apple has seeded developers with the second. The update comes alongside the second beta of iOS 14.7. Update 6/3: Now available for public beta testers as well. If you’re enrolled in the developer or public beta program, the OTA for the second macOS 11.5 beta should be showing up soon if it’s not already. You can also download the beta from Apple’s Developer website....

Two Apple suppliers this morning, Lumentum and AMS, are reporting weak revenues ailed by weakening global smartphone sales, particularly hurt by the slowdown within China. The latter of the two, AMS, struggled on an earnings call predicated with a guidance revision, seeing a 58% decline in quarterly profits YoY alongside a dividend suspension. Interestingly, both suppliers make critical components for Apple’s Face ID system exclusively found in newer iPhone models....

Currently, Apple shoppers must visit AppleCenter in Dubai According to Stuff Middle East, Apple is the final stages of opening an Apple Store in cash-drenched Dubai. The Store – whether it is officially an ‘Apple Store’ or not, the distinction is dubious– will be a store within a store of Richard Branson’s Virgin Megastore. It will be staffed by Apple geniuses/employees, however and will retain the Apple Store “look and feel”....

Apple looks to continue its rapid expansion of its retail stores according to a reliable local report from MacReports. The report claims that Apple is working towards launching another retail store in Istanbul, Turkey. The company is reportedly assembling a team to lead the process, as well as advertising new available positions in Turkey relating to the opening of another retail store. The report claims that Apple plans to open the new retail location sometime this year in the Asian part of Istanbul....

Apple has rolled out Apple Pay support for another 24 banks and credit unions following last month’s expansion reaching more than 200 in total. The newly added banks include more than a dozen banks and credit unions from around the United States including The Bancorp Bank which backs Simple, a popular online banking service. Here’s the full list of newly added Apple Pay banks: Bellwether Community Credit Union Benchmark Federal Credit Union Blackhawk Community Credit Union Community America Credit Union Community First Credit Union Connections Credit Union cPort Credit Union Denver Fire Department FCU Electro Savings Credit Union Elements Financial FCU First Financial Credit Union Greater Nevada Credit Union Harvard Universities Employees Credit Union Interra Credit Union Kern Schools Federal Credit Union Nusenda Credit Union People’s Trust Federal Credit Union Premier America Credit Union Premier Members Federal Credit Union SAFE Credit Union Scient Federal Credit Union The Bancorp Bank Tucson Federal Credit Union Union Bank & Trust Co....