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The New 2020 iPad Pro

Apple introduced the updated iPad Pro models with A12Z Bionic chips, dual camera setups, a new LiDAR Scanner for augmented reality, and a new Magic Keyboard accessory that adds a trackpad to the ‌iPad Pro‌ for the first time.

Based on code in iOS 13.4, there are also a couple other ‌iPad Pro‌ features that have remained hidden. According to 9to5Mac, the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models all feature 6GB RAM and include Apple's Ultra Wideband chips.

Will Apple Buy Shazam

Apple is buying Shazam, a music recognition app. Apple will pay $400 million for the company, which was last valued at $1 billion. Apple plans to buy Shazam, the song-recognition company, for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Apple Buys Musicmetric

Apple has acquired a London music startup. The tech giant has bought the company behind music analytics service Musicmetric, Musically reports. 

Musicmetric owner Semetric changed its registered address to 100 New Bridge Street in London, home of Apple Europe Ltd. On the same day, it also filed documents to detail the appointment of a new director. He’s called Gene Daniel Levoff and up until now has been based at Apple’s global HQ.

Apple told Musically that it “buys smaller technology companies from time to time,” adding that it doesn’t “generally discuss our purpose or plan”. Semetric also declined to comment.

It’s speculated that Apple’s latest purchase could pave the way for the company to expand its music services. Apple wants to better tune its music arms: iTunes will likely be overhauled. But it’s Beats Music that stands to benefit most. Apple is going to relaunch the platform this year and there’s talk it could come pre-installed on iPhones and iPads.

Musicmetric launched in 2008 and allows music industry clients to track social and sales analytics through a dashboard, Musically writes — it also offers data streaming. In Jan. 2013 it received $4.8 million in funding.

Musicmetric says it’s about “turning big data into big opportunities”, and continues: “Whether you’re planning your first album launch or a global tour, on the lookout for new talent or after some killer intelligence to help pick your next brand ambassador, the Musicmetric dashboard will quickly and simply tell you all you need to know.”

How Apple chooses to use and develop Musicmetric remains to be seen, but one certainty is the implications the acquisition has for other streaming companies such as Spotify and Next Big Sound.

Here’s what Musically says:

Spotify has a partnership with Musicmetric to pipe in streaming data for labels to access via the latter’s dashboard.

Just as rival streaming services ended their partnerships with music/tech firm The Echo Nest firm when Spotify bought it last year, so Spotify is unlikely to be too keen on providing a firehose of its data to an Apple subsidiary.

Apple Beats Hits New Highs

Apple needed a breakout quarter after its last whiff, and boy did it get one. The company reported revenue of $42.4 billion and earnings of $1.42 per share. Analysts were expecting earnings of $1.38 per share on revenue of $42.09 billion. As a result the company added tens of billions of value back to its share price, which rose more than 6% in extended trading. (6% might not feel like a lot, but for a company worth more than $500 billion, it’s a huge amount of value.)

That’s still a down quarter from last year. Apple then reported revenue of $49.6 billion on earnings of $1.85 per share. But that’s to be expected as the company’s core growth engine — the iPhone — has started to reach a saturation point and slow. Apple said it sold 40.4 million iPhones, compared to 51.2 million in the last quarter. But the last year has been largely iterative for the company.

This quarter largely shows an extension of that storyline. Revenue is no longer in growth mode, and iPhone sales are declining. But with industry watchers finally setting expectations that the company isn’t in full-on growth mode any more, it looks like positive news from the company is positive news for investors, who are still looking for new ways to value the company.

Last quarter was a pivotal moment for Apple. The company showed its first revenue decline in 13 years, missing analyst expectations by a mile. iPhone sales, Apple’s main growth driver, were significantly down from the second quarter a year earlier. That sparked a lot of concern that Apple’s core engine may have — actually, most likely — has hit a saturation point.

As a result of that report, Apple’s stock promptly fell off a cliff. $40 billion in value for the company was wiped out in a single afternoon. Google has been nipping at Apple’s heeels, and at some moments seemed likely that it would permanently overtake the position of the most valuable company in the world (as it did at one point, momentarily). Apple’s stock has really yet to recover from that fall in the last quarter, but today was certainly a big help.

Apple Introduces New Spatial Audio and Automatic Switching

Apple has quietly continued to improve upon the AirPods Pro with firmware updates that have tweaked their noise cancellation and sound quality. The company rarely details or comments on the changes that come in each release of AirPods firmware; there are no update notes that spell out what’s new.

But last month, the AirPods Pro picked up a pair of new features that Apple did announce: spatial audio and automatic switching. Automatic switching is the simpler one, and it’ll probably make a bigger difference to your day-to-day use of the AirPods Pro.

New Apple iOS 8

+Apple iPhone and iPad Apps, News and Updates is back with another app. Apple today unveiled iOS 8, the biggest release since the launch of the App Store. iOS 8 delivers a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience, including iCloud Photo Library, allowing you to enjoy your photos and videos more easily across your devices; new Messages features to easily share voice, video or photos with just a swipe; and an entirely new Health app that gives you a clear overview of your health and fitness data all in one place. 

iOS 8 also includes predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType keyboard; Family Sharing, the easiest way to share purchases, photos and calendars within the same household; and iCloud Drive, so you can store files and access them from anywhere. Conversations in Messages become more immersive with the ability to communicate with just a swipe. 

Tap to Talk allows you to share your voice and the same simple gesture also works for sharing videos and photos within Messages. Group messaging now gives you the ability to add and remove contacts, leave a conversation and the option to not be disturbed. Additional iOS 8 features include design enhancements that build off the interface of iOS 7; extended Spotlight capabilities that give you results beyond what’s on your device, including articles from Wikipedia, findings from the news and results from places nearby; and greater continuity between iPhone, iPad and Mac, including Handoff to start an activity on one device and finish on another, along with Instant Hotspot and the ability to make and receive calls and send SMS and MMS messages from your Mac or iPad.

iOS 8 will be available this fall as a free software update. For more information, please visit Apple.

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Apple Sued Over Unpaid Royalties

The main sale and attraction of streaming services is that they pride themselves in how much they pay for artist royalties. However, Apple has recently received a new lawsuit over unpaid royalties for independent artists. The lawsuit contradicts the value that they promise to artists.

Itunes To Shut Down All Music Downloads

An Apple executive has officially announced that all iTunes MP3 music downloads will be terminated by early 2019. Apple Music executive and Beats creator Jim Iovine announced today that paid downloads on the iTunes platform will be phased out in an attempt to shift users toward Apple Music's online streaming.

Europe Demands Apple To Pay $14 Billion

This ruling handed down after a 2-year investigation would rebuff the efforts of the United States to persuade the EC to drop its interest amid warnings about retaliation from Washington. Europe has been looking into the company’s tax deals with Ireland, according to which Apple paid very little tax on income earned in EU.

The European Commission launched a formal inquiry 2 years ago after publishing preliminary findings that suggested involvement of state aid in deals between Apple and Ireland in 1991 and 2007, which was incompatible with the EU’s internal market. However, the alleged parties to the deal have denied its very existence with Apple calling the investigation “political crap” and promising to appeal against a ruling that the company received state aid.

The financial experts estimated that if the European Union requires Apple to retroactively pay the Irish corporate tax rate of 12.5% on the pre-tax profits it collected via the country, it would amount to about $19bn. At the same time, Irish sources expect the bill to be much smaller, just in the hundreds of millions.

Three years ago, a US Senate investigation found that the tech giant paid little or no tax on profits of at least $74bn over 4 years, exploiting the gaps in the Irish and American tax code. However, the investigation found no evidence of illegal activity at the time, while both Apple and Ireland denied any wrongdoing.

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Drake Breaks All Apple Music Services

Drake’s Scorpion is skyrocketing on the music charts and shattering Apple Music records, including becoming the number one album on the Apple Music charts in 92 different countries almost instantaneously and becoming the fastest-growing album ever on the service.

The Next MacBook Air

This sounds like a really cool gadget to have for 2015. Apple’s 12-inch MacBook Air has been rumored for a while now, but the computer is very real, according to a new report from 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman. The resourceful and consistently accurate site has revealed specs and renders of a 12-inch MacBook (which is pegged for release anytime between the near future and mid-2015) that pushes the limits in terms of thickness, input and output ports, and overall design.

The 12-inch notebook is almost twice as thin as the existing 11-inch model of the same computer. It has only a very slight taper from its thinnest point to its thickest, unlike the versions shipping now, and it manages to occupy a footprint similar to the current 11-inch Apple notebook, despite the larger display, thanks to the use of a nearly edge-to-edge chiclet-style keyboard, as well as smaller bezels surrounding the 12-inch Air’s screen on all sides.

Apple’s boldest decision with this computer might be that it is apparently dropping almost all physical input and output ports from the computer, save for one 3.5mm audio jack and a single, USB-C connector. The USB-C standard offers a reversible design like the Lightning connector, making it possible to insert compatible cables in any orientation, but more importantly the spec also allows for transfer of power, as well as high-bandwith video transmission and data up and down. That means that it can act as a single cable solution for docks and hubs that would let MacBook Air owners plug in far more accessories and devices via a single port.

If these reports are accurate (and it’s certain that they are legitimate representations of Apple’s designs at least at this stage of their process, TechCrunch has confirmed), Apple is taking a gamble in that it bets consumers will value extreme portability and minimal design over a bevy of easily accessible ports and I/O. Things are generally handled via wireless in many instances these days, so the minimal port approach doesn’t scare me all that much, especially given what USB-C is capable of, but we’ll have to wait and see if this carries through to an actual shipping computer later this year.

These Top 5 Gadgets Are A Must Have This Christmas For Men

We've come to the end of 2019 and it's time to kick in the holidays. We've been keeping track of the most popular products that have been selling and we think we've come up with the best selection.

If you're in the market for some new tech or a few cool gadgets, you have made it to the right article.

The New Apple Watch Hermes

Hermes pulls Apple into the world of fashion with special leather bands exclusively designed for the Apple Watch. The American multinational technology company has teamed up with the French luxury fashion house to launch the Apple Watch Hermes.

The Robot Butler

Aloft Hotels, part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts group, will on August 20 be introducing its latest hire, A.L.O., a roving cyber ‘Botlr’ that acknowledges requests with a few peppy beeps and flashing lights. Not far from Apple’s corporate campus, a major hotel brand has hired what it calls the industry’s first robotic butler, described as Wall-E, Rosie and R2-D2 all rolled into one.

Its main role will be to deliver amenities to guest rooms, says Starwood, in the aim of freeing up the hotel staff — the human variety — to carry out other tasks. But it’s also a marketing strategy aimed at appealing to the brand’s main target demographic — tech-savvy millennial travelers — who are invited to ‘tip’ the robot bellhop with tweets that compliment its service.

Despite being a robot, it may be hard to resist the urge to give it a friendly pet with its chirpy beeps, little black bow tie and requests for approbation. It’s only fitting that the droid butler be introduced at the brand’s Cupertino location, steps from the brain center of tech giant Apple. The hotel is outfitted heavily with Apple products: All 123 rooms are equipped with Apple TVs that can sync with guests’ iOS devices and personal iTunes accounts.

Botlr is one of several tech-heavy services at Aloft. For the growing segment of independent or ‘invisible’ travelers, a Cool Concierge is also available, allowing guests to look up information like directions and flight status on a tablet-based computer system without the help of hotel staff — yet another move signaling the shift towards increasingly automated services in the hotel industry.

Botlr is one of several tech-heavy services at Aloft. For the growing segment of independent or ‘invisible’ travelers, a Cool Concierge is also available, allowing guests to look up information like directions and flight status on a tablet-based computer system without the help of hotel staff — yet another move signaling the shift towards increasingly automated services in the hotel industry.

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Hear Our Tunes On Google Play

+Google Play has been hitting the music industry with a storm. Shop Google Play on the web. Purchase and enjoy instantly on your Android phone or tablet without the hassle of syncing. Google Play, formerly the Android Market, is a digital distribution platform operated by Google. It serves as the official app store for the Android operating system. With its All Access subcription service, the updated Google Play Music has come of age. The inclusion of this subscription service trumps Apple's iTunes.

(CLICK HERE) To Head Over To Google Play Music To Listen Or Stream For Free

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Go Swimming With The New Apple Watch

The new design pairs a Space Gray Apple Watch casing with a “Light Bone/Black” band, giving the device a more laid-back vibe than Nike and Apple’s previous collab. The NikeLab edition will be available in both 38 mm and 42 mm sizes, just like other versions of the device. There’s no new hardware or software perks with this new edition, so this release is mostly targeting hypebeasts searching for an exclusive new look.

LeBron James Will Make $30 Million From Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre wasn’t the only one who walked away with a wad of cash from his record-breaking deal with Apple. LeBron James has also reportedly cashed out, raking in a cool $30 million from Beats Electronics being bought by the tech tycoon.

James bargained for a small stock in the Beats company back in 2008 in exchange for promoting the Beats by Dre headphones. That has translated into the profit he now earns from the Apple deal, in the form of stocks and cash, according to an ESPN story:

“While James was leading the Heat to a victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, sources say the 29-year-old was finalizing what is believed to be the biggest equity cash payout for a professional athlete in history as part of Apple’s recent $3 billion purchase of Beats Electronics. Sources briefed on the situation say James realized a profit of more than $30 million in cash and stock in the Beats sale after he had struck a deal to get a small stake in the company at its inception in 2008 in exchange for promoting its high-end headphones.”

Dr. Dre TV Series Rejected

Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre's TV plans hit a bump in the road. On Saturday (Sept. 22), the Wall Street Journal reported that Vital Signs, which is a semi-autobiographical drama Dre produced for Apple, was rejected by Apple CEO Tim Cook for being too violent.

Apparently Cook saw the six-episode series himself before telling Interscope Cofounder and current Apple exec Jimmy Iovine that the show featured too much violent content. In addition to gun violence, the show also includes scenes with cocaine use and at least one orgy. Neither Dre nor Cook have spoken about the show's apparent rejection.

Vital Signs was originally announced back in the winter of 2016 and it's been revealed that Michael K. Williams, Sam Rockwell and Ian McShane were stars on the show. At the time, it was reported that each episode of the series was supposed to be "focusing on a different emotion and how Dre's character deals with it."

We may not be getting to see Vital Signs, but at least more of Dre's handy work will make its way into the world soon.

Universal Music Group Shuts Down Apple Music Exclusives

(The Wrap-Up Magazine) Apple’s iTunes, Lucian Grainge, CEO of Universal Music Group and widely regarded as the most powerful executive in the music industry, has reportedly ordered the company’s labels to stop the practice of making “exclusive” distribution deals with streaming services.

According to Bob Lefsetz, author of an influential music industry newsletter, Grainge sent out a company-wide email on Monday. UMG, which boasted seven of 2015’s 10 best-selling albums and 38.5% of the year’s recorded-music sales, will be the first major label to ban the practice, which many feel has begun to diminish rather than enhance the way music is distributed and consumed.

The directive will affect dozens of bands under the UMG umbrella, including all five of this year’s album of the year Grammy nominees: Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, the Weeknd, Chris Stapleton and Alabama Shakes.

The practice of artists offering exclusives to competing streaming and download services, including Apple and Tidal, has been gaining traction this year. Both Beyoncé and Rihanna launched their recent albums through Tidal, the streaming service part-owned by Beyoncé’s husband, Jay Z.