In 2017, with more than 100,000 employees working for the company, Apple still leads the world in innovation and provides seamless experiences across its devices and empowers users with its breaktrough services including Apple Music, iCloud, App Store, Apple Pay and more.
History of the Apple Computer
Apple History 2017
January 5, 2017: $240 Million in Customer Purchases, up 40% from 2015, makes January 1, 2017 the App Store’s busiest day ever. The App Store welcomed 2017 with its busiest single day ever on New Year’s Day, capping a record-breaking holiday season and a year of unprecedented developer earnings and breakout app hits. In 2016 alone, developers earned over $20 billion, up over 40 percent from 2015. Apple announces that since the App Store launched in 2008, developers have earned over $60 billion, creating amazing app experiences for App Store customers across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Mac. Those efforts helped kick off 2017 with a remarkable start, making New Year’s Day the highest single day ever for the App Store with nearly $240 million in purchases.
January 18, 2017: Apple announces that GarageBand and Logic Pro X Music Apps will get major updates to its music creation apps with new features for music makers of all levels on iPhone, iPad and Mac. GarageBand for iOS 2.2 now features the powerful creative synthesizer Alchemy and a new sound browser that makes searching through instruments and patches easier than ever. Logic Pro X 10.3 becomes an even more powerful tool for pros with a modern interface, new features for professional audio production as well as support for the revolutionary Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro, putting intuitive, context-sensitive controls right at users’ fingertips. GarageBand for iOS brings even more sophisticated music creation options to iPhone and iPad, while still remaining fun and easy to use. It features a redesigned sound browser that makes it faster than ever to explore Touch Instruments and quickly find the exact sounds. Logic Pro X includes advanced new features that make Logic an even stronger tool for audio production, giving musicians and audio engineers even more control over editing and mixing their music. The latest release features a new modern design that improves legibility in a variety of working environments. The GarageBand for iOS update is free for all existing users and with all new iOS devices. Customers with older, non-qualifying devices can purchase the app for $6.99 (CAD) on the App Store. The Logic Pro X update, available today, is free for all existing users, and available on the Mac App Store for $279.99 (CAD) for all new customers.
January 31, 2017: Apple announces financial results for its fiscal 2017 first quarter ended December 31, 2016. The Company posted all-time record quarterly revenue of $78.4 billion and all-time record quarterly earnings per diluted share of $3.36. These results compare to revenue of $75.9 billion and earnings per diluted share of $3.28 in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 64 percent of the quarter’s revenue. Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2017 second quarter: revenue between $51.5 billion and $53.5 billion; gross margin between 38 percent and 39 percent; operating expenses between $6.5 billion and $6.6 billion; other income/(expense) of $400 million; tax rate of 26 percent Apple’s board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.57 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on February 16, 2017 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 13, 2017.
February 16, 2017: Apple announces its 28th annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) – hosting the world’s most talented developer community – will be held at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose. The conference, kicking off June 5, will inspire developers from all walks of life to turn their passions into the next great innovations and apps that customers use every day across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Mac. Each year during WWDC, millions of talented developers around the world learn about Apple’s breakthrough platform technologies ranging from programming languages like Swift to breakthrough developer APIs like SiriKit, HomeKit, HealthKit and CarPlay. Located just minutes from Apple’s new headquarters in Cupertino, WWDC 2017 will give developers access to more than 1,000 Apple engineers with opportunities to meet and engage with them throughout the conference. The McEnery Convention Center will be the hub for thousands of attendees with great hotel, restaurant and entertainment options, all within walking distance. In addition to the keynote address, get-togethers, sessions and labs for developers, Apple is working with the city of San Jose and local businesses to celebrate the return of WWDC with very special experiences around San Jose throughout the week. Developers will have the opportunity to apply for tickets this spring. The conference will be live-streamed through the Apple Developer website (developer.apple.com/wwdc) and on the WWDC app for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
February 22, 2017: Apple announces that Apple Park, the company’s new 175-acre campus, will be ready for employees to begin occupying in April. The process of moving more than 12,000 people will take over six months, and construction of the buildings and parklands is scheduled to continue through the summer. Envisioned by Steve Jobs as a center for creativity and collaboration, Apple Park is transforming miles of asphalt sprawl into a haven of green space in the heart of the Santa Clara Valley. The campus’ ring-shaped, 2.8 million-square-foot main building is clad entirely in the world’s largest panels of curved glass.
March 21, 2017: Swift Playgrounds Now Available in Five Additional Languages. The App for Learning to Code in Swift now supports simplified Chinese, Japanese, French, German & Latin American Spanish. Designed to make learning and experimenting with real code interactive and fun, Swift Playgrounds is perfect for students and beginners to explore working with Swift, the easy-to-learn programming language from Apple that is used by professional developers to create world-class apps. The app includes Apple-developed programming lessons, puzzles and challenges that teach core coding concepts, as well as built-in templates to encourage users to express their creativity and create real programs. The app takes full advantage of the power, simplicity and Multi-Touch capabilities of iPad to deliver a first-of-its-kind learning experience. All programming lessons are now localized across five additional languages and are optimized to look even better and run faster than ever.
March 21, 2017: Apple introduces Clips, a new app that makes it quick and fun for anyone to create expressive videos on iPhone and iPad. The app features a unique design for combining video clips, photos and music into great-looking videos to share with friends through the Messages app, or on Instagram, Facebook and other popular social networks. Clips also introduces Live Titles, a breakthrough feature that lets users create animated captions and titles using just their voice. Fun effects including comic book filters, speech bubbles, shapes and full-screen animated posters help bring out the personality in videos made with Clips.
March 21, 2017: Apple updates its 9.7-inch iPad, featuring a brighter 9.7-inch Retina display and best-in-class performance at its most affordable price ever, starting at $329. Designed for unmatched portability and ease of use, along with incredible performance and all-day battery life, iPad is the world’s most popular tablet and the primary computing device for millions of customers around the world. Through the more than 1.3 million apps designed specifically for iPad, customers can do even more, from learning to code with Swift Playgrounds and reading books on the large screen to boosting productivity through Microsoft Office and using multitasking features like Split Screen. The new iPad comes with iOS 10, which brings more expressive and animated ways to communicate in Messages, new ways to use Siri with your favorite apps, beautifully redesigned Maps, Photos, Apple Music and News, and the new Home app, which lets you simply and securely set up, manage and control your home all in one place. Multitasking features including Slide Over, Split View and Picture-in-Picture help you do even more.
21 March 2017: Apple introduces iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition in a red aluminum finish, in recognition of more than ten years of partnership between Apple and (RED). This gives customers a way to contribute to the Global Fund and bring the world a step closer to an AIDS-free generation. The special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone will be available to order online worldwide and in stores beginning Friday, March 24.
March 26, 2017: Apple opens its doors to customers at new stores in Nanjing, Cologne and Miami, bringing Apple’s latest retail innovations to the heart of each city. More than 350 store employees welcome thousands of customers at the grand openings, some queuing for days in advance. Each store complements the local architecture, from the restored facade in Schildergasse to the 90-by-30-foot glass entryway of Apple Nanjing. For the first time in each city, customers explored The Forum, a place where the local community can gather and learn. All three stores also feature The Boardroom, a space for local entrepreneurs, developers and business customers to get hands-on advice and training.
April 6, 2017: Clips brings fun and simple video creation to iPhone and iPad. Free App is now available on the App Store. Clips app makes it easy and fun to create expressive multi-clip videos on iPhone or iPad. The app provides an all-new way to produce quick videos to share with friends or family through the Messages app, or on Instagram, Facebook and other social networks. Clips’ simple, single-screen interface lets users make polished, multi-clip videos in minutes without video editing timelines, tracks or complicated tools to learn.
April 21, 2017: Apple celebrates Earth Day with new initiatives and stories of innovation. In celebration of Earth Day 2017, Apple releases a video series featuring candid interviews with employees leading Apple’s efforts to address climate change, conserve resources and pioneer safer materials. Apple worked with artist James Blagden to create fun, animated videos that show Apple’s innovative approach — including why its scientists make one-half gallon of artificial sweat every day.
April 26, 2017: The program “Today at Apple” brings new experiences to every Apple Store. This new programs launch is expected in May, according to Apple’s plans to launch dozens of new educational sessions next month in all 495 Apple stores ranging in topics from photo and video to music, coding, art and design and more. The hands-on sessions, collectively called “Today at Apple,” will be led by highly-trained team members, and in select cities world-class artists, photographers and musicians, teaching sessions from basics and how-to lessons to professional-level programs. Legendary hip-hop producer RZA leads an “Art of Beatmaking” Session at Apple Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “At the heart of every Apple Store is the desire to educate and inspire the communities we serve,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president, Retail. “‘Today at Apple’ is one of the ways we’re evolving our experience to better serve local customers and entrepreneurs. We’re creating a modern-day town square, where everyone is welcome in a space where the best of Apple comes together to connect with one another, discover a new passion, or take their skill to the next level. We think it will be a fun and enlightening experience for everyone who joins.”
April 27, 2017: Apple Dubai Mall opens. The 186-foot storefront at Apple Dubai Mall offers breathtaking views of the Burj Khalifa and overlooks the stunning Dubai Fountain. Envisioned as a space for the community to gather, learn and be entertained, Apple Dubai Mall will also serve as a venue to watch the spectacular evening fountain shows and will host Apple’s new global in-store experience, “Today at Apple,” also announced today. Apple Dubai Mall is Apple’s second store in Dubai and third in the United Arab Emirates. “We view our stores as a modern-day town square, where visitors come to shop, be inspired, learn or connect with others in their community,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president, Retail. “And what better place to come together than overlooking Dubai’s epicenter, where the Dubai Fountain, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall meet. We are so honored to have a home at one of the world’s most incredible and dynamic intersections.” Apple Dubai Mall’s 148 employees prepare the store to welcome customers from around the world.
May 2, 2017: Apple reports second quarter financial results. Capital return program is expanding to $300 Billion. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $52.9 billion and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.10. These results compare to revenue of $50.6 billion and earnings per diluted share of $1.90 in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 65 percent of the quarter’s revenue. “We are proud to report a strong March quarter, with revenue growth accelerating from the December quarter and continued robust demand for iPhone 7 Plus,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve seen great customer response to both models of the new iPhone 7 (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition and we’re thrilled with the strong momentum of our Services business, with our highest revenue ever for a 13-week quarter. Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome attendees from around the world to our annual Worldwide Developers Conference next month in San Jose.” Apple also announces that its Board of Directors has authorized an increase of $50 billion to the Company’s program to return capital to shareholders and is extending the program timeframe by four quarters. Under the expanded program, Apple plans to spend a cumulative total of $300 billion by the end of March 2019. “We generated strong operating cash flow of $12.5 billion and returned over $10 billion to our investors in the March quarter,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “Given the strength of our business and our confidence in our future, we are happy to announce another $50 billion increase to our capital return program today.” As part of the latest update to the program, the Board has increased its share repurchase authorization to $210 billion from the $175 billion level announced a year ago. The Company also expects to continue to net-share-settle vesting restricted stock units. The Board has approved a 10.5% increase to the Company’s quarterly dividend, and has declared a dividend of $0.63 per share of the Company’s common stock, payable on May 18, 2017 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 15, 2017. From the inception of its capital return program in August 2012 through March 2017, Apple has returned over $211 billion to shareholders, including $151 billion in share repurchases. The Company plans to continue to access the domestic and international debt markets to assist in funding the program. The management team and the Board will continue to review each element of the capital return program regularly and plan to provide an update on the program on an annual basis.
May 23, 2017: Nokia and Apple sign patent license and business cooperation agreement, settle all litigation related to their intellectual property dispute and agreed a multi-year patent license. “This is a meaningful agreement between Nokia and Apple,” said Maria Varsellona, Chief Legal Officer at Nokia, responsible for Nokia’s patent licensing business. “It moves our relationship with Apple from being adversaries in court to business partners working for the benefit of our customers.” Under a business collaboration agreement, Nokia will be providing certain network infrastructure product and services to Apple. Apple will resume carrying Nokia digital health products (formerly under the Withings brand) in Apple retail and online stores, and Apple and Nokia are exploring future collaboration in digital health initiatives. Regular summits between top Nokia and Apple executives will ensure that the relationship works effectively and to the benefit of both parties and their customers. “We are pleased with this resolution of our dispute and we look forward to expanding our business relationship with Nokia,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “This agreement will strengthen our collaboration,” said Basil Alwan, President of Nokia’s IP/Optical Networks business. “We look forward to supporting Apple.” While details of the agreement remain confidential, Nokia will receive an up-front cash payment from Apple, with additional revenues during the term of the agreement.
May 24, 2017: Apple launches app development curriculum for high school and community college students. Students will be able to learn to code and develop apps at high schools and community colleges across the country. App Development with Swift is a full-year course designed by Apple engineers and educators to teach students elements of app design using Swift, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. Students will learn to code and design fully functional apps, gaining critical job skills in software development and information technology. Students who want to learn about app development can download the curriculum for free from the iBooks Store. Starting this fall, six community college systems serving nearly 500,000 students across the country will be among the first to offer the innovative curriculum. At many campuses, local businesses will also offer students mentoring and internships.
May 27, 2017: Apple Orchard Road opens in Singapore The 120-foot glass facade blurs the barrier between inside and out, while 16 interior trees continue the city’s lush greenery throughout the space. Apple Orchard Road opened Saturday to thousands of customers who queued to explore Apple’s first store in Southeast Asia. Braving the equatorial heat as early as Friday night, customers were greeted by Apple’s Angela Ahrendts and the store’s 237 employees when doors opened at 10 a.m.
June 1, 2017: Developer earnings from the App Store top $70 billion The App Store has seen significant growth over the past 12 months, with overall downloads up 70 percent. The App Store is home to the most innovative apps in the world and in the past 12 months alone, downloads have grown over 70 percent. Gaming and Entertainment are top-grossing app categories. Super Mario Run was one of the App Store’s biggest hits. From breakout hits like Pokémon GO and Super Mario Run to other standout launches such as CancerAid, SPACE by THIX, Zones for Training with Exercise Intensity, Vanido, Ace Tennis and Havenly, customers discover and experience new apps and games every day on the App Store. With iOS 10, app users are able to connect and collaborate in exciting new ways, such as on a fashion sketch with Prêt à Template. Since the release of iOS 10 last fall, iPhone and iPad users have also experienced new ways to connect, such as giving a friend a Starbucks gift card using Apple Pay, collaborating on a fashion design sketch using Prêt à Template or making someone smile with an endless assortment of stickers.
June 1, 2017: Swift Playgrounds expands coding education to robots, drones and musical instruments. Swift Playgrounds features an exciting new way to learn to code using real-world robots, drones and musical instruments. It is perfect for students and beginners learning to code with Swift, Apple’s powerful and intuitive programming language for building world-class apps. Apple is working with leading device makers to make it easy to connect to Bluetooth-enabled robots within the Swift Playgrounds app, allowing kids to program and control popular devices, including LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3, the Sphero SPRK+, Parrot drones and more. The Swift Playgrounds 1.5 update will be available as a free download on the App Store beginning Monday, June 5.
June 5, 2017: Apple announces that iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays. MacBook and MacBook Pro are updated with faster processors. iMac with Retina 4K and 5K displays now have support for 1 billion colors. The iMac line now has three times more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3, faster storage options and brighter Retina displays, and added a Retina 4K display and discrete graphics to the $1,299 (US) 21.5-inch iMac. With its thin and seamless enclosure, fast processors and storage and stunning Retina display, iMac sets the gold standard for desktops. iMac delivers performance for 3D graphics, video editing and gaming, and with macOS High Sierra coming this fall, iMac becomes a great platform for virtual reality content creation. Apple also updates MacBook and MacBook Pro with faster processors, added faster SSDs to MacBook and introduced a new $1,299 (US) 13-inch MacBook Pro.
June 5, 2017: Apple announces that iMac Pro, the most powerful Mac ever, arrives in December 2017. It features up to 18-Core Processors, 22 Teraflops of GPU Performance, Fast Storage and Advanced I/O. The new iMac Pro is an entirely new workstation-class product line designed for pro users with the most demanding workflows. With its 27-inch Retina 5K display, up to 18-core Xeon processors and up to 22 Teraflops of graphics computation, this is the most powerful Mac ever made. Featuring a new space gray enclosure, iMac Pro packs incredible performance for advanced graphics editing, virtual reality content creation and real-time 3D rendering. iMac Pro is scheduled to ship in December starting at $4,999 (US). In addition to the new iMac Pro, Apple is working on a completely redesigned, next-generation Mac Pro architected for pro customers who need the highest-end, high-throughput system in a modular design, as well as a new high-end pro display.
June 5, 2017: Apple previews watchOS 4, featuring a proactive Siri watch face that displays the information users need most throughout the day, personalized Activity coaching and an entirely new music experience. The update features an enhanced Workout app and introduces GymKit, a groundbreaking technology platform that will offer customers connected workouts with cardio equipment. Apple Watch users will soon be able to pair their device with cardio equipment. “Apple Watch is the ultimate device for a healthy life and is now more intelligent than ever with watchOS 4,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “We’ve created a truly individualized experience with the smartest Activity and Workout apps, the Siri watch face that shows you the information you need when you need it and we’re seamlessly bringing users their favorite music right on the wrist.” Apple Watch will help users close their Activity Rings each day. Siri intelligence extends further into Apple Watch with the new Siri watch face. With each raise of the wrist, the information on the display dynamically updates based on the time of day, daily routines and pertinent data from apps such as Activity, Alarms, Breathe, Calendar, Maps, Reminders and Wallet, as well as headlines from the new Apple News app for Apple Watch. With watchOS 4, the Activity app delivers intelligent coaching and tailored encouragement to help close Activity Rings more often and achieve longer success streaks.
June 5, 2017: Apple unveils all-new App Store. Redesigned, all-wew, games and apps tabs packed with original stories and editorial. The redesigned App Store is packed with original stories, updated daily in a new Today tab. It also features new Games and Apps tabs. App Store customers have downloaded more than 180 billion apps and Apple has paid out over $70 billion to developers since the store launched in 2008, making it the most vibrant software marketplace in the world. Games is the most popular category on the App Store, and now has its own dedicated home. The Apps tab includes great recommendations, videos, handpicked collections and categories, and its own app charts. Apps will also have its own tab, bringing customers everything they use, need and enjoy, from photography to money management, shopping to social networking and more. Just like the Games tab, the Apps tab will have great recommendations, videos and hand-picked collections across 24 categories, as well as its own app charts.
June 5, 2017: Apple previews macOS High Sierra, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, delivering new core storage, video and graphics technologies that pave the way for future innovation on the Mac. macOS High Sierra offers an all-new file system, support for High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and an update to Metal, Apple’s advanced graphics technology that powers everything from machine learning to virtual reality content creation. macOS High Sierra also includes a number of refinements to the apps Mac users enjoy every day, including Photos, Safari and Mail. Apple File System (APFS) features enhanced performance, security and reliability of data and provides a foundation for future storage innovations. Registered Apple Developer Program members can get everything they need to optimize their apps for external graphics with the External Graphics Developer Kit for $599 (US). It includes a Thunderbolt 3 external PCI expansion chassis, AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics card with 8GB VRAM and USB-C hub.
June 5, 2017: Apple previews iOS 11, a major update to the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, bringing new experiences and hundreds of features to iPhone and iPad this fall. iOS 11 is the biggest software release ever for iPad, with powerful multitasking features, the Files app and more ways to use Apple Pencil. Augmented reality is coming to hundreds of millions of iOS devices with a new platform for developers to build apps that let users place virtual content on top of real-world scenes. CoreML gives developers on-device machine learning capabilities so they can easily make apps that will predict, learn and become more intelligent. Additional features include the ability to pay friends using Apple Pay, Do Not Disturb while driving to help users stay more focused on the road, even more intelligence and a new voice for Siri and new professional capabilities to Photos and Camera. iOS 11 introduces a new way to help drivers stay more focused on the road with Do Not Disturb while driving. iPhone can detect when you may be driving and automatically silence notifications to keep the screen dark. Users have the option of sending an auto reply to contacts listed in Favorites to let them know they are driving and cannot respond until they arrive at their destination. Additional iOS 11 Features: App Store is redesigned to make discovering apps and games easier than ever before.
June 5, 2017: Apple introduces an all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro and a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro, featuring the world’s most advanced display with ProMotion technology and incredible performance with the new A10X Fusion chip. The new 10.5-inch model reduces the borders by nearly 40 percent to fit into an incredibly compact package that still weighs just one pound. Combined with powerful new iPad features in iOS 11 coming this fall, like the all-new Files app, customizable Dock, improved multitasking and deeper integration of Apple Pencil, iPad Pro gives users the ability to be even more productive and creative. The new 10.5-inch iPad Pro features a redesigned Retina display that’s 20 percent larger than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The redesigned Retina display in iPad Pro features ProMotion, a new technology that delivers refresh rates of up to 120Hz for fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness and smoother motion content. With ProMotion, Apple Pencil is even more responsive with an industry-best, 20-millisecond latency for even more fluid and natural drawing. ProMotion also improves display quality and reduces power consumption by automatically adjusting the display refresh rate to match the movement of the content. Apple Pencil now works even better with the new iPad Pro for more fluid and natural drawing. The A10X chip delivers incredible performance that rivals today’s fastest PC laptops. Both the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro have been updated with the same advanced technologies. iPad Pro is the perfect device to shoot, edit and share pro-quality photos and videos. It features the same advanced front- and back-facing cameras as iPhone 7, including a 12-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, along with a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera. iPad Pro also features a four-speaker audio system, providing powerful, clear and rich stereo sound in any orientation. An embedded Apple SIM2 and support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi and LTE Advanced3 make it easier to stay connected when traveling in more than 180 countries and regions. Touch ID on iPad Pro is more responsive and gives users a simple and secure way to unlock iPad, keep personal information private within apps and approve purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBooks Store.
June 5, 2017: Apple announces HomePod, a wireless speaker for the home that delivers amazing audio quality and uses spatial awareness to sense its location in a room and automatically adjust the audio. Designed to work with an Apple Music subscription for access to over 40 million songs, HomePod provides deep knowledge of personal music preferences and tastes and helps users discover new music. HomePod features a large, Apple-designed woofer for deep, clean bass, a custom array of seven beam-forming tweeters that provide pure high frequency acoustics with incredible directional control and powerful technologies built right in to preserve the richness and intent of the original recordings. HomePod will be available starting in December, initially in Australia, the UK and the US. At just under 7 inches tall, HomePod can be placed almost anywhere in the home and is available in white and space gray.
June 16, 2017: Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg join Apple to lead video programming. These two of television’s most creative and successful executives are joining Apple in newly created positions overseeing all aspects of video programming. They will lead video programming worldwide, reporting to Eddy Cue. They join Apple from Sony Pictures Television where they have served as presidents since 2005, and have been responsible for some of the most popular and widely acclaimed programming of the past decade, including favorites such as Breaking Bad and its spinoff Better Call Saul, The Crown, Rescue Me and many more.
July 1, 2017: Apple Taipei 101 opens in Taiwan, bringing Apple’s products, services and in-store experiences to local customers for the first time. Apple Taipei 101 will host new “Today at Apple” programs, including more than 60 free hands-on sessions designed for customers of all ages to take their creative skills to the next level around topics including photography and video, art and design, music, coding and more. The Apple’s first store in Taiwan is located on the ground floor of the iconic Taipei 101. In June 2017, Apple announced the location with a barricade of hand-cut fabric by Taiwanese artist Yang Shih-Yi that depicts the Banyan tree, a traditional meeting place. Stickers of Yang Shih-Yi’s design are available on the App Store for iMessage. The store features Apple’s latest store design. The Forum, centered around the video wall, is a gathering space. Avenues, inspired by window displays along a shopping street, line the store walls with interactive displays dedicated to music, creativity, photography, apps and more. Apple Taipei 101 will also offer hands-on training to entrepreneurs, developers and other business customers in The Boardroom.
July 1, 2017: Apple announces that from July 1 through 15, the company will donate $1 to the National Park Foundation for every purchase made with Apple Pay at any Apple Store, on apple.com or through the Apple Store app in the US. Apple Pay is accepted at select locations in some of the most popular national parks, from Yellowstone and Yosemite to the Grand Canyon and Muir Woods National Monument. Apple Watch users can earn a special badge on July 15 for completing one 3.5 mile workout on that day. “America’s national parks are an inspiration to us at Apple, and we know they are as important to many of our customers as they are to us,” said Apple’s CEO Tim Cook. “Our goal is to leave the world better than we found it, so this July we’re making it easier for anyone to help preserve the beauty of our natural, cultural and historical treasures.” Proceeds will support the National Park Foundation’s mission to help protect and preserve national parks through conservation projects and other initiatives, as well as inspire the next generation of park enthusiasts with enriching youth programming.
July 17, 2017: In celebration of World Emoji Day, Apple is sharing some of the new emoji coming to iOS, macOS and watchOS later this year. The new emoji make it easier for users to express themselves with greater diversity, additional animals and creatures, new smiley faces and more. The new emoji make it easier for users to express themselves with greater diversity, additional animals and creatures, new smiley faces and more. The new emoji make it easier for users to express themselves with greater diversity, additional animals and creatures, new smiley faces and more. With thousands of emoji available on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, there are many ways to add personality to every message. New emoji include Woman with Headscarf, Bearded Person and Breastfeeding, and food items such as Sandwich and Coconut. More animals and mythical creatures like T-Rex, Zebra, Zombie and Elf are a fun way to describe situations and new Star-Struck and Exploding Head smiley faces make any message more fun. Also in celebration of World Emoji Day, the App Store will be highlighting apps to create or do fun things with emoji, and iTunes Movies is featuring emoji in place of select movie titles.
July 18, 2017: Isabel Ge Mahe, vice president of Wireless Technologies becomes vice president and managing director of Greater China, reporting to CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams. In this newly created role, Isabel will provide leadership and coordination across Apple’s China-based team. Isabel has led Apple’s wireless technologies software engineering teams for nine years, focusing on development of cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, location and motion technologies for nearly every Apple product. She has also overseen the engineering teams developing Apple Pay, HomeKit and CarPlay. In China, she has worked closely with Apple’s R&D team and carrier partners to develop new China-specific features for iPhone and iPad, including recently announced iOS 11 features such as QR Code support, SMS fraud prevention and enabling the use of a phone number as an Apple ID. Born in Shenyang, Liaoning, and fluent in Mandarin, Isabel earned Bachelor and Master of Electrical Engineering degrees from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. She holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. Isabel will assume her new role, based in Shanghai, later this summer.
July 20, 2017: Clips, Apple’s video creation app for iOS, is getting an update today that includes dozens of new graphic overlays and posters, plus usability improvements that make it even easier to turn video clips and photos into fun, expressive videos on iPhone and iPad. Users can now star with classic Disney and Pixar characters in their Clips videos. Clips 1.1 features animated overlays of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck. The app also includes characters from Pixar’s Toy Story and Inside Out, so users can choose to star with Woody or Jessie, or show their emotions with Joy, Fear and others. To complement the collection of characters, new Disney-designed posters can be added to videos as playful title cards to help tell a story. Clips also adds 10 new Apple-designed overlays and 12 posters that feature dramatic graphics, beautifully rendered backgrounds and customizable animated text. From glistening water to slow motion billowing smoke and 3-D pop-up art, the new poster designs bring more versatility to iOS video creation. A new button for editing Live Titles makes it easy to change captions and titles. Clips is included on all new iOS devices, and also available as a free download from the App Store. Clips 1.1 is available today as a free update on the App Store for all users.
July 21, 2017: Apple announces that Deirdre O’Brien, vice president of Worldwide Sales and Operations, has been named vice president of People, reporting to CEO Tim Cook. A nearly 30-year Apple veteran, Deirdre will lead all HR functions including talent development, recruiting, benefits, compensation and business support, as well as overseeing Apple University. Deirdre O’Brien will lead all HR functions and oversee Apple University. Deirdre joined Apple in 1988 and today runs a global organization dedicated to delivering the world’s best products to customers everywhere. Her role has required exceptional collaboration and leadership across many different parts of the company, and her team’s work has enabled Apple to simultaneously scale rapidly and provide an unmatched customer experience. Deirdre has played a key role in every Apple hardware product launch over the past 20 years. “I love Apple and, like so many of my colleagues, I’m honored to have made it my life’s work,” said Deirdre. “I’m excited to begin this new chapter, supporting 120,000 incredibly talented people around the world who are motivated to do amazing things every day. It is a privilege to work among such a diverse and talented team, and to help them thrive here at Apple.” Deirdre earned a bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from Michigan State University and an MBA from San Jose State University. She will assume her new role this fall.
August 1, 2017: Apple announces financial results for its fiscal 2017 third quarter ended July 1, 2017. Apple posted quarterly revenue of $45.4 billion and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $1.67. These results compare to revenue of $42.4 billion and earnings per diluted share of $1.42 in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 61 percent of the quarter’s revenue. “With revenue up 7 percent year-over-year, we’re happy to report our third consecutive quarter of accelerating growth and an all-time quarterly record for Services revenue,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We hosted an incredibly successful Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and we’re very excited about the advances in iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS coming this fall.” “We reported unit and revenue growth in all our product categories in the June quarter, driving 17 percent growth in earnings per share,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We also returned $11.7 billion to investors during the quarter, bringing cumulative capital returns under our program to almost $223 billion.” Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2017 fourth quarter: revenue between $49 billion and $52 billion; gross margin between 37.5 percent and 38 percent operating expenses between $6.7 billion and $6.8 billion; other income/(expense) of $500 million tax rate of 25.5 percent. Apple’s board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.63 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on August 17, 2017 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 14, 2017.
August 24, 2017: Apple announces its plans to build a 400,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art data center in Waukee, Iowa, to better serve North American users of iMessage, Siri, the App Store and other Apple services. Like all Apple data centers, the new facility will run entirely on renewable energy from day one. Apple’s investment of $1.3 billion will create over 550 construction and operations jobs in the Des Moines area, and the company is contributing up to $100 million to a newly created Public Improvement Fund dedicated to community development and infrastructure around Waukee. The new Public Improvement Fund, to be established and managed by the City of Waukee, will support the development of community projects like parks, libraries and recreational spaces, as well as infrastructure needs. The first project the fund will support is construction of the Waukee Youth Sports Campus featuring a greenhouse, playground, fishing pier and fields for high school and public sporting events. Apple will be working with local partners to invest in renewable energy projects from wind and other sources to power the data center. Apple has pledged to power all of its global operations with 100 percent renewable energy, and has already reached that goal in the US and 23 other countries. “We’re honored Apple is choosing Iowa for the site of its most technologically advanced data center to date,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. “Apple’s commitment to innovation and renewable energy leadership mirrors our own. This investment in our state is vital as we continue to develop as a technology hub and grow our workforce.” “Waukee is proud to welcome Apple,” said Waukee Mayor Bill Peard. “This new facility will bring with it high-quality jobs and important infrastructure developments for the city. We look forward to a continued partnership with Apple on this effort for decades to come.” Construction on the data center is expected to start early next year and Apple plans to bring it online in 2020.
August 25, 2017: Apple’s App Development with Swift curriculum will be offered in more than 30 community colleges across the country in the 2017-2018 school year, providing opportunities to millions of students to build apps that will prepare them for careers in software development and information technology. The Austin Community College District (ACC), one of the nation’s largest higher learning institutions, will begin offering the course to its 74,000 students this fall. Created by engineers and educators at Apple, the full-year App Development with Swift course teaches students how to build apps using Swift, an open source programming language that emphasizes safety, performance and modern software design patterns. The course takes students with no programming experience and enables them to build fully-functional apps of their own design. The curriculum prepares students for job opportunities in the fast-growing app economy. Serving one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, ACC educates students across 11 campuses and eight counties. With more than 7,000 current job openings in tech fields, Austin’s leaders have aligned on a workforce development plan that empowers residents to take advantage of these new business opportunities. Other community colleges joining ACC in adding App Development with Swift curriculum for the fall are Northeast Mississippi Community College, Northwest Kansas Technical College and additional campuses in the Alabama Community College System. “Through our ‘Strong Start, Strong Finish’ initiative, I have made it a priority to seek out computer science opportunities for all Alabama students,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “I fully support this partnership with Apple because of the advanced learning opportunities and real-world experiences it provides.”
August 29, 2017: Apple and Accenture are partnering to help businesses transform how their people engage with customers through innovative business solutions for iOS. The partnership will take full advantage of the power, simplicity and security of iOS, the leading enterprise mobility platform, and Accenture’s capabilities as a leader in industry and digital transformation to help companies unlock new revenue streams, increase productivity, improve customer experience and reduce costs. Accenture will create a dedicated iOS practice within Accenture Digital Studios in select locations around the world. Experts from Apple will be co-located with this team. Working together, the two companies will launch a new set of tools and services that help enterprise clients transform how they engage with customers using iPhone and iPad. The experts will include visual and experience designers, programmers, data architects and scientists, and hardware and software designers. The new iOS tools and services will take full advantage of the latest Apple technologies and tap into Accenture’s leading digital and analytics capabilities. New ecosystem services to help clients address the full range of iOS integration requirements to connect to back-end systems, leveraging Accenture’s systems integration expertise and the unique iOS advantages built by Apple with key partners like SAP and Cisco. Internet-of-Things (IoT) services featuring new tools, templates and predesigned code to help clients take greater advantage of the data from IoT platforms in their iOS apps, putting more power into the hands of workers. Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 411,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives.
September 12, 2017: Apple introduces the new Apple TV 4K designed to deliver a stunning cinematic experience at home. With support for both 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR), Apple TV 4K features sharp, crisp images, richer, more true-to-life colors, and far greater detail in both dark and bright scenes. With Apple TV 4K, viewers can enjoy a selection of 4K HDR movies on iTunes. iTunes users will get automatic upgrades of HD titles in their existing iTunes library to 4K HDR versions when they become available. Apple TV 4K will also offer 4K HDR content from popular video services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
September 12, 2017: iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone features new glass and aluminum design, Retina HD Displays, A11 Bionic Chip, New Single and Dual Cameras with Support for Portrait Lighting, Wireless Charging and Optimized for Augmented Reality. These smartphones represent a new generation of iPhone. Both devices will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, September 15 in more than 25 countries and territories, and in stores beginning Friday, September 22. (Note that you can easily and quickly sell used iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus online for top cash).
September 12, 2017: Apple announces iPhone X, the future of the smartphone, in a gorgeous all-glass design with a 5.8-inch Super Retina display, A11 Bionic chip, wireless charging and an improved rear camera with dual optical image stabilization. iPhone X delivers a secure new way for customers to unlock, authenticate and pay using Face ID, enabled by the new TrueDepth camera. iPhone X will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, October 27 in more than 55 countries and territories, and in stores beginning Friday, November 3. The iPhone X, features the first OLED screen. The all-glass front and back on iPhone X feature the most durable glass ever in a smartphone in two beautiful colors, silver and space gray. “iPhone X is the future of the smartphone. It is packed with incredible new technologies, like the innovative TrueDepth camera system, beautiful Super Retina display and super fast A11 Bionic chip with neural engine,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone X enables fluid new user experiences — from unlocking your iPhone with Face ID, to playing immersive AR games, to sharing Animoji in Messages — it is the beginning of the next ten years for iPhone.” A seven-layer color process allows for precise color hues and opacity on the glass finish, and a reflective optical layer enhances the rich colors, making the design as elegant as it is durable, while maintaining water and dust resistance. Familiar gestures allow customers to naturally and intuitively navigate iPhone X. Face ID on iPhone X introduces a revolutionary new way to securely unlock, authenticate and pay. Reinvented Front and Back Cameras – the 7MP TrueDepth camera and a redesigned 12MP rear camera with dual OIS enable Face ID features wide color capture, auto image stabilization and precise exposure control, and brings Portrait mode to the front camera for stunning selfies with a depth-of-field effect. iPhone X also features a redesigned dual 12-megapixel rear camera system with dual optical image stabilization. The ƒ/1.8 aperture on the wide-angle camera joins an improved ƒ/2.4 aperture on the telephoto camera for better photos and videos. A new color filter, deeper pixels and an improved Apple-designed image signal processor delivers advanced pixel processing, wide color capture, faster autofocus in low light and better HDR photos. A new quad LED True Tone Flash offers twice the uniformity of light and includes Slow Sync, resulting in more uniformly lit backgrounds and foregrounds. The new camera in iPhone X features a larger and faster sensor, new color filter, deeper pixels and OIS for capturing vibrant photos and videos with more detail. The cameras are custom tuned for the ultimate AR experience. Each camera is individually calibrated, with new gyroscopes and accelerometers for accurate motion tracking. The A11 Bionic CPU handles world tracking, scene recognition and the GPU enables incredible graphics at 60fps, while the image signal processor does real-time lighting estimation. With ARKit, iOS developers can take advantage of the TrueDepth camera and the rear cameras to create games and apps offering fantastically immersive and fluid experiences that go far beyond the screen. With iOS 11, iPhone X supports HEIF and HEVC for up to two times compression and storage for twice the photos and videos. (Please, note that you cans sell your used iPhone X online for the best price ).
September 13, 2017: Now iPhone and iPad customers around the world are able to update their devices to iOS 11, the biggest software release ever for iPad. iOS 11 brings augmented reality to hundreds of millions of iOS devices and new professional capabilities improve images in Photos and Camera. Siri is more natural and useful and a redesigned App Store makes it easier to discover apps and games. The all-new Dock provides quick access to favorite and frequently used apps and documents from any screen and makes it easier to work with multiple apps with Split View and now Slide Over. Drag and Drop makes moving images, text and files between apps easier than ever using Multi-Touch. And Apple Pencil is more deeply integrated into iPad Pro with support for inline drawing and a new Instant Notes feature that opens Notes from the Lock Screen by simply tapping Apple Pencil on the display. The all-new Files makes it easy to access and organize files from one central place. The Files app provides a central place to access and organize files no matter where they are located – on iPad or in the cloud with built-in support for iCloud Drive as well as providers, such as Box, Dropbox and others. With new AR apps, users can place virtual objects in real-world scenes.
September 22, 2017: iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus go on sale around the world at 8 a.m. local time. The new generation of iPhone features a glass back design that enables wireless charging, Retina HD displays, A11 Bionic chip and is designed for the ultimate augmented reality experience.
September 22, 2017: Apple Watch Series 3 with built-in cellular and Apple Watch Series 3 with GPS go on sale around the world at 8 a.m. local time. The new Watches add powerful health and fitness enhancements, a faster dual-core processor, a new wireless chip and watchOS 4.
September 25, 2017: Apple announces macOS High Sierra, the latest release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is now available as a free update. With macOS High Sierra, Mac users gain new core storage, video and graphics technologies. A new file system ensures more efficient and reliable storage, and support for High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) brings stunning 4K video at lower file sizes. Metal 2 powers virtual reality content creation, faster performance and more. The Core ML developer framework makes it easy to create apps with powerful machine learning that predict, learn and become more intelligent. macOS High Sierra also includes a number of refinements to the apps Mac users enjoy everyday, including Photos and Safari. Apple File System (APFS): APFS is a new, advanced storage architecture providing an extensible foundation to support new features and future storage technologies on the Mac. APFS brings support for the latest high-capacity storage devices and delivers enhanced performance, security and reliability. With APFS, common operations such as copying files and directories are nearly instantaneous. Data is protected from power outages and system crashes thanks to advanced data integrity features. APFS currently supports every Mac with all‑flash internal storage — support for Fusion and HDD Mac systems will be available in a future update.
September 27, 2017: Over $13 million have been raised for relief and recovery efforts, including vver $1 million for Puerto Rico. Apple employees were among the thousands of volunteers directly involved in storm preparations and have participated in ongoing recovery efforts in Texas, Florida, Mexico and other affected regions. In Florida, Apple retail employees helped neighbors board up their homes in preparation for the storm, and continue to donate clothing and transport clean water. Employees in Texas have opened their homes to displaced families, while team members in Mexico handed out food to soldiers and volunteers helping those in need. And while Apple retail locations were closed in the immediate aftermath of these disasters, teams were focused on reopening quickly and safely to use the store space for volunteer efforts and provide Wi-Fi and charging access to those affected.
October 6, 2017: Hundreds of new emoji, including more emotive smiley faces, gender-neutral characters, clothing options, food types, animals, mythical creatures and more, are coming to iPhone and iPad with iOS 11.1. New Apple-designed emoji bring even more options to Messages. New Apple-designed emoji bring even more options to Messages. New Apple-designed emoji bring even more options to Messages. New Apple-designed emoji bring even more options to Messages. New Apple-designed emoji bring even more options to Messages. New Apple-designed emoji bring even more options to Messages. New Apple-designed emoji bring even more options to Messages. The new emoji are designed to reveal every detail and adapted from approved characters in Unicode 10. iOS 11.1 will also include characters announced on World Emoji Day like Woman with Headscarf, Bearded Person, Breastfeeding, Zombie, Person in Lotus Position and new food items such as Sandwich and Coconut. Also included in the update is the Love-You Gesture, designed after the “I love you” hand sign in American Sign Language.
October 6, 2017: Apple announces that Katherine Adams, formerly senior vice president and general counsel of Honeywell, will join Apple as general counsel and senior vice president of Legal and Global Security, reporting to CEO Tim Cook and serving on Apple’s executive team. The company also announced Bruce Sewell, who has served as Apple’s general counsel since 2009, will be retiring at the end of the year. “Apple has had a tremendous impact on the world and it’s an honor to join their team,” said Kate Adams. “I’m excited to help Apple continue to grow and evolve around the world, protecting their ideas and IP, and defending our shared values.” “To have worked with this amazing executive team and all the incredibly smart people at Apple, especially my colleagues in legal and global security, has been the honor of a lifetime,” said Bruce Sewell. “The years I have spent in this job have been the most gratifying of my career. I’m delighted Kate is joining and I know she will be a huge asset.”
October 18, 2017: Apple and GE partner to bring Predix industrial apps to iPhone and iPad. Both the companies announce a partnership to deliver powerful industrial apps designed to bring predictive data and analytics from Predix, GE’s industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform, to iPhone and iPad. The two companies unveiled a new Predix software development kit (SDK) for iOS, which gives developers the tools to make their own powerful industrial IoT apps. The new Predix SDK for iOS will be available to download on Thursday, October 26. The SDK gives developers the ability to make powerful, native apps that take full advantage of the industrial analytics from Predix and tap into the power and ease of use of iOS, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system. These apps will give industrial operators more insight and visibility into the performance of their equipment and operations right from their iPhone or iPad. For example, a Predix app can notify a worker on their iPhone of a potential issue with equipment such as a wind turbine and allow them to collaborate with remote teams when performing inspections and repairs, collecting relevant data instantly. These industrial apps will close the information loop faster, ultimately increasing cost savings and minimizing unplanned downtime. In collaboration with Apple, GE is also developing apps for both internal use and its customers, giving workers powerful tools to enhance their jobs and help operations run more efficiently. GE’s Asset Performance Management (APM) Cases app, which is available in the App Store, helps industrial businesses increase machine reliability and availability while reducing maintenance costs and managing operations risks. Customers including Exelon Corp. are already putting APM to work and seeing improved equipment uptime and overall productivity.
October 20, 2017: Apple opens Apple Michigan Avenue, its newest and most ambitious store, creating a new connection between North Michigan Avenue, Pioneer Court and the Chicago River. Intended as a gathering place for the local community, the store will host year-round Today at Apple programming, building on Chicago’s city-wide initiative to enliven the Riverwalk. To celebrate the opening, Apple Michigan Avenue will host “The Chicago Series,” a month-long set of events that will provide attendees with the tools to pursue their passions, from photography and music to coding and app design.
October 27, 2017: iPhone X is available to customers for pre-order at 12:01 a.m. PDT on apple.com and the Apple Store app. iPhone X will be available in more than 55 countries and territories, and in Apple Stores beginning Friday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m. local time. Stores will have iPhone X available for walk-in customers, who are encouraged to arrive early. iPhone X features a glass and stainless steel design with an all-screen display. iPhone X will be available in silver and space gray in 64GB and 256GB models starting at $999 (US) from apple.com and Apple Stores and is also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers (prices may vary). Through Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, customers in the US can get iPhone X, with the protection of AppleCare+, choose their carrier (no multiyear service contract required) and have the opportunity to upgrade to a new iPhone every year. The iPhone Upgrade Program is available for iPhone X at apple.com and Apple Stores in the US with monthly payments starting at $49.91 (US). Through Apple’s iPhone Trade-up program, customers can trade in their eligible smartphone for up to $375 (US) in credit to help lower the full cost of a new iPhone or to reduce the monthly payments with their carrier. Customers can pre-order iPhone X in Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, the US and US Virgin Islands. Apple-designed accessories including leather and silicone cases in a range of colors will be available starting at $39 (US), while a new iPhone X Leather Folio will be available for $99 (US). Lightning Docks in color-matching metallic finishes will also be available for $49 (US), prices may vary. Every customer who buys iPhone X from Apple will be offered free Personal Setup in-store or online to help them customize their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more.
November 1, 2017: Apple announces a major update to GarageBand for iOS that provides even more options for making music on iPhone and iPad. Today’s update introduces a new GarageBand Sound Library, where users can select and download a variety of free sound packs featuring new instruments and loops. Beat makers can tap into a new Beat Sequencer instrument inspired by classic drum machines — popular with artists who produce Hip-Hop and Electronic music. The app also features new Asian Touch Instruments and updates to Drummer, including six additional players. The update introduces a new Sound Library with a variety of free sound packs. With the GarageBand Sound Library users can now preview and download new Apple-designed sounds and instruments right within the app. These free, downloadable sound packs contain a variety of Touch Instruments, Apple loops, Live Loops templates, guitar and instrument presets and more. Users can access the Sound Library from multiple places within GarageBand and will receive alerts when new sound packs are available. Initial sound packs include Future Bass, Reggaeton, Beat Sequencer kits, guitar amp tones and more. New sound packs will be released periodically by Apple. The update also includes new Asian Touch Instruments, like Japanese Taiko Drums.
November 2, 2017: Apple reports the financial results for its fiscal 2017 fourth quarter ended September 30, 2017. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $52.6 billion, an increase of 12 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.07, up 24 percent. International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter’s revenue. Apple’s year-over-year revenue growth rate accelerated for the fourth consecutive quarter and drove EPS growth of 24 percent in the September quarter. Apple also generated strong operating cash flow of $15.7 billion and returned $11 billion to investors through our capital return program. Apple’s board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.63 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on November 16, 2017 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 13, 2017.
November 8, 2017: Apple opens Everyone Can Code initiative to students around the world more than 20 colleges ans schools will ffer the App Development with Swift Curriculum, a full-year course designed by Apple engineers and educators to teach coding and app design to students of all levels and backgrounds. Now hundreds of thousands of students from around the world gain the opportunity to become proficient in the Swift programming language and build the fundamental skills they need to pursue careers in the booming app economy. The full-year course uses Swift, Apple’s popular and easy-to-use programming language. RMIT University, Australia’s largest higher education institution, is one of the broadest international deployments of the App Development with Swift Curriculum to date. As part of its commitment to improving digital literacy, starting this month RMIT will offer the App Development with Swift curriculum through RMIT Online, and a new vocational course will be taught on campus. RMIT will also offer scholarships for school teachers who want to learn coding, and a free summer school course at RMIT’s City campus will give secondary students the chance to learn the basics of coding.
November 9, 2017: Apple announces a major update to Clips, the free app for iOS that makes it easy to create and share fun videos using iPhone or iPad. Clips introduces Selfie Scenes and adds artistic style transfer effects and a redesigned interface that makes it easier than ever to create great videos on the go. Selfie Scenes is an exciting new feature that places users into animated, 360-degree scenes when recording selfies. Using the sophisticated TrueDepth camera system on iPhone X, Selfie Scenes transports users into bustling cities, serene landscapes, abstract paintings and even the Millennium Falcon and Mega-Destroyer from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” The TrueDepth camera on iPhone X removes the background and places users into animated, 360-degree Selfie Scenes.Clips users can choose from a variety of immersive Apple-designed or Star Wars Selfie Scenes. Clips users can choose from a variety of immersive Apple-designed or Star Wars Selfie Scenes. Clips users can choose from a variety of immersive Apple-designed or Star Wars Selfie Scenes. With Selfie Scenes, users can choose from 10 Apple-designed scenes, featuring unique locations, characters, colors and visual styles plus two scenes from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Each scene is a full 360-degree experience, so it surrounds users on all sides as they move iPhone X. And environmental sound effects make scenes even more immersive. The update also adds new stickers, posters and soundtracks.
November 10. 2017: On Veterans Day, Apple recognizes the service of the veterans by paying respect to them and their families while continuing to build awareness for their community. In commemoration, Apple introduces a unique Activity Challenge for Apple Watch users in the US where anyone who completes a workout of 11 minutes or more on November 11 will earn a special badge and sticker for Messages. This Activity Challenge will also be integrated into “WOD (Workout of the Day) for Warriors” events across the country hosted by Team Red, White & Blue, an organization that aims to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. The App Store offers a collection of apps for those who have served, covering fitness, military news and wellness, including several developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs like Stay Quit Coach, ACT Coach and Mindfulness Coach. These apps share an important goal: to support service members, veterans and their families by providing them with the latest military news, essential health info, advice on transitioning and helpful tools for everyday life. Additionally, customers can explore iTunes for curated collections of movies and TV shows that capture stories of heroism, listen to inspiring and informative Podcasts and read iBooks about bravery and sacrifice written by veterans.
November 28, 2017: All Apple retail stores will host Hour of Code workshops from December 4 through 10. Apple opens registration for thousands of free Hour of Code sessions available at all Apple Stores from December 4 through 10. The company also introduced a new educational challenge in Swift Playgrounds and added new teacher resources to the Everyone Can Code curriculum to help teach Swift, Apple’s easy-to-learn programming language that anyone can use to create world-class apps. At Apple Stores, inspiring Today at Apple programming includes Kids Hour coding sessions designed to spark imagination and creativity. For the fifth year, Apple Stores will participate in Hour of Code with daily coding sessions in celebration of Computer Science Education Week. Young aspiring coders can learn coding basics during a Kids Hour session, while those age twelve and above can use Swift Playgrounds on iPad to learn coding concepts and even program robots. A new Teacher Tuesdays session helps educators learn how to teach code to students using new resources and discussion topics.
November 30, 2017: Apple launches the Apple Heart Study app, a first-of-its-kind research study using Apple Watch’s heart rate sensor to collect data on irregular heart rhythms and notify users who may be experiencing atrial fibrillation (Afib). AFib, the leading cause of stroke, is responsible for approximately 130,000 deaths and 750,000 hospitalizations in the US every year. Many people don’t experience symptoms, so AFib often goes undiagnosed. To calculate heart rate and rhythm, Apple Watch’s sensor uses green LED lights flashing hundreds of times per second and light-sensitive photodiodes to detect the amount of blood flowing through the wrist. The sensor’s unique optical design gathers signals from four distinct points on the wrist, and when combined with powerful software algorithms, Apple Watch isolates heart rhythms from other noise. The Apple Heart Study app uses this technology to identify an irregular heart rhythm.
December 6, 2017: Apple’s Prime Video is now available on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV.1. Customers around the world can access the Amazon Prime Video app on Apple TV to stream award-winning and critically acclaimed titles including Prime Original Series and Movies. Also starting this week, the Apple TV app — a unified place for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV users to discover and start watching the best shows and movies — supports live sports, giving fans in the US a simple and seamless way to keep track of their favorite teams and games in real time. Participating sports apps in the Apple TV app include ESPN and the NBA, developed in partnership between the NBA and Turner Sports, with more to be added soon. Starting tomorrow, Prime members in the US can enjoy Thursday Night Football on the Apple TV app for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. The Apple TV app is a unified destination for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV users to discover and start watching their favorite shows, movies, and sports. Prime members can now access thousands of titles through the Prime Video app on Apple TV 4K and previous generations of Apple TV, including Prime Original Series and Movies such as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “The Big Sick,” with additional titles coming to the service every month. Prime Video also offers a wide array of award-winning kids content, including “Tumble Leaf,” “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” and “The Snowy Day.” Prime Video further expands the library of TV shows and movies available in 4K HDR on Apple TV 4K. The app arrives on Apple TV in time for the new season of “The Grand Tour,” which launches on December 8. Prime Video is integrated into the Apple TV app where available, so members can easily find and discover their favorite Amazon shows and movies on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, and also find Amazon content using the Siri Remote and universal search on Apple TV. With the addition of Prime Video, Siri can now search 1.3 million TV episodes and movies on Apple TV. Customers can access hundreds of 4K HDR titles on iTunes and enjoy them on Apple TV 4K.5 iTunes now offers hundreds of 4K HDR titles at the same price as HD titles, and which are automatically upgraded to 4K HDR if customers already own them in HD. Recent additions to the 4K HDR iTunes library include all eight “Harry Potter” films and all the “Transformers” movies, and holiday films like “Home Alone,” “The Holiday,” “Jingle All the Way” and “Die Hard” in 4K and “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in 4K HDR. With this impressive 4K HDR collection on iTunes, plus Siri, the Apple TV App Store, integration with Apple Music, HomeKit, Photos and more, Apple TV 4K is the perfect addition to any household. The tvOS 11.2 software update will allow Apple TV 4K customers to choose between having video converted to the best format their TV can support or outputting the video in its original frame rate and dynamic range. Apple TV 4K is available now on apple.com and in Apple retail stores, as well as through select Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers. Live sports in the Apple TV app is available as a free software update for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV (4th generation), iPhone and iPad customers in the US. For more information, please visit apple.com. Features are subject to change and only apply to participating apps. Some features may not be available in all regions or all languages.
December 12 , 2017: Apple announces the latest award from its $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund. Finisar, a manufacturer of optical communications components, will receive $390 million as part of Apple’s commitment to support innovation and job creation by American manufacturers. The award will enable Finisar to exponentially increase its R&D spending and high-volume production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). VCSELs power some of Apple’s most popular new features, including Face ID, Animoji and Portrait mode selfies made possible with the iPhone X TrueDepth camera, as well as the proximity-sensing capabilities of AirPods. As a result of Apple’s commitment, Finisar will transform a long-shuttered, 700,000-sqare-foot manufacturing plant in Sherman, Texas, into the high-tech VCSEL capital of the US. Apple’s award will create more than 500 high-skill jobs at the Sherman facility, including engineers, technicians and maintenance teams. When combined with the company’s nearby plant in Allen, Texas, Finisar’s payroll in Northern Texas is expected to be $65 million. Hiring, capital equipment planning and infrastructure upgrades are already underway at the Sherman facility, which is expected to begin shipping in the second half of 2018. One hundred percent of the VCSELs Apple buys from Finisar will be made in Texas. Consistent with Apple’s commitment to the environment, the company intends to procure enough renewable energy to cover all of its Apple manufacturing in the US. The new Sherman, Texas Finisar plant will add 500 high-skill jobs to the community.
December 12, 2017: Apple to Create 500 New Jobs in North Texas. Apple created its billion-dollar Advanced Manufacturing Fund to support innovation and job opportunities for American manufacturers. Its latest award of $390 was given to Finisar, a technology innovator and manufacturer of optical communication components and subsystems, to increase the production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). This fund will usher in a new era of technology-driven manufacturing in the US. VCSELs are smaller and more cost efficient than the conventional edge-emitting lasers. They are used to power many of the features found in Apple devices, such as portrait mode selfies and Face ID. They are used in fiber optic communications, computer mice, laser printers, and precision sensing, along with other applications. All the VCSELs Apple purchases from Finisar will be made in the plant that is set to open soon in Sherman, Texas. The amount produced here will make Sherman the VCEL capital of the US. The facility is expected to begin shipping in the last half of 2018. It will create more than 500 jobs for the residents in the surrounding areas. These jobs will include engineers, technicians, and maintenance teams. Finisar has another plant nearby in Allen, Texas, bringing their payroll in North Texas to an expected $65 million. The opening of this 700,000-square-foot plant, which has been closed since 2012, will do a lot to help the community of Sherman. Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer said, “Technology is only as good as the people behind it, and Finisar is a company with a long history of putting its employees first and supporting the community it’s a part of. We’re extremely proud that our involvement will help transform another American community into a manufacturing powerhouse.” Apple’s commitment to the environment was not lost on this plant, as the company intends to procure enough renewable energy to power all the Apple manufacturing in the United States. Finisar was not the first to receive an award. In May, Apple awarded $200 million to Corning Incorporated, which provides state-of-the-art glass processing. Currently, Apple has created more than 2 million jobs across the United States.
December 14, 2017: Apple announces a major update to its professional video editing app, Final Cut Pro X, with new features including 360-degree VR video editing, advanced color grading tools and support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) video. Optimized to take full advantage of the performance capabilities of the all-new iMac Pro, Final Cut Pro users can now edit full-resolution 8K video for the first time on a Mac. Apple is also extending 360-degree VR video support to Final Cut Pro companion apps, Motion and Compressor. With more than 2 million seats, Final Cut Pro X is used by professional video editors to create works of art, from award-winning Hollywood feature films and commercials, to international broadcasts and YouTube videos. Final Cut Pro users can create immersive 360-degree films and view them in real time with a connected VR headset.
December 14, 2017: Apple releases iMac Pro, an new product line designed for pro users who love the all-in-one design of iMac and require workstation-class performance. With Xeon processors up to 18 cores, up to 22 Teraflops of graphics performance, and a brilliant 27-inch Retina 5K display, iMac Pro is the fastest, most powerful Mac ever made. iMac Pro delivers incredible compute power for real-time 3D rendering, immersive VR, intensive developer workflows, high megapixel photography, complex simulations, massive audio projects and real-time 4K and 8K video editing. At just 5mm thin, iMac Pro features a new space gray finish and comes with matching accessories. According to Apple, with next-generation processors, a Retina 5K display, the most powerful graphics ever in a Mac, super-fast storage and advanced I/O, iMac Pro is designed to handle the most demanding pro workflows and is the first all-in-one built from the ground up to deliver true workstation-class performance. Featuring an all-new thermal architecture, iMac Pro delivers up to 80 percent more cooling capacity in the same amazingly quiet, thin and seamless aluminum and glass enclosure customers know and love. iMac Pro comes with a Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and optional Magic Trackpad. The computer features the best Mac display ever, with 500 nits of brightness, a P3 wide color gamut and support for 1 billion colors, delivering an even more vivid and true-to-life viewing experience. It also comes with four microphones with beamforming technology, a new 1080p FaceTime HD camera with enhanced low-light performance, and new speakers that are up to 50 percent louder. With four Thunderbolt 3 ports iMac Pro can connect up to two high-performance RAID arrays and two 5K displays at the same time. Featuring a next-generation compute core and up to 16GB of on-package high-bandwidth memory (HBM2), iMac Pro with the Vega GPU delivers up to an 11 Teraflops of single-precision compute power for real-time 3D rendering and high frame rate VR. For half-precision computation, ideal for machine learning, iMac Pro delivers up to 22 Teraflops of performance. iMac Pro supports up to 4TB of SSD and up to 128GB of ECC memory. For the first time ever on a Mac, iMac Pro features 10Gb Ethernet for up to 10 times faster networking. iMac Pro delivers amazing power and performance for pro apps and workflows including 3D rendering, complex simulations and high-demand workflows. Developers can run multiple virtual machines and test environments, and compile code up to 2.4 times faster. Scientists and researchers can manipulate massive data sets and complex simulations, visualizing data up to 5 times faster. Photographers can work with enormous files and perform image processing up to 4.1 times faster.Music producers can bounce (export) massive multi-track projects up to 4.6 times faster and use up to 12.4 times as many real-time plug-ins. Video editors can edit up to eight streams of 4K video, or edit 4.5K RED RAW video and 8K ProRes 4444 at full resolution in real time without rendering. The iMac Pro can also export HEVC video 3 times faster. iMac Pro brings a new level of integration and security to the Mac with the T2 chip, Apple’s second generation custom Mac silicon. By designing and integrating several new controllers – such as the System Management Controller, image signal processor, audio controller and SSD controller – T2 delivers new capabilities to the Mac like enhanced imaging processing for the FaceTime HD camera. T2 also enables a new level of security by including a secure enclave coprocessor that provides the foundation for new encrypted storage and secure boot capabilities. Dedicated AES hardware encrypts data on the SSD without affecting performance, while secure boot ensures that only trusted software loads at startup. In addition to the new iMac Pro, Apple is working on a completely redesigned, next-generation Mac Pro architected for pro customers who need the highest performance, high-throughput system in a modular, upgradeable design, as well as a new high-end pro display. iMac Pro is available starting at an Apple retail price of $US 4,999. More details can be found at apple.com/imac-pro.
Links
- The most efficient way to recycle old Apple products you don’t need anymore: Sell used Apple device to iGotOffer for the best price on online market.
What to Expect from Apple in 2017. Video published by MacRumors on December 30, 2016.