At its annual MAX conference today, Adobe announced a range of new features for its Creative Cloud suite of software for Macs and PCs, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, InDesign, and more.

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe is releasing a major update to Photoshop on the desktop today with several improvements based on its Sensei artificial intelligence technology, including new capabilities in the Object Selection Tool and Content-Aware-Fill.

Adobe has added three ways to identify where in your image you want Content-Aware Fill to look for source pixels as fill content:

• Auto: Intelligently select source pixels by analyzing pixels near the selection
  
• Rectangular: Chooses pixels nearby
  
• Custom: Full control to identify exactly which pixels to fill from

The latest version of Photoshop is faster for many tasks, including opening files on a Mac. Adobe has added new quick action buttons to accelerate common tasks, such as the ability to one-click to remove a background, select a subject while in the pixel layer properties panel, or quickly convert text layers into a frame or shape.

Preset workflows have been overhauled, with new, dedicated panels and behaviors for gradients, patterns, and shapes. Presets can be organized into groups, and you can drag and move to rearrange and re-order them.

To learn more about the new features and improvements in Photoshop, read Adobe’s blog post and its what’s new in Photoshop page.

Following months of beta testing, Adobe today is also making Photoshop on the iPad available to all Creative Cloud customers who have a subscription to Photoshop. Photoshop on the ‌iPad‌ is based on the same code base as the desktop version, but it is reimagined for a mobile, touchscreen-based user experience.

With the ‌iPad‌ version, you can open and edit PSDs, view and edit your layered documents, and take advantage of core functionality such as compositing, masking, and retouching. Adobe plans to add several new features to the app over time. Read our Photoshop for iPad post for more details.

Adobe today also announced that it has integrated cloud document capabilities into Photoshop and expanded support to PSDs. This allows you to access and work on projects across devices, including Photoshop for Mac and ‌iPad‌, with all edits seamlessly saved to the cloud with an auto-save feature.

Other updates to the Creative Cloud suite:

• Illustrator: Files with very complex vector illustrations, multiple embedded images, or lots of artboards open up to twice as fast; spell check indicator as you type; file saving in the background; faster rendering of effects and previews; and more efficient path simplification
  
• Lightroom: Guided tutorials for learning how to edit photos; additional export options for choosing output resolution, compression, metadata, file naming, output sharpening, and color space; GPU accelerated editing; and a new Fill Edges option to automatically fill in the edges using Content-Aware Fill technology
  
• InDesign: Support for SVG file formats; variable fonts; and easily find alternative images from Adobe Stock to complete your layout design
  
• Dimension: Match Image can now detect what type of lighting is in your image and will generate sunlight, multiple lights, or 3-point lighting accordingly; easily send your Dimension projects directly to Adobe Aero
  
• XD: coediting in beta; cloud document history; create and manage shareable web links to your work; convert existing Sketch Libraries into cloud documents in XD; redesigned plugin manager; expanded support for Creative Cloud Libraries to allow you to create and manage libraries from within XD

New features previewed earlier this year for Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Character Animator are also available as of today.

Adobe’s new Creative Cloud updates are available to all Creative Cloud subscribers, with plan options outlined on Adobe’s website.

This article, “Adobe Releases Major Updates for Creative Cloud Apps on Mac: Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon recently began discounting Apple’s Gold 10.5-inch iPad Air with 256GB and cellular capabilities to $679.99, down from $779.00. This represents savings of $99, and is the best price that we’ve tracked for this model among the major Apple resellers online.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

At this time, only the Gold color is available, and many of the other 10.5-inch iPad Air configurations are not up for sale directly by Amazon. Because of the limited scope of the sale, we aren’t sure how long it will last, so be sure to head over to Amazon soon to check out the iPad Air if you’re interested.

Apple updated these models of the iPad Air back in March 2019 with a new 10.5-inch display size, a Touch ID Home button, headphone jack, A12 Bionic processor, Apple Pencil support, and Smart Keyboard compatibility. The model on sale today is the high-end configuration of this line with Wi-Fi and cellular, as well as a 256GB storage capacity.

For more information on the latest Apple sales, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup.

This article, “Deals Spotlight: 10.5-Inch iPad Air (Cellular, 256GB) Discounted to $679.99, $99 Off and Lowest Ever” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple on Monday announced that it would commit $2.5 billion to easing a housing shortage that has seen property prices skyrocket across California.

Apple’s commitment includes $1 billion in affordable housing investments, $1 billion in mortgage assistance for first-time homebuyers, and $300 million worth of Apple land opened up to affordable housing projects.

“Before the world knew the name Silicon Valley, and long before we carried technology in our pockets, Apple called this region home, and we feel a profound civic responsibility to ensure it remains a vibrant place where people can live, have a family and contribute to the community,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Affordable housing means stability and dignity, opportunity and pride. When these things fall out of reach for too many, we know the course we are on is unsustainable, and Apple is committed to being part of the solution.”

Apple is also launching a new $150 million affordable housing fund with Bay Area partners including Housing Trust Silicon Valley to support new affordable housing projects. The fund will consist of long-term forgivable loans and grants.

‌Tim Cook‌ and California Governor Gavin Newsom, discussing the land Apple is freeing up for affordable housing

“This unparalleled financial commitment to affordable housing, and the innovative strategies at the heart of this initiative, are proof that Apple is serious about solving this issue. I hope other companies follow their lead,” said Gavin Newsom, governor of California. “The sky-high cost of housing — both for homeowners and renters — is the defining quality-of-life concern for millions of families across this state, one that can only be fixed by building more housing. This partnership with Apple will allow the state of California to do just that.”

In addition, Apple will donate $50 million to support Destination: Home’s efforts to address homelessness in Silicon Valley. Apple says it will focus its contribution on driving systemic change across the many factors affecting homelessness. Apple will also be identifying similar efforts in Northern and Southern California, focusing on strategies that both end and prevent homelessness.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Apple appears to be providing redeem codes to customers eligible for the Apple TV+ 1-year free trial who have been unable to activate the offer via the TV app.

‌Apple TV‌+ officially launched on November 1, and anyone who purchased an iPhone, iPad, ‌‌Apple TV‌‌, iPod touch, or Mac after September 10 can get a year’s subscription to it for free.

The trial is supposed to be offered to users who launch the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app on a qualifying Apple device. However, reports on Friday suggested that many customers aren’t seeing any sign of the trial they’re entitled to.

Some people experiencing trouble activating the trial on an Apple mobile device have reportedly had better luck visiting https://tv.apple.com on a desktop web browser and logging in using their Apple ID credentials.

But if that doesn’t work for you, contact Apple support. According to users on Reddit, they are able to generate a unique 1-year offer code that can be redeemed in the iTunes/App Store.

To facilitate the resolution, customers should have to hand their MacOS/iOS version, proof of purchase and date of purchase, and the name of the store where they bought their qualifying Apple product.

The code redemption confirmation is said to show ‌Apple TV‌+ as “free for 1-one week,” but actually states lower down that the paid subscription doesn’t start until November 2020.

This article, “Apple Offering Apple TV+ Redeem Codes to Eligible Customers Unable to Activate Their 1-Year Free Trial” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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DigiTimes is reporting this morning that Apple has partnered with U.S. game developer Valve to develop its rumored AR headset, which is expected to launch next year.

Apple reportedly has partnered with US game developer Valve to develop AR head-mounted display devices, which may be released in the second half of 2020 at the earliest, with Taiwan’s ODMs Quanta Computer and Pegatron said to handle the assembly job, according to industry sources.

Creator of the popular Steam digital storefront and delivery platform, Valve launched Steam machine consoles in 2015 and released its first VR headset, Valve Index, in April 2019.

Notably, Valve worked with Apple in 2017 to bring native VR headset support to macOS High Sierra, leveraging the operating system’s then-new eGPU support with a Mac version of Valve’s SteamVR software. However, Apple’s latest partnership with the company is said to be focused on AR, not VR.

Apple will cooperate with Valve on AR headsets rather than VR devices, as its CEO Tim Cook believes that AR can make digital content become part of the user’s world and will be as popular as smartphones with consumers. This has also promoted Apple to step up the development of AR software by recruiting more engineers for graphic design, system interface and system architecture segments.

Back in July, DigiTimes reported that Apple had temporarily stopped developing AR/VR headsets and that the team working on them was disbanded in May and reassigned to other product developments.

However, according to the latest information from the Taiwan website’s sources, Apple was actually in the process of shifting from in-house development to collaborative development with Valve.

Just last month, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was cooperating with third-party brands to launch its first head-mounted AR product. Kuo believes Apple’s AR headset is rumored to enter mass production as soon as the fourth quarter of this year in time for an early 2020 launch.

Code found in Xcode 11 and iOS 13 as recently as September has confirmed that Apple is still working on an augmented reality headset of some kind. In addition, there is an icon within the internal Find My app bundlede picting what appears to be an AR or VR headset that looks similar to the Google Cardboard.

MacRumors concept of Apple Glasses

Kuo has said Apple’s glasses would be marketed as an iPhone accessory and primarily take a display role while wirelessly offloading computing, networking, and positioning to the iPhone.

As early as November 2017, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reported that Apple’s headset would run a custom iOS-based operating system dubbed “rOS” for “reality operating system.” At the time, Gurman said Apple had not finalized how users would control the headset, but possibilities included touchscreens, Siri voice activation, and head gestures.

Apple originally aimed to have its AR product ready by 2019, but the company is said to have been relaxed about not shipping a product until 2020.

Quanta Computer and Pegatron are said to be handling the manufacturing and assembly job for Apple’s headset. Quanta can reportedly produce AR headsets at a lower cost by leveraging camera lens technology licensed by Lumus, according to today’s report.

DigiTimes‘ sources often provide reliable information, but the site has a mixed track record when it comes to interpreting that information and accurately deciphering Apple’s plans, so treat this report with the necessary degree of skepticism for now until we can corroborate it from other sources.

This article, “DigiTimes: Apple Partnering With Valve to Develop AR Headset” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacRumors has received a potential image of Apple’s rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro with three distinct design aspects: slimmer bezels around the display, a standalone Touch ID sensor, and a physical Esc key.

While all three of those features line up with other images of the 16-inch MacBook Pro uncovered in macOS Catalina 10.15.1, we cannot confirm if this latest image is legitimate. It certainly looks believable at face value, but we cannot find the file in any recent macOS Catalina builds and it could be photoshopped.

Our anonymous tipster claims the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be equipped with AMD Radeon RX 5300M or 5500M graphics, part of its Navi line. That is also unconfirmed, but MacRumors contributor Steve Moser did recently uncover a “Radeon RX 5500/5500M” string within macOS Catalina 10.15.1 code.

MacRumors leaked a similar image of the 2016 MacBook Pro a few days ahead of Apple announcing that notebook, and it turned out to be legitimate. The image depicts a user authenticating an Apple Pay purchase with Touch ID.

Last month, an icon corresponding to a 16-inch MacBook Pro was uncovered in the macOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta, revealing slimmer bezels and what appears to be a physical Esc key after zooming in closely, which would certainly please critics of the virtual Esc key on the Touch Bar now.

Then, a few days ago, a close-up image of a standalone Touch ID sensor was uncovered in the release version of macOS Catalina 10.15.1.

Back in July, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the 16-inch MacBook Pro would be equipped with a scissor switch keyboard, with Apple finally beginning to move away from its troublesome butterfly keyboard design. At that time, Kuo also predicted the notebook would be released in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Even if the image sent to us is proven fake, it could still end up being an accurate representation of the 16-inch MacBook Pro design based on leaks and rumors. At this point in the year, however, it is unclear if Apple plans to release the 16-inch MacBook Pro by the end of 2019 or in 2020.

Update: A couple of additional hints, including the “Touch ID to pay Apple” text taken from a similar image asset for the 13-inch MacBook Pro not matching the North Face website taken from a version of the asset for the MacBook Air, suggest that this is very likely a fake.

This article, “Unconfirmed: 16-Inch MacBook Pro Image Shows Slimmer Bezels, Standalone Touch ID, and Physical Esc Key [Likely Fake]” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Following Friday’s launch of Apple TV+, new data on Apple’s television and online advertising spend reveals that the company is taking a “slow-roll” approach in promoting the new streaming service (via The New York Times).

According to data gathered by iSpot.TV, Apple spent $14.9 million on television commercials ‌Apple TV‌+ in the month of September, compared to $28.6 million on ads promoting its new iPhone line-up in the same month.

In October, as the ‌Apple TV‌+ November 1 launch date approached, Apple ratcheted up its ad spending, but the budget share was broadly similar. The Cupertino-based company spent $19.9 million on television commercials for ‌Apple TV‌+, compared to $38.6 million on iPhone TV ads.

As for online marketing, October saw Apple spend $1.7 million on 139 unique digital ads for ‌Apple TV‌+, and $2.3 million for 245 separate iPhone ads, according to the advertising analytics platform Pathmatics.

Billboard tracking data for Apple’s recent spate of outdoor ads are not yet available, but what we do know is that taken together, the company spent a total of $71.9 million on iPhone ads and $40.3 million on Apple TV Plus spots on television and online in the past two months.

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The New York Times quotes business analyst Dan Rayburn of business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan as saying that Apple is playing a wise game by avoiding an iPhone-level marketing blast for ‌Apple TV‌+ because of the dearth of content on offer compared to the vast libraries of digital streaming rivals like Disney+ and Netflix.

“Consumers are just drowning in content right now, and all of these services are competing for our time,” he said. “But they’re all approaching the market differently. This isn’t some race for Apple. It’s a slow roll.”

Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives provided the report with a somewhat different perspective. Ives believes that ‌Apple TV‌+ marketing has so far been “aggressive” compared to most other Apple launches, and he expects advertising to pick up more over the holiday season as well as a year from now, when Apple tries to convert customers on free trials into paying subscribers.

“This is a pivotal juncture for Apple to be successful — they cannot trip over their shoelace,” Mr. Ives said. “They were late to the game, they’ve underinvested in content and they have a lot of room to make up.”

If you purchase or have purchased an ‌‌Apple TV‌‌, iPhone, ‌iPad‌, Mac, or iPod touch after September 10, 2019, you’re entitled to a free year of ‌‌Apple TV‌‌+ service, after which it costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year for up to six family members.

iOS 12.3, tvOS 13.2, and macOS Catalina are required for ‌Apple TV‌+ on iPhone/‌iPad‌, ‌Apple TV‌, and Macs, respectively, but content can be watched on any device by going to tv.apple.com in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

For more on ‌Apple TV‌+, make sure to check out our Apple TV+ guide. You can also discuss shows in our new Apple TV+ forum.

This article, “Ad Data Points to Apple’s ‘Slow Roll’ Promotion of Apple TV+” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Even without an Apple media event to round out October, we did get several product launches this week, including the AirPods Pro and the long-awaited Apple TV+ subscription service.

We’re still waiting for the Mac Pro that’s been promised in 2019 and updated iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models that may or may not come before the end of the year, so there’s still lots to look forward to. Read on for all of the details on this week’s debuts and what’s still in Apple’s pipeline.

Apple Releases AirPods Pro

Apple this week treated us with all-new AirPods Pro with several improvements over regular AirPods, including active noise cancellation, IPX4-rated water and sweat resistance, and improved sound quality. Be sure to read our AirPods vs. AirPods Pro feature comparison and check out our hands-on video!

AirPods Pro sport an in-ear design with three sizes of silicone ear tips, complete with a vent system for improved comfort. A new Ear Tip Fit Test feature located in Settings > Bluetooth on an iPhone or iPad can help determine which size ear tips are best for you.

AirPods Pro are priced at $249 with a wireless charging case and have been available to order since October 30. Apple Store pickup is also available. For more details, read our in-depth AirPods Pro roundup.

Hands-On With the New Apple TV+ Streaming Service

Apple’s new Apple TV+ streaming service has finally launched, and we went hands-on to get an idea of what it’s like. Apple TV+ is available across a host of platforms, and while the catalog is still awfully light, Apple is offering a number of ways to try out the service at little or no cost.

Everybody gets a free one-week trial, while customers who have purchased a new Apple devices since September 10 get an entire year’s worth of free Apple TV+. Students with Apple Music subscriptions also get free access, while those who need to pay can opt for a $4.99 monthly subscription or a $49.99 annual plan.

iOS 13.2 is Out With New Emoji, Deep Fusion for iPhone 11, Siri Privacy Options, and More

Apple this week released iOS 13.2 and iPadOS 13.2 for the iPhone and iPad, respectively, with several new features like new emoji, Deep Fusion image processing for the iPhone 11 lineup, new Siri privacy options, AirPods Pro support, and more.

iOS 13.2 led to a few leaks this week, including a potential “AirTags” name for Apple’s rumored Tile-like item trackers as well as Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone 11 lineup.

Other software updates released this week include macOS Catalina 10.15.1, watchOS 6.1, tvOS 13.2, and a revised 13.2.1 update for the HomePod that hopefully shouldn’t brick the speaker anymore.

Apple’s Rumored Tile-Like Item Trackers May Be Named ‘AirTags’

This week, based on an iOS 13.2 code discovery, we learned that Apple may be planning to call its rumored Tile-like item trackers “AirTags.”

A mockup of what AirTags could look like

MacRumors then came across some potential signs of Apple acquiring the rights to the “AirTag” trademark from a Russian company, followed by a report claiming the mark was indeed sold to Apple.

AirTags will be closely integrated with the Find My app on iOS 13. MacRumors obtained additional screenshots of what the new “Items” tab will look like in the app. It’s unclear when Apple plans to introduce the tags.

For more details, read everything we know about the AirTags so far.

New Mac Pro Receives FCC Approval Ahead of Launch

Apple’s new Mac Pro received FCC approval this week ahead of its release later this year. Apple’s website still says the new ‌Mac Pro‌ is “coming this fall,” but this may signal an imminent release.

The new ‌‌Mac Pro‌‌ will start at $5,999 in the United States with an eight-core Intel Xeon processor, 32GB of ECC RAM, Radeon Pro 580X graphics, and 256GB of SSD storage. Apple will also be selling the 32-inch Pro Display XDR with 6K resolution for $4,999, with an optional stand to be available for $999.

16-Inch MacBook Pro Touch Bar Layout Confirmed

An image uncovered in macOS Catalina 10.15.1 has revealed that the Touch Bar and Touch ID will likely be separated on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, lending credence to an earlier rumor that the Esc key will also be a separate, physical key again.

It’s unclear if the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be released in 2019 or 2020, but a supply chain report has claimed that Apple will begin to receive volume shipments of the notebook in the fourth quarter of this year, possibly to sidestep a proposed 15% tariff on additional Chinese imports that is slated to go into effect December 15.

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Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we’ve covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

This article, “Top Stories: AirPods Pro, Apple TV+, AirTags, Mac Pro, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacRumors has received a potential image of Apple’s rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro with three distinct design aspects: slimmer bezels around the display, a standalone Touch ID sensor, and a physical Esc key.

While all three of those features line up with other images of the 16-inch MacBook Pro uncovered in macOS Catalina 10.15.1, we cannot confirm if this latest image is legitimate. It certainly looks believable at face value, but we cannot find the file in any recent macOS Catalina builds and it could be photoshopped.

Our anonymous tipster claims the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be equipped with AMD Radeon RX 5300M or 5500M graphics, part of its Navi line. That is also unconfirmed, but MacRumors contributor Steve Moser did recently uncover a “Radeon RX 5500/5500M” string within macOS Catalina 10.15.1 code.

MacRumors leaked a similar image of the 2016 MacBook Pro a few days ahead of Apple announcing that notebook, and it turned out to be legitimate. The image depicts a user authenticating an Apple Pay purchase with Touch ID.

Last month, an icon corresponding to a 16-inch MacBook Pro was uncovered in the macOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta, revealing slimmer bezels and what appears to be a physical Esc key after zooming in closely, which would certainly please critics of the virtual Esc key on the Touch Bar now.

Then, a few days ago, a close-up image of a standalone Touch ID sensor was uncovered in the release version of macOS Catalina 10.15.1.

Back in July, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the 16-inch MacBook Pro would be equipped with a scissor switch keyboard, with Apple finally beginning to move away from its troublesome butterfly keyboard design. At that time, Kuo also predicted the notebook would be released in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Even if the image sent to us is proven fake, it could still end up being an accurate representation of the 16-inch MacBook Pro design based on leaks and rumors. At this point in the year, however, it is unclear if Apple plans to release the 16-inch MacBook Pro by the end of 2019 or in 2020.

This article, “Unconfirmed: 16-Inch MacBook Pro Image Shows Slimmer Bezels, Standalone Touch ID, and Physical Esc Key” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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During Apple’s earnings call for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2019 this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he believed that the Apple Card had the “most successful launch of a credit card in the United states ever,” and that Apple was “thrilled” with its reception.

More information on how the ‌Apple Card‌ launch went was shared in Goldman Sachs regulatory filings this week, with key details highlighted by Bloomberg.

From the launch of the card in August to September 30, Goldman Sachs extended credit lines totaling approximately $10 billion to Apple customers. There’s no word, though, on how many iPhone users have signed up for an ‌Apple Card‌.

Customers who did get an ‌Apple Card‌ had $736 million in loan balances at the end of September, though it’s not clear how that compares to other credit cards as Bloomberg says banks do not break out performance by individual cards.

Goldman Sachs has historically worked with corporations and major investors, but is aiming to reach a mainstream market through ‌Apple Card‌. With the launch of ‌Apple Card‌, Goldman has cut down on unsecured personal loans through its Marcus brand, intentionally slowing that growth while to focus on the Apple-branded offering.

Due to this, nearly all of Goldman’s growth came from credit card loans over the course of the last quarter.

Apple has been steadily adding new benefits to ‌Apple Card‌ since its launch to continue to draw new users. ‌Apple Card‌ now offers three percent cash back when using the card for purchases from Uber, Uber Eats, T-Mobile, Walgreens, and Duane Reade, with plans to expand the three percent cash back offering to additional merchants in the future.

At other stores, Apple offers two percent cash back when making an Apple Pay purchase or one percent cash back when making a non-Apple Pay purchase with the physical card or online.

Most recently, Apple announced an upcoming option that will let ‌Apple Card‌ customers purchase a new iPhone and then pay it over 24 months with no interest. It’s the same setup as Apple’s current device payment plans, but more conveniently integrated into the ‌Apple Card‌ for ‌Apple Card‌ users.

This article, “Goldman Sachs Issued $10 Billion in Credit Lines for Apple Card” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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