Category: Apple Insider

WWDC

By Andrew O’Hara
Monday, June 04, 2018, 08:23 am PT (11:23 am ET)

Instead of relying on QR or barcodes at WWDC 2018 this year, Apple is using NFC with Face ID or Touch ID authentication of the pass in the user’s Wallet.

In years past, attendees would all get a physical pass with barcodes, designed to be worn at all times. The past several years those physical badges relied on NFC for entry, but this is the first time that the Wallet pass has used the same technology for access control.

When an attendee goes to redeem their wallet pass for their badge, the pass appears on the lock screen. Following the pop-up, it will then have the user authenticate the pass with Face ID or Touch ID, in the same fashion as a Apple Pay transaction.

Using NFC for passes isn’t entirely new, but it is rare. Apple does allow passes and loyalty information to support NFC, but few have adopted the process.

This also seems similar to using NFC to make your way into a hotel room, a feature rumored to arrive with iOS 12. It has been suggested that Apple will open up NFC access for additional functionality including accessing hotels, offices, and more.

Apple has been slow to evolve its NFC policies since adopting the technology nearly four years ago, but the company has made moves to expand its limited feature set over the past year.

This isn’t Apple’s first adoption of the technology, though. In 2017, Apple released watchOS 4 with GymKit, a platform that enables a two-way sync of data between an Apple Watch and a stationary workout machine. The authentication and pairing process is conducted via NFC.

The launch of iOS 11 brought Core NFC, a framework that lets developers tap into iPhone’s onboard NFC chip to scan NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) data tags. So far, only a few companies have taken advantage of Core NFC, one of the first being glucose reader manufacturer Abbott.

Stay abreast of Apple’s announcements by downloading the AppleInsider app for iOS, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos from the event.

Can’t watch Apple’s livestream of the keynote? AppleInsider has you covered with a live blog covering all the announcements.

Exclusive

By Christine McKee
Saturday, June 02, 2018, 11:20 pm PT (02:20 am ET)

Gearing up for this year’s WWDC festivities, B&H is offering AI readers the lowest prices anywhere on 2017 MacBook Pros and iMac Pros. Prices start at just $1,099 with discounts of up to $450 off, plus free expedited delivery and no tax collected in most states. Only at AppleInsider.

Apple’s 2017 13″ MacBook Pro for $1,099

13″ MacBook Pro (2.3GHz 8GB 128GB) in Space Gray | P/N: MPXQ2LL/A
On sale for $1,099.00
($200 off + no tax outside NY & NJ*)
*To activate the deal, please follow the step-by-step instructions below. B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY & NJ. CO and VT residents, see here.

Apple authorized reseller B&H Photo is celebrating WWDC 2018 by offering AI readers an exclusive $200 discount off MSRP on Apple’s current Mid 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro. This model, which is equipped with a 2.3GHz processor, 8GB of 2133 MHz RAM, and a 128GB SSD, is now $1,099.00 when activated using the special instructions below. According to our 13-inch MacBook Pro Price Guide, this deal provides shoppers with the lowest online price available from an Apple authorized reseller by $100 to $200.

The savings don’t stop with the cash discount, though. In addition to the instant rebate, B&H is tacking on free expedited shipping to the contiguous U.S. for fast delivery to your doorstep (typically within one to three business days). B&H also will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside New York and New Jersey (Colorado and Vermont residents, see here), saving many shoppers $300 compared to buying from the Apple Store.

For those who haven’t purchased from an Apple authorized reseller before, these systems are brand-new and factory sealed in retail packaging —the same as you get from Apple. AppleCare can also be added at the time of purchase for $269 by selecting the AppleCare option in your shopping cart.

Instructions: To redeem the discount, simply click through one of the exclusive $1,099.00 MacBook Pro pricing links in this post using AppleInsider’s desktop site and look for the reduced price.

Please note: This deal cannot be activated through the B&H and AppleInsider apps at this time. If you still cannot see the exclusive price using the desktop site, all is not lost! Need help? Send us a note at [email protected] and we will do our best to assist.

Add AppleCare
You can easily add on an AppleCare+ extended protection plan to this Mid 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro for $269 by selecting the AppleCare option immediately after you press the “Add to Cart” button on B&H’s website.

$300 to $400 off 2017 15″ MacBook Pros

15″ MacBook Pro Pro (3.1GHz, 16GB, 512GB SSD, Radeon Pro 560) in Space Gray | P/N: Z0UB-MPTR27
On sale for $2,699.00
($300 off + no tax outside NY & NJ*)
15″ MacBook Pro Pro (3.1GHz, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Radeon Pro 560) in Space Gray | P/N: Z0UB-MPTR31
On sale for $2,999.00
($400 off + no tax outside NY & NJ*)
*To activate the deal, please follow the step-by-step instructions below. B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY & NJ. CO and VT residents, see here.

AppleInsider partner B&H Photo is also offering readers the lowest prices anywhere on two loaded 15-inch MacBook Pro configurations. Save $300 on the Space Gray system featuring an upgraded 3.1GHz processor, 512GB SSD, and the best graphics card you can get in a Mid 2017 15-inch MacBook Pro. Now $2,699.00 when you activate the discount through this special pricing link using the step-by-step instructions below, this laptop makes a great graduation gift at $300 off.

Prefer more storage? B&H is also taking $400 off MSRP on the 1TB model exclusively for AI readers. Priced at $2,999.00 using the step-by-step instructions below, this premium configuration in Space Gray is also equipped with 4GB Radeon 560 graphics like the 512GB model above.

Both systems also come with free expedited shipping to the contiguous U.S. for fast delivery to your doorstep. B&H also will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside New York and New Jersey (Colorado and Vermont residents, see here), saving many shoppers $540 to $670 on average compared to ordering direct. As noted above, these systems are brand-new and factory sealed. To see how these deals stack up, check out the latest prices in our 15-inch MacBook Pro Price Guide.

Instructions: To redeem the discount, simply click through one of the exclusive 15″ MacBook Pro pricing links in this post using AppleInsider’s desktop site and look for the advertised price.

Please note: This deal cannot be activated through the B&H and AppleInsider apps at this time. If you still cannot see the exclusive price using the desktop site, all is not lost! Need help? Send us a note at [email protected] and we will do our best to assist.

Add AppleCare
You can easily tack on an AppleCare+ extended protection plan to these Mid 2017 15-inch MacBook Pros for $379 by selecting the AppleCare option immediately after you press the “Add to Cart” button on B&H’s website.

$450 off Apple’s 10-Core iMac Pro (3.0GHz, 64GB, 1TB, Vega 64)

iMac Pro (3.0GHz, 64GB, 1TB SSD, Vega 64) | P/N: Z0UR-10C11
On sale for $6,749.00
($450 off + no tax outside NY & NJ*)
*To activate the deal, please follow the step-by-step instructions below. B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside NY & NJ. CO and VT residents, see here.

Also discounted this week exclusively for AppleInsider readers is Apple’s high-end 27-inch iMac Pro. This machine is a powerhouse with top-of-the-line Vega 64 graphics, 64GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 3.0GHz Intel Xeon 10-core chip provides substantial processing power for CPU-intensive tasks, such as encoding 4K video — and the Space Gray chassis and accessories look great at home or work.

Now $6,749.00, a discount of $450 off MSRP for AI readers, this iMac Pro qualifies for free expedited shipping to the contiguous U.S. In addition to hundreds off MSRP, B&H also will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside New York and New Jersey (Colorado and Vermont residents, see here), which for a high-end system like this, can equate to over $1,000 in savings for many shoppers compared to buying from the Apple Store. Since B&H is an Apple authorized reseller, you can rest assured this iMac Pro is brand new and factory sealed, just like you would get at the Apple Store.

To redeem the discount, simply follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Instructions: To redeem the discount, click through one of the iMac Pro pricing links in this post using AppleInsider’s desktop site and look for the reduced price.

Please note: This deal cannot be activated through the B&H and AppleInsider apps at this time. If you still cannot see the exclusive price using the desktop site, all is not lost! Need help? Send us a note at [email protected] and we will do our best to assist.

Add AppleCare
You can easily tack on an AppleCare extended protection plan to this iMac Pro for $169 by selecting the AppleCare option immediately after you press the “Add to Cart” button on B&H’s website.

AppleInsider is in San Jose all week with the latest news from WWDC 2018. Stay abreast of Apple’s announcements by downloading the AppleInsider app for iOS, and follow us on Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos from the event.

Additional Apple Deals

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running a handful of additional exclusive promotions this month on Apple hardware that will not only deliver the lowest prices on many of the items, but also throw in discounts on AppleCare, software and accessories. These deals are as follows:

See if there is a Mac, iPad, Apple Watch or Certified Used iPhone deal that will save you $100s by checking out prices.appleinsider.com and deals.appleinsider.com.

By Roger Fingas
Friday, June 01, 2018, 06:22 am PT (09:22 am ET)

Apple has turned down an invitation to speak in front of a European Parliament committee, looking to avoid any missteps that could affect its chances of appealing a previous ruling.

“It is important to ensure public commentary does not prejudice those proceedings,” said Apple’s senior director of European government affairs in a Friday letter seen by Reuters. “Since the appeal is ongoing and likely to be heard at the General Court in the near future we will not be able to participate in a public hearing on this topic as it could be detrimental to the proceedings at the Court and any potential appeals thereafter.”

The lawmaker who shared the letter, Sven Giegold, argued that Parliament should withdraw Apple’s lobby badges because of its refusal to appear.

The company just recently made its first payment into an escrow account, designed to hold money on the chance appeals by Apple and the Irish government are successful.

The European Commission originally ordered Ireland to collect back taxes in August 2016, but the country missed a January 2017 deadline has been threatened with court action for its slow progress. On Friday, the Commission reiterated its position that it’s willing to withdraw a lawsuit once money is fully collected.

The 2016 ruling, issued after a lengthy investigation, found that Ireland had extended preferential tax treatment to Apple, considered illegal state aid under European law. The company is said to have paid 1 percent on funneled international profits in 2003, and just 0.005 percent in 2014.

Apple and the Irish government have denied any wrongdoing, the former insisting multiple times that it simply follows local laws. At the time of the ruling, however, Ireland was infamous for its tax loopholes, and the government has been accused of reverse-engineering rules on the fly to keep Apple happy.

Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe has suggested that appeals could be heard in the fall.