Apple sets iOS release date for Sept. 17
Apple's iOS 8 goes live Sept. 17, two days before the company's new phones go on sale, Apple announced at its launch event Tuesday in Cupertino, Calif. The software is available for download for the iPhone 4S and above. First introduced at WWDC, Apple's developer conference in San Francisco in June, iOS 8 marks the second major release of Apple's mobile operating system under the guidance of head designer Jony Ive and new software head Craig Federighi. Apple CEO Tim Cook fired the prior iOS chief, Scott Forstall, in October 2012, in part for refusing to take responsibility for Apple's Maps fiasco. Ive spearheaded a complete redesign of iOS 7, the first major overhaul since Apple introduced the software with the first iPhone in 2007.Tuesday'sevent, taking place at the Flint Performing Arts Center in Apple'shometown of Cupertino is one of the most anticipated productlaunches of the year. Consumers, analysts and investors have beenwaiting for Apple to introduce the "amazing" new products that Cook has been promising for more than a year. Cook, who took over as CEO fromSteve Jobs three years ago, hasn't yet taken the company into newmarkets beyond those established by his former boss. But he's nowexpected to do just that with wearables, mobile payments and otherpossible arenas. iOS 8 is expected to complement the new hardware.While iOS 7 featured different typography and color schemes from previous versions of the operating system, along with a flatter design concept, and added features like automatic updates, AirDrop and iTunes Radio, iOS 8 takes Ive's design efforts a step further.The operating system focuses more on functionality than visuals. With iOS 8, Apple is bringing a laundry list of features that many have desired for years. Most importantly, the new software tackles long-standing issues with iOS' notification system; its tie-ins with Apple's desktop OS X software and with iCloud, software for managing files and devices; and its native SMS client Messages. And it also manages to extend Apple's reach into the health and home-automation space with a suite of new "Kit" apps and developer tools.Related Links'Giant' iOS 8 adds widgets, new keyboard, home automation, health, Touch ID for all; arrives this fallWith iOS 8, Apple opens its garden, but keeps thorns sharper than everApple's Handoff brings proximity awareness to your devicesHow Beats took over the worldMassive makeover makes iOS feel new againApple's iOS 7.1 lands with CarPlay, improved fingerprint scannerA new addition to iOS 8 includes Handoff, which lets users start a task -- such as writing an email or composing a text -- on an iPhone and then finish it on an iPad or Mac. iCloud Drive creates a device-agnostic way for users to store files, similar to Google's Drive offering and to software maker Dropbox' product. And a new aspect of Apple's Messages app, called QuickType, features predictive keyboard software enhancement that will learn how you talk with different people to allow for quicker auto-correct and fill-out suggestions.Apple also is purposefully modifying its closed-garden philosophy. Users can now install third-party keyboards, and TouchID fingerprint scanning -- which accounts for 83 percent of purchases in Apple's App Store -- will now work with third-party apps. Additionally, widgets from independent developers will be available for download from the App Store and will function within the Notification Center.Along with the iOS features, Apple also launched two new initiatives, called HealthKit and HomeKit. HealthKit serves as a data repository for health-related information, such as how many steps a person takes and how much a person eats. Other apps can draw from that information and send data collected on their apps back to HealthKit. HomeKit provides a similar service for the smart home. It will let developers integrate controls for door locking, light dimming and other home-automation gadgets and features into iOS apps for the iPhone and iPad. That means users can control various connected devices from one spot -- even using Apple's digital voice assistant, Siri -- rather than switching back and forth between different apps. Initial partners include thermostat-maker Honeywall and smart-lock-maker August.Correction, 3:35 p.m. PT: The original article incorrectly identified which devices are compatible with iOS 8.
Mastering music in the age of iTunes
Mastering music in the age of iTunes
I recently chatted with mastering engineer Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound in NYC. He mastered Beyonce's "Live at Roseland: Elements of 4," Iron Maiden's "Flight 666" DVD, and James Taylor's "One Man Band," so you can see he's a pretty versatile engineer. When he was a kid the sound of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" turned him around, and the first Guns 'n' Roses album made a big impression. My first question was simply this, "Does the process start as soon as you hear the album for the first time?" If he's not cringing, he immediately starts to imagine how he would like the music to sound, and how he's going to make that happen. Sometimes, but not always, that might involve dynamic range compression, and Ryan said, "I might be thinking about what kind of impact is required, or it might be more about what sort of equalization would serve the music." If the mix is basically good Smith might want to just make it a little clearer or bigger, but he never wants to change the character of the sound. Smith stressed that's his approach, but some mastering engineers go further and put their stamp on the sound. He also feels the entire album should have a cohesive sound, but if it's a single, Smith might take another approach. Singles are treated differently than album tracks.The producer or band might be very explicit, and say, "We want to sound like this band, or we didn't like the sound of our last record and now we want it to be more like this." Not all clients request additional compression; producer Perry Margouleff recently brought in a folk recording and he wasn't at all interested in maximum loudness. Smith finds he can lighten up on compression when he masters reissues of older recordings. Each mastering session is unique, and Smith's first priority is to make his clients happy with the sound of their music. If Smith doesn't, for example, compress the music enough to satisfy the client, he might be asked to do it again, or worse, they might take the job to another mastering house. Smith seemed to think Mastered for iTunes is a good thing, and iTunes tracks sound a little better than they used to, but still not as good as a CD. The new mastering tools provide a preview of what the finished iTunes files will sound like. The iTunes master is a 24-bit/44.1 kHz file.For now the best-sounding format most people will hear is still the CD, and that's where Ryan focuses his efforts. He started out as a recording engineer, but if he recorded something now, he'd bring it to another mastering engineer to get a fresh set of ears involved in the project.He recently worked with another Sterling Sound engineer, Greg Calbi, on a forthcoming reissue of Paul Simon's "Graceland" LP. They used the original master tapes and compared the sound of the new master to original LP pressings, trying to make the new "Graceland" better than ever. That's what mastering is all about.
I recently chatted with mastering engineer Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound in NYC. He mastered Beyonce's "Live at Roseland: Elements of 4," Iron Maiden's "Flight 666" DVD, and James Taylor's "One Man Band," so you can see he's a pretty versatile engineer. When he was a kid the sound of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" turned him around, and the first Guns 'n' Roses album made a big impression. My first question was simply this, "Does the process start as soon as you hear the album for the first time?" If he's not cringing, he immediately starts to imagine how he would like the music to sound, and how he's going to make that happen. Sometimes, but not always, that might involve dynamic range compression, and Ryan said, "I might be thinking about what kind of impact is required, or it might be more about what sort of equalization would serve the music." If the mix is basically good Smith might want to just make it a little clearer or bigger, but he never wants to change the character of the sound. Smith stressed that's his approach, but some mastering engineers go further and put their stamp on the sound. He also feels the entire album should have a cohesive sound, but if it's a single, Smith might take another approach. Singles are treated differently than album tracks.The producer or band might be very explicit, and say, "We want to sound like this band, or we didn't like the sound of our last record and now we want it to be more like this." Not all clients request additional compression; producer Perry Margouleff recently brought in a folk recording and he wasn't at all interested in maximum loudness. Smith finds he can lighten up on compression when he masters reissues of older recordings. Each mastering session is unique, and Smith's first priority is to make his clients happy with the sound of their music. If Smith doesn't, for example, compress the music enough to satisfy the client, he might be asked to do it again, or worse, they might take the job to another mastering house. Smith seemed to think Mastered for iTunes is a good thing, and iTunes tracks sound a little better than they used to, but still not as good as a CD. The new mastering tools provide a preview of what the finished iTunes files will sound like. The iTunes master is a 24-bit/44.1 kHz file.For now the best-sounding format most people will hear is still the CD, and that's where Ryan focuses his efforts. He started out as a recording engineer, but if he recorded something now, he'd bring it to another mastering engineer to get a fresh set of ears involved in the project.He recently worked with another Sterling Sound engineer, Greg Calbi, on a forthcoming reissue of Paul Simon's "Graceland" LP. They used the original master tapes and compared the sound of the new master to original LP pressings, trying to make the new "Graceland" better than ever. That's what mastering is all about.
Apple's new products won't cheer investors, says analyst
Apple's new products won't cheer investors, says analyst
Apple tried to wow the world on Monday with a host of new products and services. But investors aren't likely to get all abuzz, says J.P. Morgan's Mark Moskowitz.At its WWDC keynote on Monday, Apple served up peeks at iOS 7, iTunes Radio, a new version of Mac OS X, new MacBook Airs, and the next Mac Pro. Many of these updates will certainly appeal to Apple users. But that doesn't necessarily translate into a higher stock price or stronger sales growth."We do not expect investors to cheer the latest software and services rollouts atApple's WWDC 2013," Moskowitz said in an investors note released late Monday. "The tech improvements appear to be suitably impressive, but we do not expect them to move the needle in the model in the near to mid term. The new specs reinforce, however, Apple's enhanced user experience, in our view, but the bigger story remains whether or not Apple can jumpstart its revenue growth profile."The fresh new look of Apple iOS 7 (pictu...See full gallery1 - 4 / 16NextPrevMoskowitz sees the "pivot point" for sales growth coming in the second half of the year when Apple is expected to launch an iPhone 5S, a lower-cost iPhone, and a Retina Display iPad Mini. Still, the analyst sees promise for some of the new products and services.Offering a cleaner look, iOS 7 points to more integrated features and services. The new OS boasts enhanced multitasking, a better browser, and the AirPlay "tap to share" option. The new Control Center and automatic app updating are also seen as pluses by Moskowitz. Finally, the new activation lock should appeal to lawmakers concerned about the theft of Apple devices.Though Apple didn't reveal many details about iTunes Radio, the analyst believes it could increase services revenues and fuel greater demand for the $24.99-per-year iTunes Match.Such new and updated features as iCloud, Siri, Safari, the Photos app, and the Control Center impressed Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley. The analyst also noted the refreshed MacBook Air with better battery life and support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi as well as a new Mac Pro with higher-end specs.Walkley wasn't surprised by the unveilings but does see an upturn for Apple in the second half of the year."While we were impressed with the features introduced in iOS 7 and with the refreshed MacBook Air and Mac Pro products, these announcements were consistent with our expectations," the analyst said in an investor note out Tuesday. "While our surveys indicate Apple's iPhone has lost near-term market share that will likely continue through the summer or until the iPhone 5S launch late in the September quarter, we maintain our belief Apple has a strong product pipeline that should result in reaccelerating [year-over-year] earnings growth during [the second half of] 2013."The new Mac Pro: You have to see to believe...See full gallery1 - 4 / 10NextPrev
Apple tried to wow the world on Monday with a host of new products and services. But investors aren't likely to get all abuzz, says J.P. Morgan's Mark Moskowitz.At its WWDC keynote on Monday, Apple served up peeks at iOS 7, iTunes Radio, a new version of Mac OS X, new MacBook Airs, and the next Mac Pro. Many of these updates will certainly appeal to Apple users. But that doesn't necessarily translate into a higher stock price or stronger sales growth."We do not expect investors to cheer the latest software and services rollouts atApple's WWDC 2013," Moskowitz said in an investors note released late Monday. "The tech improvements appear to be suitably impressive, but we do not expect them to move the needle in the model in the near to mid term. The new specs reinforce, however, Apple's enhanced user experience, in our view, but the bigger story remains whether or not Apple can jumpstart its revenue growth profile."The fresh new look of Apple iOS 7 (pictu...See full gallery1 - 4 / 16NextPrevMoskowitz sees the "pivot point" for sales growth coming in the second half of the year when Apple is expected to launch an iPhone 5S, a lower-cost iPhone, and a Retina Display iPad Mini. Still, the analyst sees promise for some of the new products and services.Offering a cleaner look, iOS 7 points to more integrated features and services. The new OS boasts enhanced multitasking, a better browser, and the AirPlay "tap to share" option. The new Control Center and automatic app updating are also seen as pluses by Moskowitz. Finally, the new activation lock should appeal to lawmakers concerned about the theft of Apple devices.Though Apple didn't reveal many details about iTunes Radio, the analyst believes it could increase services revenues and fuel greater demand for the $24.99-per-year iTunes Match.Such new and updated features as iCloud, Siri, Safari, the Photos app, and the Control Center impressed Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley. The analyst also noted the refreshed MacBook Air with better battery life and support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi as well as a new Mac Pro with higher-end specs.Walkley wasn't surprised by the unveilings but does see an upturn for Apple in the second half of the year."While we were impressed with the features introduced in iOS 7 and with the refreshed MacBook Air and Mac Pro products, these announcements were consistent with our expectations," the analyst said in an investor note out Tuesday. "While our surveys indicate Apple's iPhone has lost near-term market share that will likely continue through the summer or until the iPhone 5S launch late in the September quarter, we maintain our belief Apple has a strong product pipeline that should result in reaccelerating [year-over-year] earnings growth during [the second half of] 2013."The new Mac Pro: You have to see to believe...See full gallery1 - 4 / 10NextPrev
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