Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Apple Turns (RED) with More Ways than Ever to Join the Fight Against AIDS

Source: Apple Press - Press Releases - November 30, 2016

CUPERTINO, California — November 30, 2016 — In honor of World AIDS Day, Apple® is offering more ways than ever for customers to join (RED) in its mission to create an AIDS-free generation. Apple is the world’s largest corporate contributor to the Global Fund, and this year marks its 10th anniversary supporting (RED) in the fight to end AIDS.
(RED)’s critical work addresses the disparity in access to life-saving medication in sub-Saharan Africa, which has the highest prevalence of AIDS on the planet. The money raised by (RED) funds programs that offer counseling, testing, prevention and, most crucially, the life-saving ARV medication that prevents the transmission of HIV from mothers to their unborn babies.
“The gift of life is the most important gift that anyone can give,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Thanks to the vision and dedication of (RED), an AIDS-free generation is within our reach. We want to leave the world better than we found it, and that’s why our longtime partnership with (RED) remains so important to us.” 
This year, Apple customers can support the fight while playing the games they love, shopping for loved ones ahead of the holiday season or listening to an exclusive (RED) holiday album from The Killers. 
For the next week, a range of the most popular games across the App Store® — spanning from racing and sports titles to strategy, puzzle and action games — are offering limited-edition, custom (RED) content, exclusively available on the App Store. All proceeds from the associated in-app purchases go to the Global Fund. 
The 20 participating games include Angry Birds 2, Angry Birds POP!, Best Fiends, Best Fiends Forever, Boom Beach, Candy Crush Jelly Saga, Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, CSR2, Episode, Farm Heroes Saga, FarmVille: Tropic Escape, FIFA Mobile, Hay Day, MARVEL Contest of Champions, PewDiePie’s Tuber Simulator, Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, SimCity BuildIt, War Dragons and YAHTZEE With Buddies. 
In addition to the current (PRODUCT)RED lineup, which is available for customers to purchase year-round, Apple is also adding four new (RED) products including an iPhone® 7 Smart Battery Case, iPhone SE Case, Beats Solo 3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones and the Pill+ Portable Speaker, which are all available today.
Over 400 Apple Stores on five continents will turn their logos red or feature (RED) window decals to raise visibility for World AIDS Day in Apple's most widespread implementation of support for (RED) at its stores. Apple Store employees will share all the ways our customers can join us in supporting (RED) and the fight against AIDS.
Starting tomorrow through December 6, Apple is donating $1 to (RED)’s mission for every purchase made with Apple Pay® at an Apple Store®, on Apple.com or through the Apple Store app, up to $1 million. Bank of America will also make a donation for every Apple Pay transaction using its cards, also up to $1 million.
Customers around the world can also easily donate directly to (RED) through iTunes®. In the US, iTunes Movies is offering a free download of The Lazarus Effect, the documentary about the mission of (RED). 
The Killers’ holiday album, Don’t Waste Your Wishes, is exclusively available on iTunes featuring all 10 of their holiday singles, as well as a new track, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” with 100 percent of the proceeds in the US going to the Global Fund. 
Over the past 10 years, 70 million lives have been impacted by (RED)-supported Global Fund grants. At the start of Apple’s partnership with (RED), 1,200 babies were born with HIV every day, and today, UNAIDS predicts that number could be near zero by the year 2020, with the end of AIDS by 2030.
With the life-saving medication costing as little as 30 cents a day, every person can make a difference. Through these efforts we’ll get that much closer to helping (RED) create an AIDS-free generation.
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Free Hour of Code Workshops December 5 through 11 at Every Apple Store

Source: Apple Press - Press Releases - November 17, 2016
Swift Playgrounds Adds Hour of Code Challenge and New Lessons
CUPERTINO, California — November 17, 2016 — Apple® today opened registration for Hour of Code workshops at all 487 Apple retail stores worldwide, from December 5 through 11 in celebration of Computer Science Education Week. Among the most popular events at the Apple Store®, Hour of Code workshops teach the basics of computer science with Code.org’s programming tutorials. Apple and Code.org share the goal of giving every student the opportunity to learn computer science.

“Hour of Code embodies our vision for Apple stores as a place for the community to gather, learn and be entertained,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail. “We’re proud to introduce the Swift Playgrounds app into the workshops and honored to again work side-by-side with Code.org on this incredibly important initiative. Hour of Code is one of the absolute highlights of the year for both our teams and the families that visit our stores.” 

“Since we started Hour of Code in 2013, Apple has each year upped its participation and found ways to introduce more kids to computer science,” said Hadi Partovi, founder and CEO of Code.org. “The global footprint Apple offers through its stores and talented staff has reached tens of thousands of kids, and with the introduction of Hour of Code in Swift Playgrounds we can introduce coding to even more.” 

Swift Playgrounds
This year, Hour of Code programs at many Apple locations will include an introduction to Swift Playgrounds™, the free new app for iPad® that brings coding to life. The interactive interface of Swift Playgrounds encourages beginners to explore working with Swift™, the easy-to-learn programming language from Apple, used by professional developers to create world-class apps.

“Coding is just like any language, the earlier you’re exposed the more successful you’ll be,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Whether at an Apple Store, in a classroom, or at home with an iPad, Swift Playgrounds brings real coding concepts to life and empowers the next generation with the skills they need to express their creativity.”

A new Hour of Code challenge in Swift Playgrounds makes it easy for anyone to set up their own one-hour coding event, and for those continuing to build their coding skills on iPad, Swift Playgrounds adds a new Learn to Code 3 set of lessons and a companion Teacher Guide.

Hour of Code for Educators 
In addition to in-store workshops, Apple has developed a series of tools to extend Hour of Code into schools and community centers, including a free facilitator guide offering lesson ideas, group activities and more. Apple Teacher, a free, professional self-paced learning program supporting and celebrating teachers in the US, has added resources, badging and recognition for learning and teaching coding with Swift Playgrounds on iPad.

Continuing Apple’s $100 million commitment and ongoing partnership to provide 114 underserved schools with technology, services and support, Apple will provide materials and resources to assist ConnectED schools around the country to host their own Hour of Code workshops.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

"Designed by Apple in California" Chronicles 20 Years of Apple Design

Source: Apple Press - Press Releases - November 15, 2016
New Photo Book Tells the Story of Design at Apple
CUPERTINO, California — November 15, 2016 — Apple® today announced the release of a new hardbound book chronicling 20 years of Apple’s design, expressed through 450 photographs of past and current Apple products. "Designed by Apple in California," which covers products from 1998’s iMac® to 2015’s Apple Pencil®, also documents the materials and techniques used by Apple’s design team over two decades of innovation.

The book is dedicated to the memory of Steve Jobs.

“The idea of genuinely trying to make something great for humanity was Steve’s motivation from the beginning, and it remains both our ideal and our goal as Apple looks to the future,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer. “This archive is intended to be a gentle gathering of many of the products the team has designed over the years. We hope it brings some understanding to how and why they exist, while serving as a resource for students of all design disciplines.”

The products in this book are the result of a profoundly close collaboration between many different groups. Shot by photographer Andrew Zuckerman in a deliberately spare style, the book’s 450 images illustrate Apple’s design process as well as its finished products.

In the book’s foreword, Ive explains:
While this is a design book, it is not about the design team, the creative process, or product development. It is an objective representation of our work that, ironically, describes who we are. It describes how we work, our values, our preoccupations, and our goals. We have always hoped to be defined by what we do rather than by what we say.
We strive, with varying degrees of success, to define objects that appear effortless. Objects that appear so simple, coherent, and inevitable that there could be no rational alternative.
"Designed by Apple in California" is available in two sizes and printed on specially milled, custom-dyed paper with gilded matte silver edges, using eight color separations and low-ghost ink. This linen-bound, hardcover volume was developed over an eight-year period. It is published by Apple.

Pricing & Availability
"Designed by Apple in California" will be available beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, November 16, in small (10.20” x 12.75”) at $199 (US) and large (13” x 16.25”) at $299 (US) exclusively from Apple.com in Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the UK and the US, and select Apple Stores.*

The book is on display at the Apple Stores where it is sold.

*"Designed by Apple in California" is available at the following Apple retail locations: Apple Regent Street and Apple Covent Garden in London; Apple Opera in Paris; Apple Kurfürstendamm in Berlin; Apple ifc mall and Apple Canton Road in Hong Kong; Apple Ginza in Tokyo; and Apple Sydney.

In the United States: Apple SoHo, Apple Fifth Avenue, Apple Upper East Side, Apple Williamsburg and Apple World Trade Center in New York; Apple The Grove in Los Angeles and Apple Third Street in Santa Monica; Apple North Michigan Avenue in Chicago; Apple Lincoln Road in Miami; Apple Northpark in Dallas; Apple Union Square in San Francisco; Apple Palo Alto and Apple Infinite Loop in Cupertino.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.