Apple lowers affiliate commission rate from 7% to 2.5% globally
Apple today has sent out an email update to members of its affiliate program about launching improvements to the iTunes Affiliate Resource pages and also a change to the commission rates. Apple is lowering affiliate payouts from apps and their in-app purchases to less than half of the original commission rate. For many, this means a negative impact to yet another revenue stream.
Apple rolling out fourth macOS 10.12.5 beta for Mac
Apple releases watchOS 3.2.2 beta 4 for Apple Watch
Apple is rolling out the fourth watchOS 3.2.2 beta for developer testing on Apple Watch. The update likely includes bug fixes and security improvements ahead of a more feature-packed watchOS 4 announcement later this year.
Apple releases fourth iOS 10.3.2 beta
Apple has released the fourth iOS 10.3.2 beta for testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The version numbers also suggest we should only see under-the-hood bug fixes and security improvements in these releases when ready.
tvOS 10.2.1 beta 4 rolling out for Apple TV
Apple is rolling out the fourth tvOS 10.2.1 beta for developer testing on Apple TV. The update will likely focus on bug fixes and security improvements ahead of any new features potentially planned for tvOS 11 later this year.
Sling TV’s cloud DVR feature comes to Apple TV
Sling TV has slowly been expanding access to its cloud DVR feature starting with its Android and Roku apps. Now Sling TV is announcing that its Apple TV app is next to gain the cloud DVR feature.
9to5Toys Lunch Break: Sony 55-inch 4K UHDTV $769, Apple iPhone 7 Plus Silicone Case $28, UE ROLL 2 $55, more
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TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Sony 55-inch 4K Smart UHDTV w/ 4 HDMI inputs: $769 (Reg. $1,000)
Smartphone Accessories: Apple Silicone Case for iPhone 7 Plus $28, more
UE ROLL 2 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker $55 in multiple colors
Best Buy 4-day Sale includes $100 off iPad Pro, $350 discount on MacBooks, more
Beats Powerbeats3 W1-enabled Wireless In-ear Headphones down to $130 shipped
BeatsX Wireless In-Ear Headphones go to $120 at Amazon and Best Buy
App Store Free App of the Week: Cut the Rope Magic on iOS free (Reg. $1)
- Earn to Die 2 for iOS drops to lowest price in over a year at $1
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on iOS now just $1
Review: Pad & Quill’s Leather Roll Top Backpack has impeccable craftsmanship and style
Hands-on with Anker’s robust 120,000mAh PowerHouse portable generator [Video]
9to5Rewards: Audioengine’s gorgeous B2 Bluetooth Speaker [Giveaway]
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Griffin iTrip Clip Adapter adds Bluetooth to any headphones for $13.50
Anker has you covered at home and on the road w/ charger deals from $19
- Samsung PRO+ 64GB microSDXC card $25 shipped (50% off)
- Panasonic eneloop AA Rechargeable Battery bundles from $16
- Gap, Domino’s, Cabela’s, Jiffy Lube, CVS & more gift cards up to 20% off
- Harman Kardon 5.1-Ch. Home Theater Speaker System $140 (refurb, Orig. $650)
- LG’s 34-inch UltraWide Monitor has 2 HDMI inputs $510 (Reg. up to $697)
- Daily Deals: SanDisk 256GB Cruzer USB 2.0 Flash Drive $35, more
- Loads of must-have board games from $6 today at Amazon
- Bloodborne Card Game hits its Amazon all-time low at $20 Prime shipped
- Bridgestone’s unique air-free tire promises to change the game
- Games/Apps: Ghost Recon Wildlands back down to $35, iOS freebies, more
- Star Trek 50th Anniversary TV/Movie Collection on Blu-ray: $80 (Reg. $100+)
- LEGO Guardians of The Galaxy The Milano Building Kit for $40
- Nextbit Robin cloud-powered 32GB Android Smartphone $137 (Orig. $400)
NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:
SirCharge is “the world’s smallest” Keyring USB charger for your iPhone
Symphonica all-wood natural acoustic speaker for iOS/Android devices
Foxshot could be the lightest portable action camera for iOS
- Take a look at this giant DualShock 4 PlayStation Controller [Video]
- The Gamller controller won’t drain your iPhone battery and makes playing games a snap
- VAUX makes Echo Dot portable, adds battery and external speaker
- Knops are the volume control to your life
- GoPro provides details on upcoming Fusion spherical camera
- Cold War card game uses hidden messages to uncover double agents
- Mu tag is the world’s smallest item tracker
- The Mirabook turns your smartphone into a fully functional laptop
- Super Nintendo Classic Edition Console reportedly on the way!
- Fujifilm’s new hybrid camera is perfect for Instagram fanatics
- V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless earbuds offer water-resistance
- Master & Dynamic’s MA770 speaker is housed in hand-finished concrete
- AOC brings new 40-inch Curved 4K Display stateside with a bevy of inputs
- Reservoir Dogs Bloody Days hits Steam next month + new trailer [Video]
- Play your favorite retro games with a Raspberry Pi-powered console
- DECCO is an iOS-connected monitor that sends alerts when your child opens a door
- Geneva’s Touring S DAB and Bluetooth Radio offers a precision aluminum design
MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:
Lutron Caséta Smart Lighting Bundle w/ HomeKit support: $120 (Reg. $160)
Sony 2.1 Channel Sound Base with Bluetooth and HDMI $118
WWDC Wishlist: How CarPlay could improve with iOS 11
Apple’s CarPlay infotainment feature has been improving every year with each new iOS update, and we’re expecting to see iOS 11 introduced at WWDC 2017 in just a few weeks. CarPlay recently gained improvements to Apple Music and a new app shortcut launcher through iOS 10.3. Here’s what we hope to see in iOS 11 for CarPlay:
Ecobee4 HomeKit thermostat teased ahead of May 3 unveiling
Ecobee appears to be planning to show off its new Ecobee4 smart thermostat next week. The company teased out the date today on a new sign-up page that says ‘something big is in the works’ under what is likely a preview of the new smart thermostat hardware.
Comment: With the iPhone 8, Apple appears to be tearing up its own rulebook
Growing evidence that the iPhone 8 may go on sale significantly later than the usual September timeframe speaks volumes about the very different approach Apple is taking to this year’s flagship model. It is breaking not just one, but two of the cardinal rules in the How To Be Apple manual.
Rule 1 is that the company avoids ‘bleeding edge’ technology. When new tech rolls around, the company watches and waits while other manufacturers do the trial-and-error bit. Apple launches only when it is satisfied that the tech is stable and that it has figured out the optimal way to employ it.
We saw this with the iPod. The first portable media player was invented in 1979, and the first actual mp3 player went on sale in 1998. Apple waited until 2001 to release the iPod. The first smartphones went on sale in the mid-1990s; the iPhone wasn’t released until more than a decade later. The first phone to have a fingerprint reader was the Motorola Atrix in 2011; Apple didn’t add one to the iPhone until two years later …