Apple – Latest Press Info

Apple Reports Third Quarter Results<br/>Revenue Up 17 Percent and EPS Up 40 Percent to New June Quarter Records<br/>Services Revenue Reaches New All-Time High<br/>Cupertino, California — July 31, 2018 — Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2018 third quarter ended June 30, 2018. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $53.3 billion, an increase of 17 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.34, up 40 percent. International sales accounted for 60 percent of the quarter’s revenue. <br/>“We’re thrilled to report Apple’s best June quarter ever, and our fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Our Q3 results were driven by continued strong sales of iPhone, Services and Wearables, and we are very excited about the products and services in our pipeline.” <br/>“Our strong business performance drove revenue growth in each of our geographic segments, net income of $11.5 billion, and operating cash flow of $14.5 billion,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We returned almost $25 billion to investors through our capital return program during the quarter, including $20 billion in share repurchases.” <br/>Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2018 fourth quarter: <br/><ul style="list-style-position: inside;"> <li>revenue between $60 billion and $62 billion</li> <li>gross margin between 38 percent and 38.5 percent</li> <li>operating expenses between $7.95 billion and $8.05 billion</li> <li>other income/(expense) of $300 million</li> <li>tax rate of approximately 15 percent before discrete items</li> </ul> <br/>Apple’s board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.73 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on August 16, 2018 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 13, 2018. <br/>Apple will provide live streaming of its Q3 2018 financial results conference call beginning at 2:00 p.m. PDT on July 31, 2018 at <a href="https://www.apple.com/investor/earnings-call/" target="_blank">www.apple.com/investor/earnings-call/</a>. This webcast will also be available for replay for approximately two weeks thereafter. <br/>This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include without limitation those about the Company’s estimated revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, other income/(expense), tax rate, and plans for return of capital. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: the effect of global and regional economic conditions on the Company's business, including effects on purchasing decisions by consumers and businesses; the ability of the Company to compete in markets that are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change; the ability of the Company to manage frequent product introductions and transitions, including delivering to the marketplace, and stimulating customer demand for, new products, services and technological innovations on a timely basis; the effect that product introductions and transitions, changes in product pricing and product mix, and increases in component and other costs could have on the Company’s gross margin; the dependency of the Company on the performance of distributors of the Company's products, including cellular network carriers and other resellers; the inventory and other asset risks associated with the Company’s need to order, or commit to order, product components in advance of customer orders; the continued availability on acceptable terms, or at all, of certain components, services and new technologies essential to the Company's business, including components and technologies that may only be available from sole or limited sources; the dependency of the Company on manufacturing and logistics services provided by third parties, many of which are located outside of the US and which may affect the quality, quantity or cost of products manufactured or services rendered to the Company; the effect of product and services design and manufacturing defects on the Company’s financial performance and reputation; the dependency of the Company on third-party intellectual property and digital content, which may not be available to the Company on commercially reasonable terms or at all; the dependency of the Company on support from third-party software developers to develop and maintain software applications and services for the Company’s products; the impact of unfavorable legal proceedings, such as a potential finding that the Company has infringed on the intellectual property rights of others; the impact of changes to laws and regulations that affect the Company’s activities, including the Company’s ability to offer products or services to customers in different regions; the ability of the Company to manage risks associated with its international activities, including complying with laws and regulations affecting the Company’s international operations; the ability of the Company to manage risks associated with the Company’s retail stores; the ability of the Company to manage risks associated with the Company’s investments in new business strategies and acquisitions; the impact on the Company's business and reputation from information technology system failures, network disruptions or losses or unauthorized access to, or release of, confidential information; the ability of the Company to comply with laws and regulations regarding data protection; the continued service and availability of key executives and employees; political events, international trade disputes, war, terrorism, public health issues, natural disasters, and other business interruptions that could disrupt supply or delivery of, or demand for, the Company’s products; financial risks, including risks relating to currency fluctuations, credit risks and fluctuations in the market value of the Company’s investment portfolio; and changes in tax rates and exposure to additional tax liabilities. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect the Company’s financial results is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the Company’s most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates. <br/>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. <br/>Press Contact<br/>Josh Rosenstock,Apple,jrosenstock@apple.com,(408) 862-1142<br/>Investor Relations Contacts<br/>Nancy Paxton,Apple,paxton1@apple.com,(408) 974-5420<br/>Matt Blake,Apple,mattblake@apple.com,(408) 974-7406<br/>© 2018 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.<br/> […]

Apple Piazza Liberty now open in Milan<br/>Apple Piazza Liberty opened in Milan this evening to thousands of customers who came to experience Apple’s new retail store design for the first time in Italy. Guests gathered on the public piazza and in the store below to join in the Today at Apple sessions and performances, which will continue all weekend. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Nick Leahy,Apple, nleahy@apple.com, (408) 862-5012<br/>Abby Reisinger,Apple,areisinger@apple.com,(669) 227-3527<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

Apple Piazza Liberty opens Thursday in Milan<br/>Apple Piazza Liberty Will Revitalize a Piazza in the Center of Milan<br/>Milan — Apple today premiered Apple Piazza Liberty, a new retail location that will revitalize a piazza in the center of Milan. The project, which includes both a grand public plaza and a store below, brings Apple’s latest retail design to Italy for the first time. <br/>Just off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, one of the most popular pedestrian streets in Milan, visitors will first see a dramatic glass fountain that serves as the entrance to the store and a backdrop to the large outdoor amphitheater. The piazza, clad in Beola Grigia, a stone used throughout Milan, is open to the public 24 hours a day and will host special events year-round amongst 14 Gleditsia Sunburst trees planted in the area. <br/>“There’s no better expression of our vision for Apple stores serving as modern-day gathering places than Apple Piazza Liberty,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail. “In a city with such rich history of art, entertainment and creativity, it's an honor to establish a space where anyone can be inspired to learn, create and connect with their neighbors.” <br/>Apple Piazza Liberty provides a grand venue for Today at Apple, free hourly sessions on photography, filmmaking, music creation, coding, design and more, that aim to unlock creativity in all attendees. This September, Apple Piazza Liberty will host a special month-long Milan Series, where 21 local artists will share their visions for the creative future of Milan. <br/>“To work within one of Italy’s historic piazzas is both a great responsibility and wonderful challenge,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer. “We combined two fundamental elements of the Italian piazza — water and stone — adding a glass portal that creates a multi-sensory experience as visitors enter the store through a cascading fountain that seems to envelop them.” <br/>After descending a stone and metal staircase cantilevered from the Beola Grigia wall to the store below, visitors will be met by a team of 230 highly-trained employees, many of whom come to Milan from Apple stores around the world. <br/>Apple Piazza Liberty opens Thursday, July 26, at 5pm, and Today at Apple registration is available now at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apple.com/today/" target="_blank">apple.com/today</a>. <br/>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. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Nick Leahy,Apple, nleahy@apple.com, (408) 862-5012<br/>Abby Reisinger,Apple,areisinger@apple.com,(669) 227-3527<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

Apple celebrates World Emoji Day<br/>More than 70 new emoji characters are coming to iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac later this year in a free software update. The new emoji designs, created based on approved characters in Unicode 11.0, include even more hair options to better represent people with red hair, gray hair and curly hair, a new emoji for bald people, and new smiley faces that bring more expression to Messages with a cold face, party face, pleading face and a face with hearts. <br/>Joining the growing list of animals represented on the emoji keyboard are beautifully designed characters for the kangaroo, peacock, parrot and lobster, with the addition of new food emoji for mango, lettuce, cupcake, moon cake and other popular items. <br/>Many additional characters across sports, symbols and more, will launch later this year, including a new superhero emoji, a softball, nazar amulet and infinity symbol. <br/>Thousands of emoji are currently available on iOS, watchOS and macOS, including emotive smiley&nbsp;faces, gender-neutral characters, various clothing options, food types, animals, mythical creatures and more. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Jacqueline Roy,Apple,jacqueline_roy@apple.com ,(408) 862-4386<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

Apple supports Malala Fund expansion in Latin America<br/>Collaboration Includes App Development Challenge with Apple Developer Academies in Brazil to Expand Girls’ Education<br/>Rio de Janeiro — Apple today launched a new collaboration between its 10 Apple Developer Academies in Brazil and Malala Fund to advance girls’ education opportunities. As part of its new expansion into Latin America, Malala Fund, which works to provide safe, quality secondary education and opportunities for girls, has also offered grants to local advocates in Brazil. The advocates join Malala Fund’s network of Gulmakai champions and will implement projects across the country designed to empower girls, teachers and policymakers through skills development, school enrollment efforts and education advocacy. <br/>The challenge will harness the creativity and ingenuity of Apple Developer Academy students and alumni in Brazil, giving them the opportunity to work with Malala Fund to design and develop apps that enhance education opportunities for girls. The challenge will also encourage students to find ways to better enable Malala Fund’s network of Gulmakai champions around the world to communicate and share best practices in a secure environment. <br/>The young developers at the Apple Developer Academy in Rio met Malala Yousafzai on Friday when she visited the students and explained the important role the developers will play in supporting the fund’s mission to provide education opportunities to girls across the globe. <br/>“My hope is that every girl, from Rio to Riyadh, can be free to choose her own future,” said Malala Yousafzai. “Whether she wants to be a developer, a pilot, a dancer or a politician, education is the best path to a brighter future. By tapping into Apple’s network of student developers, Malala Fund will gain access to new tools to support our mission of free, safe, quality education. The students in Apple’s Developer Academy program share my passion for improving the world around us, and I am eager to see their innovative ideas to help girls in Brazil and across the globe.” <br/>“We share Malala’s goal of getting more girls into quality education and are thrilled to be deepening our partnership with Malala Fund by mobilizing thousands of Apple Developer Academy students and alumni across Brazil,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Apple has been committed to education since day one, and we can’t wait to see what our creative student developers come up with to help Malala Fund make a difference for girls around the world.” <br/>“The students in the Apple Developer Academy program are passionate about using their skills to support their communities, and this challenge gives them the opportunity to make a real difference in the world,” said Beatriz Magalhães, a former Apple Developer Academy student who is now a design teacher with the program. “Within minutes of the announcement, students were already brainstorming creative ways to address this global challenge.” <br/>In January, Apple became Malala Fund’s first Laureate partner, enabling the organization to double the number of grants awarded by its Gulmakai Network and fund new programs in Latin America and India, with the initial goal of extending secondary education opportunities to more than 100,000 girls. <br/>Since 2013, more than 3,000 students have gone through the Apple Developer Academy program in Brazil, with another 500 currently enrolled in 10 sites located in Brasilia, Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Seventy-five students from Brazil attended this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference in San Jose, California, as scholarship winners. <br/>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. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Rachel Wolf Tulley,Apple, rachel_tulley@apple.com , (408) 974-0078<br/>Josh Rosenstock,Apple,jrosenstock@apple.com,(408) 862-1142<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

Apple launches new clean energy fund in China<br/>Ten Suppliers Will Jointly Invest in Climate Change Solutions in China<br/>Cupertino, California — Apple today announced a new first-of-its-kind investment fund in China to connect suppliers with renewable energy sources. As part of Apple’s commitment to address climate change and increase the use of renewable energy within its supply chain, 10 initial suppliers and Apple will jointly invest nearly $300 million over the next four years into the China Clean Energy Fund. The fund will invest in and develop clean energy projects totaling more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy in China, the equivalent of powering nearly 1 million homes. <br/>”At Apple, we are proud to join with companies that are stepping up to address the climate challenge,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “We’re thrilled so many of our suppliers are participating in the fund and hope this model can be replicated globally to help businesses of all sizes make a significant positive impact on our planet.” <br/>Transitioning to clean energy can be complex. This is especially true for smaller companies that may not have access to viable clean energy sources. By virtue of its size and scale, the China Clean Energy Fund will give its participants the advantage of greater purchasing power and the ability to attain more attractive and diverse clean energy solutions. The China Clean Energy Fund will be managed through a third party, DWS Group, which specializes in sustainable investments and will also invest in the fund. <br/>Today’s news follows Apple’s announcement earlier this year that its global facilities are <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/04/apple-now-globally-powered-by-100-percent-renewable-energy/" target="_blank">powered by 100 percent clean energy</a> and the launch of its Supplier Clean Energy Program in 2015. Since that program began, 23 manufacturing partners, operating in more than 10 different countries, have committed to powering all of their Apple production with 100 percent clean energy. Apple and its suppliers will generate more than 4 gigawatts of new clean energy worldwide by 2020 — representing one-third of Apple’s current manufacturing electricity footprint. <br/>Apple is also working with its suppliers to find new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The company recently announced it <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/05/apple-paves-the-way-for-breakthrough-carbon-free-aluminum-smelting-method/" target="_blank">reached a breakthrough</a> with aluminum suppliers Alcoa Corporation and Rio Tinto Aluminum on a new technology that eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process, a key step in aluminum production. <br/>The initial suppliers participating in the China Clean Energy Fund include: <br/><ul> <li>Catcher Technology</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Compal Electronics</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Corning Incorporated</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Golden Arrow</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Jabil</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Luxshare-ICT</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Pegatron</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Solvay</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Sunway Communication</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Wistron</li> </ul> <br/>For more on Apple’s environmental initiatives, visit <a href="https://www.apple.com/environment/" target="_blank">apple.com/environment</a>. <br/>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. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Keri Fulton,Apple,keri_fulton@apple.com,(240) 595-2691<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

Apple updates MacBook Pro with faster performance and new features for pros<br/>Now Featuring Up to 6-Core Processors and 32GB of Memory, True Tone Display and the Apple T2 Chip<br/>Cupertino, California — Apple today updated MacBook Pro with faster performance and new pro features, making it the most advanced Mac notebook ever. The new MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar feature 8th-generation Intel Core processors, with 6-core on the 15-inch model for up to 70 percent faster performance and quad-core on the 13-inch model for up to two times faster performance — ideal for manipulating large data sets, performing complex simulations, creating multi-track audio projects or doing advanced image processing or film editing. <br/>Already the most popular notebook for developers around the world, the new MacBook Pro can compile code faster and run multiple virtual machines and test environments easier than before. Additional updates include support for up to 32GB of memory, a True Tone display and an improved third-generation keyboard for quieter typing. And with its powerful Radeon Pro graphics, large Force Touch trackpad, revolutionary Touch Bar and Touch ID, dynamic stereo speakers, quiet Apple-designed cooling system and Thunderbolt 3 for data transfer, charging and connecting up to two 5K displays or four external GPUs, it’s the ultimate pro notebook. <br/>“The latest generation MacBook Pro is the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now with 8th-generation 6-core processors, up to 32GB of system memory, up to 4TB of super fast SSD storage, new True Tone technology in its Retina display and Touch Bar, the Apple T2 chip for enhanced security and a third-generation quieter keyboard packed into its thin and light aluminum design with all-day battery life, it’s the best notebook for pro users.” <br/>Faster, More Powerful Pro Notebook Computing <br/>The new MacBook Pro is now faster and more powerful, with 8th-generation 6-core Intel Core processors on the 15-inch MacBook Pro for up to 70 percent faster performance and 8th-generation quad-core Intel Core processors on the 13-inch model for performance that’s up to twice as fast.¹ With the option to add up to 32GB of memory on the 15-inch MacBook Pro, users can run more apps simultaneously or load larger files into memory. And with up to a 2TB SSD on the 13-inch model and up to a 4TB SSD on the 15-inch, MacBook Pro gives customers the flexibility to work with large asset libraries and projects wherever they go. <br/>Retina Display with True Tone Delivers Ultimate Viewing Experience <br/>With 500 nits of brightness and support for the P3 wide color gamut, the Retina display on MacBook Pro is the best Mac notebook display ever. Now with True Tone technology, the display and Touch Bar deliver a more natural viewing experience for design and editing workflows, as well as everyday tasks like browsing the web and writing email. <br/>Apple T2 Chip Delivers Enhanced Security and “Hey Siri” on Mac <br/>Also new to MacBook Pro is the Apple T2 chip, first introduced in iMac Pro. With the Apple T2 chip, MacBook Pro now delivers enhanced system security with support for secure boot and on-the-fly encrypted storage, and also brings “Hey Siri” to the Mac for the first time. <br/>15-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights <br/><ul> <li>6-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8 GHz</li> <li>Up to 32GB of DDR4 memory&nbsp;</li> <li>Powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics with 4GB of video memory in every configuration</li> <li>Up to 4TB of SSD storage²</li> <li>True Tone display technology</li> <li>Apple T2 Chip</li> <li>Touch Bar and Touch ID</li> </ul> <br/>13-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights <br/><ul> <li>Quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz and double the eDRAM</li> <li>Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics 655 with 128MB of eDRAM</li> <li>Up to 2TB of SSD storage²</li> <li>True Tone display technology</li> <li>Apple T2 Chip</li> <li>Touch Bar and Touch ID</li> </ul> <br/>Back to School with MacBook Pro <br/>The new MacBook Pro is also part of Apple’s <a href="https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/back-to-school" target="_blank">Back to School promotion</a> starting today and available to college students, their parents, faculty and staff through the Apple Education Store. The promotion includes a pair of qualifying Beats headphones with the purchase of any eligible Mac or iPad Pro for college, as well as education pricing on Mac, iPad Pro, AppleCare, select accessories and more. <br/>New Leather Sleeves for MacBook Pro <br/>First introduced with MacBook, Apple leather sleeves are now available for the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro in Saddle Brown, Midnight Blue and, for the first time, Black. Designed with high-quality leather and a soft microfiber lining for extra protection, the sleeves are a perfect complement to MacBook Pro for users on the go. <br/>macOS Mojave Coming This Fall <br/>This fall, MacBook Pro can be updated with <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/06/apple-introduces-macos-mojave/" target="_blank">macOS Mojave</a>, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, with new features inspired by pros but designed for everyone. In macOS Mojave, a new Dark Mode transforms the desktop with a dramatic new look that puts the focus on user content. The new Stacks feature organizes messy desktops by automatically stacking files into neat groups. Familiar iOS apps, including News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home, are now available on the Mac for the first time. FaceTime now adds support for group calling, and the Mac App Store gets a full redesign featuring rich editorial content and the addition of apps from top developers, including Microsoft and Adobe. <br/><strong>Pricing and Availability</strong> <br/>Starting at $1,799 and $2,399 respectively, the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar are available today through <a href="https://www.apple.com/" target="_blank">apple.com</a> and in select Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers later this week. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at <a href="https://www.apple.com/mac/" target="_blank">apple.com/mac</a>. <br/>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. <br/>¹ Comparison made with previous generation MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.<br> ² 1TB = 1 trillion bytes; actual formatted capacity less.<br/>Press Contacts<br/>Jennie Orphanopoulos,Apple, jennieo@apple.com,(408) 783-0203<br/>Bill Evans,Apple,bevans@apple.com,(408) 974-0610<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

The App Store turns 10<br/>How Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ignited a Worldwide App Phenomenon<br/>When Apple introduced the App Store on July 10, 2008 with 500 apps, it ignited a cultural, social and economic phenomenon that changed how people work, play, meet, travel and so much more. Over the past decade, the App Store has created a safe place for users of all ages to get the very best apps and a vibrant app economy for developers of all sizes, from all over the world, to thrive. Today, customers in 155 countries are visiting the App Store more often, staying longer and downloading and using more apps than ever before. <br/>While there have been many notable moments since apps first came to iPhone and later iPad, the milestones and testimonials below reflect some of the most significant over the past 10 years — defining how the App Store democratized software distribution and transformed how we live every day. <br/>I. The App Store Opens Doors for Developers, Puts an All New Experience in the Hands of Customers <br/><strong>Phil Schiller, senior vice president, Worldwide Marketing, Apple:</strong> “In its first decade, the App Store has surpassed all of our wildest expectations — from the innovative apps that developers have dreamed up, to the way customers have made apps part of their daily lives — and this is just the beginning. We could not be more proud of what developers have created and what the next 10 years have in store.” <br/><strong>Marco Arment, developer of Overcast and longtime iOS developer: </strong>“Since day one, the App Store has been by far the easiest way for developers to reach the most people with our apps. It eliminated the friction and overhead of setting up our own distribution and payment systems, making development far more accessible to everyone and letting us focus on our true passion: making the best apps we can. Over its 10 years so far, the App Store has developed into the richest, most diverse, and most accessible software ecosystem the world has ever seen.” <br/><strong>Chad Evans, senior vice president, Product Development, Major League Baseball: </strong>”There was an incredible sense of anticipation and excitement the day the App Store launched, and getting to see MLB At Bat listed among the first 500 apps, but we don’t think anyone realized then the immense impact these apps would have on the ways fans experience sports. We feel fortunate to be part of the historic growth of the App Store these last 10 years. It’s exciting to think what opportunities the next 10 will bring as we continue working with Apple to connect fans more closely to their favorite teams and the game of baseball.” <br/>Before 2008, the software industry was dominated by a few large companies. The App Store opened the door for any developer, from one-person shops to large studios, to come up with a great idea, build a high quality app and seamlessly deliver it to the growing number of customers around the world. <br/>MLB At Bat, Tap Tap Revenge, Trism, The New York Times, eBay and Travelocity represented the wide range of apps available from day one, bringing to life an entirely new way to travel, play games, read the news and experience sports right in the palm of your hand. <br/>Protecting user privacy is paramount in the Apple ecosystem, so from the beginning, Apple has taken great care in providing clear guidelines to developers and thoughtfully curating a safe, trusted app marketplace to ensure the best experience possible for customers around the world to discover and access apps. <br/>II. Mobile-First Businesses Thrive <br/><strong>Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova, founders of Imangi Studios, creators of Temple Run:</strong> “The App Store and iPhone changed our lives. Our first game, Imangi, launched the day the App Store opened. Fast forward 10 years, and we’ve created over 10 games, including Temple Run, which has been downloaded over a BILLION times. Our studio has grown from the two of us to a team of 35. None of this would have been possible without the App Store.” <br/>The cutting-edge hardware and quickly evolving software from Apple, combined with creative ideas from developers who saw the potential of iPhone being in customers’ pockets, spawned new industries that would forever change how people live, work and play — a revolution that continues today. <br/>Start-ups including Instagram, Calm, Uber and Instacart embraced features like the iPhone camera, Apple Pay, GPS and Location Services to deliver on-demand and personalized experiences, with many creating billion dollar businesses that started with apps in the App Store. At the same time, both traditional companies and those that started as websites, such as Twitter, Facebook, eBay, Yelp, Airbnb and Amazon, began building apps to meet changing customer behavior. <br/>As a result, apps have become one of the most important ways that customers interact with businesses and tackle everyday tasks — whether it is to book a flight or hotel room, make a dinner reservation, shop for gifts or pay bills. <br/>III.&nbsp; Gaming Takes Off, Reaches New Fans <br/><strong>Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow, Nintendo: </strong>“We are very happy that we are able to deliver Super Mario Run, a new Super Mario experience that could be played with just one hand on iPhone, to hundreds of millions of consumers because of the App Store. The App Store allows us to share the joy of Nintendo games with many new audiences, and we will continue striving to provide unique and new game experiences to App Store customers.” <br/><strong>Riccardo Zacconi, CEO of King, creators of Candy Crush: </strong>“We launched Candy Crush Saga on the App Store over five years ago and it’s been hugely beneficial, allowing us to reach a brand new global audience. Our games have been played in all seven continents, including Antarctica! That shows just how influential and far-reaching the App Store has become.” <br/><strong>Daniel Wu, president of Hero Entertainment, creators of Red Tides: </strong>“The App Store offers us the opportunity to bring great eSports experiences from desktop to mobile and let the game fans and players meet online to offline and thoroughly enjoy the charm of games and even establish new ways to socialize.” <br/>The App Store brought gaming mainstream, thanks to the easy Multi-Touch technology on iPhone and iPad and the convenience of playing on the go. Customers were drawn to early titles like Super Monkey Ball, PAC-MAN, Angry Birds, Words With Friends, Real Racing and Temple Run, leading iOS to become the most popular gaming platform in the world. <br/>Games such as Heads Up!, Pokémon Go, HQ and Fortnite have created communal, cultural moments around the world, while new technologies have brought console quality games to mobile, including Vainglory, The Witness and Arena of Valor. <br/>IV. In-App Purchase, Subscriptions Unlock Experiences <br/><strong>Horace Dediu, analyst, Asymco:</strong> “The App Store completely changed the way people access and pay for software and services. Only through the power of a software ecosystem can subscriptions emerge and grow to such a level. The App Store created a means for others to become successful — many more than could possibly be imagined in ways that could not possibly be imagined — and freed people to be creative in unforeseen dimensions.” <br/>With the introduction of in-app purchase (IAP) in 2009, customers could download an app and then pay to unlock different levels and functionality, allowing more people to experience new apps before committing to buying them. By June 2010, $1 billion would be paid out to developers from IAP and paid apps. <br/>In 2011, the App Store started supporting subscription apps, and by 2016, had expanded support to all 25 of its categories, including Games, Kids and Health and Fitness. Over 28,000 iOS apps now offer subscriptions, including Netflix, iQiYi, Tinder, LinkedIn, Sing! By Smule, Headspace and Dropbox, making it easy for millions of new customers to instantly discover and sign up for or unsubscribe from these services. Subscriptions are up 95 percent from last year, and as of June 2018, developers have earned over $100 billion from the App Store. <br/>V. Streaming Entertainment Takes Off<br> <br/><strong>Richard Plepler, chairman and CEO, HBO:</strong> “When we decided to introduce HBO NOW, there was never a question that our exclusive launch partner had to be Apple. Announcing the streaming service with Apple and the arrival of HBO NOW on the App Store is one of the most significant moments in HBO’s storied history.” <br/>The App Store has been the epicenter of a mobile video consumption boom. The larger screen sizes and resolution of iPhone and iPad have made customers more comfortable watching video on the go, while services including HBO NOW, Hulu, Netflix and Sling TV and the abundance of quality shows allow customers to enjoy the entertainment they love when and where they choose. <br/>VI. Creativity, Productivity and Education Soar Beyond Office, Classroom Walls <br/><strong>James Cuda, founder and CEO of Savage Interactive, creators of Procreate:</strong> “From the beginning, we wanted to sell Procreate exclusively through the App Store because it allows us to reach customers everywhere, making it easy to provide new features, respond to feedback and ensure artists are getting the best possible experience. Being a part of the App Store’s journey has been life-changing, as millions of our customers are discovering digital art creation for the first time, while many industry-leading artists find Procreate with iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to be a powerful combination. Procreate simply would not be possible without the App Store.” <br/><strong>Yan Lin, CEO of Dr. Panda, developer of popular kids games: </strong>“Thanks to the incredible opportunities brought by the App Store, Dr. Panda has transformed from a small Chinese startup to a global kids brand loved by both children and parents with 50 million downloads around the world in only six years.” <br/>In 2010, iPad introduced a giant canvas with new possibilities for customers to create and learn. Professionals around the world are choosing iPad Pro to explore new levels of creativity and productivity, thanks to its portability and versatility, and learners of all levels embrace iPad as a tool for work and play. Today, customers can enjoy more than 1.3 million apps designed specifically for iPad, including Procreate, Lightroom, Microsoft Office 365 and Prêt-à-Template — which allow for creativity on the go, beyond office or studio walls, or wherever inspiration may strike. <br/>With over 200,000 educational and reference apps like Explain Everything and The Elements from Touch Press, iPad has helped nurture rich, engaging ways to learn, express creativity and encourage collaboration. Additionally, education apps such as Froggipedia, WWF Free Rivers and Boulevard AR have quickly embraced augmented reality (AR) to make the learning experience even more immersive for students. <br/>VII. Health, Fitness and Wellness Apps Surge in Popularity <br/><strong>Tobi Pearce, CEO and founder of Sweat, a fitness app and community for women, and Kayla Itsines, co-creator of BBG Guide and Sweat Trainer:</strong> “The App Store provides Sweat the ability to reach and improve the lives of millions of people around the world through health and fitness, building a bigger community and offering flexibility in when, where and how users work out. Being a part of the Apple ecosystem has brought continued growth opportunities that have fundamentally changed the trajectory of our organization.” <br/><strong>Francoise A. Marvel, MD, Corrie Health Team, Johns Hopkins, Cardiology: </strong>“Over the last 10 years, the App Store has contributed to the advancement of innovation in patient care by creating a platform for state-of-the-art medical apps like Corrie at Johns Hopkins. Our mobile health research relies on the App Store to deliver life-saving and life-changing apps to our patients.” <br/>Apple Watch and HealthKit paved the way for developers to make health, fitness and wellness apps more innovative, intelligent and interactive, which in turn have inspired customers to be more active and mindful of their health. Downloads for these apps have increased 75 percent since the launch of Apple Watch, led by apps such as Zova, Nike, Lose It!, Dexcom, One Drop, Glow, 10% Happier and Yoga Glo. <br/>More than 500 doctors and medical researchers have used Apple’s ResearchKit and CareKit software tools for clinical studies involving 3 million participants on conditions ranging from autism and Parkinson’s disease to post-surgical at-home rehabilitation and physical therapy. Thanks to these innovative tools, customers are increasingly able to use iOS and Apple Watch apps to monitor their overall health and well-being. <br/>VIII. Accessibility Apps Empower Communities <br/><strong>Richard Ellenson, developer and CEO, Cerebral Palsy Foundation: </strong>“In the world of assistive technology and accessibility, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of the App Store. For individuals with disabilities, for professionals, family members, and anyone who’s ever wondered about the potential in another person who had a bit of difference — or deeply significant challenges —&nbsp;the App Store has been profoundly transformational. I have seen it unleash possibility and potential in literally thousands of individuals. Yet, closest to my heart, I have seen it do so for my son: a bright, independent 20 year old who has Cerebral Palsy. My son moves about in a wheelchair, but that is simply the place from which his spirit soars. His voice comes from his iPad, he does his homework on iPad, his social life is rooted in the apps on iPad, he navigates his entertainment on iPad, and he has performed a thrilling one-man-show with his iPad. I cannot imagine my son's life without this technological magic. And I know so many others for whom this is also true. It’s not a reach to say the App Store has been the single greatest advance for accessibility —&nbsp;ever.” <br/><strong>David Niemeijer, founder and CEO, AssistiveWare, creators of accessibility apps: </strong>“The App Store has made the world much more accessible, and made it easier for AssistiveWare to realize its vision of creating a world without communication barriers. Without it, AssistiveWare would likely still be a one-man Mac developer. Now we provide iOS communication apps to over 200,000 people worldwide, many of whom would not be able to communicate effectively without them.” <br/>Since 2009, millions of customers have benefitted from apps such as Lyft, Twitter, Starbucks and TED that incorporate the rich accessibility features built into iOS including VoiceOver, while others like Voice Dream Reader and CP Channel have provided crucial support for communities with assistive needs. With accessibility features seamlessly woven in, these apps support more customers and lead to a more inclusive and engaging user experience. <br/>IX. Coding Inspires Future Generations <br/><strong>Amanda Southworth, executive director of Astra Labs, creators of anxietyhelper and Verena: </strong>“Apple undoubtedly revolutionized the way developers and users connect. To this day, the App Store continues to innovate and it’s in a class of its own. With the work that I'm doing in the non-profit sector, it's important that the work we do can be easily found and distributed, and that's exactly what the App Store has done. It has created opportunities that I am thankful for every day, and I'm so glad that I'm a part of the community that calls the App Store our home.” <br/><strong>Masako Wakamiya, developer of hinadan, based on a traditional Japanese celebration known as Doll Festival: </strong>“After turning 82, I started thinking about making games that even seniors could enjoy. Friends taught me how to program and I created an app for iPhone. People often ask me, ‘What made you want to do that?’ Because older people tend to look backwards, I think it’s better to take the leap forward, jump to new things and enrich our lives. My app supports Japanese, English and Chinese, making it possible for me to connect with people around the world through this app. Just thinking about that makes me excited. It’s truly thanks to the App Store.” <br/>Every year, Apple hosts thousands of software developers from all over the globe to talk about the latest developments in apps at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Starting in 2013, Apple awarded scholarships to about 150 students to attend, and by 2018, that number had grown to over 350 talented students and STEM organization members from 42 different countries. Scholarship winners receive a free ticket to the conference, along with lodging and a one-year Apple Developer Program membership. Past scholarship winners have started their own STEM non-profit organizations to encourage their peers to learn coding and created apps that are tackling issues such as mental health, safety and climate change. <br/>Apple introduced the Everyone Can Code program in 2016 to encourage learning, writing and teaching code, and today it is available to tens of millions of students around the world who can learn code, problem solve and create apps that will transform the future. Also in 2016, Apple launched Swift Playgrounds, an innovative iPad app that brings real coding concepts to life with an interactive interface for students of all ages and beginners to explore working with Apple’s Swift coding language. <br/>X. New App Store Features Encourage Discovery <br/><strong>Dan Gray, head of studio, ustwo Games, creators of Monument Valley: </strong>“We built our entire team around the App Store, and we’ve been able to have millions of people around the world play our games who never would have considered themselves gamers. The App Store refresh has shown players the creators behind the apps they enjoy everyday. Humanizing apps can only be a good thing and showcasing how they’re made will inspire the next generation of creators from every corner of the world.” <br/>In 2017, Apple unveiled an all-new App Store, creating a daily destination with dedicated Games and Apps tabs for customers to find exactly what they are looking for or be inspired to try something new, and learn about the creators behind the apps they know and love. The App Store now sees 500 million weekly visitors who are spending more time discovering new apps than ever before, and hundreds of stories on the Today tab have been read by more than 1 million people. <br/>XI. The AR Revolution Awaits <br/><strong>John Hanke, CEO, Niantic: </strong>“When we founded Niantic, we set out to develop technology that would inspire people to explore their communities, exercise and have fun with friends and family out in the real world. In addition to making Pokémon GO and Ingress easily accessible to hundreds of millions around the world, the App Store has done a fantastic job of shining a spotlight on our player communities, thoughtfully crafting stories to inform and educate our players, and making the ongoing feature rollout easy for our development team.” <br/>Augmented reality is a transformational technology that brings virtual experiences into the real world, changing the way customers both work and play. In 2017, Apple introduced ARKit 1.0 and overnight iOS became the biggest AR platform in the world, available to hundreds of millions of iPhone and iPad users. Today, over 3,000 AR apps on the App Store, such as Kings of Pool, Alice in Wonderland AR Quest and Houzz, creating an even more engaging way for customers to shop, learn and play games. Apple delivered the third ARKit update to developers at WWDC in June 2018, making it possible for AR apps like LEGO to include shared experiences that allow multiple users to play a game or collaborate on projects, as well as persistent AR experiences that make it possible to start a puzzle on a table and come back to it later. <br/>With Core ML, apps get smarter by quickly and intelligently understanding images, video and text to deliver new and exciting experiences. Applying stylistic filters to photos with BeCasso, adding fun effects with Snapchat, and for those with low vision, easily navigating the world around them with Seeing AI are all examples of how Core ML is put to use — all while keeping data private. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Stephanie Saffer,Apple, ssaffer@apple.com ,(408) 974-5160 <br/>Bernadette Simpao,Apple,bsimpao@apple.com,(669) 227-9273<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

Apple’s free Schoolwork app now available for teachers<br/>Makes It Easy to Create Assignments, View Student Progress and More<br/>Millions of teachers around the world choose iPad as the best tool to help personalize learning and inspire creativity. Now with the free Schoolwork app, available today, teachers can easily create assignments, collaborate one-on-one with students, tap into the power of apps for learning and view and understand student progress. Schoolwork, along with Apple’s Classroom app, provides teachers around the world with powerful tools to enhance the learning experience and help both educators and students get more out of the technology they use in the classroom everyday. <br/>The all-new Schoolwork app empowers teachers to take full advantage of the power and creativity of iPad to create new learning experiences for their students. Schoolwork makes it easy to create and send announcements and assignments with almost any type of content, from web links to PDFs and documents, and even specific activities in apps. Students can use Schoolwork to stay organized and keep track of the work they need to complete and when they need to hand it in. <br/>Teachers can use Schoolwork to easily assign a specific activity right within an app to guide their students directly to a challenge or lesson. Popular education apps including Explain Everything, Tynker, GeoGebra and Kahoot! work directly with Schoolwork to bring useful educational content and tools to teachers using iPad. <br/>Schoolwork and the apps supporting it give teachers new insight into how their students are performing, helping them tailor their teaching to the needs and potential of each student. Teachers have a snapshot of class performance and can check on an individual student’s progress across activities — progress within apps or projects they’ve created. As with every Apple product, privacy and security features are built in so schools get to create, own and control the accounts used by their students and decide when student progress information is shared. <br/>Schoolwork works alongside the Classroom app, which turns iPad — and now Mac — into a versatile teaching assistant, putting teachers in charge of the technology used in the classroom. Classroom on iPad helps teachers keep students focused on a specific app or website and lets them view student screens during class, share documents with students, assign shared iPads and even reset a student’s password. <br/>For more information on Apple’s tools for teachers and how to set up Schoolwork and Classroom, please visit: <a href="https://www.apple.com/education/teaching-tools/" target="_blank">www.apple.com/education/teaching-tools</a>. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Andy Bowman,Apple,abowman@apple.com ,(408) 783-0619<br/>Ryan James,Apple, ryanj@apple.com ,(408) 862-5585<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]

Apple News launches 2018 Midterm Elections section<br/>An Easy Way to Follow the Elections, With Reporting From Trusted Sources Curated by Apple News Editors<br/>Cupertino, California — Apple today announced a new 2018 Midterm Elections section in Apple News, providing a new resource for timely, trustworthy midterm election information and helping news seekers access the most important reporting and analysis from a diverse set of publishers. <br/>The 2018 Midterm Elections section helps readers follow the latest on the elections with breaking news, exclusive highlights and analysis from reliable sources selected by Apple News’ team of experienced editors. Readers can quickly get up to speed on the most relevant topics and candidates by accessing the new section in the Apple News app from a banner across the top of the For You tab, as well as through Top Stories and the Spotlight tab. <br/>“Today more than ever people want information from reliable sources, especially when it comes to making voting decisions,” said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News. “An election is not just a contest; it should raise conversations and spark national discourse. By presenting quality news from trustworthy sources and curating a diverse range of opinions, Apple News aims to be a responsible steward of those conversations and help readers understand the candidates and the issues.” <br/>Curation has been a guiding principle across Apple News since launch, with a team of editors focused on discovering and spotlighting well-sourced fact-based stories to provide readers with relevant, reliable news and information from a wide range of publishers. The 2018 Midterm Elections section includes special features with stories curated by Apple News editors from trusted publishers: <br/><ul> <li>The Conversation, a collection of opinion columns about hot-button issues that are intended to offer readers a full range of ideas and debate about important subjects, from news sources they may not already follow.</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>On the Ground, which highlights quality reporting about issues that matter to local constituents on the most important races.</li> </ul> <br/>In addition to presenting coverage from Fox News, Vox and other publishers, Apple News will offer exclusive features, including: <br/><ul> <li>The Washington Post’s “Election Now,” a dashboard that brings to life important primary races by contextualizing key data like current polling, what pundits are saying and survey data on voter enthusiasm.</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>A weekly briefing from Axios, featuring analysis of the most important developments as the primaries unfold.</li> </ul> <br/><ul> <li>Politico’s “Races to Watch,” which looks at a collection of races offering important themes and trends to voters.</li> </ul> <br/>The Apple News 2018 Midterm Elections section is available to readers in the US and will continue through the elections in November.&nbsp; <br/>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. <br/>Press Contacts<br/>Laura Newell,Apple, lnewell@apple.com ,(408) 974-8811<br/>Apple Media Helpline,media.help@apple.com,(408) 974-2042<br/> […]