Apple has released iOS 9.2 as a Public Beta, and one of the features alongside the bug fixes and installed extensions for safari tabs in third party apps, is that Siri now understands the Arabic Language and it replies in Arabic too!
Here’s a video that demonstrate this feature:
The final version of iOS 9.1 was only sent out to the public last week, so you should probably expect a few more betas before iOS 9.2 is finished.
Just four months after iOS 9 was released to developers, the first jailbreak has appeared. A Chinese research team called Pangu has released a Windows software package allowing for an untethered jailbreak for iPhones running iOS 9.0-9.0.2. It’s the first such package, and as with any jailbreak, installing it will expose the phone to unvetted software and will make the operating system at large significantly less stable. Still, the news has been greeted with enthusiasm by many in the jailbreak community, and there are already extensive guides to help users through the process.
The jailbreak isn’t perfect, and users have particularly noticed a string of bugs around the PreferenceLoader function, not surprisingly for a jailbreak this fresh. Still, there’s reason to trust this version. Pangu is well regarded in the jailbreak community after a string of successful jailbreaks for iOS versions dating back to iOS 7.
Apple has announced that it has set a new sales record for the new iPhone 6s and the 6s Plus during the opening weekend. The two phones combined have sold more than 13 million units in the first three days of launch in the 12 countries they were available in, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK and the US.
To put the number into perspective, the previous iPhone 6 and 6 Plus sold 10 million units combined, the the 5s and 5c before that sold 9 million units combined.
Apple has reiterated that it will be bringing the 6s and 6s Plus to additional 40 additional countries worldwide.
Starting October 9, the phones will be available in Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan.
Starting October 10, the phones will be available in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
Starting October 16, the phones will be available in India, Malaysia and Turkey on Friday, October 16 and in over 130 countries by the end of the year.
It’s been less than a week since iOS 9 was released, but it’s already being used by more than 50 percent of iOS devices, according to an Apple press release. The 50%+ adoption rate in less than a week is, as Apple puts it, the fastest iOS adoption ever.
In addition, Apple reiterated its upcoming launch of the iPhone 6s, stating that customers may come to their local Apple Store on Friday, September 25th, as it will be fulfilling walk-in orders. Customers are thus encouraged to arrive early, as supply will no doubt be limited, especially if there’s a specific color/size/carrier combination that you simply must have.
“iOS 9 is also off to an amazing start, on pace to be downloaded by more users than any other software release in Apple’s history,” said Apple SVP of Marketing, Phil Schiller.
In addition, Apple is gearing up for the launch of its 9th generation iPhone, the iPhone 6s:
“Customer response to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been incredibly positive, we can’t wait to get our most advanced iPhones ever into customers’ hands starting this Friday.”
As stated, customers will be able to walk-in, even if they do not have reservations, but supply is not guaranteed. In addition, if you’re in a tax-free state in the US, or in China, Hong Kong, or Japan, reservations are a requirement.
With all of that said, if you’ve yet to pre-order and plan on walking in store, it’s best to arrive at least an hour early, if not more. Last year I had success, and I arrived after the doors opened at 8AM, but that’s probably more of the exception than the rule.
Apple executives will take the stage in San Francisco on Wednesday for a special media briefing, during which we expect them to announce next-generation iPhones, a refreshed Apple TV, and provide updates on iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know.
Wednesday’s event is likely to bring the debut of the”iPhone 6s” and “6s Plus”, mid-cycle updates to make what is now Apple’s flagship product faster and more useful.
The primary upgrades will come internally, with a new “A9” processor and an increase in base RAM from 1 gigabyte to 2 gigabytes on tap. Capacity is unlikely to change, however, starting at 16 gigabytes and topping out at 128 gigabytes.
The camera systems are also likely to get a makeover, bumping the shooters to 12 megapixels around back and 5 megapixels up front. That larger rear component might add a new white subpixel — helping with low-light performance — while some rumors have suggested that the selfie cam could gain its own flash and the ability to capture slow-motion video at 60 frames per second.
Speaking of new features, many believe that Force Touch will make the leap from the Apple Watch to the iPhone 6s-series. There’s no word on how it will be used, but Apple would almost certainly take advantage of the added “depth” to clean up some user interface cruft.
Externally, the new handsets may be marginally thicker than the current versions, but consumers shouldn’t notice the difference. One change they will notice is a new rose gold color option to match the Apple Watch, though it’s unknown if rose gold will replace or augment the current champagne gold hue.
Given previous product timelines, it’s likely that the new iPhone 6s series will find its way into the hands of consumers for a Friday, Sept. 18 launch date.
Apple TV’s existing gaming capabilities are limited to AirPlay streams of iOS games.
An App Store would accompany revised internals, bumping the built-in processor at or near the iPad Air 2’s A8X with internal storage that would likely eclipse the current model’s 8 gigabytes of space. Support for 4K video output might also appear, though rumors surrounding that feature have been sparse.
In terms of media content, Apple is unlikely to showcase its long-rumored web television service on Wednesday as numerous reports have painted talks with networks and content owners as ongoing and somewhat contentious. The company may introduce a revamped content discovery interface, however — one based on Siri which allows users to search for titles across every service available on the Apple TV.
The hardware upgrades are thought to have driven a cost increase, bumping the price of an Apple TV from its current $69 to as high as $149.
Apple’s next-generation mobile and desktop operating systems were announced at WWDC this summer, and the company is likely to announce details of final availability on Wednesday. Both will be free upgrades for existing users.
iOS 9 is a major update, bringing proper multitasking to the iPad alongside transit directions in Apple Maps and an all-new, Flipboard-style News app. Other headline features include expanded search functions and new Siri commands that complement more proactive notifications and suggestions.
Efficiency improvements will bring better battery life to iOS devices, and smaller, scheduled upgrades will make it easier for users to keep their devices up to date.
OS X El Capitan is somewhat more restrained, focusing on refinements to OS X’s user experience and improving performance across Apple’s range of desktop and notebook computers. Front and center is a change from Helvetica to Apple’s in-house San Francisco typeface for the user interface, while several built-in apps have been upgraded.
Spotlight has an expansive new list of data resources, for instance, and Safari adds pinned sites for the first time. Mail gains a new two-up fullscreen view, while new window management features will allow users to easily snap apps to different portions of the display.
Given Apple’s past launch strategies, it’s likely that iOS 9 will launch to the public on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The debut of El Capitan is less clear — in recent years, Apple has launched OS X upgrades in October.
Industry insiders are split as to whether or not Apple will unveil the so-called “iPad Pro” at this week’s event. Apple traditionally holds an iPad-centric event in October, which would seem a more likely venue for the new jumbo tablet.
If Apple does show off its new device on Wednesday, it is likely to sport a Retina display that extends over 12 inches on the diagonal alongside additional speakers, all in a chassis more svelte than the current iPad Air 2. A pressure-sensitive stylus would allow for more precise input for professional users.
It’s not clear what Apple will do with the iPhone 5c, but the debut of a so-called “iPhone 6c” at Wednesday’s event seems unlikely. Very few details of the device have leaked in the run-up to the briefing, and some Apple watchers have gone as far as to note that evidence of such a device has disappeared from the supply chain.
The story is much the same with an “iPad Air 3,” though that device will almost certainly see an update later this year.
The “iPad mini 4” could bow on Wednesday, but it might also be held until the later iPad event and announced alongside the iPad Air 3 and iPad Pro. When it does see the light of day, the new mini is rumored to be essentially a shrunken version of the Air 2.
Apple will stream the event live to iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and second- and third-gen Apple TV units on Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. Pacific (8:00 PM Beirut Time). For the first time in years, Windows users will be able to join in, provided they are running Microsoft Edge on Windows 10.
Of course, we’ll be covering the Event on Wednesday, so keep an eye on ElieChahine.com!
Elie Chahine 