Apple open-sourced the kernel of iOS and macOS for ARM processors

Apple has always shared the kernel of macOS after each major release. This kernel also runs on iOS devices as both macOS and iOS are built on the same foundation. This year, Apple also shared the most recent version of the kernel on GitHub. And you can also find ARM versions of the kernel for the first time.

But first, it's time for some computer history. The first version of macOS (originally named Mac OS X) came out in 2001. It was built on top of NeXTSTEP, an operating system developed by NeXT. Steve Jobs founded NeXT in 1985 and sold the company back to Apple in 1997. And Apple decided to use NeXTSTEP as the foundation for Mac OS X.

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NeXTSTEP itself is derived from open-source project BSD. That's why the Mac you might be currently using relies heavily on open-source technologies. And that's also why Apple releases a tiny, tiny portion of macOS every year. You can't compile it and run your own version of macOS, but other kernel developers probably care about the source code of this kernel.

What about iOS? When Steve Jobs first introduced the iPhone in 2007, he said that the operating system of the iPhone is a macOS fork. "Today, we're going to show you a software breakthrough. Software that is at least 5 years ahead on what's on any other phone. Now how did we do this? Well, we started with a strong foundation — iPhone runs OS X," Jobs said. "Why would we want such a sophisticated operating system on a mobile device? Because it's got everything we need."

Apple later called this operating system iPhone OS, and then iOS. It's not an exact copy as there are no floating windows on iOS. But iOS and macOS use the same Unix-based core named Darwin as well as many frameworks. The Apple Watch and the Apple TV also run variants of iOS that also rely on Darwin.

So the fact that you can now download ARM-optimized source code of Apple's kernel doesn't mean much. Maybe Apple wants to share the kernel of the iPhone to get feedback from the open-source community. Maybe it means that Apple is working on a version of macOS that runs on ARM chips. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe Apple just wanted to see the reaction on Twitter.

Apple is looking into reports of iPhone 8 batteries swelling

Reports from a few iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus buyers have suggested there could be an issue with the battery inside some of the devices swelling, causing the case of Apple's new iPhone to split open and expose the smartphone's internals.

Apple has now confirmed it is looking into it, although a spokeswoman declined to comment further when asked how many devices are affected.

From what we've heard the number of reports so far is very few.

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Yesterday CNET rounded up the handful of reports that have emerged — saying there are at least six different reports in at least five countries of the iPhone 8 splitting along its seams.

Today Reuters also noted a report in Chinese state media of an iPhone buyer claiming a newly purchased iPhone 8 Plus arrived cracked open on October 5, though apparently without any signs of scorching or an explosion.

Apple rival Samsung had big problems with smartphone batteries in its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. In that instance some Note 7 batteries caught fire, and the problem was extensive enough that it led Samsung to recall all Note 7 handsets — at great expense.

In the case of the iPhone 8 the issue appears to be limited to batteries bloating/swelling, rather than catching fire — at least as reported so far.

Although the phone only went on sale on September 22 so it's still early days for the device.

Apple did not release figures for the first weekend sales of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, as it has in the past with new iPhones, so it's also not yet clear how many of these handsets are in the hands of buyers at this point.

Some analysts have suggested consumers may be holding off on upgrading their iPhone to buy the top-of-the-range iPhone X, which Apple also announced at the same time, but with a later release date.

Pre-sales for the iPhone X are due to begin on October 27, with the handset slated to ship on November 3.

AIM will shut down after 20 years

It's a sad moment: AIM, AOL's long-running instant messenger service that was core to many people's first social experiences on the internet, will shut down once and for all on December 15th. AOL announced the shutdown today, acknowledging that people now communicate in new ways online, so AIM is no longer needed.

"AIM tapped into new digital technologies and ignited a cultural shift, but the way in which we communicate with each other has profoundly changed," writes Michael Albers, communications products VP at Oath (the Verizon behemoth that consumed AOL).

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TIME TO SET YOUR FINAL AWAY MESSAGE

AOL cut off access to AIM from third-party chat clients back in March, hinting at this eventual shutdown. It's hard to imagine that many people are still using AIM, so that change, nor this upcoming shutdown, are likely to make a huge difference.

AIM was one of the first and most successful instant messengers, widely used in the late '90s and even throughout the 2000s. I was still using AIM to chat with my friends throughout college at the end of the decade, including to stay in touch with my (not-yet) significant other while she was studying abroad.

But with the proliferation of smartphones, everything has changed. Text messaging has taken over for desktop instant messaging apps, and increasingly, we're seeing other social apps, like Snapchat and Instagram, take over for those in certain ways. For straight messaging, Facebook also makes things much easier, since you're already connected to everyone you know and can just start up a chat without exchanging arcane things like screen names. In fact, Facebook has multiple billion-user messaging services at this point, Messenger and WhatsApp.

Other classic chat apps have shut down in recent years, too. MSN Messenger shut down in 2014, and Yahoo Messenger shut down last year (although Yahoo also launched a new messaging service under the same name). It was only a matter of time until AIM joined them, but there's still some nostalgia in seeing it go.

With AIM on its way out the door, now's your last chance to write that perfect away message

Get ready for home internet prices to double

Been enjoying your reasonably-priced home internet connection recently? Don't get too comfortable. US cable companies, led by Comcast, are all set to start increasing broadband prices dramatically, with price hikes of double current rates expected in the future.

That's the conclusion of New Street Research and analyst Jonathan Chaplin, who released a new report that's good news for the cable industry, and bad for anyone who doesn't enjoy giving money to their local monopolist.

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"We have argued that broadband is underpriced, given that pricing has barely increased over the past decade while broadband utility has exploded," New Street's report said. "Our analysis suggested a 'utility-adjusted' average revenue per user (ARPU) target of ~$90. Comcast recently increased standalone broadband to $90 (including modem), paving the way for faster ARPU growth as the mix shifts in favor of broadband-only households. Charter will likely follow, once they are through the integration of Time Warner Cable." Those increases could be as much as double the current price, New Street notes.

The read-between-the-lines conclusion here is that cable companies will start leaning more heavily on broadband as a revenue generator, as cable packages start to decline — something's that's happening faster with every passing year. As people start eyeing internet-only cable packages combined with a live streaming service for TV, the cable companies can cut the price of the cable bundle to appear competitive with streaming services, but raise broadband pricing to compensate.

The sad truth is that only one in five Americans actually has a choice of provider for high-speed broadband, so if you want internet at home, you're going to have to pay for it. Cable companies will likely justify price increases by citing the cost of new investment in their networks, which is true in some sense. Running fiber (or experimenting with fixed wireless installs) is expensive and time-consuming, but it's also a gradual process that networks will profit from for decades. As New Street's report shows, price increases right now are happening because they can, not because they have to — and there's nothing you can do about it.

Google gets go-ahead to restore cell phone service in Puerto Rico with its balloons

Regulators have approved Google's application to provide emergency cell phone services to Puerto Rico using balloons in the wake of Hurriane Maria.

The US Federal Communications Commission announced its decision on Friday evening, one of a number of ways in which tech companies are helping rebuild services.

Communications remain patchy on the island. The FCC said that 83 percent of all cell sites remain out of service while wireless companies are rolling out temporary service sites.

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Alphabet, Google's parent company which announced its Project Loon in 2013 to use solar-powered, high-altitude balloons to provide internet service in remote regions, said in an FCC filing it was working to "support licensed mobile carriers' restoration of limited communications capability" in Puerto Rico.

Earlier on Friday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced he was forming a Hurricane Recovery Task Force with an emphasis on addressing challenges facing Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

 Less than 11 percent of Puerto Ricans have electricity and only 42 percent have working phones

Less than 11 percent of Puerto Ricans have electricity and only 42 percent have working phones CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

"It is critical that we adopt a coordinated and comprehensive approach to support the rebuilding of communications infrastructure and restoration of communications services," Mr Pai said in statement.

Separately, Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello said in a Twitter posting late on Friday that he had a "great initial conversation with @elonmusk tonight. Teams are now talking; exploring opportunities. Next steps soon to follow."

Mr Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, said on Friday the company would send more battery installers to Puerto Rico to help restore power after Hurricane Maria knocked out all power on the island over two weeks ago.

The series that reigns supreme

It was first released for PC, PlayStation and GameBoy in October 1997. The first version of the game was set across three fictional cities in the US. Such was the impact that many outlets called for an outright ban of the game as it was percieved to be too violent. As a player you had to choose a mission to progress and GTA had everything - from car chase, racing, underworld characters - that makes a game exciting to play.

Two years after the rip-roaring success of GTA, GTA 2 was released. The game now moved to a single city but retained all the other elements. The first version had three cities: Liberty City (based on New York), Vice City (based on Miami) and San Andreas (based on San Fransisco). GTA was set in a fictional city called "Anywhere City".

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By the time the third version - GTA III - rolled out in 2001, the game went into 3D mode and was criticised by a lot of people for glorifying violence. But that didn't affect the popularity of the game. In a 3D universe, the third-person camera, unlimited car-stealing and hidden rewards; and other features made it one of the most popular titles of the franchise.

A year later GTA: Vice City came out and had celebrity appearances in the game. Ray Liotta's voice featured in the game whereas Phil Collins was also a part of the game. In fact, over the years many celebrities including Samuel L Jackson, Dennis Hopper and Guns'n' Roses frontman Axl Rose, all have been a part of the game.

In 2004, GTA: San Andreas was released and was lapped by gamers all over the world. This edition saw BMX backflips and the sighting of mythical Big Foot. The graphics and gameplay kept on getting better and GTA continued to dominate gamers' mindspace.

Sony to launch new 'updated' Playstation VR headset

There were a few follow ups to GTA III which really didn't work out. It lacked the excitement and felt like forced extensions. But all that changed in 2008 with Grand Theft Auto IV. It introduced online multiplayer to the series and had fantastic gameplay. GTA was back with this variant and broke sales records in the UK and US.

GTA V came out in 2013 and got a record number of pre-order sales of 2.5 million. Set in the fictional city of Los Santos, the game featured the characters who work together on a series of missions. It was reported in May 2017 that GTA V had sold more than 80 million copies around the world.

The gaming industry, in the last 20 years, has undergone a sea change. Games have come and gone; franchises were built and went in the ground and the platforms have seen a widespread change but there is one thing that has remained consistent: the popularity of Grand Theft Auto. The game that reigns supreme and remains the undisputed champion of action adventure games.

MasterCard's new effort in virtual reality

One of the most powerful attributes of e-commerce today is its relatively effortless due diligence, where a customer can easily see rival offerings, compare pricing based on the exact model number and/or specifications, and browse the comments left by customers (which may not always be valid, but that's another issue).

That due diligence nicety was swept aside by a MasterCard move last week to integrate purchases within mobile virtual reality (VR) environments. To be fair, this mobile VR purchasing effort by MasterCard is one of the first industry efforts to allow anything other than "sit and watch" in a VR app, so the effort should be encouraged. They may intend to add due diligence capabilities later on — remember what Amazon's initial homepage looked like — but such user-friendly efforts are not typical from MasterCard.

[ Further reading: How IT can prepare for VR, AR and MR in the enterprise ]

Here's how MasterCard described the experience:

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"The app immerses consumers in a tastefully decorated home where they can browse and purchase the pieces with Masterpass, Mastercard's digital payment service. This new shopping app highlights the value of the pieces, the story behind the inspiration, the complex manufacturing process, and the designers' creative journeys in a new and engaging way. Masterpass enables consumers to check out from within the VR experience without having to add payment details."

So far, so good. But MasterCard then described the mobile payment methodology, which is where things get a bit scarier.

"Upon launching the app, consumers will be prompted to log in and begin an authenticated, secure session by using their Masterpass account credentials. After starting a session, consumers will be able to navigate through the home's different rooms and browse through the collection by moving their heads left to right or up and down.

"Once the consumers decide and select the piece from the collection that they want to purchase, they can add it to the cart and checkout by focusing their gaze on the Masterpass button that appears at the bottom of the product description. When the consumer exits the application or the session detects that the headset has been removed, the consumer will be automatically logged out of their Masterpass account to protect against unintended purchases."

I am so glad MasterCard mentioned allowing shoppers to log out "to protect against unintended purchases," but unintended purchases are exactly what I envisioned when I saw their trigger for a shopper to "add it to the cart and checkout by focusing their gaze on the Masterpass button."

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Everything in this environment will be new to shoppers. If I just look at their button for a few seconds, that constitutes authorizing a checkout? The fact that shoppers have to activate their credentials before going into the environment is heads-up number one. (This is akin to a free subscription that insists on full payment card details beforehand just in case the user opts to not cancel. How about letting the free trial run out in 30 days and allowing the customer to enter credentials at that point to subscribe?)

Yes, this is MasterCard just making purchases as easy as possible. But if it also makes unintended purchases easy, I don't see that as a win.

And the absence of any of those shopping due diligence mechanisms means MasterCard is replicating the worst part of the in-store experience rather than integrating the best of online and bringing it into a VR environment.

MasterCard's intent is admirable, but their implementation is lacking

That all said, I get the intent here. MasterCard is saying, "Let's see how easy we can make purchases in VR," which is an admirable goal. But they neglected what makes experiences good and attractive for shoppers.

Another concern is that these VR demos showcase products in a vendor-selected ideal environment. One of the best aspects of VR demos is to show these items in the shoppers' own environment (their home or office). Fortunately, that shortcoming may end by next December, according to Abi Mandelbaum, CEO of YouVisit, which is a MasterCard partner on this rollout. By the end of 2018, he expects the MasterCard experience to include "everyone's own environment, to get a lot closer to the product in the environment that is going to be used."

In short, this initial effort skips the best attribute of VR (seeing these items in your home or office), skips the best attributes of online (comparison shopping, comments), incorporates the worst element on instore ("Here's the product and the price. Take it or leave it.") and throws in a good chance for generating an unintended purchase.

Applause for MasterCard taking this early step, but not so much for what it includes.