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Tag: San Francisco

  • Universal Pictures announces release of currently playing movies to iTunes, other streaming platforms in wake of Coronavirus

    If the audiences can’t get to the theater, you bring the theater to them.

    In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic and Americans staying home, Universal Pictures revealed this week that its movies currently in cinemas will become available on iTunes and other on-demand services starting as early as Friday.

    “Universal Pictures has a broad and diverse range of movies with 2020 being no exception,” said NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell in a statement. “Rather than delaying these films or releasing them into a challenging distribution landscape, we wanted to provide an option for people to view these titles in the home that is both accessible and affordable.”

    The studio revealed that current releases like The Invisible Man, The Hunt, and Emma, will be available to rent for 48 hours for $19.99. DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls World Tour will be available on-demand the same day it is released in theaters, April 10. Trolls isn’t slated for global release until April 20, but it will be available through on-demand streaming services in those markets immediately as well.

    This all comes in the wake of movie theaters seeing their lowest box office grosses in more than 20 years as cities buckle down under the epidemic. Six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area mandated this week that residents must stay home except when venturing out to buy essentials for the next three weeks. Apple Store across the country remain closed indefinitely, with many other retailers following suit.

    Universal will update its strategy as time goes on, and has yet to announce whether any movies beyond Trolls World Tour will see early release via digital services in the near future.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via Cult of Mac

  • Apple Store locations receive new directives to help curb the spread of Coronavirus

    In the wake of the coronavirus, Apple is pulling out the stops to try to stop the spread of the disease at its retail locations.

    Apple Stores have taken a number of measures to try and help limit the spread of the Coronavirus. Most noticeably, all Apple retail locations have now been closed in Italy.

    In total, 17 Italian locations are now shut. In a statement, Apple said:

    As we support the work to contain and manage the spread of Covid-19, our priority remains the health and safety of everyone in the communities we serve.

    The company has also canceled all upcoming “Today at Apple” sessions set to take place in its San Francisco, Bay Area, and Seattle locations.

    Staff at its retail locations have apparently been told to limit physical contact with customers, and management has removed half the available seating in order to stop people from loitering. The locations are also operating below capacity at the direction of new rules introduced on Tuesday. The instructions vary depending on the size and location of the Apple Store retail outlet.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via The Mac Observer and Bloomberg News

  • Apple Maps Look Around Feature coming to Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

    This could come in handy.

    Apple Maps Look Around support is en route to Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., allowing iOS 13 users to get a 3D look at these locations.

    The Look Around feature was introduced with iOS 13, and allows you to view certain locations as if you were actually there in person. The feature is currently available in the following cities:

    • Boston
    • Houston
    • Philadelphia
    • Las Vegas
    • Los Angeles
    • Oahu (Hawaiian island)
    • New York City
    • San Francisco
    • Washington, D.C.

    The Look Around feature is noted by a binoculars icon in the top right corner in Apple Maps. Users can tap and swipe on the screen to look around, and tap in the distance to move along the street. You can also tap on icons near businesses.

    If you’ve had a chance to try Look Around, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via The Mac Observer and MacRumors

  • Apple quietly begins offering house calls for broken iPhone repairs in some cities

    If you don’t happen to live near an Apple Store and your iPhone croaks, this’ll come in handy.

    Apple has quietly added a new option wherein a third-party technician from Go Tech Services can be sent to your home or office for common repairs, including cracked screens. It’s presently unknown as to whether the repairs will be completed or-site or if the device will be taken back to a facility for repair. The service is currently offered in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas.

    Apple has yet to publicly announce the chance, so it’s thought that this may be a limited trial, or something that could expand to other cities.

    Apple has long offered a variety of options for iPhone repairs, but this is the first time in recent memory when it has offered in-home service for any of its products. Apple notes that the service may incur an “onsite visit fee,” but doesn’t elaborate on the terms or indicate whether AppleCare+ purchasers would be exempt from any additional costs.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Macworld

  • Apple Maps data expands, now includes transit information for Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland

    This could come in handy if you’re swinging through Europe.

    Apple Maps on Monday gained comprehensive transit directions for Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, in the largest single combined update to its European coverage thus far.

    The coverage includes train, tram, and bus routes in the capital cities of each country, including Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. The update also covers funicular connections where available and transit links across borders.

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