Apple holds its Worldwide Developers Conference every year, and with WWDC 2018 kicking off on June 4, there’s plenty of speculation about what Apple might have in store for iOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS. It turns out we might just get some new hardware too.
As Apple-centric sites including AppleInsider and The Mac Observer have noted, some MacBook and MacBook Pro models are now displaying delivery dates after WWDC 2018 starts – suggesting Apple is about to refresh at least some of the models, and doesn’t want to deliver hardware that’ll soon be out of date.
While WWDC is traditional focused on software and intended for app makers, Apple has been known to unveil new devices in the past. In 2017 the HomePod was revealed to the world during the main keynote, so this year it could be the turn of the MacBook.
The time is right
It’s not clear exactly which models might get an upgrade or what that upgrade might be, though a refresh involving Intel’s new Coffee Lake CPUs is one possibility. We’ve also heard rumors that Apple is planning to power its laptops with its own custom-made processors in the next few years.
It’s almost exactly 12 months since the MacBook got its last refresh, while we haven’t seen updates to the MacBook Pro for even longer. The timing is certainly right for some new models even if a major revamp of the hardware range appears pretty unlikely.
Something Apple might want to do with the new laptops it brings out is fix the keyboards: failure rates are reportedly higher than normal for models with the new ‘butterfly’ switch design, with the ultra-compact mechanisms apparently prone to getting stuck. In a couple of weeks’ time we’ll see what Apple has in store, but maybe hold off on that MacBook or MacBook Pro purchase for now.
With Apple expected to reveal some of the big features of iOS 12 in a couple of weeks’ time, there’s some advance news on what one of those features might be: the ability to use your iPhone as a secure door key for a hotel room, thanks to the magic of Near Field Communication (NFC).
That’s just one of the potential uses of the technology, which is being opened up to developers in iOS 12, according to The Information. Apps not made by Apple were given a limited amount of access to the iPhone NFC chip with iOS 11, but apparently a lot of the restrictions are going to be lifted, letting developers build more advanced features.
Like, for example, tapping on your hotel room door lock to get inside (something you can already do with an Apple Watch). The NFC chip is currently used for Apple Pay, and it could also be used to let you into your car or to pay for your ride on public transit.
Which phones will get it?
The new functionality is reportedly going to be announced at this year’s Apple’s developer conference, WWDC 2018, which gets underway on June 4. The Information says Apple employees have already been using the new unlock capabilities at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino.
NFC chips have been included in every iPhone since the iPhone 6 from 2014, so as long as your phone isn’t any older than that, you’ll be able to take advantage of whatever new features Apple has planned. It looks like iOS 12 won’t make it to the iPhone 5S anyway, which will be left stuck on iOS 11.
We will of course bring you all the news from WWDC as it happens the week after next. The rumors are that Apple is going to focus on reliability and stability this time around, so there may not be too many major features to talk about.
It’s the end of the season for rugby union so that means we’re in for a treat in the form of the Quilter Cup clash between England and the mighty Barbarians at Twickenham Stadium.
The game is due to kick-off on Sunday May 27 at 3pm BST, 10am ET, 7am PT, 12 midnight AEST.
The end of season rugby finale is all set in the form of the Quilter Cup clash between England and the Barbarians. As always Twickenham is in for a dazzler of a display from the world class players involved. And if you’re wondering where you can watch a live stream of he match, look no further.
The England squad, as laid out by head coach Eddie Jones, has come under scrutiny after Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani was named. The 30-year-old was last capped for England as a full-back in a 2015 warm-up match with France, and his inclusion back in the squad has been the major talking point in the build up.
Pat Lam, head coach for the Baa-Baas has announced his squad with one of the most varied squads in the team’s 118-year history with players from New Zealand, Ireland and Fiji to name a few. All eyes will be on World Cup winning Malakai Fekitoa and Scotland fly half Finn Russell.
After losing the match last year 28-14, the Barbarians will be looking for a little bit of revenge. So with a strong line up on both sides this is set to be a riveting rugby battle royale. You can watch it all live, anywhere. Here’s how to enjoy the game via a live stream using our handy guide.
Live stream England vs Barbarians with aVPN Scroll down to find out which broadcaster is showing the England vs Barbarians in some of the major English speaking countries around the world. But even if the place where you live doesn’t have the game, you can always use a VPN to dial in to a country that does have a stream. A VPN is perfect for this as it allows you to change your IP address so you appear to be in a completely different location. We’ve tested hundreds of VPNs and can recommend these as the best three VPNs currently available:
2. NordVPN: SmartPlay tech makes NordVPN a great choice for streaming.
3. VyprVPN: blazing speeds make VyprVPN a great choice for 4K video
How to live England vs Barbarians action in the UK
Sky Sports 2 has the rights to the England vs Barbarians rugby game and coverage starts from 2:30pm BST for that 3pm kick-off.
That means you have two option in the UK. Either you pay a full Sky Sports subscription and watch the game or you can use NOW TV on a pay monthly, weekly or even daily basis to catch the action.
Of course the third option is to find a pub that’s showing the action, but then you can’t watch it from the comfort of home – or on your phone from anywhere using the Sky Go app.
How to live stream England vs Barbarians action in the North America
As you might imagine, international interest in a UK-based Baa-Baas game isn’t huge, and that means a limited choice for watching abroad. FloRugby claims to be airing the game online though, so that could be an option. The match starts at 10am ET, 7am PT.
Alternatively, check out our handy VPN guide above to see how you can catch the action live online for wherever you are.
How to watch England vs Barbarians rugby union in Australia
Nothing better to to ad midnight on a school night? Subscription service FloRugby has the England vs Barbarians game in its live schedule. But again, you may prefer to use a VPN to login to an alternative nation’s broadcast.
