Apple gives new look at Campus 2 construction progress in updated aerial photo

In an updated aerial photo published today, Apple gives us our latest look at construction progress on its new ‘Campus 2’ building in Cupertino.

In the photo, we get a closer look at new developments on the main building, as well as the surrounding campus including a planned 1,000 seat auditorium, 300,000 square foot R&D facilities, a parking structure and other buildings separate from the main circular structure. The photos were published to the City of Cupertino’s webpage tracking progress and road closures on the project for the public.

Apple hasn’t updated its planned general project schedule on the City of Cupertino’s website and still plans to complete building construction on Campus 2 by the end of 2016 when it can begin to move in approximately 13,000 of its employees.

We’ve been keeping track of construction progress on Campus 2 with the latest photos, news, and drone flyovers in our timeline here.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: aerial, Apple, Apple Campus 2, auditorium, Campus, campus 2, Construction, Cupertino, flyover, photo

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GT Advanced Laying Off 40% of Workforce Amid Bankruptcy Restructuring

GT Advanced is laying off 40% of its workforce as it negotiates the terms of a $95 million bankruptcy restructuring plan, according to The Wall Street Journal. The cuts will enable the former Apple supplier to save $20 million per year as it looks to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States.


The report claims GT Advanced had about 1,000 employees when it filed for bankruptcy last October after its sapphire crystal deal with Apple fell through. The company already laid off some 700 workers at a Mesa, Arizona manufacturing facility that Apple plans to repurpose as a $2 billion global data center.

GT Advanced is reportedly committed to shifting its focus back to manufacturing industrial and solar equipment.

A group of GT Advanced bondholders put up $95 million to fund the company’s bankruptcy restructuring. The company is using the cash to fund a revised plan that calls for the ex-Apple supplier to return to its roots of making industrial and solar equipment.

While sapphire crystal rumors were widespread last year, Apple ultimately used ion-strengthened glass on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Apple TV catches Game Pass service featuring live preseason football games on updated NFL app

Apple TV users may notice a new coat of paint on the NFL app today. That’s because the set-top box’s NFL channel has received a major update that adds the new Game Pass feature for football fans. We first learned last month that the NFL’s Game Pass service was headed to Apple TV.

Game Pass on Apple TV currently offers up both live and on demand preseason football games both in full and condensed versions for subscribers, plus highlights from each game that anyone can view for free. Game Pass also boasts featuring every NFL game since 2012 in HD without commercials including the last Super Bowl. Beyond 2012, Game Pass includes footage dating back to 2009.

Subscribing to Game Pass through Apple TV costs $99.99 with a subscription running through July 31st of next year. Aside from being able to view preseason games out of market, Game Pass offers up “all 256 regular season games on-demand” across various platforms. While it still doesn’t offer up live gameplay for regular season games, a subscription does include access to gameday audio. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the new feature highlighted next week as Apple unveils an updated Apple TV box on September 9th.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple TV, Football, Game Pass, NFL

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Google+ for iOS updated with ‘Collections’ feature

Google+ Collections, a feature that lets like-minded Google+ users connect in forums organized by topic, today comes to iOS devices after first rolling out for Android and web users a few months back.

Users can create Collections for topics they’re interested in and follow Collections created by other users to keep track of posts related to their interests. Google shared a few examples of popular Collections including Homebrewing, Climbing Junkie Photos, Magical, Mystical Mountains and Marine Life. It also features select Collections on a webpage here for easy searching.

When you post a Collection, Google notes that you’ll be able to customize who sees it thanks to recent improvements to the feature on Android that also come to iOS today. It also recently added the ability to add taglines to Collections and search for them on mobile devices. 

The Collections feature is available now in the updated Google+ iOS app with version 4.8.5.

Filed under: Apps Tagged: Android, collections, Google, iOS, iPad, iPhone, update, version 4.8.5, web

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Apple TV Gains Updated NFL Channel With Game Pass Integration

The Apple TV's existing NFL Now channel was today revamped, changing the name to "NFL" and adding support for Game Pass subscriptions. Through the updated channel, NFL fans who have a Game Pass subscription can watch on-demand NFL games and live out-of-market preseason games on the Apple TV for the first time.

In late July, the NFL did away with its existing NFL Game Rewind program, which previously gave customers in the United States access to on-demand NFL games after they aired on broadcast television. Game Rewind was replaced with Game Pass, with access being added to the Apple TV and the NFL Mobile app on the iPhone and the iPad.


The prior NFL Now channel that was on the Apple TV was limited to historic videos, breaking news, and game highlights rather than complete games as the NFL's contracts with television providers have previously prevented it from showing full game content on the television through the Apple TV.

Game Pass includes live access to most out-of-market preseason games, aside from those that are nationally broadcast, plus on-demand regular season, playoff, and Super Bowl games that are available after they air on broadcast television.

Game Pass is available in the United States, Bermuda, Antigua, the Bahamas, any U.S. territories, possessions and commonwealths (including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), and Mexico. An NFL Game Pass subscription is priced at $99.99 and access to content will last until July 31, 2016.


NFL fans outside of the United States also have access to an international "Game Pass" service that offers up live games and on-demand content, which confusingly shares the same name as the new service available in the United States.

(Thanks, Dale!)