Apple

Apple Jing’an to welcome its first customers Thursday, March 21, in Shanghai



Apple

Apple’s Restore Fund cultivates new roots in the Atlantic Forest



Apple

Apple expands innovative Restore Fund with TSMC and Murata



Today Apple welcomed key manufacturing partners Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Murata Manufacturing as new investors in the Restore Fund, which is designed to scale global investment in high-quality, nature-based carbon removal while protecting critical ecosystems. Global semiconductor foundry TSMC will invest up to $50 million in a fund managed by Climate Asset Management, a joint venture of HSBC Asset Management and Pollination. Murata — an iPhone supplier based in Japan — will invest up to $30 million in the same fund. These new investments build on Apple’s previous commitment of up to $200 million for the Restore Fund’s second phase, bringing the total to $280 million in committed capital.

Apple also announced the partners in the Restore Fund’s initial phase, launched in 2021. Through these investments, Apple, Goldman Sachs, and Conservation International are partnering with experienced forestry managers — Symbiosis, BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group, and Arbaro Advisors — to support the creation of sustainably certified working forests on degraded pasture and agricultural lands in South America. Apple expects the portfolio to exceed its goal of removing 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air by 2025.

“When businesses invest in nature, they’re also investing in healthier communities, a more resilient global economy, and a critical tool in the fight against climate change,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. “The Restore Fund is already delivering real benefits for communities and ecosystems in South America while removing carbon from the atmosphere. And we’re thrilled to see suppliers join us by investing in nature on top of their urgent work to decarbonize their businesses.”

High-Quality Investments in Nature
To select the portfolio of projects in its first phase, the Restore Fund carefully assessed prospective managers and investments to ensure they meet robust environmental, social, and governance criteria, and strict standards for quality, scalability, and impact. Most potential investments are screened out through this intensive due diligence process, which is further detailed in a recent white paper on Apple’s carbon removal strategy.

All projects selected for the Restore Fund undergo regular assessments to monitor forest change and growth over time, address fire and other potential risks, and verify forest carbon stock. As part of this analysis, Apple and partners — including Space Intelligence and Upstream Tech — have used innovative tools such as LiDAR on iPhone, satellite data, bioacoustic monitoring, and machine learning to evaluate the wellbeing of the land and project progress.

The projects in the Restore Fund’s first phase all share a goal of creating new, responsibly managed working forests to help meet increasing global demand for timber and reduce pressure on natural forests. The projects will be managed by:

  • Arbaro Advisors, which is building a portfolio of forestry projects across Latin America, including Apple’s first Restore Fund project in Paraguay, to develop sustainably managed eucalyptus farms while strengthening livelihood opportunities for local communities and protecting natural ecosystems in the project area.
  • BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group, which is working to restore and protect natural ecosystems on half of the project area while planting the other half with commercial species, like eucalyptus.
  • Symbiosis, which is developing native seedlings to grow working forests of native tropical hardwoods while protecting natural forests in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest.

These managers will ensure all projects meet the Restore Fund’s rigorous standards.

Progress to Carbon Neutrality
TSMC and Murata are among the more than 300 suppliers in Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program, having committed to achieving 100 percent renewable electricity for all Apple production by 2030. In 2022, Apple called on its suppliers to go even further and decarbonize all of their Apple-related operations by the end of this decade. This includes addressing unavoidable residual emissions with high-quality carbon removal.

The fund TSMC and Murata are investing in alongside Apple will pool regenerative agriculture projects with ecosystem conservation and restoration projects in order to generate both carbon and financial benefits. Project selection is currently underway.

The Restore Fund is an important component of Apple 2030, the company’s ambitious goal to be carbon neutral across its entire value chain by the end of this decade. Apple is laser-focused on driving down its carbon footprint by 75 percent from 2015 levels through direct emissions reductions and will address residual emissions with high-quality carbon removal. The company only retires credits from carbon projects where verified removal has already occurred, and only uses credits to address residual emissions that are difficult to avoid or abate with today’s available solutions.

Apple

Apple Arcade launches five fun titles in April



Apple

More options for apps distributed in the European Union – Latest News


We’re providing more flexibility for developers who distribute apps in the European Union (EU), including introducing a new way to distribute apps directly from a developer’s website.

More flexibility

Developers who’ve agreed to the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU have new options for their apps in the EU:

  • Alternative app marketplaces. Marketplaces can choose to offer a catalog of apps solely from the developer of the marketplace.
  • Linking out to purchase. When directing users to complete a transaction for digital goods or services on an external webpage, developers can choose how to design promotions, discounts, and other deals. The Apple-provided design templates, which are optimized for key purchase and promotional use cases, are now optional.

Distributing directly from your website

Web Distribution, available with a software update later this spring, will let authorized developers distribute their iOS apps to EU users directly from a website owned by the developer. Apple will provide authorized developers access to APIs that facilitate the distribution of their apps from the web, integrate with system functionality, back up and restore users’ apps, and more. For details, visit Getting ready for Web Distribution in the EU.

Apple

Apple Vision Pro unlocks new opportunities for health app developers



Apple

Uncovering the hidden joys of Finding Hannah – Discover


In Finding Hannah, the main character, a woman with blue hair, stands in a garden talking with her grandmother, who is sitting on a bench on a porch.

On its surface, Finding Hannah is a bright and playful hidden-object game — but dig a little deeper and you’ll find something much more.

The Hannah of Finding Hannah is a 38-year-old Berlin resident trying to navigate career, relationships (including with her best friend/ex, Emma), and the nagging feeling that something’s missing in her life. To help find answers, Hannah turns to her nurturing grandmother and free-spirited mother — whose own stories gradually come into focus and shape the game’s message as well.

“It’s really a story about three women from three generations looking for happiness,” says Franziska Zeiner, cofounder and co-CEO of the Fein Games studio. “For each one, times are changing. But the question is: Are they getting better?”

Hannah sits on a subway train populated with all manner of people and objects in a very busy and colorful hidden-object scene in Finding Hannah.

To move the story along, players comb through a series of richly drawn scenes — a packed club, a bustling train, a pleasantly cluttered bookstore. Locating (and merging) hidden items unlocks new chapters, and the more you find, the more the time-hopping story unfolds. The remarkable mix of message and mechanic made the game a 2023 Apple Design Award finalist, as well as a Cultural Impact winner in the 2023 App Store Awards.

Fein Games is the brainchild of Zeiner and Lea Schönfelder, longtime friends from the same small town in Germany who both pursued careers in game design — despite not being all that into video games growing up. “I mean, at some point I played The Sims as a teenager,” laughs Zeiner, “but games were rare for us. When I eventually went to study game design, I felt like I didn’t really fit in, because my game literacy was pretty limited.”

The goal is to create for people who enjoy authentic female experiences in games.

Lea Schönfelder, cofounder and co-CEO of Fein Games

Cofounder and co-CEO Schönfelder also says she felt like an outsider, but soon found game design a surprisingly organic match for her background in illustration and animation. “In my early years, I saw a lot of people doing unconventional things with games and thought, ‘Wow, this is really powerful.’ And I knew I loved telling stories, maybe not in a linear form but a more systematic way.” Those early years included time with studios like Nerial and ustwo Games, where she worked on Monument Valley 2 and Assemble With Care.

Drawing on their years of experience — and maybe that shared unconventional background — the pair went out on their own to launch Fein Games in 2020. From day one, the studio was driven by more than financial success. “The goal is to create for people who enjoy authentic female experiences in games,” says Schönfelder. “But the product is only one side of the coin — there’s also the process of how you create, and we’ve been able to make inclusive games that maybe bring different perspectives to the world.”

Hannah and her mother, Sigrid, share a conversation in Finding Hannah. Sigrid is asking her daughter, “Did you come here for advice, or did you come here to judge me?”

Finding Hannah was driven by those perspectives from day one. The story was always meant to be a time-hopping journey featuring women in Berlin, and though it isn’t autobiographical, bits and pieces do draw from their creators’ lives. “There’s a scene inspired by my grandmother, who was a nurse during the second world war and would tan with her friends on a hospital roof while the planes circled above,” says Schönfelder. The script was written by Berlin-based author Rebecca Harwick, who also served as lead writer on June’s Journey and writer on Switchcraft, The Elder Scrolls Online, and many others.

In the beginning, I felt like I wasn’t part of the group, and maybe even a little ashamed that I wasn’t as games-literate as my colleagues. But what I thought was a weakness was actually a strength.

Lea Schönfelder, cofounder and co-CEO of Fein Games

To design the art for the different eras, the team tried not to think like gamers. “The idea was to try to reach people who weren’t gamers yet, and we thought we’d most likely be able to do that if we found a style that hadn’t been seen in games before,” says Zeiner. To get there, they hired Elena Resko, a Russian-born artist based in Berlin who’d also never worked in games. “What you see is her style,” says Schönfelder. “She didn’t develop that for the game. I think that’s why it has such a deep level of polish, because Elena has been developing her style for probably a decade now.”

And the hidden-object and merge gameplay mechanic itself is an example of sticking with a proven success. “When creating games, you usually want to invent a new mechanic, right?” says Schönfelder. “But Finding Hannah is for a more casual audience. And it’s been proven that the hidden-object mechanic works. So we eventually said, ‘Well, maybe we don’t need to reinvent the wheel here,’” she laughs.

Three characters from Finding Hannah, including Hannah’s grandmother, sunbathe on a roof as a World War II plane flies above.

The result is a hidden-object game like none other, part puzzler, part historically flavored narrative, part meditation on the choices faced by women across generations. And it couldn’t have come from a team with any other background. “In the beginning, I felt like I wasn’t part of the group, and maybe even a little ashamed that I wasn’t as games-literate as my colleagues,” says Schönfelder. “But what I thought was a weakness was actually a strength. Players don’t always play your game like you intended. And I felt a very strong, very sympathetic connection to people, and wanted to make the experience as smooth and accessible as possible. And I think that shows.”

Learn more about Finding Hannah

Download Finding Hannah from the App Store

Behind the Design is a series that explores design practices and philosophies from finalists and winners of the Apple Design Awards. In each story, we go behind the screens with the developers and designers of these award-winning apps and games to discover how they brought their remarkable creations to life.

Apple

Q&A with the Mac notary service team – Discover


A red lock icon set against a background of gray grids oriented diagonally.

Security is at the core of every Apple platform. The Mac notary service team is part of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture, and in this Q&A, they share their tips on app distribution and account security to help Mac developers have a positive experience — and protect their users.

When should I submit my new app for notarization?

Apps should be mostly complete at the time of notarization. There’s no need to notarize an app that isn’t functional yet.

How often should I submit my app for notarization?

You should submit all versions you might want to distribute, including beta versions. That’s because we build a profile of your unique software to help distinguish your apps from other developers’ apps, as well as malware. As we release new signatures to block malware, this profile helps ensure that the software you’ve notarized is unaffected.

What happens if my app is selected for additional analysis?

Some uploads to the notary service require additional evaluation. If your app falls into this category, rest assured that we’ve received your file and will complete the analysis, though it may take longer than usual. In addition, if you’ve made changes to your app while a prior upload has been delayed, it’s fine to upload a new build.

What should I do if my app is rejected?

Keep in mind that empty apps or apps that might damage someone’s computer (by changing important system settings without the owner’s knowledge, for instance) may be rejected, even if they’re not malicious. If your app is rejected, first confirm that your app doesn’t contain malware. Then determine whether it should be distributed privately instead, such as within your enterprise via MDM.

What should I do if my business changes?

Keep your developer account details — including your business name, contact info, address, and agreements — up to date. Drastic shifts in account activity or software you notarize can be signs that your account or certificate has been compromised. If we notice this type of activity, we may suspend your account while we investigate further.

I’m a contractor. What are some ways to make sure I’m developing responsibly?

Be cautious if anyone asks you to:

  • Sign, notarize, or distribute binaries that you didn’t develop.
  • Develop software that appears to be a clone of existing software.
  • Develop what looks like an internal enterprise application when your customer isn’t an employee of that company.
  • Develop software in a high-risk category, like VPNs, system utilities, finance, or surveillance apps. These categories of software have privileged access to private data, increasing the risk to users.

Remember: It’s your responsibility to know your customer and the functionality of all software you build and/or sign.

What can I do to maintain control of my developer account?

Since malware developers may try to gain access to legitimate accounts to hide their activity, be sure you have two-factor authentication enabled. Bad actors may also pose as consultants or employees and ask you to add them to your developer team. Luckily, there’s an easy solve: Don’t share access to your accounts.

Should I remove access for developers who are no longer on my team?

Yes. And we can revoke Developer ID certificates for you if you suspect they may have been compromised.

Learn more about notarization

Notarizing macOS software before distribution

Developer agreement for notarizing macOS applications

Two-factor authentication for developer accounts

Apple

Hello Developer: March 2024 – Discover


The word “Hello” in script in rainbow-color text and constructed out of small dots.

Welcome to Hello Developer. In this edition:

  • Find out what you can do at the Apple Developer Centers in Bengaluru, Cupertino, Shanghai, and Singapore.
  • Learn how the team behind Finding Hannah created a hidden-object game with a meaningful message.
  • Get security tips from the Mac notary service team.
  • Catch up on the latest news and documentation.

FEATURED

The interior of an Apple Developer Center, an open and brightly lit room with a gray couch, several wooden chairs, and a reception desk that sits underneath a large Apple logo.

Step inside the Apple Developer Centers

The new Apple Developer Centers are open around the world — and we can’t wait for you to come by. With locations in Bengaluru, Cupertino, Shanghai, and now Singapore, Apple Developer Centers are the home bases for in-person sessions, labs, workshops, and consultations around the world.

Whether you’re looking to enhance your existing app or game, refine your design, or launch a new project, there’s something exciting for you at the Apple Developer Centers. Browse activities in Bengaluru, Cupertino, Shanghai, and Singapore.

BEHIND THE DESIGN

In Finding Hannah, the main character, a woman with blue hair, stands in a garden talking with her grandmother, who’s sitting on a porch bench.

Uncover the hidden joys of Finding Hannah

On its surface, Finding Hannah is a bright and playful hidden-object game — but dig a little deeper and you’ll find something more. “It’s really a story about three women from three generations looking for happiness,” says Franziska Zeiner, cofounder and co-CEO of the Fein Games studio. “For each one, times are changing. But the question is: Are they getting better?” Find out how Zeiner and her Berlin-based team created this compelling Apple Design Award finalist.




Uncovering the hidden joys of Finding Hannah

Learn how Fein Games created a hidden object game with big aspirations.

View now

Q&A

A red lock icon set against a background of gray grids oriented diagonally.

Get answers from the Mac notary service team

Security is at the core of every Apple platform. The Mac notary service team is part of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture, and in this Q&A, they share their tips on app distribution and account security to help Mac developers have a positive experience — and protect their users.




Q&A with the Mac notary service team

Get tips on Mac app distribution and account security.

View now

VIDEOS

Three iPhone screenshots about resolving billing issues. The first shows a “Billing Problem” email with a message about how to resolve the issue. The second shows a notification about payment options and how a customer can update payment information to keep their subscription active. The third shows the Billing Issue alert on the App Store’s Today tab.

Improve your subscriber retention with App Store features

In this new video, App Store experts share their tips for minimizing churn and winning back subscribers.




Improve your subscriber retention with App Store features

Learn how to minimize churn and win back subscribers on the App Store. Explore App Store data, review different types of subscriber churn, discover tools you can use to enhance your retention efforts, and learn implementation best practices.

Watch now

GROW YOUR BUSINESS

The blue and white App Store logo on a dark background.

Make the most of custom product pages

Learn how you can highlight different app capabilities and content through additional (and fully localizable) versions of your product page. With custom product pages, you can create up to 35 additional versions — and view their performance data in App Store Connect.

Plus, thanks to seamless integration with Apple Search Ads, you can use custom product pages to easily create tailored ad variations on the App Store. Read how apps like HelloFresh, Pillow, and Facetune used the feature to gain performance improvements, like higher tap-through and conversion rates.

DOCUMENTATION

Find the details you need in new and updated docs

View the full list of new resources

NEWS

Catch up on the latest updates

Subscribe to Hello Developer

Want to get Hello Developer in your inbox? Make sure you’ve opted in to receive emails about developer news and events by updating your email preferences in your developer account.

Share your thoughts

We’d love to hear from you. If you have suggestions for our activities or stories, please let us know.

Apple

“Friday Night Baseball” returns to Apple TV+ on March 29



Browse articles