Apple TV+ is considered to be "below average" for both value and original programming when it comes to customer satisfaction, according to new data shared today by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).
Apple debuted in the 2019-20 U.S. annual index in 12th position, with a customer satisfaction rating of 74 out of 100, tying both Google Play and HBO.
Topping the index was Disney+ with a first-time score of 80 out of 100, which puts the new streaming service ahead of former leader Netflix, with 78 out of 100. Like Apple TV+, Disney+ launched in November.
Six months after its November 2019 launch, Disney+ had 54.5 million subscribers worldwide. The service has broad appeal to families with content spanning Walt Disney Studios, Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic, and the Star Wars universe—including the breakout series "The Mandalorian." According to viewers, Disney+ is a standout across much of the customer experience and its original content rates best in class.
Elsewhere this year, Hulu (now controlled by Disney) closed in on Netflix, up 1 percent to 77 out of 100. Likewise, the Apple TV app is up 1 percent to 77 for customer satisfaction.
Netflix remains the largest streaming service by far, with about 183 million subscribers worldwide. Apple hasn't released subscriber numbers and has a large number of non-paying customers as the company has been providing everyone who has purchased an Apple device since September with a free year of Apple TV+.
Apple is reportedly in the process of purchasing older movies and shows for its TV+ streaming service in a bid to build a back catalog of content, which will put it in a better position to rival the huge libraries available on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. As the ASCI report notes, it will be interesting to see if this improves customer satisfaction in the future.
The telecoms report shows that with more and more Americans stuck at home, video streaming overall has seen a boon in customer satisfaction among telecom industries. With a stable ACSI score of 76, video streaming now outpaces subscription TV by a gap of 12 points.
Google has rolled out several new transit features to Google Maps on iOS and Android that aim to help users travel safely as lockdown measures gradually ease in some countries following the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest version of Google Maps alerts users whose travel will be impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, including requirements like wearing a mask on public transport and whether a chosen route has checkpoints. The update was detailed in a Google blog post:
Getting from A to B can be more complicated these days. Because of COVID-19, it’s increasingly important to know how crowded a train station might be at a particular time or whether the bus is running on a limited schedule. Having this information before and during your trip is critical for both essential workers who need to safely navigate to work and will become more important for everyone as countries around the world begin to reopen.
While users of public transport will get crowd-sourced information on how busy services are, drivers will receive alerts about checkpoints and restrictions on their route, such as when crossing national borders, on the directions screen and after starting navigation if a route is affected by restrictions.
Google says the transit alerts are rolling out in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, France, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom and the U.S. where it has information from local transit agencies, with more coming soon.
In addition, users navigating to medical facilities or COVID-19 testing centers will get alerts reminding them to verify eligibility and facility guidelines to avoid being turned away or causing additional strain on the local healthcare system.
Starting this week, alerts for medical facilities will be available in Indonesia, Israel, the Philippines, South Korea, and the U.S., while testing center alerts will also be available in the U.S. Alerts are based on authoritative data from local, state, and federal governments or from their websites.
Apple has launched a new webpage showcasing the tight integration between iPhone and Apple Watch. "Add them together. Multiply their power," reads the minisite, which highlights the benefits that come with using the two devices in tandem.
Get directions on iPhone and a tap on your wrist when you need to turn. Check your heart rate on Apple Watch and track it over the last hour, day, month, or year on iPhone. When you put the two of them together, they add up to so much more.
Scrolling down the vector image-based page brings some of the more basic features into view first, like the ability to answer or decline a phone call or FaceTime call on Apple Watch, and then transfer it to your iPhone.
Messages are next, with Apple Watch features like quick replies, Tapback, emoji support and Scribbles covered, as well as the ability to ask Siri to compose or reply to an incoming message using your voice.
The site goes on to highlight the two devices' deep Camera app integration and the way you can use Apple Watch to remotely set up a shot on iPhone, including the ability to frame and shoot, zoom in and out, switch between the iPhone's front and back cameras, and switch between camera modes.
Elsewhere, Apple shines a light on the music capabilities of Apple Watch, such as Apple Music streaming, playlist support, and remote iPhone playback controls. There's also a section on Apple Watch health functions with iOS Health and Activity app integration, as well as mentions for handoff support in Maps, Find My, and Apple Pay.
Without disclosing anything new about iPhone and Apple Watch, the site does a good job of surfacing some lesser known features available to prospective customers who might be thinking about pairing the two devices.
Following the release of iOS 13.5.1 on June 1, Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.5, which means downgrading to that version of iOS is no longer possible.
iOS 13.5.1 included a fix for the vulnerability that enabled the unc0ver jailbreaking tool that was released on May 24. The unc0ver jailbreak was compatible with all versions of iOS up to iOS 13.5, but since it has been patched in iOS 13.5.1, it is not possible to jailbreak a device running the iOS 13.5.1 update.
Apple released a similar security fix for tvOS, watchOS, and macOS, patching the vulnerability across all devices.
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date.
iOS 13.5.1, with the security fix, is the only current publicly available version of iOS that can be installed on iPhones and iPads. Apple has also seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.5.5 updates to developers and public beta testers.
Apple should purchase a search engine to put pressure on Google, Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi said Monday in a research report that was shared by Barron's.
Apple and Google don't share details on the amount of money that Google pays to be the default search engine for iOS and Siri, but Sacconaghi estimates that it's around $7 to $8 billion per year, or 30 percent of the estimated $25 billion that Google generates in ad revenue from search on Apple devices.
Google has long paid Apple to prevent Apple from turning to other search engine options like Microsoft's Bing, but Sacconaghi believes that Google has the upper hand in business dealings because it could opt to end its Apple deal if it can convince 70 percent of iOS users to go to Google.com for searching even if it's not the default Safari option.
Apple doesn't have many alternatives to Google, with its only leverage being a swap to Bing, so Sacconaghi suggests that Apple should acquire its own search engine.
"Yes, Google is clearly the dominant force in search today. However, we suspect the company's fear of 'rocking the boat'--which could compromise $15 billion in profits it captures today from iOS--may ultimately limit its freedom of action with Apple. Conversely, Apple may be in a stronger position than at first glance, given it controls the keys to the kingdom on who can monetize iOS search. However, it remains uncomfortably dependent on Bing to act as a counterweight to Google--hence our suggestion that Apple acquire its own search engine."
As for which search engine, Sacconaghi thinks that DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine option, would be a good choice for Apple. Apple could, he speculates, buy it for under $1 billion, giving Apple a solid backup option that does not rely on Google or Microsoft.
"To be certain, we doubt an Apple-owned DuckDuckGo could ever generate profits sufficient to make back the $7 billion to $8 billion a year currently paid by Google. Nevertheless, Apple would still likely be better off than a worst-case scenario where it had no backup, and Google or Microsoft (one or the other) withdrew from the bidding process altogether."
DuckDuckGo would also be compatible with Apple's privacy values, offering iOS users a search option that is free from invasive ad tracking.
Sacconaghi warns that if Apple did attempt to purchase a search engine like DuckDuckGo, it could trigger regulatory oversight that could ultimately block the acquisition, putting Apple in a worse position than before. DuckDuckGo is also reliant on Bing, so Apple would need to make changes to be completely free of Microsoft's influence.
Apple previously used Bing for Siri and Spotlight on Mac and iOS, but in 2017 swapped over to Google for consistency across iOS and Mac devices. Apple has not been rumored to be seeking to make a search engine acquisition.
Unlike some Android phones, Apple's iPhones don't have a dedicated notification LED that lights up when you get a call, text, or other alert. What iPhones do include is an optional Accessibility feature for the deaf and hard of hearing that blinks the rear camera flash and provides a visual cue for incoming notifications.
Even if your hearing is fine, having a visual cue for incoming alerts can be handy to have if, say, you're in a quiet environment and don't want to disturb the peace. An LED flash notification can be useful when your iPhone or iPad is lying on a table with vibration alerts off, for instance.
Follow the steps below to turn on LED flash alerts on your iPhone or iPad Pro. Just remember to leave your iOS device locked with the screen down and the rear camera system in your line of sight.
Launch the Settings app on your device.
Tap Accessibility.
Turn on LED Flash for Alerts using the toggle switch.
Turn on Flash on Silent if you only want LED flash alerts when your iPhone or iPad Pro is silenced.
Note that the LED Flash for Alerts option only works on iPad Pro 2016 or later models, but is compatible with all iPhones that have a rear flash feature.
The new cases can be purchased from Apple's online store for $39 using the links above. Updated colors include Seafoam, Vitamin C, and Linen Blue, which are light green, orange, and dark blue shades, respectively. There is no Coastal Gray Silicone case option, which is a band color that Apple just released.
Apple regularly refreshes the available colors of its case options designed for the iPhone, and this summer release comes just two weeks ahead of WWDC 2020, a digital-only event that will kick off on June 22.
Apple today updated its Sport Bands designed for the Apple Watch with new summer colors that include Seafoam, Vitamin C, Linen Blue, and Coastal Gray.
The new bands, which are priced at $49 each like other Sport Bands, can be purchased from Apple's online store and the bands should also be in Apple retail stores that are open in the near future. The bands are available in both 40 and 44mm size options.
Apple refreshes its Apple Watch band color options on a regular basis, renewing the available shades with each season. Often these refreshes come at events, and today's release comes just two weeks ahead of Apple's digital WWDC 2020 event.
Apple is continuing to offer the Sport Band in other colors that were made available earlier this year, and there appear to be no other band refreshes at this time.
MacRumors and Anker are partnering up again this month to offer our readers savings on useful accessories like USB-C to Lightning cables, portable batteries, wireless chargers, and wall chargers. All of the devices in this sale can be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can find the full list of over a dozen discounted accessories below. To see the sale prices, add the Anker products you want to your cart, then enter the relevant coupon codes during the checkout screen on Amazon. These discount codes will be live from today through Sunday, June 14, and only one coupon code can be used per order.
Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of Steve Jobs introducing the iPhone 4 and FaceTime at WWDC 2010 in San Francisco.
A few months prior to the keynote, photos of a prototype iPhone 4 were leaked by Gizmodo after an Apple engineer accidentally left the device behind at a bar in Redwood City, California, leading Jobs to quip "stop me if you've already seen this."
iPhone 4 featured an all-new design with a glass and stainless steel unibody and squared edges, with Jobs describing it as the thinnest smartphone ever at the time. It was also the first Apple product to feature a higher-resolution Retina display, with an average person unable to see individual pixels on the screen from an average viewing distance.
While its design was acclaimed, it was soon discovered that the iPhone 4 could experience signal drop when gripped in a way that blocked the antennas built into the frame. Jobs downplayed the issue in a press conference, noting that all smartphones have antenna weak spots, but Apple did offer a free bumper case to customers that helped to mitigate the problem. The following year, the iPhone 4S featured significant antenna upgrades.
Later in the keynote, Jobs introduced FaceTime, which he demonstrated by having a video call with Apple's recently departed design chief Jony Ive. Apple initially planned to make FaceTime an open standard, but that never happened, with some reports having claimed that patent lawsuits are at least partly to blame.
Signs of the AirPods Pro's availability on Amazon still remain, as seen on the landing page for AirPods. Text remains for the AirPods Pro, but any images have been removed and the link is no longer clickable. Additionally, you can also still purchase AirPods accessories on Amazon, like the standalone Wireless Charging Case.
A similar occurrence happened with the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5 earlier in January, when Amazon silently pulled all listings for the smartwatches from its online store. A few hours after the removal, the Apple Watch did eventually return to Amazon, so there is a good possibility the same thing could happen with the AirPods Pro. Still, the AirPods Pro listing has been gone for at least 18 hours.
If you're shopping for deals on the AirPods Pro, Verizon is again offering the headphones for $219.99, down from $249.00. Like previous Verizon discounts, you'll need to add the AirPods Pro to your cart to see the $30 discount. Verizon supports free two day shipping, and some retail stores are offering same-day pick-up for some locations across the United States.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Following a discount on the 512GB MacBook Air on Friday, Amazon today is kicking off the work week with a deal on the newest 256GB MacBook Air. This notebook is available for $899.99, down from $999.00. Every color is available at this price.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
At $99 off, this is the lowest we've ever tracked for this model of the 2020 MacBook Air. If you're interested in the 512GB model, Amazon is still offering this notebook for $1,199.00, down from $1,299.00. Only the Gold color option is available at this price.
You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.
In this week's App Recap, we've highlighted music app "Concertino" and finance app "Outgoing" as new apps worth checking out. We've also both highlighted older apps worth checking out and compiled a list of apps that received major updates this week.
New Apps
Concertino (iOS, Free) - Apple Music client app Concertino was recently released for iOS, and it works by combining information from the Open Opus library with "an automated analysis of Apple Music metadata." The app can conveniently organize music from A to Z, by popularity, by time period, and more. Users can also organize songs by either setting them as favorites or creating playlists, and these can also be used to create a radio station. Although the app is free to download, an active Apple Music subscription is required for full music playback.
Outgoings (iOS, $1.99) - Outgoings, a new expense tracking app, allows users to track recurring expenses to gain insight as to how much is being spent on subscriptions over time. Users have the ability to set icons for individual "outgoings," which are individual subscription fees for services. Outgoing features a wide range of colors that can be used around the app. Users also have the ability to customize the app's icon by choosing from four different icons. The app allows users to create custom tags to group subscriptions, which is helpful when analyzing monthly subscriptions by type.
Older Apps to Check Out
Coursera (iOS, Free) - Coursera is an education app that offers online courses in over ten different subjects. The app is great for those looking to either simply learn more about a certain subject or enroll in a specific course to bolster a career path. Users can access over 3,500 online courses in which corresponding video lectures can be streamed from anywhere and downloaded for offline viewing. The app also features discussion forums, which can be used either to connect with other learners or to post questions. Although free to download, Coursera offers both free and paid course options, but users must take a paid course in order to unlock quizzes and obtain a Certificate. Users have the option to select several different course options at a variety of price points.
Day One (iOS & Mac, Free) - Day One, a journaling app marketed as "your journal for life," allows users to add photos, videos, drawings, and audio recordings to materialize their entries. It's simple interface makes it easy to navigate the app's many unique capabilities. Additionally, the app offers an On This Day feature that allows users to jump back to entries written in the past. The app's free version allows for unlimited journal entires, but users looking for more features such as a cloud backup and a sync across multiple devices can subscribe to Day One Premium, which is priced at $34.99 per year.
App Updates
Apple Research - Apple this week updated its Apple Research app to introduce updates for its Apple Hearing Study and its Apple Heart & Movement Study. There's a new "Speech in Noise" test that's available in the Apple Hearing Study, which is designed to help researchers understand participants' hearing ability under various circumstances. For the Apple Heart & Movement Study, there's a new survey available that will help researchers understand the impact of COVID-19 on daily life.
Gmail - The Gmail app's long-awaited dark mode feature appears to have finally completed on iPhone and iPad. Google announced dark mode for its Gmail app back in September 2019, but rollout since then has been limited on iOS, as some users managing to activate dark mode in the app had the feature vanish on the next restart.
Peloton - Peloton this week introduced an Apple TV app that provides access to live and on-demand workouts now on the big screen. The app is free to download, but it does require a Peloton membership.
Signal - Encrypted messaging app Signal this week announced the rollout of a new face-blurring feature that automatically locates and blurs faces in images shared over the platform. According to Signal cofounder Moxie Marlinspike, all processing involved in the new blur feature happens locally on the device to maintain privacy.
Apple has won a new patent that would allow for "synthetic group selfies," as mentioned by The Verge. Should this software be successfully developed, users would have the ability to take group selfies while not physically present with anyone.
Based on the patent application, it appears a user could invite others to take part in a group selfie, and the individuals would be arranged accordingly into the frame. The patent also describes a window that appears on the invited users' screens that prompts them to participate in the group selfie photo.
Once the desired users have accepted the invitation and are positioned in the frame, the group selfie options could include "still photos, stored video images, or live streaming images." These would allow for several different options for users when creating a synthetic selfie.
Although the idea of taking a group selfie seems fitting during uncertain times, The Verge notes that Apple first filed for the patent in 2018 and it was only recently granted. It is also worth mentioning that Apple files many patents, and only some of its granted patents ever make it to fruition.
Apple plans to debut interest-free payment plan options for customers who purchase iPads, AirPods, Macs, and more using Apple Card, allowing them to pay for purchases over several months.
According to Bloomberg, Apple will roll out the Apple Card feature in the coming weeks, with customers given up to 12 months to pay for their products before interest is due.
The 12 month plan will be available for iPads, Macs, the Apple Pencil, iPad keyboards, and the Pro Display XDR, while six month payment plans will be offered for AirPods, Apple TV, and HomePod.
Customers will be able to make payments through the Wallet app, with charges added each month to their Apple Card bills.
Apple rolled out a 24-month interest free iPhone installment plan for Apple Card users back in December, which lets customers purchase an iPhone with the Apple Card and pay over the course of 24 months.
The new device payment plans will work in the same way. Customers will get three percent Daily Cash back for their purchases, and the plans will be compatible with Apple's educational discounts.
During Apple's most recent earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple was planning to provide payment plan options for devices other than the iPhone. "As you know, we launched the payment plan earlier on Apple Card for iPhone," he said. "We're working on that for other products and you'll see something on that shortly."
Apple's upcoming payment plans are meant to boost sales of Apple devices by allowing customers to pay for their items over time, as well as bolster Apple Card signups.
In an alternate universe, this might have been WWDC week in San Jose, but with the conference being converted to an online event kicking off June 22, we've still got a few more weeks to go.
This week's news in general was dominated by unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, with prominent leaders and companies including Apple's Tim Cook sharing thoughts on the events and what they might mean for the future.
Otherwise, we saw a mix of news and rumors this, ranging from the release of the first beta of iOS 13.5.5 and similar updates for Apple's other platforms, rumors about future iPhone, iPad, and iPad Pro models, and a price increase for upgrading the RAM in the just-released entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Read on below and check out our video above for details on these stories and more from the past week.
Apple CEO Tim Cook on George Floyd's Death: We Must Aim Far Higher Than a 'Normal' Future
Cook said Apple remains committed to pushing progress forward on inclusion and diversity, bringing critical resources and technology to underserved school systems, and fighting environmental injustices like climate change, which disproportionally affects Black communities and other communities of color. Apple is also donating to organizations that challenge racial injustice and mass incarceration, including the Equal Justice Initiative.
A number of Apple Stores are temporarily closed in the United States as protests continue in many regions.
Apple Seeds First Beta of iOS and iPadOS 13.5.5 to Developers and Public Beta Testers
We haven't seen much in the way of visible changes in iOS 13.5.5 yet, but there have been some buried changes revealing Apple's work on Apple News+ audio content and a services bundle that's been rumored to include multiple Apple services like Apple TV+ and Apple Music for one monthly fee.
Apple Doubles the Price of RAM Upgrade on Entry-Level 13-Inch MacBook Pro
In a statement, Apple said the change is a "price correction" which puts the $200 RAM upgrade on par with similar upgrades for other Macs like the iMac and MacBook Air.
Next iPad Air Could Feature a USB-C Port Instead of a Lightning Port
There are tons of hidden features and shortcuts for Macs, ranging from shortcuts to keyboard commands to other little hacks. In one of our latest YouTube videos, we highlighted several of these tips and tricks, and some of them might just be new to you.
iPad Pro With A14X Chip, 5G, and Mini-LED Display Expected in First Half of 2021
While earlier rumors pointed towards a late 2020 refresh of the iPad Pro, it is looking increasingly likely that the device will not be updated until next year.
A spring 2021 refresh to the iPad Pro would make sense given that Apple just refreshed the device in March, although that was a relatively minor update. New features include an A12Z Bionic chip that is very similar to the A12X chip, an Ultra Wide camera that enables 0.5x zoom, a LiDAR Scanner for enhanced augmented reality, and better sounding microphones.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Apple has included an ECG function in new Apple Watch models since 2018, providing users in select territories with the ability to measure the electrical activity of their heart. Apple now appears to be ready to extend the ECG feature to Brazil and Japan, based on recent government filings.
According to MacOtakara, Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) recently updated its list of registered foreign manufacturers to include Apple as a "certified entity." Apple's inclusion in the list makes no mention of the ECG function, but it's more than likely that Apple's certification relates to the feature found in Apple Watch Series 4 and 5 models.
Apple was registered on March 25, 2020, which 9to5Mac notes was the same day the Brazilian government announced approval of Apple's ECG app. Apple will likely now issue an update to Apple Watch users in the two countries to enable the electrocardiogram feature and irregular heart notifications on their devices.
Apple routinely has to gain approval from government health agencies before marketing the Apple Watch's ECG feature in different countries. Apple won U.S. FDA clearance to promote the function when the Apple Watch Series 4 launched in 2018.
Saudi Arabia was the last country to gain ECG functionality and irregular heart rhythm notifications with the release of watchOS 6.2.5 in May.
After months of delay and inconsistent functionality, the rollout of Google's long-awaited dark mode for Gmail appears to have finally completed on iPhone and iPad.
Version 6.0.200519 of Gmail, which propagated through the App Store overnight, includes the following release notes:
Pro Tip (if you haven't noticed): You can now switch between dark or light theme after upgrading to iOS 13. Or you can use the system theme set by default.
Google announced dark mode for its Gmail app back in September 2019, but rollout since then has been patchy on iOS to say the least, with some users managing to activate dark mode in the app, only for it to vanish on the next restart. Others haven't been able to access the feature at all.
With a bit of luck, today's update should bring an end to months of waiting for a large segment of users. To enable dark mode in Gmail on iPhone and iPad, update the app on your device, then follow these steps.
Launch the Gmail app.
Tap the Menu icon (the three lines) in the top-left corner of the screen.
Scroll down and tap Settings.
Tap Theme. (If you don't see the option, try force-quitting and then relaunching the app.)
Select Light, Dark, or System default. The latter option makes Gmail's theme default to your device's system settings, which is a useful option if you've set the appearance of iOS to change automatically depending on the time of day.
Note that if your device is running iOS 11 or iOS 12, you'll see a Dark theme toggle instead of a Theme submenu in the Settings screen.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
