MacRumors

Roughly four months after hitting an all-time high just before financial markets and economies faltered in the face of the current public health crisis, Apple's stock price has returned to those levels and has set a new all-time high today.

Apple's previous intraday high of $327.85 was set on January 29, and that high-water mark was surpassed just a few minutes ago as it hit $328.00 before pulling back slightly. Apple's share price had fallen as low as $212.61 on March 23 before beginning a fairly steady march back up. The company's all-time closing high is $327.20, set on February 12.

Apple is up over $4.00 today amid broader market gains as U.S. employment numbers for the month of May released today came in with an unexpected increase.

Update 1:10 p.m.: Apple's stock also set a record-high closing price of $331.50 after hitting an intraday high of $331.75 shortly before the close.

When it comes to wireless over-ear Bluetooth audio, Sony's flagship WH-1000MX3 headphones are among the best on the market, and the launch of the fourth-generation model appears to be right around the corner.

A new listing (since removed) on Walmart's website, spotted on Thursday by Android Police, reveals pretty much all there is to know about Sony's upcoming WH-1000MX4 noise canceling headphones, including some notable new features and a $348 price tag.

According to the specs list, the forthcoming model will include Edge-AI, Sony's latest codec for upscaling compressed audio files in real-time. The technology uses artificial intelligence to restore the high-range sound lost in compression, which Sony says allows for a richer, more complete listening experience.

There's also a new Adaptive Sound Control mode that lets users create custom profiles in the companion app that will adjust the noise canceling based on location, and new Precise Voice Pickup Technology promises to pick up the user's voice better through the five built-in microphones when on a call.

In addition, the 1000XM4's will be able to connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time. That's a big plus in our book – previous models haven't supported dynamic switching between audio sources, and having to manually disconnect them from your ‌iPhone‌ so that you can connect to your Mac and vice versa just feels clunky.

Bose's QC35 and 700 headphones have no trouble pairing with two devices and automatically switching between them based on which one is transmitting an audio signal. In our Bluetooth saturated age, it's hard to overstate just how convenient this feature is.

Like the current model, the 1000XM4's will offer 30 hours of wired/wireless battery life on a single charge, and users will be able to get five hours' worth of charge after 10 minutes connected to a power outlet. Sony hasn't officially announced the new 1000XM4's yet, but given the Walmart listing and an FCC filing late last year, expect to see them in the next week or two. Until then, why not check out our review of Sony's current flagship model.

Facebook has just made a photo transfer tool globally available that lets account holders easily download all their pictures and videos from the social network to Google Photos.

Previously, the majority of Facebook users wanting to download their media from the site had to do it manually. From today, however, users with a Google ‌Photos‌ account can automate the job, and Facebook says more cloud services will be supported soon.

Even if you've had enough of Facebook, the built-in tansfer tool is handy if you want to save your media before permanently closing your account. The following steps explain how it works.

1. Log into your Facebook account in a web browser, then click the down arrow in the top-right corner of Facebook's menu bar.
   
   

2. Select Settings.
   
   

3. Select Your Facebook information.
   
   

4. Select Transfer a copy of your photos or videos.
   
   

5. Enter your Facebook password if prompted, then click Choose destination and choose Google Photos from the dropdown.
   
   

6. Use the radio buttons to opt to transfer a copy of either your photos or videos you've uploaded to Facebook, then click Next
   .
   

7. Sign into Google ‌Photos‌ and grant Facebook permission to add media to your Google ‌Photos‌ library, then click the Confirm Transfer button on the next screen.
   

After the transfer is finished, you'll receive an email from Facebook notifying you that the process is complete.

Broadcom, a company that makes components for Apple's iPhone, today suggested some 2020 ‌iPhone‌ models could see a delayed launch this year due to the ongoing global health crisis.

As relayed by Bloomberg, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan today discussed a "major product cycle delay" at a "large North American mobile phone" company. There was no mention of Apple by name, but according to Bloomberg, this is phrasing that Tan often uses to describe Apple.

Tan was discussing the situation because wireless revenue expected by Broadcom will come one quarter later than usual in 2020.

"We are in," Hock said, referring Broadcom components in the iPhone. "The question is timing."

"This year, we do not expect to see this uptick in revenue until our fourth fiscal quarter," the CEO added. "So accordingly, we expect, our wireless revenue in Q3 will be down sequentially."

There have been mixed rumors about ‌iPhone‌ release dates, but most information suggests Apple is still planning to debut new devices this fall. There may, however, be delays that will cause some of the new iPhones to be released at a later date than normal.

Apple in 2018 released the ‌iPhone‌ XS and XS Max in September and later released the ‌iPhone‌ XR in October, so we could potentially see a similar staggered release this year.

As employees begin returning to work at Apple's Apple Park and Infinite Loop campuses, Apple is implementing COVID-19 prevention measures that include testing, social distancing, and temperature checks, reports Bloomberg.

Some employees, such as hardware and software engineers, began returning to ‌Apple Park‌ in May. Some of the people who are working at the campus are doing so for just a few days a week, with Apple limiting the number of people allowed in closed spaces, such as elevators.

Employees who return to the campus are being provided with an option to take a coronavirus nasal-swab test, while temperature checks are mandatory. Apple has closed many of its break room kitchens, and is asking employees to wear masks through posted signs.

‌Apple Park‌ features large open work spaces where employees worked in close proximity, but Bloomberg says that Apple is going to need to make changes to bring the rest of its workforce back to the campus. For now, some employees are continuing to work from home.

Apple's head of retail and people Deirdre O'Brien told employees in May that the return to Apple's campuses worldwide would be done in phases over the course of a few months. The first phase, in which some employees are returning, is in progress now.

A second phase in July will see more employees return to work, though Apple has said that its plans are fluid and may change based on local and state stay-at-home orders.

Apple has also begun reopening its Apple retail locations worldwide, and in the United States, more than 100 stores are open. Many of these locations are limited to device pickups and repairs.

Apple appears to be working on keyboard shortcuts that will allow users who have a Magic Keyboard or other attached keyboard with key brightness settings to adjust the brightness level.

Signs of Apple's work on the shortcuts were found in iOS 13.5.5 code by 9to5Mac. The site says the beta has references to keyboard shortcuts that replace some function keys.

We've found evidence in code that suggests the existence of new keyboard shortcuts to change the brightness of the iPad screen or even the backlight of the keyboard. However, we haven't been able to activate these shortcuts yet, and it's unclear if these will be customizable.

One of the negatives of the Magic Keyboard designed for the iPad Pro is that there's no quick way to change the brightness of the backlit keys because the keyboard lacks a function row in an effort to keep it compact.

iPadOS offers an option to remap modifier keys to do things like allow the Caps Lock button to serve as an Escape key, and 9to5Mac suggests that the brightness function keys will be adjustable similar to modifier keys, but with shortcut combinations.

iPad keyboards not designed by Apple that do feature function row keys typically have built-in brightness controls for backlighting, but this would be a welcome change for those that do not such as the Magic Keyboard.

On Friday, June 5, Apple Watch owners will be able to complete a new Apple Watch activity challenge in celebration of World Environment Day.

The challenge, which is listed in the Activity app on the iPhone, asks users to close their Stand rings.

Recognize World Environment Day this Friday. Close your Stand ring on June 5 and earn this award by getting up and moving around for at least one minute during 12 hours that day.

Completing the challenge will award users with a unique badge viewable in the Awards section of the Activity app on ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch.

Apple has shied away from offering activity challenges during the global health crisis as people have been indoors, but a stand goal challenge is simple to complete regardless of location and does not require leaving the house.

We still have a few months to go before Apple unveils the iPhone 12, but rumors about the iPhone 13, coming in fall 2021, are already circulating.

Japanese site Mac Otakara today shared a rough 3D printed mockup of a 5.5-inch ‌iPhone‌ said to be coming in 2021, which is from "Alibaba sources." The model may be built on leaked specifications and rumors, but where the info comes from is unclear.

It's a successor to the smaller 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ that's expected in 2020, so likely one of the lower-end devices in the 2021 lineup, if accurate. It's the same size as the rumored 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌, but design changes provide more available display space.

The ‌iPhone‌ features no notch for the TrueDepth camera, and the FaceTime camera is located in the front center. Mac Otakara suggests the ‌iPhone‌ could use Samsung's Under Panel Sensor technology, which would allow cameras to be positioned under a display. The site also speculates about a possible bottom-of-screen camera, a rumor we haven't heard before and which seems unlikely.

Along with no notch, the mockup features ultra thin bezels, and while the camera module is not fleshed out, there are dots that suggest open space for testing different camera modules. Late last month, leaker Fudge (@choco_bit) said that the higher-end ‌iPhone‌ models coming in 2021 will feature four camera setups with LiDAR technology, but it's not clear if that information is accurate.

One other major design change appears to be a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port. There have been rumors about Apple swapping over to USB-C for years now. Another Fudge leak from late last month suggested Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup will be portless, combining wireless charging with a Smart Connector system for data transfer.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also said that the high-end 2021 ‌iPhone‌ will have a "completely wireless experience."

Whether we'll end up with a port-free design, USB-C, or another year with Lightning remains to be seen, but past rumors have said that in the long-term, Apple wants an ‌iPhone‌ without external ports and buttons.

‌Mac Otakara‌ says the mockup depicts just one prototype that's under development, so Apple's plans may ultimately change and this mockup is unlikely to represent the final version of the ‌iPhone‌ that we see in 2021.

The Information today published a detailed look at the difficulties Apple has faced trying to assemble its products with robots rather than humans.

The report claims that, beginning in 2012, Apple assembled a team of robotics and automation specialists at a secret lab in Sunnyvale, California to search for ways to reduce the number of workers on its production lines. However, the team is said to have quickly encountered challenges designing some of these automated systems:

Building a robot that can fasten screws is among the hardest challenges in the industry. A robot must pick up the screw at a specific angle and align it with a hole using multiple industrial cameras. Apple uses screws so tiny that robots had no way to measure the force used to drill them in. By contrast, human workers can feel the resistance from their hand and can tell when something is off.

As for putting glue onto display panels, Apple’s specifications are so tight that glue must often be placed within a millimeter of its desired spot inside a product. One former team member said well-trained Chinese workers were more adept at applying glue than their robot counterparts.

While many of the automated systems were abandoned or not implemented, the team apparently did have some success replacing workers with robots for simpler tasks such as testing of products like the Apple TV, Apple Watch, and iPad.

The report provides many more examples of Apple's attempts at ramping up automation, only to experience challenges. In 2014, for instance, Apple attempted to automate assembly of its since-discontinued 12-inch MacBook, but the production line apparently turned out to be more trouble than it was worth due to various issues:

In early trials, the conveyor systems moved erratically, slowing down the movement of parts. A robot that installed the keyboard using 88 small screws kept malfunctioning, requiring humans to come in afterward and rework most of the process. Containers used for moving parts kept piling up on conveyors, creating traffic jams.

These issues apparently led Apple to delay the launch of the 12-inch MacBook by around six months. The notebook was released in April 2015.

The report concludes that, while Apple has not had much success using robots to assemble its products as a whole, automation can be effective for specific parts. A few years ago, Apple also introduced a robot named Daisy that can take apart up to 200 iPhone devices per hour, removing and sorting components for recycling purposes.

Apple's supply chain partners are already developing OLED displays using LTPO backplane technology for 2021 iPhones, according to DigiTimes.

A paywalled preview of the report reads as follows:

iPhone OLED screens may adopt LTPO backplanes in 2021, say sources
Apple has yet to introduce its 5G iPhones for 2020, but its supply chain is already developing OLED screens using LTPO backplane technology for next year's premium iPhone models, according industry sources.

LTPO technology would result in a more power efficient backplane, which is responsible for turning individual pixels on and off on the display. This could pave the way for longer battery life and/or new features like ProMotion or an always-on display.

While leakers Max Weinbach and Jon Prosser have claimed that ProMotion is a possibility on some 2020 iPhones, display analyst Ross Young believes that LTPO is essential if Apple plans to support ProMotion on the iPhone, as it would allow for a variable refresh as low as 1Hz when the device is inactive in order to optimize battery life.

The full report should be released by tomorrow, so we will update our coverage at that time if there are additional details.

Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared an open letter addressing the death of George Floyd while in police custody last month, referring to the "senseless killing" as "shocking and tragic proof that we must aim far higher than a 'normal' future."

The letter is similar to a memo that Cook shared with Apple employees last week, but it adds a few actions that Apple remains committed to, including pushing progress forward on inclusion and diversity, bringing critical resources and technology to underserved school systems, and fighting environmental injustices like climate change, which Apple says 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.

The open letter is featured on the homepage of Apple's website:

Speaking up on racism

Right now, there is a pain deeply etched in the soul of our nation and in the hearts of millions. To stand together, we must stand up for one another, and recognize the fear, hurt, and outrage rightly provoked by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism.

That painful past is still present today — not only in the form of violence, but in the everyday experience of deeply rooted discrimination. We see it in our criminal justice system, in the disproportionate toll of disease on Black and Brown communities, in the inequalities in neighborhood services and the educations our children receive.

While our laws have changed, the reality is that their protections are still not universally applied. We've seen progress since the America I grew up in, but it is similarly true that communities of color continue to endure discrimination and trauma.

I have heard from so many that you feel afraid — afraid in your communities, afraid in your daily lives, and, most cruelly of all, afraid in your own skin. We can have no society worth celebrating unless we can guarantee freedom from fear for every person who gives this country their love, labor, and life.

At Apple, our mission has been and always will be to create technology that empowers people to change the world for the better. We've always drawn strength from diversity, welcomed people from every walk of life to our stores around the world, and strived to build an Apple that is inclusive of everyone.

But we must do more. We commit to continuing our work to bring critical resources and technology to underserved school systems. We commit to continuing to fight the forces of environmental injustice — like climate change — which disproportionately harm Black communities and other communities of color. We commit to looking inward and pushing progress forward on inclusion and diversity, so that every great idea can be heard. And we’re donating to organizations including the Equal Justice Initiative, which challenge racial injustice and mass incarceration.

To create change, we have to reexamine our own views and actions in light of a pain that is deeply felt but too often ignored. Issues of human dignity will not abide standing on the sidelines. To the Black community — we see you. You matter and your lives matter.

This is a moment when many people may want nothing more than a return to normalcy, or to a status quo that is only comfortable if we avert our gaze from injustice. As difficult as it may be to admit, that desire is itself a sign of privilege. George Floyd's death is shocking and tragic proof that we must aim far higher than a "normal" future, and build one that lives up to the highest ideals of equality and justice.

In the words of Martin Luther King, "Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change."

With every breath we take, we must commit to being that change, and to creating a better, more just world for everyone.

A fundraiser has been set up on GoFundMe for George Floyd's six-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd and her mother Roxie Washington.

Google has added a new content highlighting feature to its search engine that aims to make it easier to find key information on webpages, reports SearchEngineLand (via The Verge).

The feature works with Google's Featured Snippets, which appear at the top of search results. Clicking a snippet takes the user to the source webpage, but now the browser automatically scrolls down the page to the text that appeared in the snippet and highlights it in yellow.

Google says the feature has been available with AMP pages since December 2018, but this is the first time Google has rolled it out for regular HTML content, too.

Web developers don't need to do anything to get content highlighting working on their sites, as it's all managed at Google's end and happens automatically, although our tests backed up The Verge's claim that, currently, it doesn't always work.

The search shown in the images at the top of our article worked on desktop in Chrome, but not in Safari or Firefox, for example. They didn't work in the mobile versions of these browsers for us at all.

As noted by SearchEngineLand, the feature could have an impact on the ad market, since visitors may be automatically scrolled down past website ads to the highlighted content. In some instances, sites may need to relocate their ads to align with the new Google feature.