Update: Apple has released a longer version of the ad on its YouTube channel in the United Kingdom. Original story follows.
Peeling the protective film off a new iPhone has always been an oddly satisfying part of the unboxing process, to the point that it has become somewhat of a meme, and now Apple is getting in on the amusement.
Apple has shared a short ad for its new iPhone SE that revolves around a person slowly peeling the protective film off the device:
Apple has yet to upload the new iPhone SE ad to its official YouTube channel.
The second-generation iPhone SE has a similar design as the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button, but it has a faster A13 Bionic chip. Other features of the device include a single-lens 12-megapixel Wide rear camera with Portrait mode support, wireless charging, IP67-rated water resistance, and Wi-Fi 6.
Apple has taken down its online store in preparation for iPhone SE pre-orders, due to start today at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
The original iPhone SE was a budget 4-inch iPhone before being discontinued in 2018, but Apple has revived the name in with a new 4.7-inch model announced earlier this week that looks like an iPhone 8 with internals similar to those of the iPhone 11.
There's a single-lens 12-megapixel rear camera in the iPhone SE with an f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilization, and support for Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting. Night Mode is not supported, but there is Smart HDR, Wide color support, and more, plus an LED True Tone flash with Slow Sync capabilities.
Because the iPhone SE is physically identical to an iPhone 8, it continues to feature thick top and bottom bezels. The top bezel houses the 7-megapixel front-facing camera and microphone while the bottom bezel includes a Touch ID Home button for fingerprint-based biometric authentication.
Like the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max, the iPhone SE features support for Haptic Touch instead of 3D Touch. That means 3D Touch has officially been eliminated from Apple's iPhone lineup as the now-discontinued iPhone 8 was the last iPhone Apple sold that supported 3D Touch.
The second-generation iPhone SE features an A13 Bionic chip, 3GB RAM, and a low starting price of $399. Comes in white, black, and red, and comes with 64, 128, or 256GB of storage. First pre-orders are expected to ship in one week.
YouTube channel EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach have shared what they're claiming is a sneak peek of Apple's hitherto unreleased "iPhone 12 Pro Max," based on alleged leaked CAD designs.
The key thing about the CADs is they line up with rumors suggesting that Apple's new iPhone will take many design cues from the iPad Pro. The schematics show a squared-edged stainless steel frame between two pieces of glass, replacing the rounded stainless steel frame of the iPhone 11 series.
In order to house the bigger 6.7-inch OLED screen, the device will be slightly wider and taller, and the bezels have been shaved to an impressive 1.55mm, compared to 2.52mm on the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max.
They also mirror rumors that the new iPhone 12 Pro Max will have a thickness of 7.4mm, which would be quite a bit thinner than the 8.1mm thick iPhone 11 Pro Max. However, the camera bump is said to be slightly thicker, 1.26mm rather than 1.21mm, although the cameras themselves don't protrude as much.
One oddity in the designs is that the size of the notch is the same as the one found on Apple's current iPhone lineup. Previous rumors suggest Apple has designed a smaller notch, although Weinbach claims that these details weren't finalized when the CAD was made, which is a genuine possibility.
Smart Connector-esque input where SIM card try used to be.
One less speaker hole on right side speaker grille.
10 to 15 percent louder speakers.
Power button sits slightly lower on device.
New colors could include light blue, violet, and light orange.
Weinbach has accurately revealed a new iPhone color in the past, and has previously claimed that the iPhone 12 in Navy Blue could replace the Midnight Green finish available for iPhone 11 Pro models.
Weinbach also accurately predicted that the volume HUD would become less obtrusive in iOS 13, but he has also shared several Apple-related rumors that did not pan out, including the iPad getting a native Calculator app in iOS 13 and the HomePod launching in Austria and Italy within 2019. Weinbach has a more established track record with Android-related rumors, but this could be set to change.
Apple is expected to offer four iPhones in three different sizes this year: A 5.4-inch iPhone, a 6.7-inch iPhone, and two 6.1-inch iPhones. One 6.1-inch model and the 6.7-inch model will be higher-end iPhones, while the other 6.1-inch iPhone and the 5.4-inch iPhone will be lower-end models and successors to the iPhone 11.
"Home," a TV show about people who live in creative houses, today launched on Apple TV+, marking the debut of the service's first docuseries.
"Home" is described as a look at the imaginative dwellings of visionaries who challenge the conventional concepts of "home" and rethink how we live.
There are nine episodes in the series featuring different dwellings around the world in places like Sweden, Bali, Chicago, Hong Kong, Maine, India, Malibu, Austin, and Mexico. Each episode is around 30 minutes long.
The first episode of the series, "Sweden," features the home of a man who constructed a greenhouse over a log cabin, while other episodes feature a home made entirely from bamboo, a science fiction-themed house, a home made from handcrafted materials, and more.
The show is available now in the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Macs, Apple TV, and select smart TVs that include the Apple TV app. It is available to all Apple TV+ subscribers.
Last September, Apple launched a web-based Apple Music experience, offering users a similar experience to the Mac version of the Music app with "For You," "Browse," and "Radio" sections, along with playlists, recommendations and more.
As of today, Apple Music on the web has exited beta and is now available at music.apple.com. The previous beta.music.apple.com address automatically forwards to the newly launched version.
Once you're signed into the web version of Apple Music with your Apple ID that has an associated Apple Music subscription, you'll have access to all of your library and playlist content, as well as the same personal mixes and recommendations you'll see in the Music apps for iOS, Mac, and Android.
Apple Music content plays right in the web browser, providing access for an array of devices and platforms that don't have native Music app support, include Windows 10, Linux, and Chrome OS.
Apple Music on the web is also where you can access your Apple Music Replay mixes with personalized playlists for each year reflecting your most-played songs. Once you activate your Apple Music Replay experience through the web, you can add the playlists to the rest of your devices.
Apple in the second macOS Catalina 10.15.5 beta added a new Battery Health Management feature for Macs, which is designed to prolong the battery life and battery health of modern Mac notebooks (aka those with Thunderbolt 3 ports) by reducing the rate of chemical aging.
Battery Health Management is an intelligent feature that analyzes the battery status of a Mac notebook and its charging pattern, and based on this information, it may preserve battery health by not charging a MacBook to full capacity.
Charging a MacBook to 100 percent and then letting it sit plugged in without draining the battery through use can lead to reduced battery life, which is what Apple is aiming to avoid. Macs that are often used plugged in and with the battery full may have the Battery Management feature kick in to stop charging short of a full charge.
Battery Health Management is entirely opt-in and can be disabled for those who do not want to use the feature. Protecting battery health will be useful for most Mac users, but there may be some situations where Battery Health Management is not ideal, such as if you're about to leave the house and need maximum battery life, so it's worth knowing how to turn it off and on.
All Battery Health Management controls can be found in the Energy Saver section of System Preferences, as outlined below.
Open the System Preferences app.
Choose the Energy Saver section, which is denoted by a light bulb.
Select the Battery Health section.
Click the box next to Battery Health Management to deselect it.
Click Turn Off to confirm.
When upgrading to macOS Catalina 10.15.5, Battery Health Management will be enabled by default and will need to be manually turned off by those who don't want to use it.
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 is limited to developers at the current time, but will see a public release in the not too distant feature, bringing Battery Health Management to all users with a 2016 or later MacBook Pro and 2018 or later MacBook Air.
Apple CEO Tim Cook today addressed Apple employees at a virtual company-wide meeting held to address questions about work-from-home arrangements and when people can expect to return to their jobs in retail stores and corporate offices.
Bloomberg shared details on the meeting, with Tim Cook calling the current health crisis an "uncertain and stressful moment" that Apple will recover from. Apple, said Cook, began the year with a strong balance sheet and will continue investing "in a really significant way" in research and development and future products.
If we stay focused on doing what we do best, if we keep investing, if we manage the business wisely and make decisions collaboratively, if we take care of our teams, if our teams take care of their work, I don't see any reason to be anything but optimistic.
Cook was asked about job cuts, but said that Apple is in a strong financial position and has been paying retail employees unable to work. Cook said that his focus is on running Apple for the long-term rather than the short-term. Cook cited the launch of the MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPhone SE as evidence that Apple's product launches are not being disrupted.
There's no word yet on when Apple employees will be able to return to their workplaces, but he said that Apple will likely implement measures like temperature checks and social distancing when employees do go back to work.
Apple's retail staff has started online training and virtual meetings have ramped up ahead of store re-openings, with Apple planning to re-open its first store in South Korea this weekend. U.S. stores are not likely to reopen until May, and even then, will open on a staggered basis with Apple taking into account local conditions and guidelines.
According to Cook, Apple has now sourced and donated more than 30 million N95 masks to healthcare workers around the world and has shipped more than two million of the face shields that it has been working on.
Apple's Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams also spoke, and he said that the health crisis has made Apple's work on health products more important, including the Apple Watch. Apple's development work in health isn't "limited to the wrist," but more governments are now working with Apple to bring the ECG feature to additional countries.
With macOS Catalina 10.15.5, Apple is bringing Battery Health Management features to the Mac for the first time, introducing the functionality on Macs that have Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Apple has shared details on Battery Health Management with sites like Six Colors, TechCrunch, and The Verge, giving us a look at what to expect when macOS Catalina 10.15.5 launches to the public.
Battery Health Management is designed to extend the overall lifespan of a Mac notebook by reducing the rate of chemical aging. The feature will analyze the battery health of the laptop and its charging pattern, and in some cases, will preserve battery health by not charging a MacBook to full capacity as this can reduce battery life.
When a Mac is used plugged in and the battery is kept full for the most part, the Battery Health Management feature will kick in and it will stop short of a full charge.
Apple has been using Battery Health Management features in its iPhones for years now, and when the functionality was initially introduced, it caused an uproar as Apple was not clear about its implementation.
In iPhones, the battery management features reduce processor speed at times of peak usage to prevent an iPhone with reduced battery capacity from shutting down. The Mac feature works differently, and will instead limit charging to full in some cases.
Battery Health Management can be disabled by checking the new Battery Health Management option in the Energy Saver section of the System Preferences app once macOS Catalina 10.15.5 has been installed.
The Battery Health Management feature is new in the second macOS Catalina 10.15.5 beta and is limited to developers at the current time. It will be available to all users when macOS Catalina 10.15.5 is released.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the first beta and a month after releasing macOS Catalina 10.15.4 with Screen Time Communication Limits, iCloud Folder Sharing, and real-time Apple Music lyrics.
The new macOS Catalina beta can be downloaded from the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper software from the Developer Center.
We don’t yet know what improvements the fifth update to macOS Catalina will bring, but it likely focuses on performance improvements, security updates, and bug fixes. No major features were found in the first macOS Catalina 10.15.5 beta, and we’ll update this article if changes are found in the second beta.
Update: macOS Catalina 10.15.5 beta 2 introduces a new Battery Health Management feature that's designed to preserve the battery health of a Mac notebook by stopping short of a full charge when a MacBook is primarily used plugged in and at full power.
Apple today seeded the first public betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.4.5 updates to its public beta testing group, a day after releasing the second betas of iOS and iPadOS 13.4.5 to developers.
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the iOS/iPadOS 13.4.5 updates over the air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.
iOS and iPadOS 13.4.5 appear to be updates that are minor in scale, focusing primarily on bug fixes, under-the-hood improvements, and other small tweaks and changes. The software may address an issue with Personal Hotspot that prevents it from working for some people and it could also fix a VPN-related vulnerability, both of which are issues that Apple said would be addressed in upcoming updates.
iOS 13.4.5 includes a new Apple Music feature that allows Apple Music songs to be shared on Instagram Stories. Tapping the Share button on a song in Apple Music creates a story with a song title, album name, and animated background, but at this time there is no way to get to Apple Music from the shared information.
iOS and iPadOS 13.4.5 are likely to be some of the final updates to the iOS and iPadOS operating systems as Apple transitions to working on iOS and iPadOS 14.
Apple is planning to begin reopening its retail stores beginning with its sole Apple Store in South Korea, located in Seoul's Gangnam district.
The store's page says that it will be opening at 12:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 18. It will operate on limited hours for the next several days, opening at noon and closing at 8:00 p.m. In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said the store will focus on support rather than sales when it reopens.
Apple said in a statement that "South Korea has shown great progress during the spread of COVID-19," prompting the company to reopen its Seoul store on April 18. The location will operate on an adjusted schedule to begin with "to ensure customers and employees continue to stay healthy." Apple also said it will be focusing on support, rather than sales, to begin with.
"A focus for the store will be service and support at the Genius Bar," Apple said in a statement Thursday. "For customers who want to make a purchase, we have several options including ordering online for delivery or pick up in store."
Apple's retail locations outside of China have been closed since March 14, when Apple shut down all stores amid the global health crisis.
In a March note sent out to employees, Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien said that Apple planned to begin opening stores in the first half of April. "We will reopen our stores on a staggered basis. At this time, we anticipate some stores may be able to open in the first half of April depending on the conditions in their community," she told employees.
Apple plans to begin reopening stores in the United States starting in early May, with the company likely planning to relaunch stores on a rolling basis over a period of weeks based on local conditions and guidelines.
Apple this week added a new selection of products to its online store, including the First Alert Onelink smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, a bike mount kit for the iPhone 11 Pro, and two Eve smart home accessories.
Available in battery powered or hardwired versions for $119.95, the Onelink is a HomeKit-compatible alarm that rings an 85 dB siren and pushes a notification to your iPhone or other device in the event smoke or carbon monoxide is detected in your home. You can also test the alarm or silence false alarms from your iPhone.
For cyclists, the Quad Lock Bike Mount Kit can be used to attach an iPhone 11 Pro to a bike's stem or handlebars. The kit is priced at $69.95.
Last, Apple is now carrying the HomeKit-enabled Eve Energy smart plug for $39.95 and the Eve Water Guard for $79.95. The latter can detect water leaks and alert you via push notification, a 100 dB siren, and a red flashing warning light.
Spotify today rolled out a new feature that lets its Premium users hide songs that they don't want to hear within a playlist. Spotify said this feature is rolling out to users on both the iOS and Android versions of the app (via The Verge).
With the new feature, Premium subscribers can go into any playlist on Spotify, select a song, and choose "hide song" from the context menu. Afterwards, when listening through the playlist, the hidden song will always be automatically skipped.
If you change your mind, you can un-hide songs as well. Spotify is hoping that this small update lets subscribers slightly customize its curated playlists, which can sometimes still offer tracks that they dislike.
Spotify has been rolling out a few updates over the past few weeks. Most recently it began supportingSiri voice controls on the Apple Watch, and last month it introduced a new home screen UI meant to guide users to their favorite content with more ease.
Smartphone camera accessory company Moment this week introduced a sale on accessories that are compatible with the new iPhone SE. This includes cases, wallet cases, battery cases, and camera lenses.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Moment. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The sale provides a solid 20 percent off discount across all of these accessories, with cases starting at $23.99 and lenses starting at $79.99. Moment is also discounting wrist straps that connect to its iPhone cases, as a form of drop protection when taking photos.
The launch of a new high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a Mini-LED display may be "delayed" until early 2021 due to the device's "complex panel design," analyst Jeff Pu said today in an investor note with Chinese research firm GF Securities.
Back in December, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was developing up to six Mini-LED products, including a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an A14X chip for release in the third quarter of 2020. This was before the global health crisis began, however, so it would be understandable if the timeframe has been pushed back due to supply chain disruptions and Apple engineers being forced to work from home until at least early May.
Last month, leaker Jon Prosser said a new 5G-enabled iPad Pro with an A14X chip and no other hardware changes would be introduced in late 2020, barring any delays. If that proves accurate, it would seem really soon for Apple to update the iPad Pro yet again with a Mini-LED display in early 2021, so rumors are not entirely lining up right now.
New 5G iPad Pro coming towards the end of this year (barring any further delays).
A14X chip. Same everything else.
🧻🧻🧻🧻🧻
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) March 19, 2020
Apple just refreshed the iPad Pro last month, but it was a relatively minor update, with new features including an A12Z Bionic chip that has since been found to be an A12X chip with an extra GPU core enabled, an Ultra Wide camera that enables 0.5x zoom, a LiDAR Scanner for enhanced augmented reality, and better sounding microphones. It was the first update to the iPad Pro since the device received a major redesign in October 2018.
Pu also reiterated that Apple is currently on track to release three new iPhone 12 models in September, including one 5.4-inch model and two 6.1-inch models, followed by the highest-end 6.7-inch model in October.
Verizon has a new sale on Apple's official cases for the iPhone XS, pricing both leather cases and silicone cases at $19.99 for a limited time, or while supplies last. The sale initially included some leather case options at $9.99, but those are sold out.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
As of writing, you can get the iPhone XS leather case in Midnight Blue, Sunset Orange, and Lilac for $19.99, down from Apple's price of $49.99. Comparatively, retailers like Amazon have this accessory priced around $39.99.
The silicone case options include (Product) Red, Midnight Blue, Pacific Green, and White for $19.99, down from $39.99. On Amazon, you'll find these cases priced between $31.00 and $39.00 at this time, making Verizon's deal a solid buy for any iPhone XS owner looking for a new case.
Verizon also sells the new cases for Apple's iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, but these aren't on sale right now.
Apple's long-rumored over-ear wireless headphones are likely to be unveiled later this year, and a new report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman offers more details on what we can expect from the product.
According to the report, Apple is working on at least two versions of the headphones, including a "premium version with leather-like fabrics" and a "fitness-focused model that uses lighter, breathable materials with small perforations."
Prototypes of the headphones have a retro look with oval-shaped ear cups that swivel and a headband connected by thin, metal arms. The arms stem from the top of the ear cups rather than the sides, the people added. They asked not to be identified discussing products that haven’t been announced.
According to Gurman's sources, the over-ear headphones that Apple is currently developing have ear pads and headband padding that attach to the frame magnetically, allowing users to swap them in and out for customization and replacement. This design may even allow users to easily convert the headphones from comfort to fitness.
Apple is expected to use wireless-pairing and noise cancellation features in the headphones like those found in its AirPods Pro earbuds. Similarly, the new headphones will use Siri for voice control and have a limited set of integrated touch controls, according to the report.
Apple headphones have been rumored for a few years now. Since 2018, rumors have predicted launch dates for the headphones that continuously miss their mark, from launching in late 2018 to sometime in the second half of 2019. However, leaked icons for the headphones were found in a leaked iOS 14 beta last month, suggesting a release sooner rather than later.
The latest murmurs from Gurman's sources say Apple plans to unveil the headphones later this year, and Twitter leaker John Prosser has claimed Apple is targeting a June WWDC debut, with pricing set at around $350, putting them in the range of Beats Studio3 and Bose 700 headphones.
Apple is reportedly planning to target the high-end audio market with the device, which could explain the ongoing delays in the manufacturing process as the company tries to perfect the design.
The impact of the viral pandemic could also cause problems for Apple. Gurman says China's Goertek is one of the partners Apple has discussed for handling assembly of the headphones, but the manufacturer has yet to recover fully from the disruption.
Likely-accurate battery and RAM specifications for the new iPhone SE surfaced this morning in a Chinese Telecom spec sheet (via IndiaShopps).
Apple announced the new-generation iPhone SE yesterday, touting its 4.7-inch display, Touch ID Home button, A13 Bionic chip, wireless charging and $399 starting price.
However, in typical fashion, Apple didn't disclose the new phone's battery capacity or RAM. Teardowns of the device should reveal these details in the coming days, but until then we have to trust that carrier listings are accurate.
China Telecom's listing claims that the new iPhone SE features 3GB of RAM. For comparison, the iPhone 11 series feature 4GB of RAM, suggesting Apple has put less memory in the iPhone SE to match the lower requirements of its single lens camera and other hardware capabilities.
According to the listing, the new iPhone SE has the same 1,821 mAh battery capacity as the iPhone 8, which it has effectively replaced in Apple's lineup. Given that Apple says the iPhone SE lasts "about as long as the iPhone 8," that number also sounds about right.
Apple claims up to 13 hours video playback and up to 8 hours streaming video on a single charge of its new iPhone SE. By comparison, the iPhone 11 battery offers 17 hours video playback and up to 10 hours streaming.
The iPhone SE comes in black, white and (PRODUCT)RED, and pricing starts at $399 in the United States with 64GB of storage, with 128GB and 256GB options available for $449 and $549 respectively. It will be available for pre-order beginning at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, April 17. The device will also be available for purchase at select Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers starting Friday, April 24 in the United States and more than 40 other countries and regions.
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Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
