MacRumors

Verizon this week has a series of ongoing discounts on Apple's official iPhone cases, including Leather and Silicone Cases for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

case sale may 2020Note: 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.

These sales start as low as $16.00 for an iPhone 11 Pro Silicone Case, while most other cases are priced at $19.99. For these sales, you'll also need to add the iPhone cases to your cart before you see the discounts.

iPhone 11

iPhone 11 Pro

iPhone 11 Pro Max

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

French accessory maker Netatmo has announced an Apple HomeKit compatible Smart Outdoor Camera with Siren.

netatmo smart outdoor camera with siren
The new camera is an updated version of Netatmo's Presence Camera, which came with a large floodlight. The built-in 105 db siren this time around provides even more reason to discourage intruders onto property.

The camera also features infrared night vision, which can trigger the floodlight if it detects movement.

According to Netatmo, the camera analyzes the camera's field of view in real time, and can gauge when a person approaches the house, when a car pulls into the driveway, or if a dog is roaming around the garden.

Any of these cues will trigger an alert for the user, providing them with a "precise notification and video when an event unfolds outside their home."

The camera comes with a 4MP video sensor, 100º FoV, and 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, while the LED floodlight is dimmable and uses 12W of power. The camera requires a power supply of between 100V to 240V depending on region. The camera uses 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and comes with a Class 10 32GB micro SD card.

The Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera without Siren is available now on Netatmo's website, and can be pre-ordered in Europe, with availablilty coming to the U.S. later in 2020 for $349.99.

Tag: Netatmo

Woot is offering the 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2018 in refurbished condition at $729.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model. This model originally ran for a price of $999.00.

2018ipadprohomescreenNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro for $839.99, or the 512GB model for $899.99. Multiple color options are available, and you'll get a 90 Day Woot Limited Warranty for purchasing one of the tablets.

Woot has inspected all of its refurbished iPad Pro models, and they are expected to have moderate levels of wear and tear, including scratches dents, and dings. Otherwise, they will be in full working condition and batteries are tested to work at minimum 85 percent capacity.

Head to Woot to browse the full sale before it ends later tonight. For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

An Apple File System bug has been discovered in macOS 10.15.5 Catalina that can prevent users from making a bootable clone of their system drive, according to the creator of Carbon Copy Cloner.

macos volumes icones
In a blog post on Wednesday, software developer Mike Bombich explained that the CCC team had uncovered the issue in the Apple File System, or APFS, when attempting to create a bootable backup in a beta version of macOS 10.15.5.

According to Bombich, the bug prevents CCC from using its own file copier to establish an initial bootable backup of a macOS Catalina System volume. In technical terms:

The chflags() system call can no longer set the SF_FIRMLINK flag on a folder on an APFS volume. Rather than fail with an error code that we would have detected, it fails silently – it exits with a success exit status, but silently fails to set the special flag. That's a bug in the APFS filesystem implementation of chflags – if a system call doesn't do what you ask it to do, it's supposed to return an error code, not success.

We don't need to set many of these flags, nor set them frequently – just on the first backup of the macOS system volume. It happens to be essential to the functionality of an APFS volume group, though, so the failure to set these flags means that new full-system backups created on 10.15.5 and later won't be bootable, and it will appear as if none of your data is on the destination (to be clear, though, all of the data is backed up). Kind of the opposite of what we're trying to do here. It's hard to find kind words to express my feelings towards Apple right now.

Suffice it to say, though, I'm extremely disappointed that Apple would introduce this kind of bug in a dot-release OS update. We've seen 5 major updates to Catalina now, we should expect to see higher quality than this from an operating system.

On a positive note, existing backups created in macOS 10.15.4 and earlier are unaffected, the bug has no effect on CCC's ability to preserve data, nor does it affect the integrity of the filesystems on a startup disk or a backup disk. In short, the impact of this bug is limited to the initial creation of a bootable backup.

Any CCC users who established their backup on a previous version of Catalina already has functional firmlinks on their bootable volume and CCC will continue to update that volume just fine. Meanwhile, users wanting to create a new backup of a 10.15.5 volume to an empty disk should replace their copy of CCC with the CCC 5.1.18 beta, then follow these steps on launching the app.

  1. Click the X button in the Destination selector box to clear the destination selection.
  2. Click on the Destination selector and reselect the destination volume.

CCC will then guide users through the procedure of creating a bootable backup, or a Data-only backup instead. The new functionality uses Apple's Software Restore (ASR) utility.

Bombich has notified Apple of the bug, but he ends his blog post by entertaining the possibility that it is a security fix to prevent third-parties from creating firmlinks. If so, he argues, "this is far worse than a bug," since the system currently reports a success when it should report a failure, not to mention that Apple's lack of documentation on the change is hostile to third-party developers who rely on documented functionality.

Related Forum: macOS Catalina

Version 8 of Heart Analyzer has been released, bringing a new dashboard, a revamped interface, a dark mode, and more data to iOS users.

heart analyzer copy
Following version 7's big update last year, the developer has spent seven months rewriting much of the app using Apple's SwiftUI framework, and it now has new interfaces throughout, including a refined Apple Watch experience with more precise Infograph complications and better performance.

The redesigned Dashboard offers a clearer summary of each day when you open the app, including new charts showing average heart rates, trends, and more. Meanwhile the Apple Watch experience has been refined to provide better heart rate charts on complications, including metrics for the week, LiveHR, and workout readouts.

The app never transmits any data from the users ‌iPhone‌, and there are no third party analytics and no ads. Heart Analyzer is a free download for ‌‌iPhone‌‌ on the App Store, and users who wish to support development can unlock small options via in-app purchases. [Direct Link]

The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is receiving a major update today, introducing much-desired features like HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support.

Designed by Signify as part of the Philip Hue line of lights and accessories, the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is designed to let Hue users sync their lights to their home entertainment systems.

philipshuesync
One of the major complaints about the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box when it launched in September was its lack of support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+. With the Sync Box, Hue users were able to watch HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content thanks to passthrough support, but there was no way for it to detect content to create lighting effects.

That's changed in the new update, and with compatible televisions, the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box now works with both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

Today's update also brings Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice control, allowing Hue Sync owners to use voice-based commands to power the Sync Box on or off, start or stop light syncing, switch from audio to gaming or video mode, and switch HDMI channels.

For those who prefer to use infrared TV remote controls or the Harmony universal remote, the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box can now be configured to work with these devices. It can be set to respond to any button on the remote using the Hue Sync mobile app.

Updating the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box requires opening up the Hue Sync app, going to the Settings section, and selecting the install software update option.

The Hue Play HDMI Sync Box can be purchased from the Philips Hue website for $230.

Apple Card users can now export their transactions in two new formats, Quicken (QFX) and QuickBooks (QBO), as noted by Kyle Seth Gray. The new additions will make it more convenient for many users to import their ‌Apple Card‌ data into Intuit's flagship financial software applications.

apple card quicken
Apple first added the ability to export ‌Apple Card‌ transactions in CSV format back in January, and Open Financial Exchange (OFX) format was added in February.

Earlier this month, Quicken for Mac users discovered that they were able to import Apple Card data in OFX format, as ‌Apple Card‌ had been added as a supported financial institution, but the new direct QFX support should make for more seamless integration.

Apple is in final talks with Paramount to co-finance and produce "Killers of the Flower Moon," a Martin Scorsese film that has Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro attached, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

killersoftheflowermoon
The film will cost upwards of $150 million, a price tag that led the project's backers to look for ways to mitigate its cost. MGM and Netflix were also potentially interested.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is based on the David Grann book of the same name.

Set in 1920s Oklahoma when the Osage Nation discovered oil under their land, the Native Americans found themselves being murdered one by one. As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case and unraveled a chilling conspiracy and one of the most monstrous crimes in American history.

Movie rights to the book were first acquired in 2016 for $5 million, and when Paramount picked up the project in June 2019, the studio wanted to create it for around $150 million. The budget ballooned to $225 million given the high-profile actors attached, but Paramount wanted to cut it back to $180 million.

Final numbers on what Apple paid to produce the film are unknown, but Apple will shoulder the majority of the cost and will be able to stream on Apple TV+, while Paramount will distribute the movie in theaters.

The next-generation iPhone 12 lineup coming in fall 2020 isn't out yet, but Fudge (@choco_bit), a leaker who sometimes shares information on upcoming Apple devices, today offered up details on what Apple has in store for the 2021 ‌iPhone‌ 13's camera setup.

allegediphone13camera
A simple design drawing depicts a device with a four camera array, which Fudge claims will have the following features:

  • 64-megapixel wide-angle lens with 1x optical zoom and 6x digital zoom
  • 40-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x-5x optical zoom and 15-20x digital zoom
  • 64-megapixel anamorphic lens for video capture (2.1:1)
  • 40-megapixel .25x min ultra wide-angle lens with optical reverse zoom
  • LiDAR 4.0

The leaker says that the information should be taken with a "Huuuuugggeeeee amount of 🧂," suggesting the source of the rumor is questionable or it's so early that the camera setup could change. Apple makes plans for iPhones well ahead of when a new device is released, but plans change and are tweaked and there's quite a ways to go before the ‌iPhone‌ 13's final design needs to be nailed down.

The rumored ‌iPhone‌ 13 camera is wildly different from what's in the ‌iPhone‌ 11, and while Apple does make major camera improvements each year, the company has thus far shied away from super high megapixel cameras in its iPhones.

The ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro features a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera.

There have been some rumors indicating the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models coming in 2020 could get a 64-megapixel wide-angle camera along with a telephoto lens that supports 3x optical zoom (up from 2x), but we've heard surprisingly little about the camera technology.

Most rumors have focused on the inclusion of 3D camera technology in the ‌iPhone‌ 12, which is expected to be similar to the LiDAR Scanner feature that Apple introduced in 2020 iPad Pro models.

In 2020, higher-end ‌iPhone‌ 12 models are expected to continue to feature triple-lens camera setups, while the lower-end ‌iPhone‌ 12 models will continue to offer dual-lens camera setups. The 2021 iPhones will probably be similar, with the best camera technology reserved for the more expensive devices.

Update: YouTuber Jon Prosser says that the image associated with the detail is "not real" and that the ‌iPhone‌ coming in 2021 will feature the same layout as the 2020 ‌iPhone‌.

Leaker L0vetodream, who has also shared accurate information about Apple's plans, says that the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and the ‌iPhone‌ 13 will look different, however, seemingly agreeing with the original rumor.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple recently purchased Ontario-based machine learning startup Inductiv for the purpose of improving Siri, reports Bloomberg.

siri waveform
Apple confirmed the purchase with one of its typical acquisition statements: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

Inductiv's engineering team joined Apple after the acquisition to work on ‌Siri‌, machine learning, and data science at the company. Prior to the purchase, Inductiv created technology that used AI to automate identifying and correcting errors in data for machine learning purposes. From Bloomberg:

Having clean data is important for machine learning, a popular and powerful type of AI that helps software improve with less human invention.

The work falls under the category of data science, a key element of Apple's broader machine-learning strategy.

Apple's Siri chief John Giannandrea, who is also responsible for machine learning, has been upgrading the underlying technology that ‌Siri‌ is based on with acquisitions of companies like Inductiv.

Apple has purchased multiple AI and machine learning-related companies over the course of the last several years, such as Voysis, Xnor.ai, Turi, Perceptio, Tuplejump, and more.

Prior to when Apple released the third-generation iPod touch in September of 2009, it explored a prototype version that had a centered rear camera, a feature the iPod touch ultimately did not launch with.

ipodtouch3rdgenwithcamera
Giulio Zompetti, a developer who collects Apple device prototypes, today shared some photos of the third-generation iPod touch with rear camera, giving us a clear look at the design variation that Apple tested.


Back in August 2009, prior to when the third-generation iPod touch launched, MacRumors received photos of the prototype model with camera, sparking rumors that the upcoming device could launch with a camera.

At the time, it was believed that Apple scrapped the camera from the iPod touch late in the design process. Final versions of the iPod touch had an empty space where a camera might have been positioned.

After leaking in 2009, a prototype version of the third-gen iPod touch was spotted in a video in May 2010, and ahead of that, in April 2020, a couple of prototype models with camera showed up on eBay.

The eBay seller at the time said that he purchased the models at a flea market from someone who had bought them from a live auction in the Bay Area. Prototype devices like the third-generation iPod touch are hotly desired by collectors and surface on auction sites. Zompetti has in the past said that some of his devices are surfaced from device recycling facilities.

While the third-generation iPod touch didn't end up with a camera, Apple added it in the fourth-generation model along with a microphone. The fourth-generation iPod touch featured a 0.7-megapixel rear camera alongside its 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera.

Related Forum: iPod touch and iPod

IPSWFollowing the release of iOS 13.5 on May 20, Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.4.1, which means downgrading to that version of iOS is no longer possible.

iOS 13.4.1 was a minor update that addressed a bug that prevented devices running iOS 13.4 from participating in FaceTime calls with devices running iOS 9.3.6 and earlier.

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 is the current publicly available version of iOS, with the update introducing the Exposure Notification API, faster passcode entry when wearing a mask, changes to Group ‌FaceTime‌, and more.

Apple has also stopped signing iOS 12.4.6 for older devices.

There could soon be another iOS update released as a jailbreaking tool that works with all devices running iOS 11 to iOS 13.5 was released on Sunday.

Camera manufacturer Canon today announced that its EOS Webcam Utility Beta software is now available for macOS users in addition to PC users.


The software is designed to allow some EOS Interchangeable Lens Cameras and PowerShot cameras to be converted into a webcam through a USB connection.

The macOS-compatible software solution requires a single USB plug to connect the compatible camera to the computer. After the software is downloaded and the camera is configured in a video conferencing app, the user will be able to use the camera for video conferencing and virtual meetings.

Compatible cameras include everything from the EOS-1D X Mark III to the PowerShot SX70 HS, with a list of cameras that work with the feature available on Canon's website.

Tag: Canon

Anker, a brand normally known for its well-made, affordable accessories for Apple devices, has debuted a new $100 24K gold-plated USB-C to Lightning cable.

ankergoldcable1
According to Anker, the cable, which is in the PowerLine+ III family, features a "Special Edition Gold Design" that's "bold yet elegant" with the aforementioned gold-plated cable heads and matching braided gold and black cable.

ankergoldcable2
The braided design has a 35,000 bend lifespan, and each cable is partially assembled by hand and passes through Anker's 51-step construction process, much like other PowerLine cables. The cable measures in at 6 feet long.

ankergoldcable3
There's no explanation for why Anker, a company that specializes in affordable products, has created a $100 USB-C to Lightning cable, but it ships with a gift box, travel pouch, welcome guide, and lifetime warranty.

ankergoldcable4
USB-C to Lightning cables can be used to fast charge iPhones that support the feature, such as the 2020 iPhone SE, iPhone 11, ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro, and iPhones dating back to the ‌iPhone‌ 8.

ankergoldcable5
Those interested in the cable can purchase it from Amazon for $100.

Anker, known for its line of iPhone accessories, has a brand called "Soundcore" to sell audio accessories like earbuds. In our latest YouTube video, we checked out the new Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 wire-free earbuds, which are much more affordable than most other wire-free options at $79.



The Spirit Dot 2 earbuds look similar to many other wire-free earbuds on the market with a stemless design, silicone tips that fit in the ears, and small AirWings to keep them secure in the ears. Tips in five sizes ship with the Spirit Dot 2 to make sure everyone can find the best fit possible, with XS, S, M, L, and XL tips to choose from.

The fit is similar to the fit of headphones like the Samsung Galaxy Buds, Jabra Elite, Pixel Buds, and other wire-free earbuds with silicone tips and an in-ear design. When first inserting the earbuds into the ear, you may need to do some adjusting to get them situated properly for the best seal.

soundcoreearbuds1
We've found that putting them in the ear and giving them a little twist gives us the most secure fit. Comfort is subjective and will vary for everyone based on ear size and shape, but we found the Spirit Dot 2 to be a bit more uncomfortable than competing products, causing ear fatigue to set in sooner.

For $79, the Spirit Dot 2 earbuds offer impressive sound, especially when it comes to bass levels. The earbuds are described as offering "thumping bass," a claim that seems to be accurate. In fact, there may be too much focus on the lows, overpowering the mids and highs at times and offering a somewhat unbalanced sound profile. Like fit, though, sound preference is subjective so some may prefer the heavy bass. Unfortunately there's no option in the Soundcore app for adjusting the sound.

soundcoreearbuds2
The Spirit Dot 2 earbuds support gesture controls. Double tapping on the right earbud will play/pause the music, and double tapping on the left earbud will skip to the next track. A long press on either earbud can bring up Siri if you're using an ‌iPhone‌. Setup and pairing isn't as simple as something like the AirPods and will require standard Bluetooth device setup in the Settings app of an ‌iPhone‌.

On a single charge, the Spirit Dot 2 earbuds offer up to five and a half hours of playback time, and the included charging case adds 16 hours of additional playback. The little oblong case charges over USB-C, has LEDs that indicate charge level, and has a quick charge feature that provides an hour of playback time with a 10 minute charge.

soundcoreearbuds4
Anker's Soundcore brand designed the Spirit Dot 2 earbuds to be water resistant, and they have an IPX7 water resistance rating. That's fairly high for earbuds, and means they're able to hold up to immersion in water up to a meter in depth for 30 minutes. The earbuds are advertised as having "SweatGuard technology" with an advanced sealing process and coating technology that protects them from moisture.

soundcoreearbuds3
All in all, for $79, the Soundcore Spirit Dot 2 earbuds are an affordable wire-free earbud option. They're not as good as the AirPods or AirPods Pro when it comes to comfort or functionality like pairing and device swapping, but they sound decent and offer a ton of bass for those who prefer that kind of sound profile.

Update June 12: Anker's Spirit Dot 2 earphones are now available at Amazon.

Tag: Anker

Apple is working on a redesigned version of the Leather Loop band that could be as soon as next month, according to leaked information shared today on Reddit and by 9to5Mac.

applewatchleakedband1
The updated bands appear to have more distinct ridges that do not extend to the edge of the band and for some colors, accent edging in a different color. The photos shared on Reddit depict the bands in brown with two colors of accent edging, red, orange, black, and blue. Rather than fastening with a loop, the redesigned version uses magnets to close.


It's not clear why Apple would redesign the existing Leather Loop band, which has been available since the launch of the original Apple Watch in 2015. The new models could offer improved breathability, better water resistance, or both, and Apple could perhaps expand availability to smaller Apple Watch models.

Current Leather Loop bands only fit the 44mm Apple Watch, and the leaked images seem to depict two sizes. There's also a possibility that the Leather Loop bands will continue to exist and that these bands are something else, as they don't have a loop design.

applewatchleakedband2
The person who shared the images on Reddit says they're from a local shop in Vietnam that called the bands "experimental units for the next generation of Apple Watch." 9to5Mac says that it was also contacted by a tipster with similar images and that source said the new Apple Watch bands could be unveiled as soon as next month, perhaps during Apple's WWDC announcements and product releases.

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Apple often refreshes Apple Watch band colors alongside major events, so it would not be unusual for new band colors and options to come out in the summer.

leakedapplewatchband4
There's no word on when these bands will come out nor is it clear if these are actually Apple-designed bands or if they're a faked version, so we'll have to wait to see if Apple actually ends up releasing them.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Sonnet today announced the upcoming launch of its Fusion Flex J3i internal drive mount for the 2019 Mac Pro, which lets users add up to three SATA storage drives to their machines.

sonnet fusion flex installed
Sonnet isn't the only company to launch an internal drive mount for the new ‌Mac Pro‌, and Apple itself sells Promise's Pegasus J2i system that lets you add two drives, but Sonnet says it's the first to let users add three drives right inside the ‌Mac Pro‌ and connected directly via SATA.


The Fusion Flex J3i offers two slots that can accept either 3.5-inch hard disk drives or 2.5-inch SSDs, and a third slot that accepts a 2.5-inch SSD, allowing for a total of 36TB of additional internal storage.

Storage installed via the Fusion Flex J3i won't be as fast as the main NVMe SSDs at the heart of the ‌Mac Pro‌ or PCIe-based storage upgrades, especially if you're using traditional hard disk drives, but if you're a user who wants to prioritize storage space and simplicity over drive speed, Sonnet's Fusion Flex J3i might be worth checking out.

sonnet fusion flex kit
The Fusion Flex J3i includes the mount, required power/data cable assemblies, and mounting brackets to fit 2.5-inch drives into the 3.5-inch drive slots, but the drives themselves are sold separately. It will be priced at $199.99 and launches on June 15.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Tag: Sonnet
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Skullcandy today announced a series of four new wireless headphones that include Tile's Bluetooth tracking technology. The headphones are called the Push Ultra ($99.99), Indy Evo ($79.99), Indy Fuel ($99.99), and Sesh Evo ($59.99).

skullcandy tile image
The Push Ultra headphones are one of the more expensive Skullcandy headphones launching today, with 40 hours of battery life, a wireless charging case, IP67 sweat and water resistance, and an over-ear hook design similar to the Powerbeats Pro. Each earbud includes playback and volume controls, and the earhooks are moldable to conform better to your ears.

skullcandy push ultra
For every model of the new headphones, Skullycandy built each earbud to act as an individual Tile, allowing users to find the left or right earbud individually if they are lost. Skullcandy users will have access to some Tile Premium features, including extended location history and smart alerts.

Additionally, the Skullcandy headphones can be found when they are inside of their charging cases, which can not be done with Apple's AirPods. Apple does offer its own solution to lost AirPods with the "Find My" app, which can locate a pair of lost AirPods if they are lost together outside of the charging case in a nearby location.

The Skullcandy headphones are available on the company's website, starting at $59.99.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals