MacRumors

A nationwide class action lawsuit filed against Apple in Northern California court this week accuses the company of knowingly concealing a defect with a display-related flex cable on recent 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models.

As discovered by repair website iFixit last year, some MacBook Pro models released in 2016 and 2017 have experienced issues with uneven backlighting caused by a delicate flex cable that can wear out and break after repeated opening and closing of the display. Impacted notebooks can exhibit uneven lighting at the bottom of the screen, which has been described as a "stage light" effect, and the backlighting system can eventually fail entirely.

Since the issue often takes time to manifest, the affected ‌MacBook Pro‌ units can be outside of Apple's one-year warranty period when they start exhibiting symptoms, resulting in an out-of-warranty repair fee of up to $850.

"Imagine spending more than $2,500 on a laptop only for it to fail shortly after the manufacturer's warranty expires," said PARRIS Law Firm attorney R. Rex Parris. "What's even more appalling is Apple requiring customers to spend an additional $600 to $850 to replace the screen."

Apple seemingly fixed the issue by extending the length of the flex cable by 2mm in the 2018 MacBook Pro. It also launched a free repair program in May 2019, but the program only applies to 13-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2016.

The class action lawsuit seeks restitution for all costs attributable to repairing or replacing the affected MacBook Pro units, and calls for Apple to expand its repair program to cover the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The proposed class is defined as all persons within the United States who purchased a 2016 or newer MacBook Pro.

Related Guide: "Flexgate" Display Issues Affecting 2016 MacBook Pro and Later

Apple's plan to release an updated version of AirPods later this year has been delayed due to the global health crisis, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

This lines up with a recent report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said that mass production of third-generation AirPods will begin in the first half of 2021, followed by mass production of second-generation AirPods Pro between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022. Kuo also expects Apple's rumored high-end over-ear headphones to enter mass production at some point in mid-2020.

Kuo did acknowledge rumors of new AirPods coming in the second half of 2020, but he said they are "more likely to be the new Beats model." Last month, leaker Jon Prosser claimed that Apple was planning to release so-called "AirPods X" around September or October with a BeatsX-like design for sports and running.

Apple's second-generation AirPods launched in March 2019, while the AirPods Pro were released at the end of October.

Apple today announced that it will begin reopening its retail stores in Germany on May 11, nearly two months after they were closed due to the global health crisis.

In a statement shared with German website Macerkopf, Apple said the stores will initially be focusing on Genius Bar service and support. Enhanced health and safety measures will be implemented, such as body temperature checks prior to entry, limits on how many customers can be in the store at once, social distancing, and reduced hours of operation.

Apple operates 15 retail stores in Germany and will be posting specific hours of operation for each location on its website.

Apple closed all of its retail stores outside of the Greater China region in mid-March. The company has since started to reopen some locations, including in South Korea, Austria, and Australia. All locations in the United States remain closed.

We're still waiting to hear news about Apple Card's performance relative to the major card issuers, but that hasn't stopped Samsung from announcing plans to launch an "innovative" debit card as part of a new mobile-first money management platform the company has been developing over the last year.

Announced on Thursday in a blog post by Samsung Pay vice-president Sang Ahn, the forthcoming debit card is in partnership with finance company SoFi and will be backed by a cash management account.

"In 2020, Samsung Pay will be expanding our service from being a rewarding way to shop and pay, to also being a rewarding way to manage money," writes Ahn. "Over the past year we have been busy developing a mobile-first money management platform. Our vision is to help consumers better manage their money so that they can achieve their dreams and goals. Now more than ever, mobile financial services and money management tools will play an even bigger role in our daily lives while also opening up new possibilities."

The debit card is scheduled to launch this summer. Other than that, Samsung hasn't offered any details on how it will work, but expect it to integrate with Samsung's existing mobile payment system.

Launched in August 2019, ‌Apple Card‌ is a credit card linked to Apple Pay and built into the Wallet app on iPhone. Apple partnered with Goldman Sachs to launch the card, and in October the investment bank hailed it as "the most successful credit-card launch ever." Nine months later, neither Apple nor Goldman Sachs has offered any concrete details on its performance.

During the global health crisis, Apple has introduced an ‌Apple Card‌ Assistance Program that allows ‌‌Apple Card‌‌ holders to skip their March and April payments without incurring interest charges for that billing cycle. For more details on how the card works, check out our comprehensive Apple Card guide.

Apple has launched a new web page that brings together links and information about its online services for customers shopping from home during the global health crisis.

Titled "Everything you love about our stores is online," the new catch-all page links from the Apple.com home page and includes details about no-contact delivery options, Apple Specialist help, financing and credit options, Apple Trade In, Apple Card, order status checking, service and support.

The page also links out to "Today at Apple - At home," a series of fun how-to videos to help users get creative during the ongoing stay-at-home measures, and there's a series of category links for customers to explore products on Apple's online store.

Apple has been gradually re-opening its retail stores in countries where lockdowns have eased, although some are operating on limited hours.

Apple CEO Tim Cook last week said that Apple was going to reopen stores in Austria and Australia this week, and Apple's sole Apple Store in Vienna will be reopening on Tuesday, May 5.

We're still waiting to hear exactly when stores in North America will reopen, but Cook also said that Apple is planning to reopen a few stores in the U.S. starting in May. Store openings will be staggered, with Apple evaluating data that includes local guidelines and recommendations before reopening.

iFixit hasn't yet done a full teardown of the new Magic Keyboard designed for the new iPad Pro models, but the repair site today partnered with x-ray company Creative Electron to create Magic Keyboard x-rays that give us a view of just what's inside.

The Magic Keyboard uses scissor switch keys instead of butterfly keys, which have now been effectively eliminated from Apple's product lineup. The scissor switch mechanism is clearly visible in the x-ray view, and iFixit calls it the simplest mechanism in the accessory, but the biggest improvement compared to the Smart Keyboard.

Below the keyboard, there are metal plates that iFixit believes are for reinforcing the keyboard's body against bending, and the trackpad is a new design that's different from MacBook trackpads.

There appear to be multiple buttons under the trackpad to capture presses, while the MacBook Trackpads have no buttons and simulate presses with haptic feedback.

There are at least two spring loaded hinge designs at the folding point, featuring both a small coil and a larger coil, plus there are two cables for connecting the Smart Connector to the keyboard for power and data transfer.

Lots and lots of magnets are visible in the x-ray, with the magnets used to hold the Magic Keyboard on the ‌iPad Pro‌. There's a whole ring of tiny magnets around the camera cutout, which iFixit said was a "lot of little polarized bits" to line up, space out, and configure with the ‌iPad Pro‌ components.

According to iFixit, there's more going on in the Magic Keyboard than there is in many laptops, which could explain its price point. Apple charges $299 for the 11-inch Magic Keyboard and $349 for the 12.9-inch version.

Apple on Monday announced the launch of a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with updated 10th-generation processors for higher-end machines and new scissor switch Magic Keyboards across the lineup.

We picked one up to check out what's new and to see how it compares to other machines in Apple's notebook lineup. Read on to see what we thought and whether it's worth a purchase.

Design wise, the 13-inch 2020 ‌MacBook Pro‌ looks identical to the 2019 model because Apple has made no external changes with the exception of the new keyboard. It continues to use the same 13.3-inch size chassis, which is disappointing as there were rumors of a swap to an updated 14.1-inch design.

That 14.1-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ might still come at some point in the future, but for now, Apple is continuing to sell the same old 13.3-inch model alongside the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌.

We bought the base model machine, which means it's still using Intel's 8th-generation processors. The higher-end 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models that start at $1,799 have faster and newer 10th-generation processors.

Based on benchmarks, the $1,799 ‌MacBook Pro‌ with a 2.0GHz Core i5 10th-generation Intel chip is about 16.5 percent faster than the $1,299 base model that we have here, which features a 1.4GHz quad-core Core i5 8th-generation processor.

Apple added support for up to 32GB RAM and a 4TB SSD in the 2020 ‌MacBook Pro‌ refresh, but again, those features are limited to the most expensive machines. The base model can only be upgraded to 16GB RAM and a 2TB SSD.

So basically, what's new in the base model ‌MacBook Pro‌ is the keyboard. It now features the same Magic Keyboard that Apple first introduced in the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌. The Magic Keyboard uses scissor-style switches instead of the old butterfly-style switches, which were notoriously unreliable and unpopular with users.

Apple's butterfly keyboards led to the initiation of a massive repair program, and though Apple tried time and time again to fix the butterfly keyboard with different band-aid methods, nothing worked, and the only way to get a more reliable keyboard was to go back to the scissor switch design.

The Magic Keyboard of the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ should be much more reliable than the keyboards of prior models that still had butterfly switches. With the release of the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, Apple has now officially eliminated the butterfly keyboard from its entire notebook lineup.

Design wise, the Magic Keyboard features a physical escape key and inverted T arrow keys, but it continues to feature a Touch Bar and Touch ID for biometric authentication. When it comes to feel, the Magic Keyboard isn't too far off from the butterfly keyboard that it's replacing with good key travel and a solid feel under the fingers.

It's worth noting that higher-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with four Thunderbolt 3 ports can now support the 6K Pro Display XDR, but the lower-end models with just two Thunderbolt 3 ports are limited to one 5K or two 4K displays.

Unless you're planning to shell out at least $1,799 for a new 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, this refresh is somewhat disappointing because the more affordable, lower-end models don't get anything but a refreshed keyboard design. At a $1,799 starting price and up to $3,500 for the upgrades, some users might be better off checking out one of the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models unless size is a concern.

Those interested in portability and the lower-end specs of the more affordable ‌MacBook Pro‌ will want to take a good look at the MacBook Air, which may be a better value.

Apple's chief operating officer Jeff Williams is "optimistic" about the economy's ability to rebound from the impact of the global health crisis, according to an interview he did with Fox Business this morning. Williams said that he feels great about the economy in the long haul, and cited Apple's recent launch of three new products.

"I am optimistic. As you look around, you see the resilience of the people working through this challenging time and when I take a look inside of Apple, I couldn't be more encouraged. During last quarter, even though these are challenging times, we launched three new products and I feel great about the economy in the long haul and it's just a matter of getting from here to there."

Williams also reiterated statements that Apple CEO Tim Cook made during Apple's recent earnings call on Apple's supply chain. Williams said that Apple has addressed its supply chain issues, though he did not comment on whether products might be delayed. "Our supply chains are running largely at capacity," he said. "People are continuing to work."

There have been rumors suggesting some of the 2020 iPhone models could launch later than expected, much like the split between the ‌iPhone‌ XS and XR back in 2018. "I couldn't be prouder of the team finding new ways to get the job done," he said. "People have been really resourceful and we're moving the ball forward."

Williams explained that Apple has plans to open additional retail stores in the coming weeks. Apple has already reopened a store in South Korea, a store in Austria, and 21 of its stores in Australia. "We're bullish in the long haul," said Williams.

Alongside the announcement of the iPhone SE back on April 15, regulatory documents for what appeared to be new Powerbeats Pro models were also uploaded to the Federal Communications Commission's website, reflecting new Apple model numbers of A2453 and A2454 for the left and right earpieces.

The regulatory documents filed for the new ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ models don't appear to have revealed significant changes to the wire-free earbuds, but speculation about what they might be has grown as the updated models have gained regulatory certification in other countries in recent weeks, including in Malaysia and South Korea.

Much of the speculation has suggested that these new models represent a second-generation "‌Powerbeats Pro‌ 2" that is set for imminent release, but we believe it's more likely a minor internal tweak to the existing models that will soon be or has already been quietly released without any announcement or changes to public-facing specs.

Apple maintains lists of regulatory Declarations of Conformity for the European Union for all of its current products on its website, and the current listing for ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ on Apple's Beats page mentions both sets of model numbers (A2047/A2048 and A2453/A2454) as of April 15, suggesting that Apple considers these sets of model numbers to both be current-generation products.

With nearly a month gone by since the first regulatory filings for the new model numbers and Apple openly acknowledging them on its website, the most probable explanation is that these minor revisions of the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ have already begun rolling out.

If you've recently purchased ‌Powerbeats Pro‌, you can check the fine print on the inside of each earpiece and let us know if you're seeing the new A2453/A2454 model numbers.

Multiple rumors have indicated that Apple is working on a refreshed version of the Apple TV, and today, leaker Jon Prosser said that an updated 4K ‌Apple TV‌ model is "ready to ship."

According to Prosser, the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K will feature an A12X chip and 64 or 128GB storage options. The new ‌Apple TV‌ 4K could "drop any time," but Prosser does not know details on a specific launch date.

Signs of a new ‌Apple TV‌ were spotted in the iOS 13.4 beta in January, and at the time, it was believed it would feature an A12 chip. Prior rumors also suggested the same 64 and 128GB storage sizes mentioned by Prosser.

Beyond the new processor, we're not expecting major changes to the ‌Apple TV‌. There have been signs of a new ‌Apple TV‌ with an updated remote in leaked iOS 14 code, but it's not clear if the new ‌Apple TV‌ that's rumored to be coming soon will feature remote control updates.

Prosser this week also said that Apple has a new iMac and AirPods ready to ship, but he did not provide additional details on these particular products.

Geekbench results have surfaced for the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, providing us with our first look at year-over-year performance improvements.

Priced at $1,299, the base model 13-inch MacBook Pro remains powered by the same 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Core i5 processor as the previous generation, with average single-core and multi-score scores of 927 and 3,822 respectively.

By comparison, the $1,799 configuration of the 13-inch MacBook Pro is equipped with a 2.0GHz quad-core 10th-generation Core i5 processor, with average single-core and multi-core scores of 1,236 and 4,455 respectively. Accordingly, the $1,799 configuration is up to 16.5 percent faster than the $1,299 base model.

The new $1,799 model is also up to 14 percent faster than the 2.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Core i5 configuration that it replaced.

Not enough benchmark results have surfaced for the highest-end 13-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.3GHz quad-core 10th-generation Core i7 processor to provide an accurate comparison for that model. Apple states that customers who are upgrading from an older 13-inch MacBook Pro with a dual-core processor will see up to 2.8 times faster performance.

Apple unveiled its updated 13-inch MacBook Pro lineup earlier this week. Key features include the same Magic Keyboard as the 16-inch MacBook Pro, up to 80 percent faster Intel graphics than the previous generation, up to 32GB of RAM, up to 4TB of SSD storage, and more. The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is available to order on Apple.com.