Today only, Apple Watch owners can complete a new Apple Watch activity challenge in celebration of Heart Month, which is aimed at promoting cardiovascular health.
The challenge, which is listed in the Fitness app on the iPhone, tasks users with earning 60 minutes on their Exercise ring.
Show your heart some love. Get this award by earning 60 minutes on your Exercise ring this Valentine's Day, February 14.
Completing the challenge will award users with a unique badge viewable in both the Summary tab of the Fitness app on iPhone and the Awards section of the Activity app on Apple Watch.
Activity Challenges are often tied to special occasions or holidays throughout the year, including Earth Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and New Year's. Earlier in February, Apple kicked off a Unity challenge in celebration of black history, tasking users to close their Move rings seven times in a row during the month.
With the launch of iOS 14.4, Apple added a new feature for the HomePod mini that's designed to provide haptic feedback when your iPhone 11 or 12 is near the speaker to facilitate the simpler handing off of songs from one device to another.
When moving your iPhone closer to a HomePod mini after installing the iOS 14.4 update, the iPhone vibrates quicker and quicker as it gets closer to the speaker, and HomePod mini controls pop up on the screen. If you happen to keep your HomePod mini on a desk or another location where it's often close to your iPhone, the proximity notifications can get frustrating fast.
If you've run into this problem and want the popups and vibrations to stop, follow these directions:
With this feature, your iPhone will no longer attempt to transfer music or media to your HomePod mini when it's near the speaker, preventing the haptic feedback and song transfer interface from showing up. The haptic vibrations and transfer features are limited to the HomePod mini and the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models, but the option can also be disabled on other iPhones to prevent the standard transfer interface from coming up.
This week saw another good mix of news and rumors, led by the discovery that Apple Maps is going to be gaining Waze-like features for crowdsourcing accidents, hazards, and speed checks.
Intel is also generating some headlines for a new ad campaign and questionable benchmark data aiming targeting Apple's latest M1 Macs, while the long-rumored Apple Car remains in the news with Hyundai/Kia apparently having shot itself in the foot by previously acknowledging it was in talks with Apple to produce the vehicle. Read for details on these stories and more from the past week!
Last, it appears that YouTube's mobile website is once again working with "Picture in Picture" mode on the iOS 14.5 beta. Apple has indicated that iOS 14.5 should launch to the public in "early spring," which likely means some time around late March.
Intel Downplays Apple's M1 Chip With 'Carefully Crafted' Benchmarks
For one, Intel chose some very specific benchmark tasks to demonstrate that Windows laptops powered by its latest 11th Generation Core processors are superior to Macs with Apple's custom M1 chip, such as exporting a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file.
Intel also used different processor SKUs depending on the test, and switched from the 13-inch MacBook Pro to the MacBook Air for the battery life test, so there are lots of inconsistencies throughout the slideshow.
"Inconsistent test platforms, shifting arguments, omitted data, and the not-so-faint whiff of desperation," said Apple columnist Jason Snell, writing for Six Colors. "Today's M1 processor is a low-end chip for low-end systems, so Intel only has a small window to compare itself favorably to these systems before higher-end Apple silicon Macs ship and make its job that much harder."
Apple Offering Free Battery Replacements for 2016-2017 MacBook Pros That Can't Charge Past 1%
Apple this week released macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 to address an issue that may prevent the battery from charging in some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models.
Apple says a "very small number of customers" have experienced an issue with the battery not charging past 1%, and it is offering these customers free battery replacements. Our article provides steps on how to identify your Mac model to see if it is eligible.
If your MacBook Pro has not exhibited this issue, updating to macOS 11.2.1 as soon as possible is still highly recommended as a precaution. There is also a macOS Catalina 10.15.7 Supplemental Update that addresses the issue.
In recent weeks, reputable sources like TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have claimed that some significant changes are coming to the MacBook Pro this year, such as the return of MagSafe charging and more ports, including an SD card reader.
Kuo and Gurman also said that Apple plans to replace the controversial Touch Bar with a physical row of Fn keys, and a modest redesign is expected with flatter edges on the top and bottom of the MacBook Pro. Other expectations include a brighter display and next-generation Apple silicon.
If you do buy a MacBook Pro now, we recommend choosing the lowest-end 13-inch model, which already uses Apple silicon. Otherwise, waiting for the rumored 14-inch and 16-inch models later this year is a wise choice.
Hyundai and Kia Now Say They Aren't in Discussions to Develop Apple Car
Following weeks of rampant "Apple Car" rumors, Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia in regulatory filings this week said they are not (or at least no longer) in discussions with Apple to cooperate on development of a self-driving electric vehicle.
Hyundai last month confirmed that Apple was in discussions with a variety of global automakers, including Hyundai. However, the automaker walked back the statement just hours later, and merely said that it had "received requests for potential cooperation from various companies regarding development of autonomous EVs."
Bloomberg reported that talks between Apple and Hyundai had "paused recently," adding that Hyundai's original statement and the subsequent reports "upset Apple," a company known for its culture of secrecy.
Apple is still believed to be considering partnerships with other automakers, such as Nissan, Honda, and Mazda. In any case, it is widely believed that the Apple Car is still several years away from becoming a reality.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Apple and Facebook have been in a very public spat over the course of the last few months as Apple dials up its pro-privacy stance. The two companies have long had tension, but more recently, Facebook is taking shots at an upcoming iOS and iPadOS feature that will require apps and data companies such as Facebook to ask for users' permission before tracking them across other sites and websites.
While for the most part, the war of words between the tech titans has remained professional, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook have also shared a barrage of attacks toward each other. During a 2018 interview in the midst of Facebook's notorious Cambridge Analytica scandal, Cook was asked how he would lead Apple if it were to face a similar crisis. Cook responded by ruling the hypothetical situation out of the question, saying Apple would not be in the situation Facebook was in, thanks to its differing stance on privacy and user data. Zuckerberg shot back, calling Cook's comments on TV "extremely glib" and "not at all aligned with the truth."
Zuckerberg, outraged by Cook's comments and public influence on Facebook's reputation, reportedly told internal aides and team members that Facebook needs to "inflict pain" on Apple, according to sources who spoke on anonymity to The Wall Street Journal. Last month, during the company's earnings call, Zuckerberg called Apple an increasingly bigger threat to Facebook and accused the Cupertino tech giant of using its platforms to interfere with how Facebook operates its own apps.
The day after the public comments, Cook responded indirectly in a speech during the Computers, Privacy, and Data Protection conference where he condemned Facebook and implied that its business model of maximizing engagement leads to division and violence. During the same speech, Cook censured Facebook's potential role in the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot, blaming the social media company's algorithms for spreading conspiracy theories.
In December, Facebook ran full-page ads attacking Apple's up-and-coming App Tracking Transparency (ATT) requirement that will force apps to ask for users' permission before tracking them across apps and the internet. Facebook is attacking Apple from the standpoint that ATT will hurt small businesses that rely on personalized ads derived from effective tracking. In response, Cook directly weighed in on Twitter, stating that Apple simply wants to give users a choice about whether they wish to be tracked or not.
Despite the personal jabs and attacks, in a statement given to The Wall Street Journal, Facebook spokeswoman Dani Lever refuted the idea that the tension between the companies is personal, suggesting instead that it was "about the future of the free internet." Facebook states that choosing between tracking users for personalized ads and protecting their privacy is a "false-trade off," claiming that it believes it can provide both. The spokeswoman reiterated past remarks by Facebook stating that Apple's privacy features are not meant to preserve user privacy, but are instead about increasing profit, and that Facebook will join others to highlight Apple's "self-preferencing, anticompetitive behavior."
Apple declined to comment on the report.
Facebook is reportedly planning to take its disapproval with Apple to court, as it's allegedly been preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against the Cupertino-based tech company over its "unfair" approach to privacy with ATT and iMessage. As part of its lawsuit, Facebook is considering partnering with other companies such as Epic Games, which is already embroiled in a massive legal battle with Apple, to propel its antitrust case forward. Facebook may, however, scrap its plans to bring forward any form of legal action against Apple.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who leads the Republicans' effort in the Senate antitrust subcommittee, told The Wall Street Journal that the feud between Apple and Facebook sits at the "nexus of privacy and antitrust," and that he doesn't want to "impose regulation that just ends up protecting incumbents and entrenching monopolies."
Apple has committed to launching ATT with iOS and iPadOS 14.5 in the "early spring" and Facebook has seemingly admitted defeat in its failed attempt to stop the new requirement from going into action. Apps have the freedom to customize the prompt that users will receive asking for their permission to be tracked across other apps and the web, and screenshots of Facebook's prompt for its iOS app show that it pleads with users to opt in to tracking in order to receive "a better ads experience."
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
CBS has begun reminding subscribers to its CBS All Access streaming service on Apple TV that its rebranding to Paramount+ will launch on March 4.
CBS All Access, which is available as an individual Apple TV Channels subscription, appears to have rolled out its ad awareness campaign on the streaming service in the last day or two.
CBS All Access is becoming Paramount+ on March 4, but as a CBS All Access subscriber, you don't have to do a thing. You'll have full access to Paramount+ via your existing Apple TV Channels subscription.
Meet you on the mount, March 4.
The rebrand will be accompanied by new titles from other ViacomCBS-owned channels including Paramount, CBS, MTV, and BET.
Original content intended to lure new subscribers and retain existing ones include The Offer, a 10-episode scripted mini-series about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather, a new version of MTV's Behind The Music, and a renewal of The Game.
What the ad campaign doesn't mention is that come March 4, the service will no longer be awailable to subscribers who use a third-generation Apple TV to access it, as third-party developers slowly end support for the eight-year-old device.
Earlier this week, subscribers using third-generation Apple TV models started seeing a prompt when they opened the CBS All Access app that their access would end next month.
The new Paramount+ app will not be available on the second and third-generation Apple TV models, but it will be watchable on the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. It will also be available on iPhone and iPad, which means third-generation Apple TV owners will at least be able to AirPlay it to their older set-top box.
Third-generation Apple TV users who are looking to upgrade to a newer model may want to hold off for the time being as Apple is rumored to be introducing a new Apple TV set-top box at some point this year. The fifth-generation Apple TV, which is the current newest version, was released in 2017.
Google today finally updated its YouTube iOS app for the first time in over two months, becoming one of the highest-profile Google apps to see an update since early December when Apple began requiring that developers disclose privacy practices for each of their apps in order to have their updates approved.
Most of Google's apps have yet to be updated since the requirement went into effect, even though Google said in early January that it would be adding privacy data for its apps within the following week or so.
Google had actually already added privacy information for the YouTube app prior to today's update, as noted earlier this month by Apple Terminal. Still, it's notable that the app itself has seen its first update since December 7, as Google has typically pushed updates for the YouTube app every week or two.
Many other major Google apps like Google, Google Chrome, Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Meet have still not been updated and do not have privacy information displayed on their App Store listings. Google-owned Waze did finally update its iOS app a few days ago, adding privacy information as part of the update as required by Apple.
Google has denied that it is holding back iOS app updates in order to delay revealing its privacy practices, but many users have found that hard to believe considering the sudden slowing of app updates coinciding with Apple's disclosure deadline and continued updates for Google's various Android apps.
Earlier this week, the Gmail iOS app even began displaying "out of date" warnings when trying to add a new account, even though there is no new version of the app available and there have been no updates to the Gmail iOS app since December 1.
There seem to be an endless number of iPhone tips and tricks to share, and that's because Apple's smartphones are so feature rich that it's impossible to keep up with everything they're capable of. We've rounded up some useful tips and hacks in our latest video, so check them out to see if there's something you didn't know about.
Swipe to Numbers with Keyboard - If you press and hold on the number key and then swipe up to type the number that you want, when you release a finger, it will go back to the main keyboard so there's no need to tap twice to get a number character.
Create Perfect Shapes in Notes - If you draw a shape in Notes or anywhere else the Markup interface is available, it will morph into a perfect shape. So if you need a visual aid like a circle, draw a wonky version and the iPhone or iPad will fix it right up.
Check your iPhone Warranty - Open up the Settings app, tap "General," choose "About," and then tap on the "Warranty" entry to see your warranty information for your device.
Use Your Apple Watch as a Viewfinder - The Camera Remote app on the Apple Watch activates the front or rear camera of your iPhone so you can use your Apple Watch as a handy viewfinder. If you take your watch off and wrap it around your iPhone, you can use the rear camera while also seeing yourself, which is useful for vlogging.
Combine Images with a Shortcut - You can use an app to combine images, but it's easier to use a simple shortcut. Open Shortcuts and tap "+" to add a new one. Type in "Photos" and choose "Select Photos" for the first action. For the second, search for "Combine" and select "Combine Images." Change the details to say "Combine Photos" and "In a Grid." After that, search for "Save" and choose "Save to Photo Album." You can make it fancier with extra steps, but this is all you need to select a series of photos and have them arranged in a grid formation, with the final result saved to the Photos app. There are also third-party shortcuts that you can use.
Auto Schedule Low Power Mode - You can create a quick shortcut for turning on Low Power Mode when the battery dips to a specific level. In the Shortcuts app, create a new Automation, and start out by choosing "Battery Level." From there, select your desired percent. For the next action, search for and choose "Low Power Mode." Deselect "Ask Before Running," and the next time your iPhone battery drops to the target level, Low Power Mode will activate automatically.
Find Out What Song is Playing - If you want to know what music is playing you can ask Siri, but if you want to know what song is in a video on your iPhone or what song your device is playing, there's a Shazam Music Recognition option that you can add to Control Center.
AirDrop to Any Device - If you use Snapdrop.net, you can "AirDrop" a file from one device to another, even non-Apple devices. This isn't Apple's AirDrop, but it's basically the same thing and it allows for super quick data transfers even if you have a PC or Android phone. It's as simple as opening up the website on both devices and drag and drop the file.
Have a favorite lesser-known iPhone trick that we didn't list here? Let us know in the comments.
Facebook is developing a smart watch that will focus on messaging and health features, according to a new report from The Information. Wearers will be able to send messages with Facebook services like Messenger and WhatsApp, and it will work with a cellular connection without a tethered smartphone.
Health features like options to track workouts with friends or communicate with trainers will be included, and the watch will be able to connect to services provided by health and fitness companies like Peloton. Facebook's upcoming watch is said to run a version of Google's Android software.
Facebook plans to sell the smart watch at close to its production cost, which is also what it does with the Oculus headset. There's no word on what pricing will be, but competing products range in price from $150 to $400+.
It's not likely a smart watch will go over well with those who have concerns about Facebook's data collection. Amazon recently released a "Halo" fitness band that has been derided for its invasiveness. Facebook already makes some consumer hardware products including the aforementioned Oculus and Portal camera and tablet devices.
A Facebook smart watch would need to compete with the Apple Watch, which is one of the best selling wearables on the market. Just this morning, a report suggested that more than 100 million people globally own an Apple Watch. Facebook is also working on its own Ray-Ban branded smart glasses that would compete with rumored products coming from Apple in the next few years.
Facebook is aiming to start selling its smart watch next year, with a second-generation planned for as soon as 2023. The Information says that development is "far along," but there's always still a chance the product could be scrapped.
The HomePod and the HomePod mini are designed to automatically adjust the volume of the Siri assistant based on the level of noise in the room, but you can also verbally adjust Siri's volume level separately from the volume level of the media that's playing.
This how to walks you through the commands that you need to specifically adjust Siri's volume as needed.
How to Change Siri's Volume on HomePod
On HomePod or HomePod mini, you can ask Siri to set the Siri volume to a specific percent, which is an adjustment that is separate from the media volume.
To do so, just say "Hey Siri, change your volume to [percent]." You can also say "Hey Siri, speak at [percent]."
If you tell Siri to set the Siri volume to 34 percent, for example, it will adjust it to that level while the music volume stays the same. Siri can be forced to be quieter or louder than your music.
Change the Media Volume on HomePod
You can also verbally adjust the media volume with a similar command, and this will adjust just the song volume without changing the Siri sound level.
To change the media volume, just say "Hey Siri, change the media volume to [percent]."
Music levels can also be adjusted using the - and + buttons on the top of the HomePod or through a connected iPhone or iPad, but adjusting Siri volume specifically seems to require the spoken command.
Apple is slated to release a number of new products this year, and the first round of products could be just a few weeks away. YouTuber Jon Prosser, who has a mixed track record when it comes to reporting on Apple's plans, claims that AirTags and brand new iPad Pro models are set to be announced next month, presumably via a virtual event.
Prosser, who runs the tech-news show "Front Page Tech," tweeted earlier today that AirTags are "still on for March" and that he hasn't "heard of any further delays this time." This is not the first occasion the online personality has claimed to have information on AirTags, however. In October, Prosser stated that AirTags were "for sure" coming at the November event, but that did not materialize and the event was fully focused on Apple Silicon Macs. The YouTuber also claimed that AirTags would be released alongside iOS and iPadOS 14.3, which also did not happen.
Prosser has previously claimed March 2021 as a release month for AirTags, but it's worth noting that Apple typically doesn't hold events any earlier than March, so his claim seems to be an educated guess. Lastly, Prosser once stated that AirTags were "likely" to be released at Apple's 2020 September event, and that too did not come to fruition.
In a follow-up tweet today, Prosser reiterated his past claim that updated iPad Pro models will be announced in March of this year. New iPad Pros have been rumored to launch for some time and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said to expect a release in the first half of 2021, lining up with Prosser's March timeline. Once again, it's worth noting Prosser did previously claim new iPads would be released by the end of 2020, which did not occur.
Nonetheless, the YouTuber has been the source of accurate Apple information in the past, including accurately reporting the exact date and time for the launch of the second-generation iPhone SE in April and updated 13-inch MacBook Pro in May, and he correctly reported the release of an updated iMac in August minutes before it became official.
The most credible information thus far regarding the launch of AirTags comes from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated last month that AirTags are on track for a 2021 release, although the analyst stopped short of providing a more specific timeframe.
Leaker L0vetodream, who boasts a trustworthy track record, has cryptically hinted that AirTags could come in small and large sizes. AirTags are rumored to include replaceable batteries and work directly within the Find My app on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with CalDigit to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a USB-C HDMI Dock that's compatible with Apple's USB-C Macs and iPads.
Unlike most Thunderbolt docks on the market, CalDigit's USB-C HDMI Dock provides up to 94W for charging a MacBook, which means that it has enough power to facilitate charging even the 16-inch MacBook Pro at full speeds. Most other docks top out at 87W.
Priced at $219.99, the USB-C HDMI Dock offers a total of 10 ports, including a Thunderbolt 3 port, two HDMI 2.0b ports, one 10Gb/s USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, three USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports that support transfer speeds up to 5Gb/s, an SD Card Reader, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and an Audio In/Out Combo Jack.
CalDigit's USB-C HDMI Dock is compatible with all Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops, so it will work with all of Apple's modern computers. It is also compatible with the USB-C iPad Pro models and the fourth-generation iPad Air, which is equipped with USB-C.
As a universal dock option, when paired with a Thunderbolt 3 laptop, the HDMI USB-C Dock offers a full 40Gb/s performance, and when connected to a USB-C laptop, it offers 10Gb/s performance. It is also compatible with machines that have Thunderbolt 4 ports.
With a Thunderbolt connection, the dock supports two 4K 60Hz displays through the HDMI 2.0 ports, while USB-C users can connect dual 2K 30Hz monitors or a single 4K 30Hz monitor. M1 Mac users can connect a single external monitor up to 4K 60Hz.
The HDMI USB-C Dock offers a few other bells and whistles. With CalDigit's software, all external drives connected to the dock can be ejected with a click, and it supports standalone charging so you can charge accessories like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch at up to 7.5W with no laptop connected.
We have five of the HDMI USB-C Docks to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (February 12) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 19. The winners will be chosen randomly on February 19 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Apple today announced a few new features for its Developer Forums, including enhanced search and the ability to receive email notifications for thread replies.
The full text of the announcement:
The Apple Developer Forums are a great place to connect with fellow developers and Apple engineers as you give and receive help on development topics. And now, it's easier to find and keep track of content you're interested in. Take advantage of enhanced search and a new feature that monitors threads for you and sends you an email each time there's a reply.
A list of supported search queries and more details can be found on Apple's website.
Apple's Developer Forums are a place for those who develop apps for Apple software platforms to ask questions and share comments on a variety of development topics with fellow developers and Apple engineers working for the company.
Qualcomm has registered an objection to Nvidia's acquisition of Arm with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the European Commission, the UK Competition and Markets Authority, and China's State Administration for Market Regulation. Qualcomm believes that the acquisition risks Nvidia acting as a gatekeeper for Arm's technology, and could prevent other chipmakers from using it. Most importantly, Qualcomm is building a case to suggest that the only way Nvidia can make the acquisition profitable will be to gatekeep Arm's technology.
British chip architect Arm is currently owned by Japanese tech giant SoftBank and licenses its chip designs to over 500 companies, including Apple. With Arm's architecture being used in 95 percent of the world's smartphones, there has been significant concern around Nvidia, which is a rival to Arm licensees such as AMD and Apple, acquiring the company.
Arm's architecture underpins all of Apple's custom silicon processors such as the A14 in the iPhone 12 or the M1 in the MacBook Pro, since Apple licenses the Arm instruction set. While Apple does not license entire core designs from Arm and still designs its own custom silicon, if the deal is permitted, Nvidia will become responsible for the vital instruction set behind Apple's own chips.
Nvidia says that the deal will create the world's "premier computing company for the age of AI," and has pledged to keep the company headquartered in Cambridge, England.
The FTC has now reportedly moved into the "second phase" of its investigations, asking SoftBank, Nvidia, and Arm itself to provide more information about the acquisition. This phase is also expected to involve discussion with other companies with relevant information, such as Qualcomm. Since a number of large documents will now need to be produced, the investigation is expected to continue for several more months.
Qualcomm is said to believe that it will play a significant role in whether the deal is allowed to continue, having spoken to antitrust representatives and legal counsel. Nvidia told CNBC that it is confident regulators will see the benefits of the acquisition, yet five senior industry sources said that the deal has "a very high chance of being blocked" by regulators.
At the end of the day, whether this deal is anti-competitive or not, is based on a very simple idea: Arm is an enabler of competition. It enables companies to go out and compete. Whether you are MediaTek, Amazon Web Services, Qualcomm, or NXP. Any company — regardless of your R&D (research and development) budget — can take and license from Arm and build their own Arm-based CPU. That is a unique model.
SoftBank reportedly approached Apple to see if it was interested in the purchase of Arm last year, but Apple was believed to have rejected the opportunity in part due to these regulatory concerns.
In addition to Qualcomm, AI chip start-up company Graphcore has raised concerns with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, saying that the deal is anti-competitive, while in China, Huawei is similarly calling for the deal to be blocked.
Apple today added a new "Turn off Activation Lock" page to its website that provides steps users can take to turn off the security feature on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
As noted on Reddit, the page includes a link to start an Activation Lock support request in the United States, meaning that customers no longer have to contact an Apple support representative by phone, email, or online chat to initiate this process. To submit a request for Activation Lock support, you must be the owner of the device, and the device must not be in Lost Mode or managed by a business or educational institution.
After entering a valid email address and the device's serial number, customers are instructed to fill out a form to prove ownership of the device, providing details such as the device's original purchase date, purchase location, and a photo or screenshot of the original sales receipt if available. Any information provided will be used by Apple or an Apple-affiliated company to process the Activation Lock request.
Upon submitting this information, Apple will review the request and provide updates by email. A support case number is generated for reference.
In the event that Apple unlocks Activation Lock on your device, all data stored on your device will be permanently erased. Apple says it is the customer's responsibility to back up their device prior to submitting an Activation Lock request.
Activation Lock is designed to prevent anyone else from using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch if it's ever lost or stolen. When you mark the device as lost on the iCloud website, this locks the device's screen with a passcode and lets you display a custom message with your phone number to help you get it back. And if the device is erased, Activation Lock requires the original owner's Apple ID and password to be entered.
Today we're tracking a collection of discounts on Apple's MacBook family, as well as the 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs. These sales are located on Amazon and B&H Photo, with discounts automatically applied across the board, so you won't need any specific coupon codes to see discount prices.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
iMac
Amazon has Apple's 21.5-inch iMac from mid 2020 (3.6 GHz quad-core, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $999.99, down from $1,299.00. This is the best price we've ever tracked on this iMac, and a great entry point for the smaller-screen model.
The 6-core model is priced at $1,349.00, down from $1,499.00, which is another all-time-low price on the 21.5-inch iMac (matched at B&H Photo).
Moving to 27-inch models, Amazon has the 27-inch iMac from mid 2020 (3.3 GHz 6-core, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,799.99, down from $1,999.00. This sale price will be seen after an automatic coupon is applied at the checkout screen, and it's another match for an all-time-low price on this model.
Lastly, B&H Photo has the 27-inch iMac (3.8 GHz 8-core, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $2,149.00, down from $2,299.00. Another lowest-ever price, this sale is only available at B&H Photo this week and it's showing an expected delivery date by February 17 in the United States.
M1 MacBook Pro
You can get the M1 13-inch MacBook Pro (256GB) for $1,199.00 on Amazon, down from $1,299.00. This is one of the best ongoing discounts for the new M1 MacBook Pro, and it's being matched at B&H Photo.
If you're shopping around for the 512GB model, you can get this version of the M1 MacBook Pro for $1,399.00, down from $1,499.00. This sale is also being matched at B&H Photo, and all models are available to ship out today.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
Update: This article has been updated to reflect an even deeper discount on the 21.5-inch iMac at $999.99.
"Foundation" writer and showrunner David Goyer is ambitiously hoping to tell Isaac Asimov's science-fiction story over the course of eighty hours, which is as yet unheard of on Apple TV+.
Foundation tells the story of "a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire," and is based on Isaac Asimov's science-fiction novels of the same name.
In a new interview for Lovin Malta, Goyer discussed why much of the show is being shot in Malta and revealed that he is hoping that the show will run for 80 hours, comparing it to the eight-season run of "Game of Thrones."
The audience is changing. The way that we're consuming stories is changing. Game of Thrones was really the first of these big, giant novelistic shows, and now with Foundation we can tell the story hopefully over the course of 80 episodes, 80 hours, as opposed to trying to condense it all into two or three hours for a single film.
He added that he hopes future seasons will continue to be mostly shot in Malta. Malta was selected for much of Foundation's shooting schedule for its "copious water tanks," being appropriate for Foundation's water planet setting, and due to being suitably versatile for shooting a range of environments during a time in which global travel has been limited. Malta's Film Commissioner, Johann Grech, highlighted that Foundation is the first Apple TV+ show to be produced in Malta.
This is the first time that a senior crew member has spoken publicly about an Apple TV+ show running for such a long period of time, and seems surprisingly confident given that the first season of Foundation has yet to even finish shooting.
"Dickinson" and "Servant" are the only Apple TV+ shows to have premiered a second season so far, with the second season of "For All Mankind" set to arrive on Friday, February 19. Apple TV+ show "Ted Lasso" is highly likely to end at three seasons despite its success with critics and audiences. The show was renewed for a second and a third season not long after the first season was released. Servant has also been renewed for a third season.
Given that only two Apple TV+ shows have premiered second seasons and been renewed for third seasons, it is far too early to speculate on whether Foundation will reach as many as eight seasons. Nevertheless, discussion of a considerably longer, overarching narrative than has otherwise been seen on Apple TV+ so far, and comparison to the highly successful Game of Thrones may indicate that Apple has very ambitious plans for Foundation.
The first, ten-episode season of Foundation is expected to debut on Apple TV+ in the fall of 2021.
BitPay, which calls itself the world's largest provider of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payment services, today announced that its BitPay Prepaid Mastercard is now compatible with Apple Pay for purchases in stores, in apps, and online. BitPay says support for Google Pay and Samsung Pay is planned by the end of the first quarter.
U.S. cardholders can add the physical or virtual versions of the BitPay Prepaid Mastercard to Apple's Wallet app and start using it immediately.
With the BitPay Prepaid Mastercard, customers can instantly convert cryptocurrency into fiat currency, which is then loaded onto the card and can be spent anywhere Mastercard debit is accepted around the world. Customers can also use the card online for purchases and to withdraw cash from ATMs, according to BitPay.
To add the card to Apple's Wallet app, cardholders need to have the most recent version of the BitPay app, 12.1.0, which should be rolling out on the App Store today.
Consumer spending on the top 100 non-game subscription-based apps across mobile platforms grew 34% year-on-year from $9.7 billion in 2019 to $13 billion in 2020, according to a new report by analytics firm Sensor Tower.
According to the data, revenue from subscription apps purchased on the App Store and the Google Play Store represented around 11.7% of the $111 billion that consumers spent on in-app purchases last year, the same share as in 2019. In the fourth quarter of 2020, however, 86 of the top 100 earning non-game apps worldwide offered subscriptions, which is actually down slightly from 89 in the same quarter of 2019.
Reflecting a wider historical trend, spending on subscription-based apps in Apple's App Store was vastly more than in the Google Play Store:
Consumers have historically spent more on the App Store than on Google's marketplace, and the same holds true for subscription apps. Globally, the top 100 subscription apps on the App Store generated $10.3 billion in 2020, up 32 percent from $7.8 billion the previous year. The cohort of 100 top earners on Google Play saw $2.7 billion last year, up 42 percent Y/Y from $1.9 billion in 2019.
The only performance indicator in which the Google Play Store beat the App Store was in terms of year-on-year growth for U.S. user spending on subscription apps.
Looking at the U.S. App Store, consumers spent $4.5 billion in 2020 on the top 100 earning non-game apps offering subscriptions, up 25 percent from approximately $3.6 billion in 2019. While the top 100 earning subscription apps on Google Play did not generate as much revenue, they did see greater Y/Y growth. In 2020, the top Google Play subscription apps in the U.S. saw $1.4 billion spent, up 40 percent Y/Y from $1 billion.
Google was the big winner this year in terms of subscription app spending, both globally and in the U.S. YouTube was the subscription app leader across both stores, earning $991.7 million in gross revenue globally and $562 million in the U.S. It was also the top earning subscription app on the App Store.
Despite the numbers, the subscription apps generally divide App Store users between those for and against the revenue model. Apple began incentivizing developers to sell their apps for a recurring fee instead of a one-time cost when it made changes to its App Store subscription policies in 2016. Usually, Apple takes 30 percent of app revenue, but developers who are able to maintain a subscription with a customer longer than a year see Apple's cut drop down to 15 percent.
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