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Netgear's Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi Routers Now Available From Apple

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Netgear's Orbi Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi Systems are now available for purchase from Apple retail stores as of July, joining the existing Linksys Velop routers that Apple has been offering ever since it discontinued its own AirPort line of router options.

Apple is selling the RBK23 three pack Orbi Mesh System for $300 and the RBK50, the higher end model, in a two pack for $329.95.

netgearorbi
These routers all work in a similar way, offering up a main Orbi router and satellite nodes to extend WiFi throughout the whole house. Maximum Wi-Fi speeds differ between the two models, as do the number of satellites, so some research is required to find the Orbi system that best fits your needs.

The RBK50, which includes one router and one satellite, covers up to 5,000 square feet of space and offers Wi-Fi speeds of up to 3Gb/s. The RBK23 triple pack with one router and two satellites covers up to 6,000 square feet and offers Wi-Fi speeds up to 2.2Gb/s.

With the Orbi system, the idea is to put a single router in a main area like a living room, outfitting other areas further in the house with their own satellite routers so all areas of the house get the same Wi-Fi coverage with no dead zones. You can add additional Orbi satellites to a home setup at any time.

Along with the RBK50 and the RBK23, Apple also sells the CBK40, an Orbi router system that has a built-in cable modem that works with Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, and others. It comes in a single router version that covers 2,000 square feet or a router plus satellite version that covers up to 4,000 square feet.

All of the Orbi routers are available from Apple retail stores and the Apple online store.

Tag: Orbi
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Apple Now Selling 3-Meter Lightning Cable From Mophie for $30

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Apple's online store is now offering a 3-meter USB-A to Lightning cable made by Mophie, adding to the 1 meter and 2 meter Mophie cables that were previously available.

Priced at $30, the new Lightning cable from Mophie features a braided nylon construction and reinforced connectors that Mophie says are designed to stand up to "daily wear and tear," avoiding fraying, breaking, and other issues.

mophielightningcable
At 3 meters or close to 10 feet, this is one of the longest Lightning cables that Apple offers, and it is ideal in situations where you need to charge but don't have easy access to a nearby outlet.

The 3 meter Lightning cable is Made for iPhone certified and will work with iPhones, iPads, and AirPods. It's available from the online Apple Store starting today, and may be in Apple retail stores in the future.

Apple is also now selling new USB-C cables from Belkin, priced starting at $20. The Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE USB-C to USB-C Cable + Strap comes in pink, white, and black, and measures in at 1.2 meters (4 feet).

belkinusbccable
It also features a durable braided nylon design and is reinforced at major stress points for improved strength. The included leather strap keeps the cable neatly wound up for transport.

Tags: Belkin, Mophie
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Apple Faces Yet Another Class Action Lawsuit Over 'Secretly Throttling' Older iPhones

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A group of 18 individuals have filed a class action lawsuit against Apple this week in a Northern California federal court, accusing the company of "secretly throttling" older iPhones starting in January 2017.

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The complaint, seen by MacRumors, refers to the iPhone slowdown saga as "one of the largest consumer frauds in history, affecting hundreds of millions of mobile devices across the globe," adding that Apple intentionally degraded devices as part of a planned obsolescence scheme to maximize profits:

While Plaintiffs and the class need not attribute any motive behind Apple's intentional degradation of the Devices, it is evident that Apple continued to do so for the simple reason most frauds are committed: money.

Apple previously denied any kind of planned obsolescence by flat out stating that it never has and never would do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience, to drive customer upgrades:

We have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.

Apple faces over 60 class action lawsuits worldwide over this matter. The first was filed in December 2017, after Apple revealed that it throttles the maximum performance of some older iPhone models with chemically aged batteries when necessary in order to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down.

This latest lawsuit will likely be consolidated with the others in Northern California district court for streamlined proceedings.

Apple introduced the performance management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it did not initially mention the change in the update's release notes. Likewise, in a statement issued a month later, Apple still only mentioned vague "improvements" resulting in a significant reduction in unexpected ‌iPhone‌ shutdowns.

Apple only revealed exactly what the so-called "improvements" were after Primate Labs founder John Poole visualized that some ‌iPhone‌ 6s and ‌iPhone‌ 7 devices suddenly had lower benchmark scores starting with iOS 10.2.1 and iOS 11.2 respectively, despite operating at maximum performance on previous versions.

Apple apologized for its lack of communication in December 2017, and reduced the price of battery replacements to $29 for ‌iPhone‌ 6 and newer through the end of 2018. Apple then released iOS 11.3 with a new feature that enables users to track their ‌iPhone‌ battery's health and performance status.

The performance management system has also been disabled by default since iOS 11.3, and it is only enabled if an ‌iPhone‌ suffers an unexpected shutdown. The performance management can be manually disabled by users as well.

MacRumors put together a list of frequently asked questions and answers about Apple's performance management system, which can be avoided entirely by replacing your ‌iPhone‌'s battery if necessary. Read our guide on how to get an iPhone's battery replaced at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

The full complaint is embedded ahead…

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Tags: Apple Lawsuits, iPhone Slowdown
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Samsung Expected to Remove Headphone Jack from Galaxy Note 10 as Seen in New Dongle Leak

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Following a few images of the upcoming Galaxy Note 10 smartphone and ahead of the device's official unveiling in New York City next week, leaked images today revealed a new dongle accessory for the Note 10. The dongle is a 3.5mm to USB-C accessory, apparently confirming that Samsung is removing the headphone jack from the Galaxy Note line (via SamMobile).

samsung dongle

Image via SamMobile

Similar to Apple's Lightning to 3.5mm dongle, Samsung's accessory is a simple miniature cable that would let users attach a pair of wired headphones into the Note 10's USB-C port. The accessory is believed to come in the box with the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus, and is likely to be sold separately as well.

Samsung began removing the headphone jack in its smartphones starting with the Galaxy A8 line last year, so this wouldn't be too much of a surprise if it happened to the company's main line of Note devices.

Apple itself removed the headphone jack from the iPhone beginning with the ‌iPhone‌ 7 in 2016, a decision that has been met with heated debate online. The trend continued with every ‌iPhone‌ release since, up to last year's ‌iPhone‌ XS, XS Max, and XR devices.

After Apple's decision, Samsung began making fun of the company in numerous ways, including mocking Apple's excessive use of dongles in one of its "Ingenius" ads. During the reveal of the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7, Samsung executive Justin Denison emphasized that the device came with a headphone jack, mocking Apple.

More information about the Galaxy Note 10 will come out of its full unveiling event next Wednesday, August 7.

Tag: Samsung
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10.2-Inch iPad Said to Launch in the Fall as Successor to 9.7-Inch iPad

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Apple is widely expected to release a new 10.2-inch iPad later this year as a replacement for its $329 entry-level 9.7-inch ‌iPad‌, and hit-or-miss Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes has now added its weight to this rumor, claiming that the tablet will be released in the "late third quarter."

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If accurate, that timeframe means the 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌ would be released by the end of September, suggesting that the device might be unveiled alongside new iPhones at Apple's usual September event.

‌iPad‌ releases in the fall have typically occurred in October, including in 2012 through 2014 and again in 2018. September would not be totally out of the ordinary, however, as Apple unveiled the original iPad Pro and the iPad mini 4 at its September 2015 event without hosting an October event that year.

It's worth noting that DigiTimes has a rather unreliable track record as it relates to the timing of new Apple products. This week alone, for example, the website published one report saying the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be released in September and another saying the notebook will launch in October.

Multiple sources have outlined expectations for a new 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌, including reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and the previously-reliable mystery Twitter account CoinX. Apple has also filed several unreleased iPad models running iPadOS 13 in a Eurasian regulatory database, as legally required.

The 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌ would have a modestly larger display than the 9.7-inch ‌iPad‌, possibly in tandem with narrower bezels.

A reasonable assumption would be that Apple will unveil new iPhones and Apple Watches in September and save the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro, 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌, and ‌iPad Pro‌ refresh for October, but Apple could always break with tradition.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tag: DigiTimes
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)
Related Forum: iPad
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Nanoleaf Canvas Squares Now Support 'Touch Actions' to Activate HomeKit Scenes

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Nanoleaf today introduced a useful new capability for its Nanoleaf Canvas Smarter Kit, allowing individual Canvas squares to serve as touch controls to activate HomeKit scenes.

For those unfamiliar with the Nanoleaf Canvas, it's a set of light-up panels that attach to the wall or the ceiling, providing accent lighting. The Canvas tiles are touch-compatible and support different touch gestures, which is what enables this new feature.

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Touch Actions lets a Canvas light square double as a smart button to activate different ‌HomeKit‌ scenes, such as turning off the lights or getting a bedtime scene ready. Three actions are available for each of the squares, including a single press, double press, and long press.

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More than one button can have scenes assigned, so the Nanoleaf Canvas can double as a control panel for all of your ‌HomeKit‌ scenes.

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Setting up Touch Actions requires a Home Hub for ‌HomeKit‌, which can be an Apple TV, a HomePod, or an iPad. Scenes need to be set up, and from there, you can turn Canvas panels into buttons by opening up the Nanoleaf app, selecting My Devices, choosing the Canvas, tapping the gear icon for more settings, and then selecting Touch Actions. It's a little bit complicated, but Nanoleaf has created a tutorial video.


Touch Actions are available today following a firmware update for the Nanoleaf Canvas. The Nanoleaf Canvas can be purchased from the Nanoleaf website starting at $119.99.

Tag: Nanoleaf
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'Mac Book' Recommends Surface Laptop 2 in New Microsoft Ad

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Microsoft has come out with a new marketing campaign that features a man called Mackenzie Book (read: Mac Book) explaining why a Surface Laptop 2 is a better option than an Apple MacBook, in his humble opinion.

microsoft surface mac book ad 2019
The 30-second ad consists of a quick-fire Q&A session between a voiceover narrator and the man-Mac himself, who proceeds to explain why he thinks the Microsoft machine beats Apple's notebook in various departments.

"So Mac, which laptop lasts longer?" the narrator asks.

"Surface laptop lasts longer," Book responds.

The actor's answers are accompanied by the text "Mac Book says Surface laptop ... [lasts longer / is faster / has a better touchscreen.]" The latter response is qualified by the narrator with the remark "Oh right, because MacBooks don't have touchscreens."

The ad ends with two thumbs up from Mr Book and his recommendation: "You should get a Surface. Trust me, I'm Mac Book." His sign-off is followed by the tagline, "Mac Book says get a Surface Laptop."

Microsoft and Apple have often taken aim at each other over the years with jokey Mac vs. PC ads. From 2006 to 2009, Justin Long played a Mac computer in Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign, alongside John Hodgman, who played a PC.

The commercials always started out with the tagline "Hello, I'm a Mac," and were some of Apple's most iconic ads, featuring Long as the cool, casual Mac and Hodgman as a stuffy PC in a suit and tie.

However, Microsoft's latest effort is a decidedly left-field take on the man/Mac concept.


Last year, Microsoft released a holiday ad promoting its Surface Go over Apple's iPad, using the tagline "Big dreams need a real computer."

Microsoft's 2018 ad was aimed at Apple's own "What's a Computer?" ad campaign, which began in 2016 and showed off some things that the iPad Pro can do as a replacement to a traditional laptop computer.

Microsoft released the Surface Laptop 2 in October 2018 and is expected to launch refreshed Surface Pro and Surface Book models later this year.

Tag: Microsoft
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Google Overtakes Apple to Become Most Cash-Rich Company

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Google parent company Alphabet has overtaken Apple to become the world's most cash-rich company, reports The Financial Times this morning.

Apple Google new
According to the FT, Apple’s cash hoard has fallen to $102 billion, down from a peak of $163 billion at the end of 2017. Meanwhile, Alphabet's $117 billion cash reserve has risen by almost $20 billion over the same period.

However, as FT notes, Alphabet's new title as "king of cash" may be somewhat of a poisoned chalice, as it could antagonize investors who would rather see the cash being used to reward shareholders with buybacks or dividends.

The leadership switch is said to be a result of Apple's own efforts to reduce its liquidity, by taking advantage of US tax reforms to repatriate overseas reserves and pay out to investors. The company has spent $122 billion on buying back stock and paying dividends in the past 18 months.

Alphabet's stock buybacks, by contrast, have been paltry. In the nearly four years since it began repurchasing its own stock, it has spent an average of only $1.7bn a quarter.

In that time, it has handed out more new shares in the form of employee stock benefits than it has bought back through its repurchase programme. As a result, the payments have done nothing to lift its earnings per share — the reason investors generally welcome buybacks.

Alphabet's new cash-rich status also comes at a time when it is under more intensive scrutiny than ever before. Google and its parent company have received over $9 billion in antitrust fines by the EU in the past two years. It is now facing a new antitrust investigation by the Justice Department.

Alphabet's cash reserves have actually increased despite the parent company's heavy investment in real estate for new office builds and data centers, which will form part of the infrastructure supporting Google's increasing AI endeavors.

In terms of most valuable company on the planet, Apple has been overtaken by both Amazon and Microsoft, with the latter now taking that particular crown. Microsoft is now worth nearly $1.1 trillion, after soaring on the back of optimism about its cloud business.

Tag: Google
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Apple Stops Signing iOS 12.3, 12.3.1 and iOS 12.3.2 After Releasing iOS 12.4

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IPSWFollowing the release of iOS 12.4 on July 22, Apple has stopped signing iOS 12.3.1 and iOS 12.3 the previous versions of iOS that were available to consumers. Apple is also no longer signing iOS 12.3.2, an update exclusive to the iPhone 8 Plus.

‌iPhone‌, iPad, and iPod touch owners who have upgraded to iOS 12.4 will no longer be able to downgrade to iOS 12.3, 12.3.1, or 12.3.2.

iOS 12.4, available on all devices able to run iOS 12, was a major update with Apple News+ improvements and a new device-to-device data migration option when setting up a new ‌iPhone‌.

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 12.4 is now the only version of iOS that can be installed on iPhones and iPads, but developers and public beta testers can download iOS 13, an upcoming update that's currently being beta tested.

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Apple TV Channels Now Offers CBS All Access Subscription Service

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The CBS All Access subscription service can now be purchased through the Channels feature in the Apple TV app, following news that it would be launching earlier this week.

Apple in March unveiled a redesigned TV app with the "‌Apple TV‌ Channels" feature, designed to let users sign up for and watch third-party subscription services right in the TV app on iOS and tvOS.

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CBS All Access was listed as one of the upcoming channels, but the channel wasn't available when the TV app first launched.

Apple users who want to sign up for CBS All Access can now do so through the ‌Apple TV‌ app. The service is priced at $9.99 per month, but there is a 7-day free trial available.

With a CBS All Access subscription purchased through the Channels feature, CBS All Access content can be watched directly in the TV app. The service offers access to live TV shows, sporting events, and more than 10,000 on-demand episodes from CBS shows.

Many other subscription services also work with the TV app channels feature, including Cinemax, EPIX, HBO, MTV Hits, Showtime, Smithsonian, Starz, Tastemade, and more.

(Thanks, Nico!)

Tags: CBS, Apple TV Apps
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Korea's NRRA Certifies MacBook Pro With Model Number 'A2159' [Updated]

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Update: One eagle-eyed reader notes that the model number "A2159" appears to reference Apple's recently refreshed entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt ports, suggesting the NRRA certification is a post-launch filing.


Signs of Apple's upcoming MacBook Pro redesign continue to mount with news today that Korea's National Radio Research Agency (NRRA) has now certified unreleased MacBook Pro model A2159.

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Regular readers may recall that an unreleased MacBook Pro with the same mysterious model number received FCC approval almost exactly one month ago. The identifier was also registered with the Eurasian Economic Commission in June.

First spotted by MySmartPrice.com, Korea's NRRA filing doesn't give away much about the unreleased MacBook Pro, simply describing the model as a "small-output wireless device" while confirming that it is manufactured in China.

The earlier FCC filing rated the notebook as 20.3V - 3A Max (equivalent to 61W), suggesting to some a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro. However, Apple updated its higher-end 13-inch MacBook Pro in May and its entry-level 13-inch model with a Touch Bar last month, but that's not to say it won't refresh the entire line-up in the fall. Apple has refreshed its entire MacBook Pro lineup twice in a year only once before in the Retina era, in 2013.

On the other hand, details from multiple sources have been converging around the possibility that Apple is developing a 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring a new design and a larger display, perhaps enabled through slimmer bezels.

Apple A2159 macbook pro 2019 NRRA
16-inch MacBook Pro rumors began with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Back in February, Kuo said the notebook would launch at some point in 2019 with an "all-new design." He has not shared any further details since, but a recent supply chain report said mass production would begin in the fourth quarter of this year.

Kuo also believes the 16-inch MacBook Pro will debut with a new scissor switch keyboard design, which will eventually be used in to other MacBook Air and Pro models in 2020 and 2021. According to supply chain sources, the 16-inch display will be an LCD panel with a 3,072 × 1,920 resolution, supplied by LG.

Whatever the technical details turn out to be, with the previous EEC, FCC, and now NRRA filings all referencing the same mysterious A2159 number in the last few months, all the indications are that we'll see a new MacBook Pro quite soon.

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Verizon Rolls Out 5G Support to Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis and Washington, DC

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Verizon today announced that it is rolling out 5G service in select areas of four new cities: Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Washington, DC.

As with the current cities where Verizon is working on 5G (Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Providence), the 5G service is limited in scope and has been made available in "dense, urban areas where people tend to congregate," such as public parks, monuments, college campuses, and stadiums.

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Verizon's press release has specific listings of the areas where 5G connectivity is available in each city.

Verizon has said that it plans to bring its 5G service to more than 30 cities in 2019, including Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Houston, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, Phoenix, San Diego, and Salt Lake City.

Using Verizon's 5G network in 2019 requires a 5G-enabled device, and those are limited at this time. 5G works on the LG V50 ThinQ 5G and the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, among other devices.

Apple's iPhones will not be able to connect to 5G networks until an iPhone that supports 5G is released. Apple is working on 5G devices and is expected to release the first 5G iPhone in fall 2020.

Tag: Verizon
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Apple Shifts 'Bug Wrangler' to AR Team to 'Bring Some Order' to AR Headset Development

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Apple has moved one of its software executives over to the division developing an augmented reality headset with the intent of bringing "some order" to the team, reports The Information.

Kim Vorrath, who has led program management on the software development team for over 15 years, has now moved over to the AR and virtual reality team, headed up by Mike Rockwell. Rockwell oversees close to a dozen people working on AR and VR software and hardware.

apple glasses concept macrumors

An Apple Glasses concept

According to The Information, Vorrath was a "powerful force" on the software team, making sure employees met deadlines while also testing software to find and fix bugs. She could bring some of that same expertise to the AR team as it works to develop software for the augmented reality headset that's rumored to be in the works.

Earlier this month, a report from DigiTimes suggested Apple had disbanded the team working on an augmented reality glasses project and had assigned them to other products, but it's not clear if that's accurate, especially given the new report from The Information about Vorrath's move.

Over the course of the last couple of years, multiple sources have said that Apple is working on augmented reality glasses. Bloomberg in 2017 said that the glasses could launch as early as 2020, though a source that spoke to The Information says it is unclear if the team will meet that deadline.

There are some mixed rumors about Apple's work on an AR/VR headset, suggesting multiple products are in the works and being tested. Bloomberg believes Apple is working on a headset that will use custom iOS-based "rOS" (reality operating system) software, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said Apple will market its smart glasses as an iPhone accessory.

CNET in April 2018 said that Apple is working on an augmented reality/virtual reality headset that features an 8K display for each eye and that is untethered from a computer or smartphone, connecting instead to a "dedicated box" over high-speed short-range WiGig technology. CNET said that it will support both augmented and virtual reality.

It's unclear what kind of project Apple will ultimately come out with given the various rumors we've heard, but it sounds like there still may be a headset or glasses in the works despite the rumors of the AR headset team being disbanded.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro
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Analysts Predict Apple Pencil Support for 2019 iPhones

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The 2019 iPhones could introduce support for the Apple Pencil, according to a list of feature predictions shared today by Citi Research (via Business Insider).

"Support for iPhone pencil/stylus" was on Citi Research's list of upcoming features it expects to see in the 2019 iPhones, but we've heard extensive rumors about the upcoming devices and ‌Apple Pencil‌ support has seldom been mentioned.

iPhone Pencil
At one point in 2018, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that ‌Apple Pencil‌ support is a possibility for a future iPhone, but he did not specify when and has made no mention of the feature in his myriad reports on what's coming to the 2019 iPhones. Kuo at the time said that ‌Apple Pencil‌ support would hinge on Apple releasing a larger ‌iPhone‌, but it's not clear if that meant larger than the 6.5-inch ‌iPhone‌ XS Max.

Korean site The Investor, which does not have an established track record for accuracy, also suggested Apple is considering offering an Apple Pencil-like stylus that could launch as early as 2019, but no reliable source has indicated ‌Apple Pencil‌ support is in the works for the 2019 ‌iPhone‌ lineup.

‌Apple Pencil‌ support would be a major 2019 ‌iPhone‌ feature if planned, suggesting we would have heard multiple rumors about it if Apple was indeed aiming to introduce stylus support this year. That we haven't heard ‌Apple Pencil‌ rumors calls Citi Research's ‌Apple Pencil‌ support claims into question, though it's possible the feature has gone under the radar.

Ahead of the launch of the 2018 iPhones, there were multiple reports from Asian supply chain sources indicating the new devices would work with the ‌Apple Pencil‌, which did not happen.

Apple has, however, expanded ‌Apple Pencil‌ compatibility to its entire iPad lineup, from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro to the 7.9-inch iPad mini, so future ‌Apple Pencil‌ support for ‌iPhone‌ is not out of the question, but seems unlikely for 2019 given the lack of rumors.

Apple's 2019 ‌iPhone‌ lineup is expected to be similar to the 2018 lineup, with 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED devices planned alongside a 6.1-inch LCD ‌iPhone‌ that's more affordable. The new iPhones will look largely similar to the 2018 iPhones, with the exception of new rear camera setups. For more on what's expected in 2019, make sure to check out our 2019 iPhone roundup.

Tag: Apple Pencil Guide
Related Forums: iPhone, iPad Accessories
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Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of macOS Catalina to Developers

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Apple today seeded the fifth beta of macOS 10.15 Catalina for testing purposes, a little over two weeks after seeding the fourth macOS Catalina beta and more than a month after the new Mac operating system update was first unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

The new macOS Catalina beta can be downloaded using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences. As with all new betas, macOS Catalina should not be installed on a primary machine because it is early release software and has bugs.

test macOS 10
macOS Catalina eliminates the iTunes app, splitting it into Music, Podcasts, and TV apps. The Apple Music and Apple Podcasts apps are available now, while the Apple TV app is coming later this year.

The three new apps offer similar functionality to iTunes, but are split up by feature. iOS device management is still available on the Mac, but it's now done through the Finder rather than iTunes.

With a new Sidecar feature, you can turn your iPad into a second display for your Mac with just the click of a button. The Apple Pencil works with ‌Sidecar‌, so you can turn your ‌iPad‌ into a drawing tablet in apps like Photoshop and Illustrator.

Your Apple Watch can be used to approve security prompts for passwords and other info in macOS Catalina, and Macs with a T2 chip now support Activation Lock, making them more secure. There's a new Find My that brings the ‌Find My‌ Mac app to the Mac for the first time and even lets you track your devices when they're offline, or, in the case of notebooks, closed.

Screen Time is available on the Mac as well as iOS devices, and Project Catalyst, a new Apple initiative, will let developers easily port their ‌iPad‌ apps over to the Mac to increase the number of Mac apps available.

There's a new Photos interface that surfaces your best photos organized by day, month, or year, there's a new start page in Safari, Mail has new tools for muting email threads and blocking senders, and the Reminders app has been overhauled. 32-bit apps no longer work in macOS Catalina, which is something to be aware of before installing the beta.

For more details on macOS Catalina, make sure to check out our macOS Catalina roundup.

Related Forum: macOS Catalina
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Deals: Save on iTunes Gift Cards, Anker Accessories, and Apple's Magic Trackpad 2 in Space Gray

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There are a few notable deals going on today, including the latest 15 percent discount on iTunes gift cards, Anker's end-of-July discount codes, and a low price on Apple's Magic Trackpad 2 in Space Gray.

iTunes Gift Cards

Costco is back with a discount on iTunes Gift Cards, offering the $100 gift card for $84.49. As usual with Costco-related iTunes gift card sales, you'll have to be a Costco member to see the discount.

2019 itunes card imageNote: 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.

iTunes gift cards are a great way to save on purchases made on the iTunes Movies and TV stores, your Apple Music subscription, Apple Books, iCloud, and more. A 15 percent discount has been the typical savings we've seen on $100 cards for the past few years.

Head to Costco to check out the gift card sale, which lasts through August 3. You can also get the $25 iTunes gift card for $21.49 during this time.

Apple's Magic Trackpad 2

Amazon has Apple's Magic Trackpad 2 in Space Gray at just $104.99, down from an original price of $149.00. The Magic Trackpad 2 pairs with your Mac and includes Force Touch sensors to detect differences in the amount of pressure applied to its surface.

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This is the Space Gray color option that launched following the iMac Pro, but it will work with any model of the iMac. Stock is low at the time of writing so head to Amazon to check out the sale soon.

Anker's New Discounts

As July ends, Anker has a few codes that will expire later tonight, and some sales that will extend into early August. We've listed them all below.

anker july 31

July Codes

No Codes Needed

Netgear Orbi Mesh Router

Lastly, Netgear's Orbi Mesh Router system is being discounted to around $230 this week thanks to a new on-page coupon found on Amazon. This is the RBK23 model that includes one router and two extender nodes, providing up to 6,000 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage.

orbi
When you clip the on-page $20 off coupon, the router will be discounted to $228.56 in your cart, down from $299.99.

Check out our full Deals Roundup for more of the latest sales.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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LG's New UltraFine 5K Display Limited to 4K Resolution When Used With 2018 iPad Pro

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LG yesterday released a new version of its UltraFine 5K Display with USB-C connectivity, allowing it to be used with 2018 iPad Pro models, but Apple has since confirmed that the ‌iPad Pro‌ cannot take advantage of the full 5K resolution.

lg ultrafine 5k display ipad pro
In a new support document, Apple says the UltraFine 5K is limited to a 4K resolution of 3,840×2,160 at 60Hz when connected to 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ models via USB-C. The full 5K resolution requires a 2016 or newer MacBook Pro, a 2018 or newer MacBook Air, a 2017 or newer iMac or ‌iMac‌ Pro, or a 2018 Mac mini.

The new UltraFine 5K Display is available to order for $1,299.95 on Apple.com. Like the previous model, it also supports Thunderbolt 3, with up to 94W of power for pass-through charging of any Mac or iPad connected to the display.

The new display has the model number 27MD5KL-B.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tags: LG, UltraFine
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
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Spotify Grows to 108M Paid Subscribers Compared to Apple Music's 60M

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Spotify today announced that it has grown to 108 million paid subscribers globally as of June 30, 2019. That number is an increase from 100 million paid subscribers, which the company reported in April.

spotify july 2019
In total, there are 232 million monthly active users on Spotify, including the ones on the free version of Spotify. This is an increase of 29 percent year-over-year.

Comparatively, Apple Music was reported in June to have 60 million paid subscribers. Despite the difference in paid subscriber counts, ‌Apple Music‌ in early 2019 reportedly surpassed Spotify's paid subscriber total in the United States. ‌Apple Music‌ at the time had somewhere around 28 million U.S. subscribers, compared to Spotify's 26 million.

Spotify now predicts that it might have as many as 125 million paid subscribers by the end of Q4 2019.

Tags: Spotify, Apple Music Guide
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