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.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the third beta and over a month after releasing macOS Catalina 10.15.4 with Screen Time Communication Limits, iCloud Folder Sharing, and real-time Apple Music lyrics.
The new macOS Catalina beta can be downloaded from the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper software from the Developer Center.
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 introduces a new Battery Health Management feature for Mac notebooks, which is designed to extend the overall lifespan of a Mac's battery by reducing the rate of chemical aging.
The Battery Health Management feature analyzes the battery health of a laptop and its charging pattern, and in some cases, will preserve battery longevity and health by not charging a MacBook to its full capacity, which can reduce battery life.
When a Mac is used plugged in and the battery is largely kept full, Battery Health Management will kick in and will stop short of a full charge. The feature can be enabled and disabled in the Energy Saver section of the System Preferences app.
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.
Target this week is offering its shoppers a chance to get a $15 Target gift card when they buy a $100 App Store and iTunes e-gift card. This sale will last through Saturday, May 9, and only one gift card can be purchased per guest.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Target. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
While this isn't a straight cash discount on the iTunes gift card, it should be worth it for any Target shoppers who have been running low on iTunes credit, given that it's been a while since we've seen the typical 15 percent sale on these gift cards.
For those interested, head to Target and add the $100 App Store and iTunes gift card to your cart. Once at the checkout screen, Target will automatically apply the $15 gift card promotion to your transaction.
Once you've placed the order, you'll receive a few emails (within four hours): one detailing the code for your iTunes gift card and one for your promotional $15 Target gift card information. As with most Target orders, if you have a RedCard you can also save an additional 5 percent on the iTunes gift card.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
Apple has announced it is awarding $10 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to COPAN Diagnostics, a market leader in sample collection kits that play a critical role in COVID-19 testing across the United States.
The funding aims to allow COPAN to rapidly accelerate the supply of sample collection kits for hospitals across the U.S., expanding production from several thousand today to more than one million kits per week by early July.
Apple says it will also support COPAN's expansion to a new, larger facility in Southern California that will be built out with advanced equipment that Apple is helping to design.
"We feel a deep sense of responsibility to do everything we can to help medical workers, patients, and communities support the global response to COVID-19," said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. "COPAN is one of the world's most innovative manufacturers of sample collection kits for COVID-19 testing, and we're thrilled to partner with them so they can expand as we work to address this critical issue for our nation. I couldn't be prouder of our teams for bringing all of their energy, passion, and innovative spirit to supporting the country’s COVID-19 response."
"We're excited to forge this new relationship with Apple, whose teams are already making a huge difference with our efforts to scale up the production of our sample collection and transport kits," said Norman Sharples, CEO of COPAN Diagnostics. "Collection and transport kits are a critical component in the fight against COVID-19. At COPAN, we're excited and grateful for this partnership with Apple as our strong beliefs of innovation, quality, and excellence in manufacturing and design are perfectly aligned. Apple's operational expertise will help us increase delivery of important pre-analytical tools for medical professionals across the country at this critical time."
Apple is sourcing equipment and materials for the project from companies across the U.S., including equipment Apple is helping design from K2 Kinetics, based in York, Pennsylvania, and MWES in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Apple has donated several million dollars toward the global COVID-19 response, including Global Citizen and America's Food Fund. It has also designed and distributed almost 10 million face shields, sourced over 30 million face masks for healthcare professionals, and developed a COVID-19 exposure notification API for use by public health authorities around the world.
Apple's development of mini-LED display based hardware has not been significantly affected by the global health crisis but it may have delayed adoption of the technology in the short-term, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a research note with TF International Securities today, seen by MacRumors, Kuo said mini-LED chip, panel, assembly, and terminal assembly are expected to begin mass production in the third quarter of 2020, the fourth quarter, the end of the fourth quarter, and the first quarter of 2021, respectively.
"We believe that investors do not need to worry too much about the extension of the mini LED schedule, because mini LED is a key technology that Apple will promote in the next 5 years, so even if the short-term schedule is affected by the new coronary pneumonia, it will not damage the long-term positive trend."
Apple is said to be planning four to six products with mini-LED displays over the next two to three years, according to Kuo. The analyst previously said Apple planned to release a high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an A14X chip in the third quarter of 2020 and an updated 16-inch MacBook Pro with a mini-LED display in the fourth quarter.
However, today's note suggests Apple's roadmap for the mini-LED versions of these products may have been pushed back slightly. In March, DigiTimes said that Apple would launch multiple Mac notebook models with mini-LED backlit displays by the end of 2020, while Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to introduce a new 16-inch MacBook Pro in October or November, but without specifying which display technology it would use.
Along with a mini-LED 16-inch MacBook Pro, Kuo believes Apple is planning to introduce a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro with a mini-LED display, although he hasn't provided launch information for the 14.1-inch model that Apple is working on, beyond suggesting there are several mini-LED devices in the works.
Future mini-LED displays will use approximately 10,000 LEDs, with each one below 200 microns in size. Mini-LED displays will allow for thinner and lighter product designs, while offering many of the same benefits of OLED displays used on the latest iPhones, including good wide color gamut performance, high contrast and dynamic range, and local dimming for truer blacks.
In today's note, Kuo advised investors to pay attention to the trend of mini-LEDs and reiterated that they are positively looking at the growth momentum of Apple's mini-LED product roadmap.
The analyst estimates that Apple mini-LED product shipments will grow significantly by about 300 percent and 225 percent in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Apple's active mini-LED product strategy will also force competitors to launch similar products in the next few years, which is also the key to accelerating the growth of mini-LED applications, according to Kuo.
Strong online sales ensured a growth in worldwide smartwatch shipments in the first three months of this year, despite the impact of the global health crisis, according to a new report by Strategy Analytics.
Shipments grew 20 percent year on year in the first quarter, reaching 13.7 million units, up from 11.4 million units in the previous quarter. Apple Watch retained its dominant top spot with 55 percent market share, following by Samsung, with Garmin rising to third place.
In Q1 2020, 7.6 million Apple Watch units shipped, a 23 percent increase from the 6.2 million shipped in the same quarter a year ago. Apple Watch's market share was up marginally from 54 percent to 55 percent.
Samsung shipped 1.9 million smartwatch units, up from 1.7 million last year, but its market share declined from 15 percent to 14 percent, due to a combination of the health crisis in South Korea and strong competition from Garmin and other rivals.
Garmin shipped 1.1 million units, compared to 800,000 units a year ago. That's a 38 percent increase year on year and a growth in Garmin's market share from 7 to 8 percent.
Strategy Analytics predicts a slowdown in growth in the second quarter of 2020, with a recovery in the second half of the year as retail stores reopen and consumers look to smartwatches to help monitor their health.
Steven Waltzer, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, "Global smartwatch shipments grew 20 percent annually from 11.4 million units in Q1 2019 to 13.7 million in Q1 2020. Despite considerable headwinds from the Covid-19 scare, global demand for smartwatches continued to grow. Smartwatches are selling well through online retail channels, while many consumers have been using smartwatches to monitor their health and fitness during virus lockdown."
Multiple iPhone and iPad users are seeing their apps crashing at launch as of this afternoon, and the issue appears to be caused by a faulty Facebook SDK that the apps are using.
There are multiple complaints about apps crashing continually on iOS devices on the MacRumors forums, and a wide range of apps appear to be impacted. Google's Waze app, for example, won't launch, and there have been complaints about apps that include Pinterest, Spotify, Adobe Spark, Quora, TikTok, and others.
Multiple developers on GitHub have attributed the problem to a Facebook software development kit used by the apps for sign-in purposes. Apps are failing to open even when users do not use the Facebook login options included.
It's not clear when the issue will be fixed, but with so many apps affected, it could be addressed shortly. Facebook will likely be able to fix the problem over the air with a server update.
Higher-end models of the new 13-inch MacBook Pro unveiled this week are able to take some advantage of higher-wattage power adapters, as revealed in regulatory labels for the new machines.
Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro models have shipped with a 61-watt USB-C power adapter since 2016, with the machines typically rated to draw at that maximum of 20.3 volts and 3 amps. You've long been able to safely use higher-wattage power adapters, but the maximum power draw remains capped by the machine itself, so it won't charge any faster.
For the first time, the higher-end 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro models with 10th-generation Intel processors carry a dual power rating of 20.3V/3.0A and 20.2V/4.3A, meaning that these models can also accept Apple's 87-watt power adapter that previously shipped with the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Many other Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C accessories like docks and displays can also deliver 87 watts to connected computers.
The lower-end MacBook Pro configurations with 8th-generation processors remain rated for 61 watts, and all models ship with a 61-watt power adapter.
While it's reasonable to think that the higher-end MacBook Pro models might be able to charge more quickly using an 87-watt adapter than they do with the 61-watt adapter they ship with, sources tell MacRumors that this isn't the case. The maximum charging speed configured on the machine remains the same, so you won't see any difference.
Where users might be able to see a bit of benefit with a higher-wattage adapter is for those running demanding apps that generate high transient workloads. Under these situations, there's a bit more headroom for an 87-watt adapter to deliver additional power to the machine. Still, the vast majority of users won't be bumping against the limits of the included 61-watt adapter, especially on a frequent basis, so those users won't see any benefit.
So while the change won't have a real-world impact on anyone but a few professional-level users regularly maxing out the capabilities of their machines, those who are curious about the new power ratings stamped on the bottom of their machines at least have an explanation.
Sonos today announced the Arc, a new $799 premium soundbar option that features Dolby Atmos support and AirPlay 2 compatibility. The Arc replaces the Playbar, with Sonos also discontinuing the Playbase.
Available in black or white, the Arc features a curved grille, with its longer 45-inch design aimed at users who have large TVs. Sonos says the Arc can be mounted discreetly or placed on top of furniture.
The Arc is equipped with 11 drivers to provide multi-directional audio, along with 8 elliptical woofers, 3 silk-dome tweeters, and a far-field microphone array for voice assistant activation (it supports Google Assistant and Alexa). Arc tuning was done with Oscar-winning sound engineers to emphasize the human voice, ideal for use with TV shows and movies.
Sonos' Trueplay software tunes the Arc to the acoustics of the room that it's in, while the app provides adjustable EQ settings. A night mode reduces the intensity of loud sound effects.
Along with the new products, Sonos today announced the upcoming launch of its S2 app, which will work with the new Arc, Sonos Five, and Sonos Sub, along with other Sonos devices. The S2 app includes support for higher resolution audio like Dolby Atmos, plus it features improved security and a revamped design.
The new Sonos app will work with most products, but it leaves behind the original Play:5, Zone Players, Gen 1 Connect devices, the CR200, and the Bridge.
Sonos plans to release the Arc on June 10, and it will be compatible with the Sonos S2 app when it launches. The Arc is available for pre-order on the Sonos website as of today, as are the Sonos Sub and Sonos Five.
Google's new wire-free version of the Pixel Buds started shipping out in late April, and we picked up a pair to see how Google's wire-free earbuds compare to the AirPods and the AirPods Pro.
When it comes to price and feature set, Pixel Buds are more similar to the AirPods than the AirPods Pro. The Pixel Buds are priced at $179, in between the pricing of the standard AirPods ($159) and the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case ($199).
They're not as expensive as the AirPods Pro and that's because there is no Active Noise Cancellation included in the Pixel Buds.
Design wise, though, the Pixel Buds have a little more in common with the AirPods Pro than the AirPods, featuring silicone tips (with multiple size options) that fit into the ears. AirPods, of course, have no silicone tips and are unlike most other earbuds on the market.
Google gave the Pixel Buds a unique design with a matte white Mentos-shaped body that sits outside of the ears and provides a small surface for gestures. Google actually made Pixel Buds before, but this is the first version without a wire - the prior model had a wire between the two earbuds.
There's a little stem that sticks out of the top of the Pixel Buds that provides a tight but comfortable in-ear fit to keep them in place. We found the Pixel Buds to be comfortable to wear, but as with any in-ear headphone, ear fatigue sets in after long periods of use and there can be some ear pain. For shorter listening periods, the Pixel Buds were comfortable, as are the AirPods and the AirPods Pro for most people.
The little Mentos-like puck on the outside is useful. One tap for play/pause, double tap for the next track, and triple tap to go back. There's also an option to control the volume by sliding from left to right, a useful feature missing from the AirPods.
When it comes to sound quality, the Pixel Buds work well for music and videos. There's separation between the low, mid, and high frequencies, and different instruments can be heard clearly. Lack of bass has been a complaint with the Pixel Buds, but we thought they sounded better than the AirPods and close to the AirPods Pro.
Our Pixel Buds had a major issue, though, and it appears we may have had a faulty pair. With no music playing, there's a high-pitched hum coming from the right earbud. It cuts out when music is playing, but can be heard during calls. We'll be getting a new pair from Google and will provide an update here in this article on whether that pair is functional.
Like AirPods and AirPods Pro, Pixel Buds come with a wireless charging case that adds additional battery life. It's a little bit egg shaped and closer in size to the skinny AirPods case than the wider AirPods Pro case.
Pixel Buds are meant to last up to five hours before needing to be recharged, with the case adding up to 24 hours of listening time. The case charges over USB-C or a Qi-based wireless charging mat, while AirPods are limited to Lightning or Qi charging if the wireless case was purchased.
When paired with an iPhone, Pixel Buds are equivalent to any other Bluetooth earbuds with no special features, but when used with an Android, there's more functionality to work with.
There's a fast pair option for holding the case near the phone to pair, much like with the AirPods, and the Pixel Buds link to a Google account for management and tracking purposes. If Pixel Buds get lost, they can be tracked via the app, which also provides a toggle for Adaptive Sound and other settings that can be tweaked.
Adaptive Sound, by the way, is meant to tune the audio based on your surroundings and it's in lieu of noise cancellation, which is not a Pixel Buds feature. Pixel Buds also include real-time language translation, which is neat, and access to Google Assistant through a gesture, which is great for Google Assistant users.
For iPhone users, there's no reason to purchase the Pixel Buds over the AirPods or AirPods Pro just because the AirPods have so much more to offer in terms of quick pairing, device switching, range, and iPhone integration, but for Android users, Pixel Buds are worth considering.
With the Adaptive Sound, wire-free fit, charging case, gesture support, and fast pairing options, Pixel Buds are the closest thing to AirPods on an Android.
In addition to introducing Face ID changes for mask usage and the Exposure Notification API, iOS 13.5 adds a new feature for sharing Medical ID information.
Today's iOS 13.5 beta prompts users to review their Medical ID settings when opening the Health app, introducing options to share Medical ID info during an emergency call and on the Lock screen.
Based on the text accompanying the feature, enabling the option sends Medical ID information to emergency dispatchers who answer an emergency call. Apple says it will provide emergency services personnel with key info like allergies, language, and medical conditions.
iPhone and Apple Watch can automatically send the information in your Medical ID to the dispatcher who answers your call.
This can speed up the process of getting the care you need.
This feature can be toggled on when adjusting medical settings after updating, as can the option to provide access to Medical ID even when an iPhone is locked.
These settings can be adjusted in the Health section of the Settings app by tapping on Medical ID and then the "Edit" option.
According to Apple, when the Medical ID sharing feature is enabled, a call or text to emergency services shares location and encrypted Medical ID info with Apple.
Apple uses location to determine whether Enhanced Emergency Data is supported in your area, and if so, the Medical ID info is forwarded to a partner for delivery to medical services.
If Emergency Calls & SOS in Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services is disabled, the feature does not work.
Apple in the third iOS 13.5 beta introduced support for the Exposure Notification API it's developing with Google along with a toggle to enable it, and in the fourth beta of iOS 13.5 introduced today, Apple has tweaked the interface to make it more clear how exposure notification logging works.
In this beta, when accessing the Exposure Notification toggle located in the Health section of the Privacy part of the Settings app, Apple now makes it clear that the exposure notification logging feature can't be turned out without an accompanying app installed.
In a country where exposure notification is available, the new Exposure Logging toggle is grayed out and cannot be activated without an authorized app installed, as seen in the screenshot above.
You cannot turn on Exposure Logging without an authorized app installed that can send Exposure Notifications.
When enabled iPhone can exchange random IDs with other devices using Bluetooth.
The random IDs your device collects are stored in an exposure log for 14 days. This exposure log allows an app you authorize to notify you if you may have been exposed to COVID-19.
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 you can choose to share your own device's random IDs with the authorized app so it can notify others anonymously.
In a country where there are no apps that take advantage of Exposure Notification, there's different wording letting you know the feature is not available and no toggle to turn on at all.
Beta users in the United States and other countries will see the warning about Exposure Notification not being available in the country as of yet because there are no apps that take advantage of Exposure Notification that can be downloaded at this time.
When health apps that use the Exposure Notification API are released, the Privacy section of the Settings app will also list the active Exposure Notification app that's installed.
NBCUniversal's upcoming streaming service, Peacock, will be available on Apple devices that include the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV when it launches on July 15, NBC announced today.
Peacock will be fully integrated into the Apple TV app, and it will be available in the Watch Now section. Peacock content will be tracked by Apple's Up Next feature, and customers will be able to use Siri to search for Peacock shows and movies.
The new streaming service will have a free tier that offers 7,500 hours of movies, shows, and live programming like sports, news, reality, and late night shows. There will also be a Peacock Premium tier available for $4.99 per month with over 15,000 hours of content.
The $4.99 per month price point includes ads, but an ad-free experience is available for an additional $5 per month. Apple customers will be able to sign up for Peacock Free or upgrade to premium using the Peacock app on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.
Peacock will include popular movies like "Jurassic Park," "E.T.," and "Shrek," along with NBC TV shows like "Law & Order: SVU," "Parenthood," "30 Rock," "Parks and Recreation," "Two and a Half Men," "King of Queens," and more.