MacRumors

As expected, Apple reopened its five retail stores in the Beijing area today as the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in China continues.

In a video shared by CNBC senior correspondent Eunice Yoon, Apple employees can be seen checking the body temperatures of customers as they enter the store for signs of fever. Yoon says Apple is also limiting the number of customers allowed in the store at once, resulting in smaller crowds than normally seen.

The stores in Beijing have reduced hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Apple's other stores in China remain closed until further notice.

There remains a lot of uncertainty regarding the coronavirus outbreak, which has resulted in extended shipping estimates for some Apple products and could impact the company's overall revenue this quarter. Apple operates over 40 stores in China, which represents less than 10 percent of its retail locations worldwide.

Apple recently provided its retail stores, authorized service providers, and carrier partners with an enhanced cleaning guide that recommends that demo Apple products be cleaned at least twice per day. The document, shared with MacRumors, contains best practices for using microfiber cloths as well as hand washing tips for employees.

Samsung at its Unpacked Event in San Francisco this week unveiled the new Galaxy Z Flip and the S20 smartphone lineup, and accompanying its new flagship devices, Samsung also launched its next-generation wire-free earbuds, the Galaxy Buds+.

In our latest YouTube video, we took a look at the new Galaxy Buds+ to test them out, and we did a quick comparison with the AirPods and the AirPods Pro.

Design wise, the Galaxy Buds+ look pretty much identical to the original Galaxy Buds, but there's an extra microphone that's been added and the charging case now has a glossy finish instead of a matte finish. The size, fit, and comfort are unchanged.

The Galaxy Buds+ are closer in design to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ than the AirPods because of the soft silicone tips that fit into the ear canal to provide a tighter seal, but there is no noise canceling technology included in the Galaxy Buds+.

With the second-generation version of the Galaxy Buds, Samsung aimed to improve audio quality for music and phone calls along with battery life, both of which do seem to be better. The Galaxy Buds+ now last for 11 hours before needing to be recharged with the case, and the sound seems to be improved.

Though closer in design to the ‌AirPods Pro‌, the price point and the functionality of the Galaxy Buds+ better matches the standard AirPods. The Galaxy Buds+ are $149, so $10 cheaper than the standard AirPods without charging case and $100 cheaper than the ‌AirPods Pro‌.

There are touch controls on each Galaxy Bud+ earbud, which can be used to play/pause, skip tracks, and activate voice assistants. Those are the only three functions available when connecting the Galaxy Buds+ to the iPhone, but with an Android device, the long press function can be customized to auto-launch Spotify.

Samsung also offers tools for controlling ambient sound levels (though we didn't notice much of a difference with this enabled), and adjusting the sound profile. There are a few preset options for increasing bass or treble and there's an option for making audio more dynamic or soft. There's no true equalizer function, but it's better than what's available for AirPods, which is nothing.

Galaxy Buds+ on Android can read notifications to you, a function not available when using them with the ‌iPhone‌. AirPods offer a similar function in iOS 13, allowing Siri to announce incoming messages.

Galaxy Buds+ can also be connected to multiple devices at the same time such as a TV and an Android phone so you can hear incoming notifications, but this is not a feature that works when using them with an ‌iPhone‌.

Overall, the Galaxy Buds+ audio seems to be improved and they sound better than the AirPods, but there's not a huge difference. There is a major difference in sound quality compared to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ in favor of the ‌AirPods Pro‌, but that's probably not a fair comparison given the Galaxy Buds+ are $100 cheaper and not meant to compete with Apple's noise canceling headphones.

Android users who have considered getting AirPods for their smartphones might want to consider the Galaxy Buds+ instead, but those who use both iOS and Android may still want to go for the regular AirPods because of the H1 chip functionality. The H1 chip in the AirPods and ‌AirPods Pro‌ powers hands-free "Hey ‌Siri‌" requests, improves connectivity and improves range, and also enables fast switching between Apple devices connected to the same iCloud account.

What do you think of Samsung's improved Galaxy Buds+? Let us know in the comments.

Apple shipped an estimated 2.6 million HomePods during the fourth quarter of 2019, earning it 4.7 percent of the smart speaker market, according to new estimates shared today by Strategy Analytics.

Apple was the number six worldwide smart speaker market vendor, shipping fewer speakers than Amazon, Google, Baidu, Alibaba, and Xiaomi.

Amazon was the number one smart speaker vendor in the world during Q4 2019, shipping an estimated 15.8 million speakers for 28.3 percent market share. Google came in second with 13.9 million speakers shipped and 24.9 percent market share, followed by Chinese brands Baidu, Alibaba, and Xiaomi.

Apple shipped one million more HomePods in Q4 2019 than it did in Q4 2018 when it shipped 1.6 million, marking a 65 percent increase in growth. That didn't translate to a major increase in market share though as Apple ships so many fewer speakers than other brands.

The overall smart speaker market was up 44.7 percent with 55.7 million total shipments, up from the 38.5 million shipped in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Strategy Analytics says that it expects 2020 to be another record year for smart speaker sales despite the disruption to supply and demand caused by the coronavirus.

There's no word on whether Apple will be able to increase speaker shipments in 2020, as Strategy Analytics says consumers are drawn to low prices.

"Consumer appetite for smart speakers remained undimmed during the all-important Q4 period as newly launched devices with improved feature sets and audio performance helped drive record quarterly shipments. Consumers across the world were once again enticed by scarcely believable deals from leading brands such as Google, Amazon, Baidu and Alibaba, while Google in particular stepped up its giveaway promotional activity in partnership with brands such as YouTube and Spotify."

Apple's HomePod is priced at $299 in the United States and is available in a limited number of countries. Apple is rumored to be working on a lower-cost version of the ‌HomePod‌ that will be released at some point in 2020, so that could potentially boost sales depending on whether its price point can match some of the much cheaper speakers offered by other vendors.

Another smart speaker sales report recently suggested that Amazon will hold on to its position as the number one smart speaker vendor through at least 2021.

YouTube today sent out emails to customers who are subscribed to its YouTube TV service through Apple's App Store, letting them know that ‌App Store‌ subscriptions are going to be discontinued in March.

From the emails:

You're currently subscribed to YouTube TV through Apple in-app purchases, so we're writing to let you know that, starting March 13, 2020, YouTube TV will no longer accept payment through Apple in-app purchases.

YouTube TV members will still be able to watch YouTube TV content on Apple devices.

You'll be billed for one final month of service and then your in-app purchase subscription will be canceled automatically on your billing date after March, 13, 2020.

There's no word on why YouTube is ending YouTube TV subscriptions through the ‌App Store‌, but Apple does take a cut of all subscription purchases, so avoiding in-app purchases will allow YouTube to skirt that fee.

When it comes to subscriptions, Apple takes a 30 percent cut of the subscription price paid by each subscriber for the first 12 months, and then if a subscriber remains subscribed, Apple's cut drops to 15 percent.

The YouTube TV app will need to remove all references to subscribing and signing up from its app when in-app purchases disappear, as Apple does not allow apps to link out to third-party subscription purchase options.

Apps that offer subscriptions on Apple's platform have complained about Apple's cut for years. Some apps raise their subscription prices through the ‌App Store‌ to compensate for the fee, while others choose not to offer subscriptions in Apple's apps.

YouTube TV users will be able to continue using the YouTube TV app on Apple's platforms, but will need to sign up for a subscription on the website.

(Thanks, Kyle!)

Apple charges $5,000 for its Pro Display XDR and has described it as a display designed for professionals, even claiming that it can match the performance of some professional reference monitors on the market that sell for much more.

Vincent Teoh, a TV reviewer at HDTVTest, recently tested Apple's Pro Display XDR claims, comparing it to Sony's BVM-HX310 reference monitor, which uses dual-layer LCD technology and costs over $40,000.

Prior to pitting the Pro Display XDR against the Sony HX310, Teoh does in-depth testing of Apple's display, measuring brightness, contrast, and color accuracy, with the testing demonstrating some of the faults in the Pro Display XDR.

There were problems with contrast and color accuracy at peak brightness along with "so-so" screen uniformity, leading Teoh to call the reference mode of the Pro Display XDR suitable for content consumption rather than content creation.

Teoh then compared the Pro Display XDR to the Sony BVM-HX310 reference display as the Sony display is the one that was mentioned when the Pro Display XDR was unveiled. The Pro Display XDR struggled to keep up with the Sony display, and Teoh said that it is not a viable cheaper reference monitor for professionals.

It appears that Apple's marketing team may have been a bit overzealous in calling the Pro Display XDR the 'World's best pro display.' [...]

Compared side by side with the Sony HX310, the Pro Display XDR exhibits a number of shortcomings, particularly in dark scenes such as localized luminous fluctuations, blooming artifacts, as well as noticeably grayer blacks.

For a monitor to be used as a reference for commercial color grading, there can be no doubt whatsover about the picture on screen.

Let's say J.J. Abrams is looking over your shoulders and wants a bit more lens flare in a particular scene. Can you be 100% sure that the VFX you're adding in post will be reproduced accurately when watched on other displays? With the Pro Display XDR, there's no way you can tell.

"I think the Pro Display XDR is a no go for any serious professional colorist," he concluded. "At the end of the day, the Pro Display XDR is just an IPS display with 576 full array local dimming zones that happens to carry Apple's logo and costs $5,000."

He questions whether it's fair to judge a $5,000 monitor against a $43,000 reference display, but points out that it was Apple that made that comparison first at WWDC. "The Pro Display XDR doesn't deliver anywhere close to the consistency and accuracy demanded of reference monitors."

Teoh's full video on the Pro Display XDR is well worth watching for those who want to see the full testing details prior to making a purchase.

(H/T Matthew Panzarino and The Loop)

Apple is enhancing its Augmented Reality Quick Look feature that's designed to allow users to see augmented reality versions of products they're intending to purchase right in their houses.

According to CNET and TechCrunch, Apple has updated the Quick Look preview feature in Safari to allow retailers to add links and buttons to the augmented reality experience.

When browsing sites like Home Depot, Wayfair, Bang & Olufsen, and 1-800-Flowers, customers will now see options to make purchases and learn more about a product while previewing it in AR mode.

Apple added the Quick Look browsing feature to Safari in 2018, and on sites that have implemented it, it adds a button for putting a 3D object in a room so its size, shape, and other features can be previewed prior to a purchase.

Apple introduced the new link and button tools in iOS 13 and previewed them at WWDC, but retailers have just now begun incorporating the new features.

Prior to the addition of links and other information at the bottom of the augmented reality viewing window, users would need to tap out of the experience to make the purchase or learn more about an item.

The links essentially streamline the shopping process, making it easier to add an item to a shopping cart, find a nearby store, or chat with customer service.

Later this year, Apple plans to further enhance Quick Look with a spatial audio feature, which is included in the iOS 13.4 beta. Spatial audio will allow shopping sites and other augmented reality sites within Safari to add audio to the experience.

Apple today updated song identification app Shazam with a new feature that allows users to search for content.

The refreshed version of the app features a new Search button right on the Home screen that can be used to look up any artist, song, or song lyric.

Got a song on your mind? You can now tap the new Search button on the home screen to search for any artist or song. Can't remember the name of it? Try searching with lyrics instead!

The search button replaces the camera icon that was previously in the Shazam app, and the camera functionality appears to have been eliminated from the Shazam app entirely.

The camera button was used for a visual feature that allowed Shazam users to scan images with a Shazam camera logo or a QR code. When the "See It, Shazam It" feature was released, Shazam had partnerships with Disney, Sports Illustrated, the WSJ, and more.

The camera functionality dates back to 2015, prior to when Apple acquired the Shazam app. It's likely that all of the prior partnerships Shazam had with outside companies have expired, leading the camera technology to become outdated.

Tapping on the new search icon that replaces the camera icon opens up a dedicated search interface where content can be searched for and then played right in the Shazam app for those who have Apple Music. Other app functionality, such as the library of saved Shazam songs and the top charts remains unchanged.

Along with adding search capabilities to the Shazam app, Apple today also updated the Shazam Encore app to make it free. Shazam Encore was a paid app that cost $2.99 and it was the counterpart to the free Shazam app, removing the ads that were in the free version.

When Apple purchased Shazam in 2018, all of the ads in the main Shazam app were removed, making it essentially identical in functionality to Shazam Encore. For some reason, though, Apple never made the Encore app free to purchase.

There's no point in downloading Shazam Encore if you have the standard Shazam app, and we wouldn't be surprised to see it discontinued in the future. Shazam and Shazam Encore can both be downloaded from the App Store for free.

Apple has begun selling certified refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro models through its online store in the United States for the first time since the notebook was released in November 2019. All of the refurbished configurations are discounted by 15 percent compared to the equivalent brand new models.

Apple says refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a 96W USB-C power adapter and USB-C cable in the box. In our view, a refurbished MacBook Pro is virtually indistinguishable from a brand new model, so this represents a good opportunity for savings.

Keep in mind that third-party resellers frequently offer better deals than Apple's refurbished prices, so be sure to monitor our deals roundup.

A refurbished MacBook Pro comes with Apple's standard one-year warranty effective on the date the notebook is delivered. The warranty can be extended to three years from the refurbished purchase date with AppleCare+ for Mac, which costs $379 for the 16-inch MacBook Pro in the United States.

Apple has updated its website to indicate that all five of its retail stores in the Beijing area will be reopening February 14 with limited hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time until further notice, as noted by Reuters.

Apple has yet to announce reopening dates for its other stores in mainland China, which remain listed as closed through at least February 19 on its website due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. Apple began working toward re-opening its corporate offices and contact centers in the country earlier this week.

The coronavirus outbreak has also impacted Apple's suppliers, including its largest manufacturing partner Foxconn, which is reportedly in the process of resuming operations at its factories across China.

There remains a lot of uncertainty regarding the coronavirus outbreak, which has resulted in extended shipping estimates for some Apple products and could impact the company's overall sales. Apple operates over 40 stores in China, which represents less than 10 percent of its retail locations worldwide.

Apple recently provided its retail stores, authorized service providers, and carrier partners with an enhanced cleaning guide that recommends that demo Apple products be cleaned at least twice per day. The document, shared with MacRumors, contains best practices for using microfiber cloths as well as hand washing tips for employees.

Apple plans to release its first iPhone and iPad Pro models with 5G connectivity in the second half of 2020, according to a pair of reports today from Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.

The first report claims that the devices will be equipped with 5nm-based A14 chips — likely A14X for the iPad Pro — and support a combination of mmWave and sub-6GHz. Qualcomm is expected to supply its Snapdragon X55 modem for the iPhones, but the report does not specify which modem the iPads will use.

mmWave or millimeter wave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, making it best suited for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas.

DigiTimes believes that both the iPhone and iPad Pro models will likely be announced in September. Apple typically makes iPad announcements in October, but it has used its iPhone event in September to make a few iPad announcements before, including the original iPad Pro in 2015 and the 10.2-inch iPad in 2019.

From the first report:

Based on its 5G product roadmaps, Apple is expected to launch new iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads, incorporating both sub-6GHz and mmWave specs probably in September, which will significantly drive up demand for 5nm A14, the sources said.

A14 can be applied to diverse iOS mobile devices for different 5G frequency bands as long as corresponding modem chips and AiP modules are adopted, the sources indicated, adding that Qualcomm will provide 5G Snapdragon X55 modem chipsets for new iPhone devices in 2020.

The second report provides a more vague timeframe of the second half of 2020, so an October announcement is not ruled out:

Win Semi reportedly will be the sole fabricator of VCSEL components for ToF (time of flight) AR and depth-of-field (DoF) photography applications, as its US IDM clients have also captured orders from Apple. The ToF camera modules are expected to be incorporated into 5G iPhones and iPads to be released in the second half of 2020, the sources said.

Key Takeaway

Rumors suggest that Apple plans to update its iPad Pro lineup in March, with key new features expected to include a triple-lens rear camera system and 3D sensing for augmented reality. This would make sense from a timing perspective, as the iPad Pro has been updated on roughly an 18-month cycle since 2015, and it will have been 18 months since the iPad Pro was last updated in October 2018.

This would pave the way for the first 5G iPad Pro models with an A14X chip to launch in the fall, with other hardware changes likely being few to none. The new 5G models would likely simply be additional SKUs at the high end of the lineup.