MacRumors

Warner Bros will debut all its movie releases next year on the HBO Max streaming service at the same time as their theatrical release dates, reports Variety.

Like "Wonder Woman 1984," which lands on HBO Max for Christmas the same time as it debuts in theaters, the films that Warner Bros plans to release in 2021 will be available to HBO Max subscribers for 31 days.

The list of 17 movies includes "The Matrix 4" and Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" remake, Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical adaptation of "In the Heights," the "Sopranos" prequel "The Many Saints of Newark," and "The Suicide Squad."

After the one-month mark, those movies will continue to play in theaters until they reach the traditional home entertainment frame, after which people will be able to rent them through online platforms like Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.

WarnerMedia chair and CEO Ann Sarnoff referred to the model as a "unique one-year plan." Executives at the company say the initiative isn't expected to continue beyond 2021, but is being considered a temporary solution in response to the ongoing global heath crisis.

The decision highlights the hardship facing movie theaters and the increasing importance of streaming services in the midst of the pandemic, and upends the longstanding business model in the commercial cinema industry of observing a significant period of theatrical exclusivity.

Theater chains usually want to attract audiences for as long as possible before they have the option to stream movies at home, with some requiring a 90-day period of exclusivity before movies go to home streaming services.

It remains unclear whether the 17 movies will still be eligible for awards. The traditional theatrical release plan is a proven route to eligibility, since film awards typically require a theatrical run for their candidates.

HBO Max is owned by Warner Bros' ultimate parent company, AT&T. The service costs $14.99 and is available as a native app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ HD and ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌ 4K, but second and third-generation ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌ owners need to AirPlay HBO Max content from an iOS device to the TV to watch. HBO Max is only available in the U.S., so international markets won't be affected.

This year, Twitter has been testing threaded replies for some iOS and web users, with the aim of making it easier to see how conversations evolve. However, it turns out the new-look, Reddit-style replies were actually more confusing for users of the typical conversation interface, and the company has decided to roll back the changes.

Those who trialed the new layout for replies saw lines and indentations that were supposed to make it clearer who is talking to whom and to fit more of the conversation in one view. Twitter also put engagement actions such as Like, Retweet, and Reply icons behind an extra tap in an effort to make replies to conversations easier to follow. The features were first trialed in the experimental twttr beta app and then added to the regular app a few months later.

But negative user feedback made the company revert the branching Twitter conversations to the classic arrangement, with many finding the style harder to read and join conversations. Twitter's Comms account said users would no longer see the threaded replies from Thursday.

Apple on Tuesday finally released the MagSafe Duo Charger, which is a $129 charger that combines an iPhone 12 MagSafe charger with an Apple Watch charging puck.

Apple first introduced the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo alongside the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 models in October, but until its surprise release on Tuesday, there was no word on when it would come out. It's available from the Apple online store now, and also some retail stores in the United States.

The ‌MagSafe‌ Duo is made from a white material with a book-style design. One half has a ‌MagSafe‌ charger that attaches magnetically to ‌iPhone‌ 12 models, while the other half has an Apple Watch charging puck. The Apple Watch charging puck can be used flat or it can pop up so you can charge the Apple Watch in Nightstand mode, but the ‌MagSafe‌ charger remains flat. The design is simple and clean, and it folds over neatly, something that will be great for future travel.

On the surface, the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo looks like a decent charging option, but at its price point, there are compromises to be aware of. It does not ship with a power adapter so you need to purchase one or use one that you already own, and there are charging limitations.

The ‌MagSafe‌ Charger on its own can charge an ‌iPhone‌ 12 at up to 15W with Apple's 20W USB-C charger, but if you use that same 20W USB-C charger with the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo, an ‌iPhone‌ 12 will be limited to a maximum of 11W. You can use a 27W+ charger instead and it will charge at up to 14W, but it is not able to hit that 15W maximum. Apple's 20W USB-C Power Adapter costs $19, and the 30W version is $49, so adding on a charger raises the cost of the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo quite a bit.

There have also been some ‌MagSafe‌ Charger charging limitations with certain power adapters that are PD 3.0 compatible, and that may also be a concern with the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo.

At the $129 price point, the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo really should have come with a power adapter rather than just a USB-C to Lightning cable. A standalone Apple Watch charging puck is $29 and a ‌MagSafe‌ Charger is $39 for a total of $68, but Apple is charging close to twice that to connect them together.

There are plenty of wireless charging options that are well over $100, but most of those include power adapters. There aren't any other multi-device ‌MagSafe‌ charging options that are available at the current time, but third-party manufacturers are working on solutions that might be better than what Apple is offering.

So who should buy this? Apple fans who have an Apple Watch and an ‌iPhone‌ 12 and who plan to travel often will likely find the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo useful, but it's not a must-have accessory nor is it any kind of deal, which is worth keeping in mind. We recommend waiting to see what kind of third-party accessories come out in the next few months.

iPhone and iPad users who share apps with their families through Apple's Family Sharing feature can now share subscription apps as well.

In the App Store settings under "Subscriptions," there's a "Share New Subscriptions" setting that appears to be enabled automatically, allowing subscription apps to be shared among family members. The new option is available on the current release version of iOS, iOS 14.2.

Apple announced subscription sharing options as part of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur. Developers are able to decide whether subscriptions should be available to members of a Family Sharing group. Some apps have been implementing the feature, as noted by Ryan Jones on Twitter.

Amazon has added a new feature to its Alexa app for iOS devices, which is designed to allow users to type Alexa commands rather than having to use voice commands to interact with the personal assistant.

In a statement provided to The Verge, Amazon says that Type with Alexa is a new feature that's available as of today in public preview capacity in the United States. Alexa iOS users can type anything that would normally require a voice command into the app.

Type with Alexa can be accessed by tapping on the keyboard icon in the top left of the main menu in the app. Amazon says that the feature is still in beta, so there could be some errors. Customers will need to be a part of the public preview program to access the type with Alexa feature.

Apple's built-in Siri assistant has had a type to Siri option since iOS 11, allowing users to type in requests rather than having to speak them aloud, and Google Assistant has a similar feature.

Apple in November announced a new App Store Small Business Program that lowers App Store fees for small business owners and independent developers to 15 percent, down from the standard 30 percent. The program is set to launch on January 1, 2021, and as of today, eligible developers are able to sign up.

Apple has launched an App Store Small Business Program website that has all of the information that developers need to know, along with signup tools. The program is open to all developers who earn less than $1 million from the ‌App Store‌ in a calendar year, which applies to 98 percent of developers, according to a recent analysis.

When initially announcing the program, Apple promised to provide developers with more information, and has today done so through the ‌App Store‌ Small Business Program website. The site walks through the basics of how it works, answering questions about eligibility, app transfers, payouts, and more.

The 15 percent fee applies to paid app purchases, in-app purchases, and subscription fees, and this year, all developers who earned under $1 million from the ‌App Store‌ in 2020 are able to qualify for the program. Developers new to the ‌App Store‌ will also be able to participate.

Notably, today's information clarifies that the $1 million total applies to Associated Developer Accounts.

To participate in the program, you and your Associated Developer Accounts must have earned no more than 1 million USD in total proceeds (sales net of Apple's commission and certain taxes and adjustments) during the 12 fiscal months occurring within the 2020 calendar year, and have earned no more than 1 million USD during the current year.

It also says that app transfers are not allowed while participating in the program. Any app transfer initiated after December 31, 2020 makes a developer ineligible to participate in the program.

Apple says that developers should submit their enrollment by December 18, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time to receive program benefits by January 1, 2021. More information can be found on Apple's site.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming two weeks after the release of the first beta and three weeks after the launch of macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, the release version of the software.

Developers can download the macOS Big Sur 11.1 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

There's no word yet on what's included in macOS Big Sur 11.1, but it likely includes performance improvements, security updates, and fixes for bugs that weren't able to be addressed in the release version of macOS Big Sur.

No major new feature changes were discovered in the first beta, but we'll update this article should something new be found in the second beta.

The Apple Watch has never included a camera, likely due to battery life and space concerns. A new Apple Watch product aims to address that lack by introducing a wrist-worn camera that works with the Apple Watch.

The camera supports video live-streaming, presumably through the included Wristcam app as FaceTime video is not available on the Apple Watch. The app includes a live viewfinder, gallery, and sharing tools. According to the company that makes the Wristcam, there are bright LEDs next to the cameras that make it obvious when a photo or video is being captured.

Wristcam comes in a variety of colors, including Noir, Blanc, Gray, Rose, and Sage. It is water resistant and has an internal battery that lasts "all day" with moderate to heavy use, along with memory that syncs new photo and video assets with the iPhone while it's charging. The Wristcam comes with a magnetic USB charging cable.

Wristcam founder Ari Roisman said that he designed the accessory for moments when a camera isn't available.

"Living with Wristcam feels a bit like having superpowers. Customers love our lightweight, casual camera for quick capture while staying in the moment. The phone isn't always within reach, and it's nice to have a camera handy when going out with friends, or going on a run, ride, or hike with just an Apple Watch. "But it's Wristcam's live video capabilities that are truly next level and sci-fi worthy. I'm so proud of our team and the transformational product experience we've been able to craft. We are so excited to see all the new types of content and experiences Apple Watch users create with Wristcam."

Wristcam is priced at $299 and can be purchased from the Wristcam website.

Following a busy fall season in which Apple hosted three events in as many months, the company may have one more product announcement in store this year.

In an internal memo this week, obtained by MacRumors from a reliable source, Apple informed service providers that it has AppleCare-related changes planned for Tuesday, December 8 at approximately 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Specifically, Apple has advised technicians to prepare for new product SKUs, new/updated product descriptions, and new/updated product pricing, according to the memo.

Apple has issued nearly identical memos ahead of several previous product announcements. Shortly after announcing its iPhone 12 event this year, for example, Apple advised technicians to prepare for the same AppleCare-related changes on October 13 at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific Time, which is when the event began.

While it is unlikely that Apple will be hosting another event this year, 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time has been a common time for Apple to issue press releases introducing new products, such as a new 13-inch MacBook Pro in May 2020, the 16-inch MacBook Pro in November 2019, and second-generation AirPods in March 2019.

Last month, cryptic-yet-reliable Twitter user "L0vetodream" tweeted that there will be a "Christmas surprise from Apple," but it remains unclear which product(s) might be announced next Tuesday, if any. There have been countless rumors about Apple's item tracking AirTags, AirPods-branded over-ear headphones, and a new Apple TV with a gaming controller, but it is unclear if any of these products are ready to launch in 2020.

Given that AppleCare changes are expected, it is likely that any product(s) announced next Tuesday would have AppleCare+ coverage available, so we could be looking at new hardware. However, in the interest of tempering expectations, it is possible that the announcement could be for a minor accessory, or that no announcement transpires at all.

All in all, we'll be keeping our eyes on the Apple Newsroom for a potential announcement next Tuesday at 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

Earlier in the week as part of our Cyber Monday coverage of software accessories, we shared a bundle deal of Mac software being offered by StackSocial. This bundle, called the Official Cyber Monday Mac Bundle, includes software like Parallels Desktop Pro and Luminar 4 and is priced at $42 exclusively for MacRumors readers.

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.

The sale is still going on, so if you're interested you can head over to StackSocial and enter the code RUMORS40 at checkout to see the bundle drop to $42.00 from $69.99. You'll have until next Wednesday, December 9 to take advantage of the StackSocial bundle deal.

In total there are 12 apps offered in the bundle, including software for editing photos, learning a new language, taking notes, optimizing your Mac's storage, managing files, staying organized, and more. We've collected all of the apps available in the bundle in the list below.

The Official Cyber Monday Mac Bundle

• Parallels Desktop Pro (1 year subscription) - Run thousands of Windows apps on
  your Mac without compromising on performance.
• Luminar 4 - AI-powered photo editor for quick and efficient editing.
• PDFpenPRO 12 - PDF editor with large resource of editing tools.
• Goose VPN (lifetime subscription) - Stay safe and secure while browsing the Internet.
• BusyCal 3 - Desktop calendar app with support for integrating with iCloud.
• Movavi Screen Recorder 2021 - Take video screen captures on your Mac.
• uTalk (lifetime subscription) - Learning language tool with over 140 languages to learn.
• Edraw MindMaster - Professional-style brainstorming tool for taking down notes.
• Gemini 2 - Easily delete duplicate files to free up space on your Mac.
• Dropzone 4 Pro - Move, copy, upload, and do more with Dropzone's "swiss army knife" kit of tools.
• ForkLift 3 - Powerful file manager with dual pane support.
• Art Text 4 - Create professional logos and graphics.

As a note, remember to check the terms for each app for more information on the length of the license, eligibility for future upgrades, and more. Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

A new patent filing reveals a much more versatile multi-display variant of Apple's Pro Stand for the Pro Display XDR. The extremely complex mechanical design seeks to address the shortcomings of existing multi-display solutions, offering easy and precise adjustment for up to two external displays.

The patent, first spotted by Patently Apple, is simply titled "Dual Display Stand," and was first filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in May 2019.

The filing outlines a large display stand with two spaced-apart legs, connected by a horizontal support bar that allows two displays to be attached. The stand allows for an extraordinary level of precise adjustment and control, with vertical, horizontal, and center pivot degrees of freedom. Apple offers a brief description of the improvements offered by the stand in the patent:

The display stand provides improved smoothness, rigidity, and comfort for the user to support and use multiple displays on a single stand.

The stand seems to use the same moveable joints as the existing Pro Stand, but places them on shuttles and a rail for horizontal adjustment. A central joint on the support bar allows the stand to adjust the angle between the displays.

Both stands have handles to one side that can be turned to easily adjust the height of the support bar for exact vertical adjustment. The patent notes that the entire bar is lifted regardless of the angle of the support bar or which handle is twisted.

The patent also stresses that the shuttles on the continuous rail provide "smooth, consistent contact" with the rails despite adjustments to the support bar using wheels.

The filing explains why the Dual Display Stand solution may be better than existing stand solutions such as independently-movable VESA-mount arms:

When users use multiple displays in a workspace, the displays are generally supported by multiple different individual stands or by independently-movable arms that extend from a single support point. These individual stands or arms unnecessarily take up large spaces, are often aesthetically unpleasing, overcomplicated, and have inefficient redundant mechanisms. When multiple displays are used on independent arms, they can be difficult to align in a smooth and precise way due to inconsistent counterbalancing and arm lengths. When multiple displays are used on a single support, they cannot be effectively adjusted relative to each other about a vertical axis.

It is unusual to see an Apple patent filing that outlines an entire product, particularly one that seems to be so far developed. Normally, patent filings focus on a specific aspect of a product, and while the Dual Display Stand's mechanical operations are all able to come under a single filing, the aesthetic similarities to the existing Pro Stand and general level of completeness is striking.

Given this level of completeness, it is possible that Apple may be planning to bring the Dual Display Stand to retail at some point in the future, or it may be reserved for internal corporate use.

Having said that, patent filings only reliably show what Apple is developing, and many features and products detailed in its patents never see the light of day.

Apple's Pro Stand for the Pro Display XDR, sold separately to the display itself, caused controversy when it was announced in June 2019 for its $999 price tag.

Amazon today has Apple's M1 13-inch MacBook Pro (256GB) for $1,199.99, down from $1,299.99. You'll see this price after a $50 coupon is automatically applied at the checkout screen.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Typically, the best sales on this notebook are for $50 off the original price, so today's sale is one of the best discounts we've seen since the new MacBook Pro models launched in November. Shoppers should note that delivery dates are already slipping to late December, so be sure to lock in this sale price today if you're interested.

Apple refreshed the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro models in November 2020, adding an Apple-designed "M1" Arm-based chip to replace the prior Intel chips. M1 chips bring significant speed and efficiency improvements.

You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.

Apple will be required to include a power adapter with every iPhone sold in São Paulo, Brazil, the state's consumer protection agency has declared.

The public agency Procon-SP contacted Apple in October and asked the company to explain why it was no longer providing charging accessories with its new iPhones.

Apple responded by touting the environmental benefits of no longer including a power adapter with iPhones, noting that many users already have spare chargers, plus the move reduces carbon emissions and avoids the mining and use of rare-earth elements.

However, in a press release on Wednesday, the Procon-SP said that a power adapter was an "essential part" for the use of the product, and selling the ‌iPhone‌ without it is against the Brazilian Consumer Defense Code.

Moreover, the agency said that Apple had not sufficiently demonstrated evidence of the environmental benefits of removing the charger from the box, and failed to make it clear in marketing materials that one is no longer included. Apple's conduct will now be reviewed by the agency's supervisory board and this may result in a fine.

Although the decision is exclusive to the state of São Paulo, Brazil's federal government is also said to be looking at forcing Apple to sell the iPhones with the power adapter included in the box nationwide.

Apple faced a similar situation in France this year, where it is required to include EarPods in the box of every ‌iPhone‌ due to legal obligations.

The inclusion of earphones there is due to national legislation that requires all smartphones to include a "handsfree kit" to protect children under 14 from the potential risk of electromagnetic radio waves.

As was rumored before Apple officially unveiled the ‌‌iPhone‌ 12‌, all four models ship without EarPods or a power adapter in the box in other countries around the world. In addition, the ‌iPhone‌ 11, ‌iPhone‌ XR, and ‌iPhone‌ SE no longer include these accessories either.

Ecobee has updated its SmartCamera to support Apple's HomeKit Secure Video, which allows the cameras to capture and store recordings securely in iCloud.

The firmware update means SmartCamera owners have another option aside from Ecobee's $5-a-month subscription for video recording and movement notifications.

With ‌‌HomeKit Secure Video‌‌, video footage is encrypted and stored in ‌iCloud‌ rather than on servers handled by Ecobee. Footage can be viewed in the Home app, and all motion and people detection is done on-device for privacy purposes.

Using ‌‌HomeKit Secure Video‌‌ requires an upgraded ‌‌iCloud‌‌ storage plan. Apple's 200GB plan supports one ‌‌HomeKit Secure Video‌‌ camera, while the 1TB plan supports up to five cameras.

Users with the 200GB plan can store 10 days of recordings from one camera in ‌‌iCloud‌‌ at no extra cost, while those with a 2TB plan can store 10 days of recordings from up to five cameras. ‌‌HomeKit Secure Video‌‌ recordings do not count towards a user's ‌‌iCloud‌‌ storage usage.

‌HomeKit Secure Video‌ requires an iPad, HomePod, or Apple TV in the house to serve as a home hub for connecting the cameras to the Internet.

As The Verge points out, if you're thinking of switching from Ecobee's $5-a-month video recording subscription to ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌, it's worth noting that, like other HomeKit-compatible cameras, Apple's Home app doesn't support the camera's ability to pan and tilt.

Apple today is honoring International Day of Persons with Disabilities with a re-launch of its Accessibility site and a new collection of tutorial videos highlighting the accessibility features of its software.

As spotted by iMore, the redesigned site is made up of four broad sections that showcase many of the accessibility features across Apple's product range, with new categories covering vision, mobility, hearing, and cognitive features.

The vision section covers several iOS features such as the Magnifier, Zoom, Larger Text, Voiceover + Braille, and Spoken Content, while the hearing covers using Sound Recognition, Headphone Accommodations, Sensory Alerts, Live Listen, and many more useful tools.

Meanwhile, over on the Apple Support YouTube channel, Apple has added new how-to videos to its Accessibility playlist on using the Magnifier, the BackTap feature, and specific Voice Control usage scenarios, including how to take a selfie.

Apple's Accessibility Engineering Lead for iOS Chris Fleizach and Senior Director of Global Accessibility, Policy, and Initiatives Sarah Herrlinger also did an interview with TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino to discuss the newest accessibility technology from Apple.

Germany's largest TV provider Vodafone has announced that its GigaTV service is now available bundled with an Apple TV 4K, which is on loan to customers for the duration of their contractual period (via Macerkopf.de).

Both new and existing Vodafone Deutschland customers will receive the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, and Apple's single sign-on process for GigaTV extends to iPhone and iPad, allowing users to get access to GigaTV content from their other Apple devices.

In addition to the GigaTV app, Vodafone customers will also have access to all the usual ‌Apple TV‌ apps and functions. Vodafone customers will also benefit from free access to ‌Apple TV‌+ for one year.

GigaTV offers customers up to 120 TV channels in SD and HD quality as well as on-demand access to up to 69 content categories via ‌Apple TV‌. The bundle costs 9.99 euros per month for the first six months of the 24-month contract period and then 19.99 euros a month.

Google has updated its 2FA Authenticator app for iOS with a new account transfer feature that makes it much easier to transfer two-factor authentication codes to a new iPhone.

2FA adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts by requiring a randomly generated six-digit code after you've entered your password. Google's app generates codes for your accounts on the fly, but until now the process of transferring accounts to a new ‌iPhone‌ was time-consuming and involved multiple steps.

Thankfully, that's no longer the case, and you can now select which accounts to export by tapping the three dots in the top-right corner of the app and choosing Export accounts.

After you've chosen which accounts to export (you can export up to 10 accounts at a time), the Authenticator app will generate a QR code. Scan this code using the Authenticator app on your new device, and the chosen accounts will be automatically transferred.

In addition to 2FA export, the latest update to the app also adds a refreshed interface and Dark Mode support, which respects your systemwide settings.

Remember, if you buy a new ‌iPhone‌ to replace your existing one and you use the Google Authenticator app, you should transfer those accounts to your new phone as soon as possible, because without the 2FA codes close at hand, you could find yourself locked out of your online accounts.

Google Authenticator is a free download for ‌‌iPhone‌ available on the App Store.‌ [Direct Link]