You'll find two notable sales from Sonos and Amazon in today's best deals, offering discounts on Sonos speakers, official iPhone cases, and a 44mm Sport Loop accessory. We've rounded up all these deals below, and be sure to head to our full Deals Roundup to track all of the biggest discounts from the past week.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Sonos
At Sonos, all healthcare workers and first responders can take 30 percent off a single purchase on Sonos.com for a limited time. If you fall into this category, you can shop on the Sonos website for the company's speakers, sound bars, or other audio accessories, and add the items to your cart.
At the checkout screen, you'll notice a green button asking to verify your credentials with ID.me, which you can click to fill out your information and work affiliation. After you're verified, Sonos will grant you a one-time use code that is valid for 30 percent off a single purchase.
This code is valid on all Sonos products and can be used on any purchase worth up to $2,500 before the discount. You can find the promo code box to enter it on the same checkout screen where you clicked the ID.me button. Head to Sonos.com to browse for some of the company's best speakers.
iPhone Cases
Amazon is discounting a collection of official iPhone cases this week, including Silicone Cases and Leather Cases for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. There are multiple colors on sale for each case, so be sure to visit Amazon to browse each accessory on sale.
As a quick mention, you can also purchase the Apple Watch Sport Loop (44mm) in Nectarine for just $24.70 on Amazon. This is about $1 off from the lowest price we've ever seen for this accessory, and it'll fit all Apple Watch models that measure 42mm and 44mm.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
Apple News+ may provide users with an option to listen to audio versions of some stories in the future, according to publishers who spoke with Digiday:
Over the past several months, Apple has been asking the publishers participating in its year-old premium program for permission to produce audio versions of the stories distributed there, according to sources at four different publishers that have heard the pitch.
Apple will handle production costs, and compensate publishers in the same way it compensates them for the written content available on Apple News+, two sources said; Apple metes out 50% of subscriber revenue to publishers based on how much time those subscribers spend with publishers’ content in a 30-day period.
There is no timetable for when the audio versions of stories may launch.
The report also notes that many publishers remain dissatisfied with the revenue they earn from Apple News. In December, one publisher told Digiday that they generate less than $20,000 per month from Apple News+.
Apple has reportedly advised its Chinese AirPods assembler Luxshare to make a major investment in Catcher Technology, a Taiwanese firm that makes the metal casing for iPhone and MacBooks.
According to sources who spoke to Nikkei Asian Review, Apple hopes the move will create a "formidable" alternative to its longtime supplier, Taiwan's Foxconn.
Luxshare-ICT, a fast-rising Chinese tech company known for its aggressive growth strategy, has been in talks with Catcher Technology, the world's second-largest metal casing provider, for more than a year and has recently entered a deeper round of negotiations, said one of the people who is familiar with the situation.
The deal, if realized, would give Luxshare the ability to produce high-quality metal casing as well as access to smartphone assembly know-how, which would take it a step closer to becoming the Chinese version of Foxconn -- a single company with operations that span nearly the entire electronics supply chain. Such a move could ultimately help Luxshare grab a share of iPhone production, which ships around 200 million units each year.
Apple is said to be keen to reduce its reliance on Foxconn, which has accounted for more than 50 percent of iPhone production since Apple launched the device in 2007. Diversifying the Cupertino giant's assembly supply chain would also make it less vulnerable to local economic instabilities and allow it to negotiate better prices with manufacturers.
Apple is continually seeking to broaden its supply options around the globe, and has even gone so far as to invest its own money in companies to keep them afloat. One recent example is its multi-million bailout provision for LCD panel maker Japan Display, which Apple wants to see become a future OLED panel supplier and thereby reduce its reliance on Samsung.
Whether Catcher goes through with any deal remains to be seen. While such a situation would be a win-win for Apple, the benefits to suppliers are less clear-cut as they are likely to shoulder more of the risk of such an investment if consumer demand sours amid the global economic downturn linked to the ongoing health crisis.
Instagram has rolled out some new features that aim to prevent online bullying and other unwanted interactions on the social media platform. These features include the ability to control who can tag or mention you in comments, captions and Stories, and the ability to delete comments in bulk.
When it comes to who can mention and tag you in content, you can choose Everyone, Only People You Follow, or No One. These options can be found in the Privacy section of the Settings screen, accessed via your profile.
To bulk delete comments, follow these steps:
Tap a comment, then tap the dotted icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
Select Manage Comments.
Choose up to 25 comments to delete at once.
Tap Delete, or tap More Options to block or restrict accounts in bulk.
Instagram says it also has a pinned comments feature in the works that will give users "a way to set the tone for their account and engage with their community by pinning a select number of comments to the top of their comments thread."
Wink, a company that makes a smart home hub that links smart home devices together, last week upset customers with the announcement of a new surprise subscription service that will be required to use the Wink product going forward.
Wink, which was not a subscription service when customers purchased the product, at the time said that it would give customers a one-week grace period before charging a subscription fee. As of today, Wink announced that it has extended that grace period for another week, and customers won't be charged until May 20. The subscription fees were originally set to kick in on May 13.
Wink customers who do not start paying $4.99 per month on May 20 will not be able to continue using their Wink products. Those who choose not to pay the fee will not be able to access Wink devices from the app, with voice control, or the API, and automations will be disabled.
Current Wink customers have reacted negatively to the new subscription fees, with many complaints on Reddit from customers unhappy with the requirement to pay up or lose access to their smart home interface. From Wink:
Should you choose not to sign up for a subscription you will no longer be able to access your Wink devices from the app, with voice control or through the API, and your automations will be disabled on May 20th. Your device connections, settings and automations can be reactivated if you decide to subscribe at a later date.
Wink says that hardware sales are no longer able to cover the cost of ongoing cloud services, development, and customer support, and to support continued growth, a subscription fee needs to be implemented.
Twitter today announced a new feature for its iOS app, which is designed to make it easier to recognize retweets with comments, which can often go unnoticed by tweet writers.
On iPhone and iPad, all retweets with comments are shown in a list that can be accessed by tapping on a tweet and then choosing the "Retweets" option. Retweets will be organized into retweets with no comment and retweets that have a comment with the tweet, as demoed in Twitter's video.
Don’t miss the Tweets about your Tweet.
Now on iOS, you can see Retweets with comments all in one place. pic.twitter.com/oanjZfzC6y
— Twitter (@Twitter) May 12, 2020
Quote-style retweets can already be viewed through Twitter's search option, but this is a much more streamlined way of viewing retweets with comments.
Not all users appear to have access to the new interface as of it, but it is rolling out as of today.
Apple today updated its Apple Store app to add Dark Mode support, allowing the app to feature a darker interface when Dark Mode is enabled on an iPhone or iPad.
The Apple Store app is Apple's dedicated app for purchasing new Apple products and scheduling Today at Apple sessions on the iPhone and the iPad, and a Dark Mode option will be welcome given the increased usage of the app as retail stores remain closed.
Apple has been slowly adding Dark Mode options to all of its apps after introducing the feature in iOS and iPadOS 13. Most recently, the Apple Support app was updated with Dark Mode support, with Apple implementing the feature in late April.
The Apple Store app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple plans to start having employees return to its corporate offices around the world in the near future despite the fact that many other tech companies are implementing work-from-home policies through at least the end of 2020, reports Bloomberg.
Apple plans to bring employees back to its offices in phases over the course of a few months, according to people with knowledge of the company's plans. The first phase, which encompasses staff members unable to work remotely or who are facing challenges working from home, has already begun in some regions. This phase will expand to major offices in late May and early June.
A second phase, which kicks off in July, will see even more employees returned to Apple's global offices, though Apple's plans to have employees return to work are fluid and may change based on local and state stay-at-home orders.
Starting this week, Apple managers are beginning to let employees know if they're in the first phase or a later stage of the process. During the first phase, employees will either be asked to work from the office on a regular basis or only for certain periods of time dependent on their roles.
Some of the first employees to return to work at Apple's Silicon Valley campuses could include those who focus on hardware development. According to Bloomberg, some future hardware initiatives, such as virtual reality and augmented headsets, have been dialed back in recent months due to the limitations of at-home work.
Apple has long emphasized in-person collaboration and has shied away from allowing employees to work from home, which is a factor in its approach to returning to standard working conditions. Facebook and Google have said that most employees will be able to work from home through the end of the year.
Amazon plans to allow office workers to work from home until early October, while Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey today said that some Twitter employees can work from home permanently if they choose to do so.
Some Apple employees have been working at Apple's offices throughout the pandemic to keep business critical operations running, which includes those who manage data centers, deploy software, and test hardware. As employees return to work, Apple will implement temperature checks, mask wearing, and social distancing.
In addition to planning for corporate employees to turn to work, Apple has begun opening up some of its Apple Stores. In the United States, retail locations in South Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, and Idaho are reopening this week, and all stores in Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and South Korea have been reopened.
In the last two months, Apple has refreshed the 13-inch MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, all of which have similarities in performance and functionality.
In our latest video, we went hands-on with all three of Apple's new machines for a detailed performance comparison to give MacRumors readers some insight into which device might be the best purchase for their needs.
In This Comparison
We're comparing base model devices from Apple, with specs and price points below:
12.9-inch iPad Pro With Magic Keyboard ($1,350) - A12Z Bionic chip, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage.
MacBook Air ($999) - 1.1GHz 10th-generation dual-core Intel Core i3 processor, Intel Iris Plus Graphics, 8GB 3733MHz RAM, 256GB SSD.
Note that the iPad Pro is priced at $999, but the Magic Keyboard is a necessary purchase to put it on par with Apple's laptops as it adds a full keyboard and trackpad. The Magic Keyboard is $350.
The iPad Pro is also available in a smaller 11-inch model that we did not use for this comparison, and pricing on that model starts at $799 for the tablet and $299 for the keyboard.
Design
The MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro are similar in terms of design (and we have a full comparison here), featuring a unibody aluminum casing, dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, 13-inch Retina displays, Magic Keyboards with scissor switch keys, Force Touch trackpads, T2 security chips, and Touch ID.
The MacBook Pro has a brighter display and a Touch Bar, while the MacBook Air has an hour more battery life and it supports up to a 6K display.
The two machines are close to the same size, though the MacBook Air has a tapered design and weighs 2.8 pounds compared to the 3.1 pounds of the MacBook Pro.
The iPad Pro, of course, is radically different because it is a tablet with a touch screen that morphs into a laptop-like design with the addition of the Magic Keyboard. The Magic Keyboard also has scissor switch keys and a trackpad, though it's smaller and doesn't use Force Touch.
The iPad Pro uses Face ID instead of Touch ID, and when paired with the Magic Keyboard, it weighs in at 3 pounds, so it's just about the same weight as the MacBook Pro. It's a lot more versatile than either the MacBook Air or the MacBook Pro though because it can be used without the Magic Keyboard, dropping the weight down to just over a pound.
Benchmark Comparisons
We used Geekbench 5 on all three machines to test the overall performance, and unsurprisingly, Apple's iPad Pro is the fastest of the bunch. Apple's modern A-series chips beat out many similar Intel processors, and while Apple is working on Arm-based Macs, we still have a year or so until those are ready to launch.
The iPad Pro earned a single core score of 1116 and a multi-core score of 4686, which was quite a bit higher than the MacBook Pro's single-core score of 859 and multi-core score of 3621.
Both the iPad Pro and the MacBook Pro outperformed the cheaper MacBook Air with its Core i3 processor when it came to multi-core performance, but the MacBook Air won out over the MacBook Pro in single-core performance. The MacBook Air earned a single-core score of 1076 and a multi-core score of 2350.
It's worth noting that the 13-inch MacBook Pro is using older 8th-generation chips that have not been updated, while the MacBook Air has Intel's latest 10th-generation chips. There are MacBook Pro models that use the new chips, but only in models starting priced at $1,799, which is quite a bit more expensive.
The iPad Pro has Apple's A12Z chip, which is similar to the A12X chip used in the 2018 iPad Pros, though an extra GPU core has been enabled in the new model to boost performance up just a bit.
Real-World Testing
We also did some real world testing to see how those benchmarking scores translate into actual performance, because how a device performs when being used for everyday tasks is more important than how it benchmarks.
Transferring a 1.3GB video file took five seconds on the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, and a whopping 50 seconds on the iPad Pro just because the file management on the iPad Pro isn't as robust as file management on Apple's Macs.
Exporting a 4K five minute video in Final Cut Pro on the MacBook Pro took 4 minutes and 10 seconds. On the MacBook Air, it took 5 minutes and 30 seconds, which is no surprise given that it has a slower CPU and GPU.
There is no Final Cut Pro software on the iPad Pro of course, so there's no direct comparison to make, but exporting a 4K five minute video in Luma Fusion took just three minutes, which is faster than both the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air.
Software and Feature Considerations
The iPad Pro is more powerful than both the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro (when it comes to base models) but that doesn't matter when the iPad Pro just can't do what some people need.
As mentioned above, for example, there's no Final Cut Pro on the iPad Pro for video editing purposes, and the same goes for Logic Pro. There's no Xcode on iPad Pro for app developers, and while the iPad Pro supports multitasking, it's limited to two apps open and used side by side at one time.
Video quality on the iPad Pro is much, much better because Apple hasn't upgraded the 720p camera on the MacBooks for years now, which is nice for Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, and other video interactions, though it's kind of a hassle to use the front-facing camera with the Magic Keyboard attached because it's located at the top of the iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro has a major advantage when it comes to activities like note taking, reading textbooks, making flash cards, and more, thanks to the Apple Pencil integration and the ability to use it in either landscape or portrait mode.
The Apple Pencil is ideal for taking handwritten notes with diagrams and sketches, and reading textbooks is easier in portrait mode than it is on a wider screen.
Creative work can be done on any of the machines, but again, the iPad Pro has an edge for artists because of the Apple Pencil support. Video and audio editing are more limited on iPad Pro for those who are used to software like Final Cut Pro or Logic X, but there are some comparable apps.
Photo editing and graphic design can be done on an iPad using apps like Photoshop and Lightroom, so there are many alternative workflows for people who need to do creative tasks using the iPad's tools.
When it comes to writing documents, browsing the web, and similar tasks, the Magic Keyboard elevates the iPad Pro to the level of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro and is vital for those who want a laptop-like machine that's much more versatile.
Bottom Line
If the iPad Pro's shortcomings in software and multitasking don't impact your workflow, it's the most capable of the three, given that it converts from a laptop-style machine to a tablet, supports Apple Pencil, and has the fastest performance.
The MacBook Air is the best value of the three because of its $999 price point. It's the perfect machine for every day tasks like document creation, writing, and web browsing, plus it can also handle video editing, photo editing, and similar tasks (though it's not the machine to get if you're looking at exporting large videos all the time or doing super system intensive work).
The MacBook Pro is a more robust machine better suited to tasks that need more CPU and GPU power, but to really take advantage of the MacBook Pro's capabilities, you'd probably need to step up to the $1,799 machine rather than relying on the entry-level model with its older processor.
What are your thoughts on these three machines? Do you have one? Which did you choose and why? Let us know in the comments.
Some USB-C power adapters and cables appear to be unable to charge the iPad Pro through the Magic Keyboard, according to multiple complaints from MacRumors readers.
iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard displaying "Not Charging" in the status bar, via MR reader Hallstar
Several new Magic Keyboard owners have noticed that there are issues with the passthrough charging, which can refuse to charge when using a third-party cable or power adapter. From the forums:
Has anyone with the new MK experienced any issues in using the pass-through charging port?
I have tried three different USB-C cables and all result in 'Not Charging' being displayed next to the battery icon (See picture).
I have been on the phone to Apple Support for the last hour trying to explain this to them, it would appear to be a hardware issue and they are arranging collection of this one and dispatching a replacement upon receipt of the faulty unit.
MacRumors can confirm that we've been unable to charge the iPad Pro using Anker's PowerPort Atom and Apple's official USB-C cable. When attempting to charge through the Magic Keyboard's port using this accessory, the iPad refuses to charge and makes the charging sound every few seconds.
Other forum members have reported being unable to use Anker power adapters and charging cables, as well as charging cables from companies like Mophie.
Still other Magic Keyboard owners have had no issues with their third-party cables, so it appears to be an issue that's only affecting some power adapters and third-party cable options.
It's not clear if this is an issue on Apple's end or on the end of the hardware manufacturers who created the cables and power adapters, so more investigation will be needed to figure out what's going on. We've contacted Anker for more information and will update this article when we hear back.
Magic Keyboard owners who want to charge using the USB-C port on the accessory may need to purchase Apple's official charging cables and power adapters to ensure proper charging. At least one forum member was told by Apple's support staff that an Apple USB-C cable is required.
Sofia Coppola is developing a new Apple TV+ show based on Edith Wharton's 1913 novel "Custom of the Country," reports Variety. It will be Coppola's first episodic TV series, as she has focused on films in the past.
"Custom of the Country" is about midwestern girl Undine Spragg, who moves to New York City with her family. Socially naive but beautiful and ruthlessly ambitious, Undine marries aspiring poet Ralph Marvell, from an old New York family. Undine works to integrate into New York society and is unhappy with her simple life with Ralph, ultimately divorcing him, falling out of favor, and moving to Paris where she does the same thing with another man.
Throughout the novel, Undine endlessly strives for the lavish lifestyle she's always dreamed about, not caring who she ruins in the process.
"Undine Spragg is my favorite literary anti-heroine and I'm excited to bring her to the screen for the first time," Coppola said in a statement. Coppola plans to both write and direct the series.
Coppola is also working with Apple on the upcoming movie "On the Rocks," starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones. Apple in 2018 established a partnership with A24, the studio responsible for the movie. Coppola is best known for her work on films like "Lost in Translation," "The Virgin Suicides," and "The Beguiled."
Apple has started reopening its retail stores worldwide, and is taking multiple measures to make sure customers and staff continue to stay safe during the global health crisis. One of these measures includes temperature checks for customers before they're allowed to enter one of Apple's stores using a non-contact forehead thermometer.
A data protection agency in the German state of Hesse is concerned that Apple's temperature checks on customers violate European Union privacy rules and has launched a probe, according to Bloomberg Law.
The Hessian data protection agency is working with other German data protection authorities, according to a spokesperson for the Hessian Data Protection Commissioner. There are no results yet from the probe, which is aiming to determine if temperature checks infringe on data protection rules.
Apple began reopening its retail stores in Germany on May 11 with a focus on Genius Bar service and support. Apple is requiring temperature checks, and limiting the number of customers who can be in the store at once to ensure appropriate social distancing.
The 15 stores in Germany are also operating on reduced hours for the time being, with Apple implementing additional measures like ensuring employee/customer interactions take place across tables and adding a relay system to deliver products to prevent employees from moving about the store.
A week after releasing a new firmware update for the AirPods Pro, Apple has pushed the same firmware to the second-generation AirPods, updating them from the previous 2A364 firmware to the new 2D15 firmware.
Apple didn't make it clear what's new in the refreshed firmware at this time, and AirPods Pro owners had mixed reactions to the update, with some saying that it improved Active Noise Cancellation and others finding that it did not.
The second-generation AirPods don't have Active Noise Cancellation, so it's unknown what improvements are included in the firmware. AirPods firmware updates often provide performance improvements, bug fixes, and feature tweaks. This software update likely fixes the bug that caused some customers who were sent a replacement AirPod with unreleased firmware to be unable to use them as it should update the 2D3 firmware to 2D15, allowing them to once again be paired with existing AirPods.
You can check to see what firmware your AirPods have installed by following these steps:
Make sure the AirPods are connected to your iOS device.
Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Tap About.
Tap AirPods.
Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."
Apple hasn't provided explicit instructions to customers on how to initiate a firmware update, but activating the AirPods with audio and then putting them in the case and connecting them to a power source seems to be a reliable way of forcing an update.
Apple in December released the 2C54 firmware update, but later pulled it, so it's worth noting that some people who updated right away have the 2C54 firmware while others are still on 2A364.
Verizon recently opened up a new sale on a variety of iPad cases, with prices hitting as low as $16.00. In the sale, you'll find cases and folios for the 9.7-inch iPad, 10.5-inch iPad Air and old iPad Pro, and the 2018 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
These discounts include cases made by Speck, Tech21, OtterBox, Incipio, and some Verizon-branded accessories. Additionally, there is one discount on Apple's official Smart Folio for the 2018 12.9-inch iPad Pro, at a notable low price of just $30.00. This $70 discount can be seen after you add the accessory to your cart.
Today we've tracked a collection of accessory sales across Woot and Amazon, including solid deals on Lightning cables, a USB-C MacBook dongle, and the SanDisk 256GB portable SSD. Additionally, there's a discount on the Apple Watch Series 3 at Walmart.
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.
Woot has the AmazonBasics USB-A to Lightning Cable (2-pack, 3ft) for $19.99 in a variety of colors. If you need a longer cable, the 6ft option is available for $22.99 as well. In another Woot accessory sale, the Macally USB-C to USB-A dongle (2-pack) is on sale for $5.99, and Amazon Prime members can save an additional $3 at checkout, making it just $2.99.
These are new accessories that come with an Amazon Limited Lifetime Warranty and Macally 90 Day Warranty, respectively. The usual Woot and Amazon benefits apply, including free two day shipping for Amazon Prime members. You can find more information about each deal on Woot, and both are set to expire later tonight.
Over on Amazon, the SanDisk 250GB Portable SSD is on sale for $70.67, down from $99.99; and the 500GB option is on sale for $89.99, down from $169.99.
SanDisk's accessory is a rugged complement to Mac workstations, supporting high-speed transfers with up to 550MB/s read speeds and shock-resistant durability. In regards to discounts, the current prices are between $7 and $9 shy of the all-time-low prices that we've seen for each of these accessories on Amazon.
If you're shopping for a cheap Apple Watch, and don't mind investing in an older generation model, Walmart has the Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm GPS) for $179.00. This model is currently going for $199.00 at Apple and other resellers like B&H Photo, making Walmart's deal one of the best around and a solid entry level price for the Apple Watch.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
First introduced at CES 2020, smart home accessory maker August's new HomeKit-enabled Wi-Fi Smart Lock is now available to order for $249.99 on its website and at Best Buy, with availability at more retailers to follow on May 17.
August says the Wi-Fi Smart Lock is 45 percent smaller and 20 percent slimmer than its Smart Lock Pro, and Wi-Fi connectivity eliminates the need for a bridge. Available in matte black and silver, the lock also sports a sleeker design with more rounded edges, and a new August badge helps users to visually identify the device's lock status.
As with other smart locks, the Wi-Fi Smart Lock allows you to lock or unlock a door remotely and grant access to family members, friends, and trusted visitors. And with the Activity Feed, you can know who is coming and going at any time, complete with push notifications. There are also auto-lock and auto-unlock features.
HomeKit support allows the lock to be controlled through the Home app on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, or with Siri voice commands. For example, on an iPhone or HomePod, you could say "Hey Siri, lock my front door." The lock also supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, SimpliSafe, and Samsung SmartThings.
Installing the Wi-Fi Smart Lock takes less than 10 minutes, according to August. The lock can be installed on the inside of your door over your existing deadbolt, without touching the outside lock, allowing you to keep your existing deadbolt and keys. August door locks are compatible with most single cylinder deadbolts.
SteelSeries today announced the launch of its new MFi-certified Nimbus+ wireless gaming controller for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, with key features including clickable joysticks and up to 50 hours of battery life.
Included in the box is an optional mount for attaching an iPhone directly onto the controller.
Nimbus+ replaces the original Nimbus, which SteelSeries claims was the world's best-selling mobile gaming controller.
Apple today announced it has released Logic Pro X version 10.5 with a new Live Loops feature first introduced in GarageBand for iPhone and iPad, a completely redesigned sampling workflow, new beat-making tools, and many other new features.
Live Loops allows users to organize loops, samples, and recordings into a new musical grid. From there, tracks can be further refined using all of the professional production features in Logic Pro X. Remix FX enhances Live Loops with a collection of electronic effects that can be performed in real time over individual tracks or the entire song mix.
A free companion app called Logic Remote allows users to pair an iPhone or iPad with their Mac to control and perform Logic Pro X features and instruments. Logic Remote is receiving a major update today to allow triggering of sounds in Live Loops, browsing and adding loops, and applying Remix FX to a session. The app is free on the App Store.
Logic Pro X has also received performance improvements, over 2,500 new loops in a variety of instruments and genres, and more, with Apple referring to version 10.5 as the "biggest update to Logic since the launch of Logic Pro X."
The full release notes:
Live Loops
• Compose music by arranging and triggering cells in a grid using loops, samples, and your recordings • Perform and capture freeform arrangement ideas into the tracks area • Add Remix FX to perform creative effects like filters, gates, repeaters, and bitcrusher • Use Logic Remote on your iPad or iPhone to perform Live Loops and Remix FX using Multi-Touch gestures to trigger several loops or effects simultaneously
Sampler
• Create and edit sophisticated multi-sampled instruments using a drag and drop workflow • New modern design provides synthesis, mapping, and zone editing in a single window interface • Integrated zone editor offers detailed control over start, end and loop points • Mapping editor enables fast and flexible assignment of samples across the keyboard • Flex Time has been integrated into Sampler allowing sounds to be played at the same length, regardless of pitch • Auto Sampler automates the process of converting MIDI-enabled hardware and software instruments into Sampler instruments • Supports all existing EXS24 instruments
Quick Sampler
• Import a single audio file to instantly build a playable sampled instrument • Quick Sampler automatically identifies the root note, optimal loop points, and matches your project tempo • Use Slice mode to chop a vocal or drum sample into multiple slices that can be triggered on a keyboard • Record live samples using a microphone, external hardware, or from any track or bus
Drum Machine Designer
• Use Drum Machine Designer to build custom drum kits by dragging and organizing samples • Directly access Quick Sampler or Drum Synth controls on any pad • Easily assign any instrument or third-party plug-in to a pad • Perform any sound chromatically to create bass lines or other melodic parts
Step Sequencer
• Build your own beats, melodies and effect automation using an interface inspired by classic drum machine workflows • Create and edit patterns with discrete control over velocity, repeat, chance, offset, step rate, skip and tie for each row • Use any patch as a sound source, including custom kits made with Quick Sampler and Drum Machine Designer • Includes a library of over 150 rhythmic and melodic patterns
More Content
• Over 2,500 new loops in a variety of instruments and genres covering modern and classic hip-hop, electro house, reggaeton, future bass, techno, and transition effects • 17 Live Loops starter grids covering a range of electronic and hip-hop genres • More than 70 new Drum Machine Designer kits • Over 1,500 new patches • Original multi-track project of Billie Eilish “Ocean Eyes”
Additional Features
• The Drum Synth plug-in generates synthesized kicks, snares, toms, and hi-hats with dedicated sound shaping controls • Individual or multiple audio files or software instrument regions can be dragged into an empty track header to provide instant options for creating Sampler, Quick Sampler, Drum Machine Designer, or Alchemy instruments • Multiple additional enhancements and stability improvements
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple News+ may provide users with an option to listen to audio versions of some stories in the future, according to publishers who spoke with 
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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.
