MacRumors

Apple has hired Jeff Bronikowski, a former Warner Music executive as its new Global Head of Strategic Music Initiatives, reports Reuters.

Bronikowski announced his new role at Apple on LinkedIn, and said he's looking forward to working with the amazing Apple Music team. Prior to joining Apple, Bronikowski served as Warner Music Group's Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and Head of New Technology and Innovation.

applemusic
At Warner Music Group, Bronikowski was responsible for strategic partnerships, revenue growth, new technology investments, and more. Bronikowski will be based in New York City, but he says he'll be spending a lot of time with the Apple teams in Culver City and Cupertino.

Bronikowski's hiring comes as Apple is aiming to continue to grow ‌Apple Music‌. As of last June, ‌Apple Music‌ had 60 million subscribers, a respectable number but still behind Spotify, Apple's major rival.

If you pay for several services like Apple Arcade and Apple Music on a monthly basis, subscription renewal emails can quickly become excessive. Fortunately, Apple now has a solution for this.

As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple has added a toggle switch to its subscription page that allows users to opt out of receiving subscription renewal emails. When the toggle switch is turned off, Apple will no longer send monthly emails confirming payment of $4.99 for ‌Apple Arcade‌, $9.99 for ‌Apple Music‌, and so forth.

apple renewal emails
The opt-out option applies to both Apple's services and subscriptions in third-party apps.

To opt out of subscription renewal emails, navigate to the Settings app, tap on your Apple ID account name, tap on Subscriptions, and toggle off Receive Renewal Receipts. This can be turned back on at any time.

Receipts are always available in ‌Apple ID‌ settings > Purchase History.

apple logo gray transparentThe Federal Trade Commission today announced that it has issued Special Orders to Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Google and Google parent company Alphabet requiring them to report all prior acquisitions not previously reported.

In the United States, companies are required to report acquisitions over a certain value to the FTC under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act, while acquisitions under the value threshold do not need to be reported. The FTC is asking for details on all smaller acquisitions that it did not previously know about. The HSR threshold in 2020 is $94 million, but it is a number that is adjusted by the FTC each year and would have been lower in past years.

The FTC says that it wants the companies to provide information and documents on the "terms, scope, structure, and purpose of transactions" that took place from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019 and were not reported under the HSR Act. The FTC wants to learn whether large tech companies are making anticompetitive acquisitions of nascent or potential competitors in deals small enough to go unreported to antitrust agencies.

"Digital technology companies are a big part of the economy and our daily lives," said FTC Chairman Joe Simons. "This initiative will enable the Commission to take a closer look at acquisitions in this important sector, and also to evaluate whether the federal agencies are getting adequate notice of transactions that might harm competition. This will help us continue to keep tech markets open and competitive, for the benefit of consumers."

Apple and other tech companies will also need to provide the FTC with documents on corporate acquisition strategies, voting and board appointment agreements, agreements to hire key personnel from other companies, and post-employment non-compete agreements. Each company will be asked to offer information on post-acquisition product development and pricing, including whether and how acquired assets were integrated and how acquired data has been treated.

Tech companies like Apple often make many acquisitions per year, and Apple in particular buys a lot of smaller companies. Apple does not provide details on purchase prices, though, so it is unclear how many acquisitions have previously not been reported to the FTC.

In the last few months, Apple has purchased Xnor.ai, Spectral Edge, and IKinema.

Back in October, the developers behind email app BlueMail sued Apple, alleging that the "Hide My Email" feature of "Sign in with Apple" infringes on its patented technology. The complaint also accuses Apple of anticompetitive behavior, including removing BlueMail from the Mac App Store.

bluemail mac app store
Last week, after months of making little to no progress with Apple towards having its Mac app reinstated, BlueMail co-founders Ben Volach and Dan Volach penned an open letter to the developer community that encouraged any developers who feel that Apple has kicked them out of the App Store or otherwise treated them unfairly to reach out to them and share their stories.

Just days later, the BlueMail app has returned to the Mac App Store. In a press release, BlueMail parent company Blix said it has no intention of dropping its legal case against Apple, which it believes extends beyond the removal of BlueMail on the Mac App Store to the "suppression of its iOS app and the infringement of Blix's patented technology through 'Sign in with Apple.'"

"We're happy that users can once again get BlueMail through the Mac App Store, but we know this isn't the end. Our experience has shown that until the app review process includes effective checks and balances, Apple holds too much power over small developers." said Ben Volach, co-founder at Blix. "One solution could be to include external independent members and observers in Apple's App Review Board, just as a public company's Board of Directors represents its shareholders."

"When we wrote to Tim Cook in November, we heard back in hours. When we wrote to Apple's developer community, BlueMail was back on the App Store within a week," said Dan Volach, co-founder at Blix. "If you're out there too scared to come forward, let this be your proof that speaking out works. To Apple, we want to reiterate that all we want for developers is an opportunity to be treated fairly."

Update: Apple has shared the following statement with MacRumors, noting that BlueMail had "refused" its help and that the App Store Review Guidelines apply evenly to all developers:

Blix's mail app is currently available on the iOS App Store and they have a brand new communications app available on the Mac App Store. We have attempted on multiple occasions to assist them in getting their BlueMail app back on the Mac App Store. They have refused our help. The App Store has a uniform set of guidelines, equally applicable to all developers, that are meant to protect users. Blix is proposing to override basic data security protections which can expose users’ computers to malware that can harm their Macs and threaten their privacy.

Apple says Blix submitted a revised version of the BlueMail app late last week with an updated binary respecting Gatekeeper, leading to the app being reinstated on the Mac App Store on Monday. Apple says revised app submitted for review was different than what they previously submitted.

Apple Card users are now able to export their transaction data in an OFX file format for use with third-party financial apps such as Quicken and Mint, as noted by Kyle Seth Gray. The option shows up when a monthly statement is available.

The exporting feature first rolled out last month, but only with CSV file support.

apple card ofx

How to Export and Download Apple Card Transactions

  1. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone and tap on Apple Card.
  2. Tap on Card Balance.
  3. Under Statements, tap on the statement you want to export.
  4. Tap on Export Transactions and choose CSV or OFX.

Apple launched its credit card in the United States in August. Key features include color-coded spending summaries in the Wallet app, no fees beyond any applicable interest, and up to three percent cashback on purchases paid out daily.

To apply for an ‌Apple Card‌, simply open the Wallet app on an iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later, tap the plus button in the top-right corner, and follow the on-screen steps. The process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, your digital ‌Apple Card‌ will be ready for purchases immediately. A physical titanium-based Apple Card is also available for use at retail stores that do not accept contactless payments.

Amazon and Best Buy have a collection of solid discounts across Apple's iPad lineup this week, including numerous lowest-ever prices on the iPad mini 5, iPad Pro, and 10.2-inch iPad. The deepest discounts can be found on the iPad Pro, with as much as $199 off Wi-Fi and cellular models.

ipad family dealsNote: 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.

Standouts in the sale include the 1TB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro for $1,349.99 ($199 off), the entry-level 32GB Wi-Fi iPad at $249.00 ($80 off), and the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 5 at $349.99 ($49 off). While the majority of the sales below will be found at Amazon, Best Buy is also offering discounts to its customers not found on Amazon.

iPad mini 5

  • 64GB, Wi-Fi - $349.99, down from $399.00 ($49 off, lowest ever)
  • 256GB, Wi-Fi - $499.99, down from $549.00 ($49 off, lowest ever)
  • 64GB, Cellular - $509.00, down from $529.00 ($20 off, lowest ever)
  • 256GB, Cellular - $638.00, down from $679.00 ($41 off, lowest ever)

iPad Air

10.2-Inch iPad

  • 32GB, Wi-Fi - $249.00, down from $329.00 ($80 off, lowest ever)
  • 128GB, Wi-Fi - $329.00, down from $429.00 ($100 off, lowest ever)
  • 32GB, Cellular - $379.99, down from $459.00 ($79 off, lowest ever)
  • 128GB, Cellular - $459.99, down from $559.00 ($99 off, lowest ever)

iPad Pro

11-Inch

12.9-Inch

  • 64GB, Wi-Fi - $874.99, down from $999.00 ($124 off)
  • 512GB, Wi-Fi - $1,199.99, down from $1,349.00 ($149 off)
  • 1TB, Wi-Fi - $1,349.99, down from $1,549.00 ($199 off, lowest ever)
  • 512GB, Cellular - $1,349.99, down from $1,499.00 ($149 off)
  • 1TB, Cellular - $1,499.99, down from $1,699.00 ($199 off, lowest ever)

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Adobe today updated its Lightroom app for iPad with a few new features, most notably including Split View support on compatible iPad models, allowing Lightroom and another app to be open side by side.

adobe lightroom ipad split view

How to use Split View

  • Open an app
  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Dock
  • On the Dock, touch and hold the second app that you want to open, and then drag it to the left or right edge of the screen

How to adjust Split View

  • To give the apps equal space on the screen, drag the divider to the center of the screen
  • To turn a Split View into a Slide Over, swipe down from the top of the app
  • To close Split View, drag the divider over the app that you want to close

Split View is supported on all iPad Pro models, the fifth-generation iPad and later, the iPad Air 2 and later, and the iPad mini 4 and later.

Adobe has outlined various other Lightroom enhancements in a blog post.

As expected, U.S. federal judge Victor Marrero today approved T-Mobile's proposed $26 billion acquisition of Sprint, which would create a dominant third-largest carrier alongside AT&T and Verizon in the United States.

tmobile sprint logos
The FCC formally approved the merger in November 2019, but a group of state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit aiming to block it. The states argued that combining the two companies was not in the public's interest, claiming that it would reduce competition and lead to higher smartphone bills.

In his decision, however, Marrero concluded that "T-Mobile has redefined itself over the past decade as a maverick that has spurred the two largest players in its industry to make numerous pro-consumer changes," referring to AT&T and Verizon, and expressed optimism that the merged company would be able to continue this successful business strategy for the foreseeable future.

Following the decision, T-Mobile has announced that it is now working with Sprint on the final steps to complete their merger to create the "New T-Mobile," noting that the deal could close as early as April 2020.

T-Mobile added that it is committed to delivering the same or better rate plans at the same or better prices for at least three years, including 5G.

Apple is predicted to sell more than 100 million true wireless hearables in 2020 as it continues to dominate the global market, according to new data from Counterpoint Research.

counterpoint hearables market q4 2019
In a report published today, Counterpoint said the global market size for true wireless hearables had beat expectations, growing 53 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, compared to the same quarter the year previous.

In total, 51 million units were sold in the quarter, while 130 million were sold for the full year. The U.S. was the main driver for the quarter, growing 76 percent year on year and accounting for 35 percent of the global market. Seasonal promotions and Apple's launch of AirPods Pro at the end of October.

The launch of Apple's new AirPods Pro model in late October helped the company record steady 44% growth in 4Q19, with 6m units sold despite supply shortages. Apple's market share fell slightly to 41% QoQ as it attempted to keep up with swift overall market growth; market share for the full year reached 47%.

true wireless hearables market counterpoint q4 2019
Looking at the year ahead for the true wireless hearables market, Counterpoint senior analyst Liz Lee said:

"We expect Apple to sell more than 100m true wireless hearables in 2020, including AirPods Pros, to maintain their comfortable lead in the market. The real competition will be for second place, especially in the premium market; Samsung, which sold 8m Galaxy Buds last year, will need further upgrades to those expected in the Galaxy Buds Plus, including noise cancellation and other advanced features and designs, in order to beat its rivals."

The upbeat figures come despite concerns that AirPods and ‌AirPods Pro‌ manufacturing could be impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, leading to greater supply shortages.

In a January investor note, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expects Chinese company Goertek to begin assembly of ‌AirPods Pro‌ in the first half of the year. The addition of a second supplier alongside Luxshare Precision should help improve supply of the popular earphones, which continue to face multi-week shipping estimates on Apple.com.

Apple is rumored to be considering bundling AirPods with future iPhone models coming in 2020. Given the high price of AirPods, though, and their popularity as a standalone product, it seems unlikely that will happen.

Rumors suggest Apple plans to round out its audio wearable lineup with a set of high-end over-ear headphones, which, according to Kuo, are under development at Apple's Cupertino headquarters. Kuo did not provide any details about these headphones beyond claiming that they will support Bluetooth. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple-branded over-ear headphones were under development, but it is unclear if they were canceled, became the Beats Solo Pro, or otherwise.

Apple has joined the Fast Identity Online (FIDO) Alliance, an open industry association whose mission is to develop and promote stronger authentication standards and help reduce the world's over-reliance on passwords.

fido alliance
Apple joins existing members Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung and others in a common goal to secure online connections and support the adoption of the U2F authentication standard, which the alliance hosts.

Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) is an open standard that strengthens and simplifies two-factor authentication (2FA) using specialized USB or near-field communication (NFC) devices based on similar security technology found in smart cards. U2F security keys can be used as an additional method of two-step verification in online services that support the U2F protocol, such as Google, Dropbox, and Facebook.

Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera browsers natively support U2F. With iOS 13.3, Apple's Safari also supports FIDO2-compliant physical security keys like the Lightning-equipped YubiKey.

With Safari support, the YubiKey 5Ci is a useful tool that can be more convenient than software-based two-factor authentication because there's no need to enter a security code -- you simply plug it in to an iPhone or Mac (there's also a USB-C connector) to authenticate. Support for FIDO2-compliant USB security keys using WebAuthn was previously added to Safari 13 in macOS.

FIDO was founded in 2013 by a group including Lenovo and Paypal to address the lack of interoperability among strong authentication. MacGeneration was first to spot Apple's logo added to the list of board members.

A judge overseeing a lawsuit aiming to stop the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint is planning to rule in favor of allowing the deal to go forward, reports The New York Times.

The FCC formally approved the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint in November 2019, but attorneys general from 13 states and the District of Columbia filed an antitrust lawsuit aiming to block it. The states argued that combining the two companies was not in the public's interest as it would reduce competition and lead to higher smartphone bills.

tmobile sprint logos
Final arguments in the antitrust suit took place last month, and sources that spoke to The New York Times said that none of the parties involved have read the judge's ruling yet, so there could be conditions or restrictions attached.

Both Sprint and T-Mobile are planning to make announcements related to the merger on Tuesday, as the lawsuit was the final roadblock preventing it from moving forward. If the judge does indeed rule in favor of Sprint and T-Mobile, the newly combined company will be known as T-Mobile and it will have 100 million customers.

The two companies have committed to building a nationwide 5G network covering 97 percent of the U.S. population in three years and 99 percent within six years. They have also promised not to raise their prices for three years following the merger's completion.

Under the terms of the deal, both T-Mobile and Sprint were required to sell some of their assets to Dish, as the FCC wants to see Dish become the fourth nationwide facilities-based wireless carrier in the United States.

Apple is rumored to be working on a low-cost iPhone that could launch within the next few months, and as with any new imminent ‌iPhone‌ launch, case makers are already scrambling to get cases ready for the new devices.

Case manufacturers often pre-design cases for new iPhones well in advance of when the devices launch, basing designs on rumors, leaked schematics, renders, and other details. Most often this information is accurate enough that these pre-designed cases fit well, and there's a lot of money in being one of the first companies to have a case available for a freshly released ‌iPhone‌.

totalleeiphonese2case
With the new low-cost ‌iPhone‌ rumored to be identical in design to the 4.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ ‌iPhone‌ 8, it's not much of a stretch for case makers to take advantage of this fact and offer cases for sale early.

Totallee, for example, has already launched pre-orders for an "iPhone SE 2" case, and sites like Alibaba and Amazon also have similar case listings. We can expect pre-sales of cases for the low-cost ‌iPhone‌ to pick up its launch date approaches.

Totallee and other case manufacturers do not have specific information on the new ‌iPhone‌ direct from Apple, and these early case designs (and the March release date details) are based on circulating rumors. Totallee says the cases will be available on March 24, but that's just the date that iPhone SE preorders began back in 2017 and a decent guess as to when an event could potentially be held.

The low-cost ‌iPhone‌, which has been referred to as the "‌iPhone SE‌ 2" due to its prospective $399 price point, is not expected to resemble the 2016 ‌iPhone SE‌ at all. Instead, rumors suggest it will be an updated ‌iPhone‌ 8.

The new ‌iPhone‌ will feature a 4.7-inch display, a single-lens rear camera, thick top and bottom bezels, and a Touch ID Home button. It is expected to come in space gray, silver, and red color options, and we're expecting 64 and 128GB storage capacities.

Recent rumors have suggested that Apple could unveil the new low-cost ‌iPhone‌ early in the year, perhaps in March. Apple does often hold an event in March, and if there are going to be new product announcements coming at a specific event, we could be hearing details soon.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
Buyer's Guide: iPhone SE (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPhone

YouTube is considering offering a feature that would let people sign up for subscription services from third-party entertainment companies through YouTube, reports The Information.

Such a feature would be similar to Apple TV Channels and the Amazon Channels option from Amazon, both of which allow users to sign up for paid video services through their Apple ID and Amazon accounts, respectively.

youtube logo 2017
Apple in March 2019 unveiled a revamped Apple TV app with the ‌Apple TV‌ Channels option, which lets ‌Apple TV‌ owners sign up for services like CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, Comedy Central Now, HBO, and more right in the TV app without having to open up another app. Amazon has offered a similar feature since 2015.

appletvchannels
YouTube is said to be in talks with "several entertainment companies" about adding their services to YouTube, but the status of the talks is unknown at this time.

A subscription channel offering would add value to YouTube TV, YouTube's current streaming television service. YouTube TV, priced at $50 per month, offers live and on-demand cable access and has attracted two million subscribers.

It's unclear if the new subscription channel offering would be linked to YouTube TV specifically or would be a separate endeavor available to a broader range of YouTube users.

According to The Information, offering stand-alone subscriptions could help YouTube improve profit margins on YouTube TV as it would get a cut of sales on its platform. Apple and Amazon, for example, take a cut of 30 to 50 percent of subscription fees from their channel partners, a lucrative addition to their own streaming services.

Abdul Dremali, a MacRumors reader who goes by Advil on the MacRumors forums, shared a Night Mode image captured with one of Apple's newest iPhones on the forums back in September 2019.

The photo depicted a lighthouse and a sky full of stars, as Dremali is an astrophotographer. Apple spotted Dremali's image after it was featured on the forums and recently used it in a new video showing off Night Mode.

lighthouseshotoniphone
Dremali has shared several ‌Night Mode‌ photos on the MacRumors forums and on his website, but the lighthouse image proved to be his most popular. According to EXIF info shared in the thread, the photo was a 20 second exposure using ‌Night Mode‌ with the standard lens and no other equipment except for a tripod.


Apple typically requires photographers and artists that it works with to sign non-disclosure agreements, so Dremali declined to comment on Apple's usage of his picture, but his astrophotography images offer up a great example of the benefits of Apple's ‌Night Mode‌ feature.

‌Night Mode‌ uses long exposure capture techniques, machine learning, and other technologies to produce vivid, bright pictures even when lighting conditions are poor. ‌Night Mode‌ allows iPhone users to take photos in the dark that were not possible with prior versions of the ‌iPhone‌.

Amazon's Echo speakers continue to be the most popular smart speakers in the United States, and will remain in the dominant spot through at least 2021, according to new smart speaker user estimates shared today by eMarketer (via TechCrunch).

An estimated 69.7 percent of U.S. smart speaker users will use an Amazon Echo product in 2020, a number that's down slightly from the estimated 72.9 percent of smart speaker owners who used an Echo in 2019. In 2021, Amazon is estimated to see another small drop in usage, with eMarketer suggesting 68.2 percent of smart speaker owners will use an Echo.

smartspeakeruserestimates

Note: eMarketer says the percentages total over 100 percent because some smart speaker owners have more than one brand.

Google is expected to make some headway against Amazon, but eMarketer does not believe that the "Other" category, which includes Apple's HomePod, the Sonos One, and other smart speakers, will gain significant ground over the next two years.

An estimated 31.7 percent of smart speaker owners will use a Google device in 2020, while 18.4 percent will use speakers in the Other category. In 2021, that number is expected to grow to 32 percent for Google and 18.8 percent for the Other category.

Since Amazon first introduced the Echo, it has built a convincing lead in the U.S. and continues to beat back challenges from top competitors," said Victoria Petrock, a principal analyst at eMarketer. "We had previously expected Google and Apple to make more inroads in this market, but Amazon has remained aggressive. By offering affordable devices and building out the number of Alexa skills, the company has maintained Echo's appeal," she added.

eMarketer expects the number of U.S. smart speaker owners to grow over the next several years, but ownership numbers will rise slowly. 28.9 percent of internet users also have a smart speaker, a number that will grow to 30.5 percent next year.

Though Apple's ‌HomePod‌ recently turned two, Apple has had some difficulty securing a foothold in the smart speaker market. Apple's ‌HomePod‌ was priced at $349 when it launched in February 2018, but Apple dropped the price to $299 in April 2019. Even at $299, the ‌HomePod‌ is significantly more expensive than Amazon's Echo lineup, which includes smart speakers at multiple price points. Amazon's lowest priced device, the Echo Dot, sells for $30 and sometimes dips even lower.

homepod on shelf
Apple was hoping that the superior sound of the ‌HomePod‌ would draw customers to pay extra for sound quality, but the more affordable prices of the Amazon Echo and Google Home have been more appealing to most consumers. Amazon doesn't have quite the same advantage in non-U.S. markets because it supports fewer non-English languages than other speakers like the Google Home, so that is an area where Apple could make inroads into the smart speaker market.

‌HomePod‌ rollout has been slow, though, with the device limited to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan

Apple is rumored to be working on a new, more affordable version of the ‌HomePod‌ with reduced tweeters, which could be released at some point in 2020. A lower price point will help the ‌HomePod‌ better compete with the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, but it will likely be difficult for Apple to catch up given the lead Amazon and Google have in the smart speaker market.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.4 update to its public beta testing group, with the new public beta coming five days after the release of the first developer beta.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the new ‌macOS Catalina‌ beta through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile.

Catalina
Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.

The macOS Catalina 10.15.4 update introduces Screen Time Communication Limits, a feature that was brought to the iPhone in the iOS 13.3 update. Screen Time Communication Limits allow parents to limit who their children contact and when communication apps are available.

The update also includes a new Head Pointer Accessibility option that allows the mouse cursor to be controlled with head movements using the Mac's built-in camera.

References to new AMD processors were discovered in the macOS 10.15.4 beta, leading to speculation that Apple is working on AMD-based Macs, but it's not clear if these references are simply for internal testing rather than evidence of an AMD Mac.

Though not directly related to ‌macOS Catalina‌ 10.15.4, Apple is adding a new universal purchase option for macOS and iOS apps, which will allow Apple device users to purchase one app that works across multiple platforms.

Related Forum: macOS Catalina

Intellithings today announced that its Bluetooth-based smart home occupancy sensor RoomMe now supports Siri Shortcuts.

roomme
RoomMe, successfully funded on Indiegogo in 2017, leverages the unique Bluetooth signature of a person's smartphone or smartwatch to identify who that person is and which room they are in, and automatically adjust settings such as temperature, lighting, music, and more to that person's preferences.

Now, RoomMe users can create a Siri Shortcut to manually execute "charms" on demand. This gives users the flexibility to take advantage of their pre-defined room settings without walking into that room. Intellithings has provided instructions on how to enable Siri integration with RoomMe in its FAQ under Voice Assistants.

RoomMe sensors are $69 each, with discounted pricing available for bundles of two or more sensors. Siri Shortcuts functionality requires version 1.5.0 of the RoomMe app, released yesterday.

RoomMe is also compatible with HomeKit.

Now that we're close to Valentine's Day on February 14, many third-party Apple resellers and accessory companies have opened up notable discounts on Apple products and accessories this month. To keep track of all the sales and offers, we've accumulated each retailer's offer in this article, ranging on sales from useful portable battery packs to Bluetooth trackers and much more.

Valentines Deals 2Note: 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.

Most of the sales tracked below will last through February 14, unless otherwise noted.

Tile

Tile has a few "Sweetheart Deals" this week, offering a 4-pack of Tile Mate or 4-pack of Tile Sticker Bluetooth trackers that you can share with your significant other. You can save up to $20 in this sale, with both tracker packs priced at $49.99.

tile valentines

Twelve South

Twelve South is joining in on the Valentine's Day sales, offering special bundles that include two complimentary products at a discounted price. Be sure to visit Twelve South's website to shop for every bundle, and you can check the prices for each listed below.

twelve south valentines

  • BookBook for iPhone + HiRise Wireless Charging Stand - $109.99, down from $149.99
  • AirFly Duo + AirSnap - $63.99-$74.99, down from $84.99-$99.99
  • TimePorter + PlugBug Duo - $79.99, down from $109.99
  • PowerPic BOGO Free - $79.99, down from $159.99
  • Journal products - 20 percent off

Pad & Quill

Pad & Quill's Valentine's Day sale is discounting a variety of iPhone cases, MacBook cases, iPad cases, Apple Watch bands, and more. These products have their discounts automatically applied, but you can add the code "Valentine" to get an additional 15 percent off during the event.

pad and quill valentine
You can also use the code "BAGS20" for 20 percent off any leather bag.

HomePod

OWC has a solid sale going on for the HomePod this week, discounting the White speaker to $204.99, from $299.00. This is a brand-new HomePod in non-retail packaging, and with OWC's own 1-Year Fulfilled Limited Warranty.

HomePod on shelf
You can also get the Space Gray HomePod for $207.99 during this sale.

Apple Watch Series 5

eBay has the current best price on the 40mm GPS Apple Watch Series 5, priced at $379.99, down from $399.00. While this isn't the lowest price we've ever seen this model of the Apple Watch, it is one of the best sales happening online right now for the new wearable.

applewatchalwaysondisplay
You can get the Apple Watch in Space Gray Aluminum with a Black Sport Band or Gold Aluminum with a Pink Sand Sport Band. As of writing, Silver Aluminum options are out of stock, so visit eBay soon if you're interested.

Official iPhone 11 Cases

On Amazon this week, you can save on Apple's own official leather and silicone iPhone cases. Silicone cases start at around $30 for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models, which is around $10 in savings.

cases valentines
Similarly, you can save about $10 on the leather cases for the latest iPhones, with many of these models priced around $40. Not every color option is on sale, and the new Smart Battery Case options are also not being discounted, but for everything else we've provided links below to find the case for your iPhone 11 model.

However, if you have an older model iPhone, you do have a chance to get a Smart Battery Case at a discount. Amazon has this accessory for the iPhone XR and iPhone XS at $99.99, down from $129.00. That's a lowest-ever price, and the best sale currently available online. The iPhone XS Max Smart Battery Case is on sale for $102.

Anker

On its own website, Anker is offering up to 30 percent off multi-colored 10,000 mAh capacity portable chargers. You can get the PowerCore Slim (classic finish) for $31.99, down from $41.99 in Arctic White, Terracotta Rose, Deep Sea Indigo, and Dark Olive.

anker valentines
Additionally, the PowerCore III (fabric finish) is available for $34.99, down from $49.99 in Sun Kissed Coral, Venetian Red, and Winter Sage. Anker noted that this sale has limited quantities and it will expire this Friday, February 14.

On Amazon, Anker also has a few solid power bank discounts happening this week, which we've listed below.

Casetify

Casetify has its usual range of colorful iPhone cases on sale this Valentine's week. If you buy two cases, you'll get 20 percent off your order and free shipping by using the code "WITHLOVE". This sale only lasts today.

casetify valentines
Beyond iPhone cases, Casetify also offers Apple Watch Bands, AirPods cases, Lightning cables, and wireless charging pads in its Valentine's sale.

Nimble

Nimble is selling a few limited edition 5-Day Portable Chargers for Valentine's Day, and they come with free engravings related to the holiday. You can get these for $89.95, down from $99.95. You can also get 20 percent off any two products with the promo code "VDAY".

nimble valentines
Otherwise, Nimble also has a sale going on for its Upgrade Kits, which include portable chargers, cables, car chargers, and wall chargers, and start at $94.95, with savings reaching up to $54.80 off original prices.

Mophie

Mophie this week is discounting older models of the Juice Pack Air, including for the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, XR, XS, and XS Max. All of these models are on sale for $59.95, down from $99.95. If you use our exclusive promo code "MACRUMORS25", you can take an additional 25 percent off one item.

mophie valentines
You can also get the 7.5W Wireless Charging Base for $19.95, down from $59.95, and the 10W Charge Stream Desk Stand is on sale for $29.95, down from $69.95. More accessories are marked down on Mophie's sale page, including screen protectors and power banks.

Harber London

Harber London is offering our readers a chance to take 15 percent off all Nomad organizers with the code "MACRNOMAD". These accessories offer space for you iPad, Apple Pencil, notebooks, cables, chargers, and more.

Nomad Organiser foriPad Pro 11 3
You can also save on Harber London with the retailer's sitewide Valentine's Day sale, which takes 20 percent off your order when you buy two items.

Other Valentine's Day Sales

  • Adorama - Save on DualShock 4 controllers, Bose speakers, Fitbits, and more
  • Bose - Save on headphones and speakers, with free shipping and free returns
  • Harman Audio/JBL - Save on Bluetooth speakers, headphones, sound bars, and more
  • Newegg - Save on laptops, gaming mice, and more

Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals