In a Geekbench 5 test, the 11-inch 2020 iPad Pro earned a single-core score of 1114 and a multi-core score of 4654, which is close to the Geekbench scores of the 11-inch iPad Pro from 2018.
The 11-inch iPad Pro has an aggregate single-core Geekbench 5 score of 1113 and a multi-core score of 4608. Like the A12X, the A12Z is an 8-core chip running at 2.48GHz.
The new 2020 iPad Pro pulled ahead a little in Metal scores, earning a 9894 Metal score, up from the 9020 score in the 11-inch iPad Pro from 2018. That's no surprise, though, because the A12Z features an 8-core GPU instead of the 7-core GPU that was in the A12X.
Antutu tests were also conducted, showing lower scores than prior models in the memory category, though the test may not be optimized for the new models and the iOS 13.4 update. CPU was 187648, GPU was 348519, and Memory was 71476 vs. CPU 184553, GPU 357335, and Memory 90598 for the 11-inch 2018 model.
More testing will need to be done to confirm whether there are notable differences in CPU speed between the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro models, but for now, it looks like any gains are modest.
The new iPad Pro models ship with iOS 13.4, which is set to be released by Apple tomorrow, so new iPad Pro owners will not need to upgrade. Most people who ordered a new iPad Pro on the day they were introduced will receive their shipments on Wednesday, March 25.
An original Apple Computer Inc. sign created around 1978 with Apple's well-known rainbow logo is set to be auctioned off later this week.
Measuring in at four feet by five feet, the sign is said to be one of the earliest Apple retail signs and was displayed by an Apple authorized reseller who first learned about Apple after attending a 1976 computer conference.
The sign is yellowed and the description says there are "a few surface marks," but overall, the rainbow colors are said to be bright and in good condition. The sign will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders Auctions on March 26, and the starting price is $20,000.
macOS versions of apps can now be included as part of a universal purchase, which allows customers to purchase a single app (or in-app purchase) that works across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
Apple says that developers can get ready to use the feature by assigning a single bundle ID for apps in Xcode and setting up their app record for universal purchase using App Store Connect.
A single purchase option for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS apps was added in the Xcode 11.4 beta, which was first released in February. After developers have implemented single purchase options, customers will be able to buy one app that works across all of their Apple devices.
With the option to make a purchase of an app that works on all devices, Apple is unifying the categories in the iOS App Store and macOS App Stores, so there will be minor changes coming to the categories available in Apple's App Stores.
With most of Apple's corporate employees working from home at the current time, the Apple Park campus in Cupertino is nearly abandoned.
Drone footage shot recently by drone pilot Duncan Sinfield looks similar to drone videos shot before Apple Park opened, with no visible people on the campus and parking lots abandoned.
Apple employees worldwide have been working at home since March 8, though there are likely still employees on the Apple Park campus who have essential roles at the company.
Apple employees with non-essential roles are required to stay at home under Santa Clara County's shelter-in-place order.
Verizon today announced that it is adding an additional 15GB of LTE data to all consumer and small business plans automatically to support its customers who are currently working from home.
The 15GB of data will be available from March 25 to April 30, with Verizon adding 15GB of data to postpaid metered customers, prepaid customers, and Jetpack owners automatically. For those with an unlimited data plan, the extra data can be used as hotspot data.
Verizon is offering the extra data to all consumer wireless plans available since 2015, and for small business customers with 50 lines or less.
Verizon is also waiving overage charges and has pledged not to terminate service for customers who are unable to pay at this time.
"We understand the hardships that many of our customers are facing, and we're doing our part to ensure they have broadband internet connectivity during this unprecedented time," said Ronan Dunne, CEO Verizon Consumer Group. "With so many Americans working and learning remotely from home, having access to reliable and affordable internet is more important than ever before."
For new low-income who subscribe to Verizon's Lifeline discount program, Verizon is waiving fees for the next two months.
Apple is today rolling out a new Get Up! Mix algorithmic playlist that joins existing playlists like Chill Mix, New Music Mix, Friends Mix, and Favorites Mix.
The new Get Up! Mix is full of "happy-making, smile-finding, sing-alonging" music, and will be updated each week with new songs curated by Apple Music editors, according to Engadget.
Apple is still rolling out the new Get Up! Mix, but once available, it will be in the "For You" tab alongside other playlists that are updated weekly.
Alongside the Get Up! Mix, Apple is debuting a new Home Office DJ playlist that has songs tailored to people who are working from home at the current time.
Located in the "Browse" section of Apple Music, the playlist features songs from The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Halsey, and more. Apple says it is an "uptempo, easygoing" playlist that focuses on recent pop, dance, hip-hop and RB songs.
In related news, Beats 1 radio DJs are now broadcasting from their homes, using FaceTime to conduct interviews with musicians like Elton John and Hayley Williams, with some of the programs to be recorded on iPhones.
Apple has asked that all employees who are able to do so work from home at this time.
At least one of the iPhone models that's coming in 2023 will feature a "periscope" lens, according to information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who often provides accurate insight into Apple's plans.
Periscope lens technology is already built into some smartphones on the market, giving us an idea of what we can expect from the iPhone feature when it launches. A periscope lens offers optical zoom capabilities not otherwise possible in a smartphone camera, allowing for 5x or even 10x optical zoom.
First and foremost, Kuo has had little to say about the feature set that might be included when Apple adopts periscope lens technology. Due to the lack of information, we have no idea at this time what Apple's periscope lens might be capable of, aside from an increase in optical zoom capabilities. Other sources have confirmed that Apple is working on periscope lens technology, but no concrete details have emerged.
The maximum zoom range for iPhone models at the current time is 3x, but that's set to change when periscope lens technology comes out.
How a Periscope Lens Works
It's not clear how Apple plans to implement a periscope lens, but in general, the technology uses a prism or mirror to refract light onto the lens sensor for magnification purposes, with the mechanics of the lens built into the inside of the smartphone instead of the outside like a traditional zoom lens for a DSLR.
Periscope lens technology has advanced enough that in smartphones, the lenses are compact and small enough to fit into a normal lens enclosure and don't even take up too much internal space. Depending on the build of the phone and internal space available, a periscope lens could theoretically be quite long, allowing for impressive levels of optical zoom.
Another look inside the Huawei P30 Pro and its periscope lens
Optical vs. Digital Zoom
The iPhone's telephoto lens is limited to 3x optical zoom, but digital zoom is available up to 10x. Optical zoom capabilities use the lens to capture a close-up image, so pictures taken with optical zoom remain crisp and clear.
Digital zoom is basically cropping in to an image taken with a wider-angle lens, resulting in blurriness and artifacts that often make the photo undesirable due to the lack of detail.
The iPhone 14 Pro models offer 0.5x zoom (ultra wide-angle lens) and 1x zoom (wide-angle lens) alongside the 3x telephoto lens. With a periscope lens, Apple would presumably bump up the telephoto lens capabilities to allow it to zoom in further than 3x.
The periscope lens would likely be limited to the telephoto camera, as this technology works best in a single lens situation. So you'd have a single camera that can zoom in super far alongside other more standard wide-angle and ultra wide-angle cameras.
Existing Smartphones with Periscope Lenses
Periscope-style lenses for advanced optical zooming capabilities are trending right now, and several manufacturers have implemented the technology. Apple's main competitor, Samsung, has introduced several Galaxy Ultra devices with with hybrid 10x optical zoom capabilities.
Huawei has come out with the P30 Pro, which also offers 5x true optical zoom and 10x hybrid optical zoom, and the company is rumored to be working on a P40 Pro that has even more advanced true 10x optical zoom capabilities..
Huawei P30 Pro 10x hybrid optical zoom via DxOMark
Samsung calls the zoom functionality in its smartphones "Space Zoom" and it enables up to 100x digital zoom. The periscope lens itself uses a folded 4x telephoto lens combined with a 48-megapixel sensor, which can swap between 4x and 10x zoom. Samsung's zoom feature is technically a hybrid option because it uses some sensor cropping for the 10x zoom.
The 100x zoom capability uses digital zooming technology that we thought worked quite well up to 30x, but is not particularly useful at 100x. Apple, like Samsung, could combine digital zoom with optical zoom for a similar effect.
So far, periscope zoom lenses in smartphones that are truly 10x are available in limited quantities, but the technology is certainly on the verge of expanding and should be even more advanced by the time Apple is ready to build it into a smartphone in 2023.
6X Optical Zoom?
According to Kuo, Apple will implement 6x optical zoom technology when it adopts periscope lenses.
Apple Patents for Periscope Lens Technology
Apple has patented technology related to periscoping smartphone camera lenses, so this is certainly something the company has experimented with and considered.
A 2016 patent, for example, describes a folded telephoto camera lens system that includes multiple lenses with refractive power and a light path folding element in the form of a mirror.
According to the description included in the patent, light would be channeled into the camera through a primary lens, bounced off of the included mirror in the smartphone, and then would be sent to a secondary lens that moves up and down for the purpose of zooming in.
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Hyundai was one of the first brands officially announced as a CarPlay partner back in 2014, and the feature is now available across pretty much all of the carmaker's lineup. I recently spent some time with CarPlay and Hyundai's native infotainment system in the redesigned 2020 Hyundai Sonata, and I've been impressed with not only Hyundai's CarPlay implementation but also just how much technology in general Hyundai has managed to include in the Sonata for its price.
The 2020 Sonata starts at $23,600 and is available in four trim levels, topping out with the Limited trim at nearly $34,000 plus destination charges. My test vehicle was the high-end Limited trim, which comes with all of the bells and whistles Hyundai offers without any additional packages needed, with the exception of a $300 upcharge for the Quartz White paint and optional accessories like floor mats and cargo customization. A traditional hybrid version of the redesigned Sonata with an available solar-panel roof should be available in the coming months.
Technology and Safety Features
The 2020 Sonata is packed with technology, offering nearly every popular safety feature, including many of them even on the base SE trim. Forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, lane follow assist, driver attention warning, and smart cruise with stop and go are standard on all trims, while SEL and higher trims add blind spot collision avoidance and rear cross traffic avoidance.
Video feed of left-side blind spot
At the top end, the Limited trim includes parking collision avoidance, highway drive assist (which is an option on the SEL Plus trim), and a very convenient blind view monitor that pops up a video feed of your blind spot anytime you activate the turn signal. The video appears right in the gauge cluster and makes it very easy to check exactly what's next to your vehicle, a significant step up from the traditional blind spot monitor that only illuminates a light if an object is detected.
Standard gauge cluster view
Speaking of the gauge cluster, the Limited and SEL Plus trims come with a nice all-digital 12.3-inch screen, and it's available as part of the convenience package on the SEL trim. The Limited trim also includes a head-up display for even more information available at a glance without needing to take your eyes off the road.
And of course, there's the Limited-only "Smart Park" feature made famous with a Super Bowl ad this year, which lets you remote start the car and move it slowly forward or backward without you even needing to be in the car. Hyundai markets it as a feature for letting you get the car in or out of tight parking spaces, and while it feels like mostly a gimmick to me, it's another sign of the semi-autonomous technologies that continue to roll out across many car manufacturers.
Infotainment
When it comes to infotainment, the base Sonata comes with an 8-inch screen, but my Limited trim includes a larger 10.25-inch widescreen display with built-in navigation. The larger display is also available on the stepped-down SEL Plus trim as an option if you add the $2,750 tech package that also includes a sunroof, LED interior lights, premium Bose audio, and highway drive assist. CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all trims, regardless of display size.
Home screen icon view
Hyundai has rolled out a revamped infotainment in the 2020 Sonata, and it's a massive improvement. It offers a clean look with layouts and designs that will feel familiar to any smartphone user. Customizability is embraced throughout the system, with the ability to edit the home screen icon and widget layouts, and this customizability extends throughout the vehicle systems with a vast array of options accessible through the infotainment system.
Home screen widget view
Similar to CarPlay, the Hyundai infotainment system offers a couple of different home screen views, starting with a dashboard-style screen that lets you customize widgets such as navigation, audio, weather, and more. A swipe on the screen switches over to an icon-based home screen that gives you access to all of the system functions. You'll find all of the usual functions here, including data on your driving performance, a handy app for recording voice memos, and even a "Sounds of Nature" function that lets you pipe relaxing sounds like a forest scene, sea waves, rain, or a crackling fireplace throughout the car.
Sounds of Nature app
There's really only one tactile hardware control, and that's the volume knob, but there are several capacitive buttons on either side of the display. You can't really find them by feel as you would be able to do with physical buttons, but at least they make it easy to jump to frequently used infotainment functions without needing to navigate through the system's UI. There's also a dedicated "star" button that can be configured to offer one-touch access to CarPlay, for example.
Configuring the "star" button to activate CarPlay
Built-in navigation is provided by HERE, and it proved to be a capable system with a solid POI database that was able to pull up nearly every destination I attempted to find. It's also easy to search by POI categories, set shortcuts for multiple frequent destinations, and select your route options.
Built-in navigation search screen
The navigation system provides a side-by-side view with a larger screen showing your overall upcoming route and a smaller side panel with specific information for your next upcoming turn, but you can also drag over another side panel to essentially divide the widescreen display into thirds and simultaneously show other infotainment system data like audio.
Built-in navigation with split-screen view
CarPlay
CarPlay on the 2020 Sonata requires a wired connection, which is still very common among car manufacturers, although many are starting to move toward wireless connectivity options in their next-generation infotainment systems that are just starting to roll out.
CarPlay home screen in widescreen
Perhaps my favorite thing about CarPlay in the 2020 Sonata is the ability to set a user preference for widescreen or side-by-side screens. Widescreen infotainment systems are becoming more and more popular, and manufacturers have typically fallen into one of two camps when it comes to supporting CarPlay in them: let CarPlay take over the entire screen or limit it to a portion of the screen while leaving a smaller side panel to display information from the native system.
Hyundai lets the user choose, although it's not a setting you'll be able to easily switch while driving as it's managed within the settings for the connected phone.
Apple Maps in split-screen view with native audio widget
Regardless of which option you choose, you'll see a typical CarPlay experience with interactions happening through either the expansive touchscreen or Siri. Maps in particular looks great on the widescreen, but even at the smaller size you'll have a reasonable view of what's around you.
Apple Maps in split-screen view with native weather widget
The touchscreen is responsive in both the native system and CarPlay, and I experienced no issues with CarPlay connectivity in my testing. The capacitive buttons on either side of the display make it simple to hop out to the native system, while the customizable star button makes for one-touch access to get back into CarPlay.
CarPlay "Now Playing" screen in widescreen
As is typical for steering wheel controls, there's a single voice control button that serves dual duty. A short press brings up the Hyundai voice system while a long press activates Siri.
Sonata steering wheel controls with voice/Siri button at top left of left cluster
Climate Controls
Despite the raft of features included in the 2020 Sonata, Hyundai has done a lot to minimize the complexity of the controls. Climate controls thankfully remain hardware-based and separate from the infotainment system, and it's a relatively clean setup that even integrates controls for the heated and ventilated front seats.
Climate controls
Hyundai has made fairly heavy use of space-saving switches for things like A/C mode controls, fan speeds, and drive modes, making for a simpler layout than other systems that use multiple buttons for each function.
Ports and Wireless Charging
The Sonata features a pair of USB-A ports up front on all trims, with one for data and one for charging only. A single charge-only USB-A port for rear passengers is included standard on the Limited and SEL Plus trims, while it's part of a $1200 convenience package on the SEL trim. It's not available at all on the base SE trim.
Rear USB port
Hyundai also offers a Qi wireless phone charging on some trims of the 2020 Sonata, with the charger coming standard on the Limited trim and as an option on the SEL Plus trim. It's not available on the SEL or SE trims.
Front USB ports
I experienced a bit of quirkiness with the charger, as it was not able to charge my iPhone 11 Pro Max with Apple's Smart Battery Case. Upon setting my phone charging pad, my phone would vibrate as if charging had started, but then it would repeat every few seconds and the charging status light above the charger would never illuminate.
Qi wireless phone charger
I removed the Smart Battery Case and tried with the bare phone, and charging worked fine. I also tried with an iPhone XS Max with and without the official Smart Battery Case for that model and everything worked fine.
Convenient phone storage slot between cupholders
The Sonata offers another handy phone storage option, and that's a slot in the center console between the two cupholders. A phone sits upright in the slot, making it easy to grab on your way out of the car, and it's a convenient space-saving solution for holding the phone even while connected to the infotainment system for CarPlay, as long as you put the phone in upside down.
Wrap-up
The 2020 Sonata packs an impressive amount of technology for its price points, and I'm looking forward to seeing these capabilities and the revamped infotainment system make their way across the rest of the Hyundai lineup.
While I'd like to see wireless CarPlay, the wired solution works well and integrates smoothly with the new infotainment system. The spacious widescreen display available on higher trims is terrific, and I love the amount of customizability Hyundai provides, extending all the way to allowing for standard or full-screen CarPlay.
The 2020 Sonata starts at a reasonable $23,600 an maxes out at just about $34,000, even with all of that technology built in. Aside from an engine that lacks some of the pep found in similarly sized luxury cars, the Sonata in a higher-end trim feels like a much more expensive sedan than it is.
Thanks to the creativity and innovation of developers like you, the App Store has become much more than the world's safest marketplace. It's grown into a vibrant platform with great apps that influence culture and change lives, with over half a billion visitors each week. This wide-reaching platform has helped generate over $155 billion in developer earnings -- just from sales of apps and in-app purchases. Today, the App Store gives you the opportunity to connect with users in 155 countries or regions. We're pleased to announce that the App Store will expand even farther this year with upcoming support for 20 new countries, allowing you to increase your impact and grow your business in new markets.
Apple says that developers who want their apps to appear in the new countries must accept the Program License Agreement on the Apple Developer Website and then choosing the "New Countries or Regions" checkbox in the Pricing and Availability section of the app information page.
Apple suggests developers complete these steps by April 10, 2020, to make sure apps are ready to be published as the App Store becomes ready in new locations.
The App Store is already available in 155 countries and regions, and Apple has not specified which countries are included in the expansion. A full list of countries that have access to the App Store can be found on Apple's website, though the new content has not been added yet.
Update: According to the updated developer agreement, the new countries include Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivorie, Gabon, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Maldives, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nauru, Rwanda, Serbia, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Zambia.
Amazon, Best Buy, and Adorama have a few discounts on Apple's official Smart Battery Case lineup for the iPhone XR and iPhone XS. We've been tracking these sales for a while now, and this week you'll find a few lowest-ever prices among the discounts.
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.
This also includes a good deal on the iPhone 11 Smart Battery Case in Black, which is on sale for $99.00, down from $129.00. At $30 off, this is the lowest price we've ever seen on Amazon, and right now it's the only one of the newest Smart Battery Cases that has this steep of a discount.
Apple in November asked the U.S. government to exclude the Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, and iPhone components from tariffs on goods imported from China, and the Apple Watch has been exempted.
According to Bloomberg, the U.S. Trade Representative on Friday approved a tariff waiver for Apple's wrist worn device.
A 15 percent tariff on a long list of products imported from China went into effect on September 1, though it was halved on February 15 after an initial trade deal was established.
Apple said that the Apple Watch should be exempted because it is "it is not strategically important or related to 'Made in China 2025' or other Chinese industrial programs." Apple also claimed that it was not able to find a source outside of China to meet demand for Apple Watch production in 2020.
Apple has also filed for waivers for AirPods, HomePod, iPhone components, and other products impacted by the tariffs.
Apple CEO Tim Cookin October said that he was hopeful the U.S. and China would resolve their trade issues. "I don't know every chapter of the book, but I think that will eventually happen," Cook said. "I certainly hope it happens during the quarter, but we'll see about that."
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Foxconn has reached its recruitment goals ahead of schedule and now has enough workers to meet "seasonal demand" at all of its Chinese plants, according to a statement released Sunday that was shared by Nikkei.
Foxconn is one of Apple's main suppliers, and the hiring information suggests Foxconn's factories will be adequately prepared for the launch of Apple's fall 2020 iPhones.
The factories of many Apple suppliers located in China were shut down for much of February, delaying device production. After reopening, there were staffing shortages related to quarantines and travel restrictions, resulting in factories unable to operate at peak capacity.
Foxconn said early this month that it expected to resume normal production by the end of March, and has successfully met that goal ahead of its deadline. Foxconn says that it is steadily recovering from labor shortages.
It's been unclear how the current world situation might impact the iPhone 12, with some information suggesting travel restrictions could cause delays due to an inability for Apple's engineers to travel to China to perfect the assembly process, but recent details shared by Bloomberg suggest the iPhone 12 is still on track to launch this fall.
Foxconn says that it has implemented "rigorous measures" to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for its staff, offering virus tests to more than 55,000 workers, and chest x-rays for another 40,000. Foxconn is expected to hit its peak production period in July to prepare for the launch of the new iPhones.
Apple in fall 2020 is expected to launch up to four new iPhone 12 models equipped with features that include 5G, triple-lens camera setups with 3D functionality, A14 chips, and more, with full details available in our iPhone 12 roundup.
Apple is planning to add new features like Kids Mode and Screen Time options to a future version of tvOS, according to Israeli site The Verifier.
Kids Mode would allow children to watch Apple TV content aimed at children, with parental control options that will let parents restrict the content that is available. Parents will be able to block TV shows, movies, and apps that are not age appropriate, and will be able to set Screen Time limits.
Speaking of Screen Time, The Verifier says that Apple will bring Screen Time features to the Apple TV, allowing people to keep track of how much time they're spending watching television. It will work for various apps and games, listing the amount of time spent using each app, as with iOS.
There are also a couple of hardware claims, which we've heard before. Apple is said to be working on a new Apple TV that features an A11 or A12 processor and 64/128GB storage options, up from the current 32/64GB.
The Verifier believes Apple will hold an event in November or December to announce the Apple TV, which is a part of this rumor that sounds unlikely. Signs of a new Apple TV have been showing up in versions of iOS for months now, which suggests we'll see it sooner than late 2020. Apple also does not typically hold events in the months of November and December.
The Verifier claims that its news comes from "senior sources" that have been working with its staff for a "number of years," but the site's past claims have been questionable, so it's worth viewing this information with some skepticism until confirmed by a secondary source.
The site was accurate about Night Mode coming to the 2019 iPhone lineup, though that was a reasonable guess. It was very wrong on some macOS Catalina predictions, having suggested the software would include a Shortcuts app, split screen support for four windows, and an iOS-like Control Center, none of which was released.
Some past tvOS predictions have been accurate, though, with The Verifier leaking picture-in-picture and multiple users in tvOS ahead of launch.
Apple is once again offering a 10 percent bonus when adding funds to your Apple ID account through April 3 in the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, and select other countries.
The bonus can be applied once on up to $200 or €300 in Apple ID funds, which can be used towards purchases on the App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Books Store, an Apple Music or iCloud storage subscription, and so forth. If you add $100 to your account, for example, you will receive $110 during this promotion.
To add funds directly to your Apple ID, go to Settings > Your Name > iTunes & App Store and tap your Apple ID > View Apple ID. Sign in if necessary, tap "Add Funds to Apple ID," tap the amount that you want to add, and confirm your selection.
Sometime during all the launch hype of last week's new MacBook Air and iPad Pro, Apple quietly increased the prices of almost all Mac build-to-order options on its regional online stores outside the United States.
In Canada, Europe, Australia, and many parts of Asia, customers configuring any new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro or Mac mini now face paying approximately 10 percent more for each component upgrade than they did prior to last Wednesday.
In the U.K. for example, when customizing a base configuration 2.3GHz 8-Core 16-inch MacBook Pro, upgrading to a 2.4GHz processor costs £200, where previously it cost £180.
Likewise, jumping from 16GB to 32GB of RAM now costs £400 (previously £360), bumping the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M GPU from 4GB to 8GB costs £100 (previously £90), and upgrading from 1TB storage to 2TB costs £400 (formerly £360).
Altogether, the hikes add an extra £110 to the price tag of this built-to-order 16-inch MacBook Pro – a combined total of £3,899 rather than £3,789.
16-inch MacBook Pro BTO prices – March 16 compared to March 23
Apple didn't change the standard prices of its Mac base configurations, which is probably why the changes initially went under the radar. However, two eagle-eyed readers from the U.K. got in touch with MacRumors after the total cost of their custom Mac configs, which had been languishing in their online Apple Store bags for a time, suddenly changed overnight.
It's not clear what provoked Apple to raise BTO Mac prices for consumers outside the U.S., although fluctuations in exchange rates, supply constraints, and labor shortages can't be ruled out. Either way, the fact remains that processor, RAM, graphics, and storage upgrades selected during checkout cost around 10 percent more than they did this time last week.
Anker is back this week with a new set of discounts on Amazon, providing low prices on wall chargers, wireless chargers, and portable chargers. Sales start with Anker's PowerPort Wireless Charging Stand at $13.99, down from $21.99, which represents the only wireless charger that's being discounted this time around.
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.
Otherwise, there are quite a few USB wall chargers and high-capacity portable chargers to choose from in the new sale. Anker has a 6-port PowerPort USB wall charger for $21.99, down from $25.99, as well as a 2-port PowerPort wall charger that includes USB-C for $18.20, down from $21.94. For the wireless chargers, prices start at just $14.06 for 5,000 mAh and also include 13,000 mAh ($25.49); 20,000 mAh ($31.99); and more.
Disney's premium streaming service, Disney+, will launch across Europe on Tuesday with temporarily degraded video quality, according to Reuters. The measure aims to reduce the burden on the continent's data networks as millions of people switch to working from home.
In a company statement, Disney said it had agreed to a European Union request for streaming-video providers to "ensure the smooth functioning of the broadband infrastructure."
Anticipating higher consumer demand, the company is instituting measures to "lower our overall bandwidth utilization by at least 25 percent in all of the markets launching Disney+ on March 24th," said Kevin Mayer, head of Disney's Direct-to-consumer and International business.
In addition, the launch of Disney+ has been delayed in France by two weeks on request of the French government. Disney+ will now launch in the country the week of April 7.
Facebook yesterday also committed to downgrade video streaming quality across its social media platforms, including Instagram.
Last week, the European Union asked streaming services to consider temporary reductions in streaming quality due to the abnormally large number of people working from home and taking advantage of streaming services amid the viral outbreak. Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV+, and Amazon all responded to the call.
Currently, streaming content providers have only been asked to lower streaming quality in Europe, so the lower streaming rates do not affect the United States and other countries. The United States has not called on streaming content providers to implement data reduction measures.
It's not clear how long Disney plans to stream with reduced quality and whether tweaks will be made for a better compromise between quality and data usage. Netflix said that it will continue using the lower quality stream for the next 30 days.
Apple is rumored to be planning a high-end 6.7-inch iPhone model for release in 2020, and multiple reports have indicated that the device will feature multiple rear camera improvements, including larger sensors that capture more light for better image quality.
The latest word comes from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who today said that the 6.7-inch iPhone will also feature sensor-shift image stabilization. In a research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo predicted that the technology will expand to two to three new iPhone models in 2021.
While details are slim, sensor-shift technology could bring image stabilization to the Ultra Wide lens on future iPhones, starting with the 6.7-inch model. iPhone 11 Pro models feature optical image stabilization for both photo and video, but only when using the Wide or Telephoto lenses. Sensor-shift technology would provide a solution for this, as the stabilization would apply to the camera sensor itself and not be dependant on any specific lens.
Sensor-shifting image stabilization could also result in better shots with attachable lens accessories like the OlloClip.
Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes also claimed that sensor-shift image stabilization technology is coming to the 6.7-inch iPhone this year, so there are now multiple sources backing this rumor. The report claimed the technology would also be available on a higher-end model of two 6.1-inch iPhones that are rumored for 2020, but as mentioned above, Kuo expects the feature to be limited to the 6.7-inch iPhone until next year.
The rumored 6.7-inch iPhone would have the largest display of any iPhone ever. The device is rumored to be slightly taller than the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Kuo today also predicted that at least one 2022 iPhone model will feature a periscope lens, which could allow for 5x optical zoom like Huawei's P30 Pro or even 10x optical zoom as is rumored for the device's P40 Pro successor. iPhones currently max out at 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom. Optical zoom preserves the quality of a shot when zooming in, while digital zoom results in some blurriness.
Kuo claims the periscope lens will be designed by Apple in partnership with Taiwanese supplier Genius Electronic Optical.
macOS versions of apps can now be included as part of a universal purchase, which allows customers to purchase a single app (or in-app purchase) that works across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
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