The image from Apple's education products page shows a 16-inch MacBook Pro running Logic Pro X, but with a familiar interface that looks extremely similar to GarageBand's Live Loops sessions on iOS. Since Logic Pro X does not currently contain this feature, an update with GarageBand-style Live Loops sessions may be planned.
At present, the only way to use Live Loops in Logic Pro X, albeit with substantially less functionality, is to share a Live Loops project from GarageBand for iOS. Live Loops was added to GarageBand for iOS in January 2016, as a new feature for creating music by tapping cells and columns in a grid to trigger different looped instruments and samples. Live Loops includes a library of Apple-designed loop templates in multiple genres, including EDM, Hip Hop, Dubstep and Rock, or you can create your own. Since then, Apple has introduced downloadable Sound Packs to expand the Live Loops sound library.
Logic Pro X was last updated three months ago with version 10.4.8, which included minor bug fixes. Apple tends to update Logic Pro X around every three months, which gives further credibility to the likelihood of an impending update.
Earlier this week, Apple began offering 90-day free trials of Logic Pro X and Final Cut Pro X.
iFixit found that most of the internals of the 2020 iPad Pro are the same as the 2018 model, confirming that the device is a relatively incremental update.
The most notable new feature seen inside the new iPad Pro was the LiDAR scanner, which measures the distance to surrounding objects up to five meters away, and enables enhanced experiences with augmented reality.
iFixit also took a look at the new A12Z Bionic chip, which contains an eight-core GPU, enhanced thermal architecture, and tuned performance controllers. The A12Z is paired with 6GB of RAM, upgraded from 4GB on all but the 1TB 2018 model. Earlier this week, it was reported that the A12Z chip is essentially a renamed A12X chip with an extra GPU core enabled.
The USB-C port continues to be modular and can be independently replaced, but adhesive holds almost everything in place, making all repairs more difficult.
Overall, the 2020 iPad Pro earned an iFixit repairability score of three out of 10, the same as the 2018 model, due to the device's "pretty abysmal repair procedures."
After last week's flurry of product launches, Apple's new iPad Pro and MacBook Air have started to make their way into consumers' hands, and we've gone hands-on with both of them this week. Apple this week also released iOS and iPadOS 13.4 (as well as macOS, watchOS, and tvOS updates) with a number of new features and improvements.
On the rumor side of things, we're starting to hear about the possibliity of a delayed launch of the iPhone 12 later this year, some details on Apple's iPhone camera plans, new Apple TV hardware and software rumors, and an update on Apple's rumored Mac transition from Intel to Arm-based chips. Finally, we shared a look at some prototype hardware and software related to Apple's AR/VR headset project.
Read on for all of the details, and check out our video above for even more from this week's news cycle.
The new iPad Pro features an A12Z Bionic chip with faster graphics performance, an Ultra Wide camera for 0.5x zoom, a LiDAR Scanner for enhanced augmented reality, better sounding microphones, and compatibility with Apple's upcoming Magic Keyboard with a built-in trackpad. Pricing continues to start at $799 for the 11-inch model with 128GB of storage, while the 12.9-inch model begins at $999.
We also spent some time going hands-on with the new MacBook Air, which features a lower starting price, more storage, faster 10th-generation processors, and most importantly an updated keyboard.
iOS and iPadOS 13.4 Released With iCloud Folder Sharing, Trackpad Support for iPad, and More
Apple is widely rumored to be planning four new iPhone models, including a 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and a 6.7-inch model. All of the devices are expected to have OLED displays, 5G support, A14 chips, and rear 3D sensing like the LiDAR Scanner on the new iPad Pro.
6.7" iPhone 12 May Have Sensor-Shift Stabilization in 2020, Periscope Lens to Follow in 2022
While details are slim, sensor-shift technology could bring optical image stabilization to the Ultra Wide lens on the 6.7-inch iPhone, as already exists for the Wide and Telephoto lenses on iPhone 11 Pro models.
Kuo 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.
Apple Testing AR/VR Headset With HTC Vive-Like Controller, Crosswalk Bowling Game, and More
MacRumors has obtained a photo from iOS 14 of what appears to be a generic looking test controller for Apple's rumored AR/VR headset, which reports suggest will be released by 2021 or 2022. The controller has a very similar design as the controller for the HTC Vive Focus headset, released in 2018.
Apple is testing a variety of augmented reality experiences on its headset, including a "crosswalk bowling game" that appears to allow Apple engineers to roll a virtual bowling ball across the crosswalk to knock down virtual bowling pins on the other side of the street.
Kuo believes that Arm-based processors will significantly enhance the competitive advantage of the Mac lineup, allow Apple to refresh its Mac models without relying on Intel's processor roadmap, reduce processor costs by 40 to 60 percent, and provide Macs with more hardware differentiation from Windows PCs.
Apple Allegedly Adding Kids Mode and Screen Time to tvOS, Launching Apple TV With Up to 128GB Storage
The new Apple TV is said to feature an A11 or A12 processor and 64/128GB storage capacities, up from the current 32/64GB options.
The source of the report has shared some previously accurate tvOS rumors, including a picture-in-picture feature and multiple user support, but it has been wrong about some other Apple rumors.
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Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Most of the factories in China that supply devices and components to Apple are back to churning out products, but Apple suppliers are said to be worried about how much demand there will be for the current iPhone models and the new iPhones expected in the fall.
According to Reuters, a senior official at one of Apple's major supply companies said that orders for quarter ending in March are likely to drop 18 percent compared with the previous year. Production ramp-up for new 5G iPhones has also been postponed, though the official said it is still possible iPhones could launch as scheduled.
"No one is talking about manpower or material shortage (in China) anymore. Now everyone is looking at whether demand from U.S. and Europe could keep up," said the person, who has direct knowledge of the matter. "The focus now is the demand from consumers in the U.S. and Europe."
An Apple display supplier that had anticipated shipping 70 million iPhone displays to Apple is considering lowering that target to 58 million as well as reducing the workforce at its Apple production lines in Vietnam.
One supplier in Malaysia, a country now facing shutdowns, says that things are changing "on a day by day basis" because of ongoing supply chain disruptions.
Some suppliers are not expecting a drop in demand, however. An iPhone sensor supplier told Reuters that the current quarter was better than last year, and that the second quarter will also likely see a higher volume of shipments. "We are still producing as per the forecast given to us," said the source.
A report from Nikkei earlier this week suggested that Apple is considering delaying the 2020 iPhone launch by months, but that no decision had been made yet. The same report suggested that some suppliers have been asked to defer mass production schedules for two to three months, which is also mentioned in Reuters' report.
DigiTimesthis morning said that suppliers who make printed circuit boards for the iPhone had not been asked to postpone volume production for components designed for the 2020 iPhone, so there seem to be mixed reports coming from the supply chain at this time.
A week ago, Bloomberg said that the iPhone 12 models are still on course for a fall launch, so whether there will be changes to Apple's typical September iPhone launch plans remains to be seen.
Zoom, a video conferencing app that many people are using at the current time to keep in touch with coworkers while working from home, was sending data to Facebook without disclosing the data sharing to customers.
As of today, Zoom has updated its iOS app to remove the SDK that was providing data to Facebook through the Login with Facebook feature, according to Motherboard, the site that first discovered Zoom's data sharing practices.
Zoom was providing Facebook with data that included when a user opened the app, plus their timezone, city, and device details. Zoom's privacy policy did not make it clear that the data was shared with Facebook.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Zoom said that Zoom was unaware that the Facebook SDK was collecting unnecessary device data.
"Zoom takes its users' privacy extremely seriously. We originally implemented the 'Login with Facebook' feature using the Facebook SDK in order to provide our users with another convenient way to access our platform. However, we were recently made aware that the Facebook SDK was collecting unnecessary device data."
"The data collected by the Facebook SDK did not include any personal user information, but rather included data about users' devices such as the mobile OS type and version, the device time zone, device OS, device model and carrier, screen size, processor cores, and disk space."
"We will be removing the Facebook SDK and reconfiguring the feature so that users will still be able to login with Facebook via their browser. Users will need to update to the latest version of our application once it becomes available in order for these changes to take hold, and we encourage them to do so. We sincerely apologize for this oversight, and remain firmly committed to the protection of our users' data."
Motherboard has since verified that the iOS app is no longer sending data to Facebook when it is opened.
Across the United States and other countries, adults and children alike are stuck in their homes for work, school, and more amid the ongoing pandemic, so Apple has is offering a collection of curated content across all of its apps that's aimed at families.
In the Apple TV app, Apple has a Kids tab available that sorts TV shows and content by age, plus there are a number of children's shows on Apple TV+, including "Snoopy in Space," "Helpsters" and "Ghostwriter."
In Apple Music, curators have put together a number of playlists and radio stations aimed at children and families, listed below.
As Apple announced earlier this month, the Apple Books app also has a number of free books and audiobooks that are for children, including "Winnie the Pooh," "The Secret Garden," "Sesame Street Classics," and more.
The App Store also has quite a few apps that offer free content that can keep children entertained.
Kinedu - A baby development app that's free until April 15th.
Epic! - Offers more than 35,000 ebooks, audiobooks, videos, and more for kids 12 and under. Free until the end of the school year.
Kahoot! - Learning and trivia app Kahoot is offering its premium version for free. It lets users create practice quizzes for learning new content.
Headspace - Meditation app Headspace is offering free access to all K-12 teachers, school administrators, and supporting staff in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. A selection of content called "Weathering the Storm" is also available.
GoNoodle - A fitness app for kids, GoNoodle offers ad-free content.
Cosmic Kids - Cosmic Kids is a free app offering yoga routines for children.
Khan Academy - A free app that offers classes on math, science, history, economics, and tons more.
Quizlet - Lets students study and practice what they're learning with create-your-own flashcards.
All of the above listed content can be found in Apple's App Store, Music, Books, Podcasts, and TV apps.
Chris Lattner, known for his work on Xcode and Swift during his time at Apple, this week joined the Accidental Tech Podcast (ATP) hosted by Marco Arment, Casey Liss, and John Siracusa.
In a two hour and thirty minute long conversation, Lattner and the ATP team talked about Swift, the work that went into preparing for WWDC while he was at Apple, Apple's 2020 digital WWDC event, and more.
Lattner said that he's very interested to see how Apple handles the online version of WWDC, which is set to take place sometime in June.
Apple's a very strategic and very smart company and has a lot of very smart people. I'm sure they're looking at how to turn this into a new opportunity and what new things they can do with the format and how they can delight people in new ways.
As to whether the virtual WWDC event might result in physical WWDC events canceled in future years, Lattner speculated that it was a wait and see kind of situation.
I think that if they do WWDC virtually this year and it sucks then it's probably going to go physical again. I don't know. I would wager that it doesn't return to its original format. If it does, if there is an in-person event, I think it will be significantly different than what the historical events have been.
Chris Lattner was at Apple for 11 years before he left in 2017, and he also spent time at Tesla working on autopilot software and at Google working on TensorFlow. He's now the SVP of Platform Engineering at SiFive.
Lattner's full discussion about WWDC, TensorFlow, SiFive, Swift, and more can be listened to on the web.
The upcoming Apple Watch Series 6 set to be released this fall could include a Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the crown of the device, according to Israeli site The Verifier, which cites "senior sources" who have worked with its staff for a "number of years" as the source of the rumor.
It's not clear how the alleged Touch ID fingerprint sensor would be implemented, as the Digital Crown is already used for capturing an ECG in the current Apple Watch models with an included electrode.
A Touch ID fingerprint sensor sounds like somewhat of an odd feature to add to the Apple Watch, but it could potentially alleviate the need for a PIN when putting on the Apple Watch in the morning. The Apple Watch already unlocks when the iPhone is unlocked, but unlocking it on a standalone basis requires a numerical code to be entered.
The Apple Watch itself also uses skin contact as a biometric authentication option for Apple Pay payments and other functions. In the Apple Watch Series 7, The Verifier claims that the Touch ID fingerprint sensor will be relocated to the display, but two drastic Touch ID tweaks in two years may be questionable as Apple tends to make fewer changes to Apple Watch hardware.
Apple's next-generation Apple Watch is also said to include an improved battery, broader support for LTE, and support for WiFi 6.
The Verifier also outlines some of the features coming to watchOS 7, many of which we've heard before. watchOS 7 will allegedly include a "fresh design," updates to built-in apps, and improvements to Siri, with little other information included.
Echoing other rumors, The Verifier says Apple is working on pulse ox monitoring for the Apple Watch and sleep tracking capabilities. Pulse oximetry support would allow the Apple Watch to measure the oxygen levels in the blood, making sure a person's oxygen saturation does not drop to a dangerous level, which can be indicative of a serious and immediate problem that needs to be addressed.
Sleep tracking is a feature that we've heard a lot about in recent months, with Apple expected to introduce sleep monitoring capabilities in the near future. Sleep tracking would measure metrics like time asleep and sleep quality.
According to The Verifier, watchOS 7 will be compatible with the Apple Watch Series 3 and later, with Apple planning to drop support for the Apple Watch Series 2 and earlier.
The Verifierlast week claimed that tvOS 14 will feature a new Kids Mode with content geared towards children and a Screen Time feature to measure time spent watching TV.
In the past, The Verifier has shared some questionable information that has not panned out, so it's worth viewing these rumors with some skepticism until confirmed by another source.
Nomad has a "Power Combo Sale" going on this week, providing 50 percent off any one of Nomad's Kevlar charging cables when you purchase a Base Station. Nomad Base Stations are sturdy wireless charging hubs that can charge iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches starting at $99.95.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Nomad sells the regular Base Station at $99.95, which can wirelessly charge two devices at the same time. It also comes in a Walnut option at $139.95. Both of these chargers also have two out ports (one USB-A and one USB-C) and a padded leather surface to protect your devices.
If you want to add your Apple Watch onto the stand, the Base Station Apple Watch Edition includes an Apple Watch Charger that supports Nightstand Mode, priced at $149.95. This leaves room for two devices to wirelessly charge on the mat, as well as two additional devices via USB-A and USB-C.
When you purchase one of these Base Stations, you can choose from nearly a dozen charging cables at half off. Nomad sells USB-C to Lightning cables (from $39.95), USB-A to Lightning (from $34.95), universal cables (from $24.95), and USB-C to USB-C (from $29.95).
As long as you have a compatible Base Station in your cart, you can add any of these Kevlar cables into your cart and you'll see the 50 percent discount automatically applied. Nomad's cables feature double-braided Kevlar and are built for extreme durability and heavy everyday use.
Under this sale, you can get the 3 meter Lightning to USB-C Cable for $22.48, which is about $13 cheaper than Apple's first-party 2 meter cable at $35.00. Nomad also has a new "Work From Home" collection that highlights some of its best products for anyone who is practicing social distancing.
The Explorer 1000, priced at $999.99, features a 1002Wh capacity, 1000W rated power, and 2000W surge power so it's robust enough to meet the power supply needs of most electrical appliances, making it perfect for emergency backup situations in the home, RV use, camping, and more.
There are multiple ports available for charging several devices at one time. There are two 18W PD USB-C ports, two 12W USB-A ports, one DC carport and three AC outlets. It can power cameras, TVs, computers, communication devices, grills, and medical equipment like CPAP machines.
Design wise, the 22-pound Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station has a handle to allow it to be easily transported, and there's an LCD screen that features charge/discharge info and battery life.
With an optional solar charger, the Explorer 1000 can be recharged even when power is not available. It recharges in seven hours from an AC outlet or within eight hours using two 100W SolarSaga panels from Jackery. It can be stored, and should be charged every three to six months when used as an emergency backup solution.
We have one of the Explorer 1000 Portable Power Stations to give away to a MacRumors reader. To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (March 27) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 3. The winner will be chosen randomly on April 3 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
Jackery is also offering a five percent discount on its Explorer 500 Power Station, dropping the price to $474 with promo code XWPETM6S.
Apple today announced that it has released a new COVID-19 website and iPhone app with a screening tool and other resources to help people stay informed and take the proper steps to protect their health during the spread of the novel coronavirus. Apple partnered with the CDC, the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and FEMA on this initiative.
The website and app allow users to answer a series of questions regarding risk factors, recent exposure, and symptoms and receive CDC recommendations on next steps, including guidance on social distancing and self-isolating, how to closely monitor symptoms, whether or not a test is recommended at this time, and when to contact a medical provider.
Apple says its screening tool does not replace instructions from healthcare providers or guidance from state and local health authorities.
The website and app also offer access to COVID-19 resources to help people stay informed and get support. Users will receive answers to frequently asked questions about the virus, including who is most at risk and how to recognize symptoms.
The screening tool can be used by anyone who is 18 years or older in the United States. Apple says any data that users provide on the COVID-19 website or app will not be shared with Apple, the CDC, or anyone without explicit permission.
Woot is back today with a big sale on refurbished iPhones, including markdowns on the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
As with every Woot purchase, those interested in the iPhone sale today should note that these devices are expected to have a moderate level of wear and tear that could mean scratches, dents, and dings. But, besides their physical appearance, each iPhone has been tested to be in full working condition, and batteries are tested to function at minimum 85 percent capacity.
Sales start with the 32GB iPhone 7 at $119.99 and the 32GB iPhone 7 Plus at $189.99. In the United States, the iPhone 7 launched at a price of $649 for 32GB and the iPhone 7 Plus started at $769 for 32GB, so these are savings of up to $580.
The iPhone 8 discounts start at $209.99 for 64GB, while you can get the iPhone 8 Plus for $299.99 for 64GB. Back in 2017, the iPhone 8 started at $699, while the iPhone 8 Plus started at $799, representing markdowns of up to $500 for these iPhone models.
You can get a 64GB iPhone X for $359.99, while the 64GB iPhone XR is $399.99. Lastly, the newest iPhones on sale today are the iPhone XS family, and you'll find the 64GB iPhone XS for $449.99 and the 64GB iPhone XS Max for $559.99.
Every iPhone on sale at Woot has even more storage capacity options and color choices as of writing, so be sure to head to Woot's iPhone sale page before stock dwindles. The sale will officially end tonight at 12 a.m. CT.
The British government this week launched a coronavirus information service on WhatsApp to help users access information about the disease from their smartphones.
WhatsApp users in the U.K. can access the service by tapping this link. Alternatively, start a new chat in WhatsApp, select New Contact, and add the number (+44) 7860 064422 to the Mobile field. The number will appear at the bottom of your contacts. Tap it, and when the chat window opens, text the word "hi" to activate the service.
Along with providing links to the U.K. government's latest COVID-19 guidance and the NHS website for health advice, the service allows users to reply with a number from 1 to 9 to find out more about the following topics related to COVID-19:
What is coronavirus?
Prevention.
Symptoms.
Stay at home.
Travel.
Latest numbers.
Mythbusters.
Share.
More information.
In the U.S., Amazon says Alexa users can now use the voice assistant to help initial diagnosis of possible COVID-19 cases. Queries like "Alexa, what should I do if I think I have coronavirus?" prompts the voice assistant to ask about symptoms, travel history, and possible exposure to the virus. Based on your responses, Alexa will provide guidance based on official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information.
As we reported last week, iPhone users who ask Siri about coronavirus can complete a questionnaire about their symptoms and potential exposure to the virus to better understand their health situation. Apple says the answers are sourced from the CDC and U.S. Public Health Service, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The alerts show at the top of the Library tab in the Music app, and given that they relate to content that's available in Apple Music, they're likely to be welcomed by most subscribers to the streaming service.
But even if you don't subscribe to Apple Music, these alerts are still pushed by default to your device's Lock Screen and Notification Center, and may quickly become a source of annoyance. Whatever your preference, the steps below show you how to enable or disable these new release alerts.
Launch the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
Select the For You tab.
Tap Notifications.
Toggle the switch next to New Music to suit your preference.
Alternatively, you can turn off all notifications from the Music app by launching the Settings app, selecting Notifications -> Music, and switching off the toggle next to Allow Notifications.
Taiwanese makers of iPhone-bound printed circuit boards (PCBs) have denied reports that Apple has asked them to postpone volume production of Apple's 2020 iPhone by two months, according to a DigiTimes paywalled article.
Taiwan's PCB makers in the supply chain of 5G iPhones have denied reports claiming they have been asked to postpone volume production by two months in line with a likely launch delay for Apple's new-generation devices amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to industry sources.
The rebuff follows a report earlier this week from Japanese news site Nikkei that claimed Apple was preparing to delay the launch of its 2020 iPhone lineup "by a few months" over fears of how well iPhones would sell in the current situation.
Nikkei's report suggested supply chain sources also foresaw "practical hurdles" that could push back the launch date, which was scheduled for September, and that the engineering development of the 2020 iPhone lineup had been affected by travel restrictions to the United States, China, and elsewhere.
In a separate DigiTimes report filed today, iPhone supplier Pegatron's CEO SJ Liao also cited travel restrictions as a factor impacting the supply chain which manufacturers were working to overcome, although he stopped short of referring to Apple by name:
Commenting on whether the supply of its US-based client's 5G smartphones has been disrupted, Liao noted that the client at the moment is having trouble visiting the factories to make direct supervision of manufacturing and as a result, the supply chain will need to have the new smartphones built without the client's supervision.
However, Pegatron will keep communicating with the client to resolve any concerns it has. As for the market rumor that the client's 5G smartphone development has also been seriously delayed because of the pandemic, Liao noted that both the client and supply chain players at the moment are mainly looking to shorten the front-end processing work for the handsets.
A recent report from Bloomberg suggested that the iPhone 12 models are still on course for a fall launch despite disruptions to Apple's supply chain, and Foxconn this week said that it now has enough workers to meet "seasonal demand."
Rumors point to four new iPhone models for 2020, which will be available at various price points. All models are expected to have 5G capabilities and A14 chips, and higher-end models are expected to be equipped with new 3D camera systems like the LiDAR Scanner in new iPad Pro models.
Apple plans to launch several Mac notebooks and desktop computers with its own custom designed Arm-based processors in 2021, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a research note obtained by MacRumors.
Kuo believes that Arm-based processors will significantly enhance the competitive advantage of the Mac lineup, allow Apple to refresh its Mac models without relying on Intel's processor roadmap, reduce processor costs by 40 to 60 percent, and provide Macs with more hardware differentiation from Windows PCs.
Kuo expects ASMedia Technology to become the exclusive supplier of USB controllers for Arm-based Macs, adding that the Taiwanese integrated circuit designer will benefit from Macs gaining support for USB4 in 2022.
USB4 converges the Thunderbolt and USB protocols as part of Intel's goal to make Thunderbolt available on a royalty-free basis, which should result in wider and cheaper availability of Thunderbolt accessories like docks and eGPUs.
As USB4 is based on Thunderbolt 3, it offers data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, which is twice as fast as the bandwidth of the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 specification. USB4's underlying Thunderbolt 3 protocol also means the specification supports up to two 4K displays or one 5K display over a single cable.
The simplest way to view USB4 is as Thunderbolt 3, but royalty free for manufacturers. Intel will continue to offer Thunderbolt 3 on a standalone basis with a few advantages over USB4, including more support with reference designs and technical issues for manufacturers.
The new USB4 specification was published in September 2019, giving Apple plenty of time to implement it in time for 2022 Macs.
Apple's new 2020 iPad Pro models are equipped with an A12Z Bionic processor that's remarkably similar to the A12X chip in the 2018 iPad Pro models, offering little in the way of performance improvements.
The A12Z does, however, feature an 8-core GPU while the A12X includes a 7-core GPU, which sets them apart, but new evidence shared by NotebookCheck suggests that the A12Z Bionic is simply a renamed A12X chip with a latent GPU core enabled.
According to NotebookCheck, teardown site TechInsights confirmed that the 2018 A12X chip physically has 8 GPU cores and not the 7 GPU cores that Apple includes in tech specs. One of the cores of the A12X is disabled.
The A12X and the A12Z appear to be the same physical chip on the surface, with the same number of physical CPU and GPU cores rather, suggesting the A12Z is not a new design. AnandTech has also speculated that the A12Z is a re-binned variant of the A12X.
There can be several speculative reasons as to why Apple chose to do this. It is not uncommon to see chip makers disabling physical cores and enabling them in higher SKUs. For instance, the NVIDIA Titan RTX has all 4,608 CUDA cores enabled while the RTX 2080 Ti offers only 4,352 cores despite both using the TU102 GPU.
The other likely explanation is that Apple's decision to disable one GPU core in the A12X could have been deliberate. Enabling the latent core in an interim refresh like the A12Z would save them from having to develop an A13X and instead, directly focus on the (5 nm?) A14X that is slated to debut with the 5G iPad Pro later this year.
In the future, TechInsights is planning to conduct a floorplan analysis to determine for certain whether there are any differences between the A12X and the A12Z in the new iPad Pro models.
NotebookCheck speculates that Apple is saving an updated chip design for future iPad Pro models, and there are indeed rumors of a second iPad Pro refresh this fall that could bring mini-LED displays and 5G connectivity.
MacRumors recently discovered that Apple is developing a new "CarKey" feature that will allow an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock, lock, and start an NFC-compatible vehicle. Just like credit cards and boarding passes, users will be able to add a digital car key to the Wallet app, eliminating the need to use a physical car key or key fob.
CarKey will allow users to approach their vehicle, hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near an NFC reader in the vehicle, authenticate with Face ID, and have the vehicle unlock automatically. Similar to Apple Pay at transit turnstiles, Express Mode would be an option, eliminating the need to authenticate with Face ID or a passcode.
Earlier this week, screenshots of what appears to be the CarKey interface surfaced on Twitter, providing us with our first look at the upcoming feature.
As expected, a digital car key appears as a card in the Wallet app. Tapping on the card reveals info such as the car model, issuing automaker, a toggle switch for Express Mode, and an option to share a car key with other users. When sharing a car key, the primary user can provide others with three levels of access, including the ability to unlock the trunk only, unlock the vehicle, or unlock the vehicle and drive it.
MacRumors uncovered that users will be able to share CarKeys using the Messages app. Shared access to CarKeys can be permanent for trusted individuals, such as a family member or friend, or temporary for someone like a valet driver.
It appears that Apple will be partnering with automakers for this initiative, suggesting that CarKey could roll out in a similar manner as CarPlay. Based on the screenshots above and iOS code strings seen by MacRumors, it looks likely that luxury car brand BMW will be one of the first automakers to support the feature, as 9to5Mac noted earlier.
Today, it is already possible to lock and unlock the vehicle, start the engine and share the key with others using the BMW Digital Key as part of BMW Connected on the smartphone. But this is only the first step in a global technological transformation being shaped and led by the BMW Group.
Apple is a member of the Car Connectivity Consortium, which recently announced an NFC-based Digital Key 2.0 specification that it said would be made available by the end of 2019. The consortium said this specification establishes a secure connection between mobile devices and vehicles using NFC, even when a compatible device's battery is low.
Next, the consortium is developing a Digital Key 3.0 specification based on both Bluetooth LE and Ultra Wideband to enable passive, location-aware keyless access. This would allow you to leave your iPhone in your pocket or backpack when accessing or starting your vehicle. iPhone 11 models are equipped with an Apple-designed U1 chip with Ultra Wideband support, so Apple could choose to offer this functionality.
It is unclear when Apple plans to make CarKey available to the public. The feature is not activated in iOS 13.4, released earlier this week. CarKey could be introduced in a future update to iOS 13 or held until iOS 14, which should be previewed in June.
Chris Lattner, known for his work on Xcode and Swift during his time at Apple, this week 
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. 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 Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The British government this week 
Apple on Thursday began 
