The team behind the "Checkra1n" jailbreaking tool for iOS has released version 0.11.0 of its software with support added for iOS 14, but only on a limited number of devices.
checkra1n 0.11.0 is now available, adding support for iOS 14 on A9(X) devices and below.
A10 devices and above NOT SUPPORTED YET, read our statement 👇https://t.co/SIjT4PeZEX
— checkra1n (@checkra1n) September 22, 2020
In a statement accompanying the announcement of the software release, the team said that it needed "more time to work around a new security mitigation" added by Apple before it could support jailbreaking iOS 14 on newer devices.
In iOS 14, Apple added a new mitigation to SEPOS on A10 and above (except on Apple TVs and iBridge): if the device was booted from DFU mode and the Secure Enclave receives a request to decrypt user data, it will panic the device. Since checkm8 does not give us control over the Secure Enclave, this is not trivial to workaround. However, with the recently published blackbird vulnerability, we are able to get control of the Secure Enclave on A10 and A10X and disable this mitigation. Support for A10 and A10X devices is being worked on and is expected to be ready in the coming weeks.
As a result of the security mitigation, the new version of "Checkra1n" works for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 on the following devices.
The team said it hoped to support newer devices in the coming weeks, with support for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X to "be addressed in a future statement."
"Checkra1n" is made by the same security researchers responsible for last year's "checkm8" exploit, which was found on nearly every chip made by Apple and paved the way for a permanent, non-patchable jailbreak on hundreds of millions of affected iOS devices.
"Checkm8" was the first publicly available boot room exploit for iOS devices since the iPhone 4 in 2010.
Apple CEO Tim Cook this evening spoke at The Atlantic Festival where he discussed privacy, antitrust issues, remote work, and his relationship with United States President Donald Trump.
Cook's interview starts at about 15 minutes into the video
On the topic of the ongoing U.S. antitrust investigation into Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon, Cook said that "big companies deserve scrutiny," something that's "fair but important" for the American government. He said he has "no issue" with Apple being investigated, and that he hopes people will ultimately hear Apple's story and come to see that the company is not a monopoly.
I think that big companies deserve scrutiny. And I think that's not only fair but important for the system that we have in America. And so I have no issue at all in Apple being put underneath the microscope and people looking and probing. My hope is that as people heard our story and as they continue to hear our story that it will become as apparent to them as it is to us that we have no monopoly. There is no monopoly here.
We're in very, very competitive markets like smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets and personal computers. These things are fiercely competitive. They're basically street fights for market share. Our core strategy as a company to make the best not the most... that basic strategy will never produce a monopoly. It's very rare, almost impossible for the best to become the most as well. Somebody will choose a commodity product and there's enough people that will buy the commodity product that it will have more share. And that's true in all of the different fields we're in.
I'm hoping people heard that and heard how we conduct ourselves because this is very important to us. We always do what we believe is right and conduct ourselves with the utmost integrity and professionalism. I hope that that came across and that we can unpeel from this investigation.
On his relationship with Trump and what it's like interacting with the President, Cook said that he views the specific conversations he's had with Trump as "private conversations" and wouldn't get into what's been discussed, but he did reiterate something he's said several times before: that it's better to be involved than not to be part of the conversation.
I believe that it's much better to be involved, whether you're in agreement on an issue or I think it's even more important to engage when you disagree on something. And so what we do at Apple is we focus on policy. We don't focus on the politics. And so it keeps us out of the sort of the daily scrum of politics and keeps us very focused on the things that are very important to us.
As for the shift to working from home for many Apple employees, Cook said "it's not like being together physically" and that he can't wait for "everybody to be able to come back," confirming that Apple is not going to be one of those companies that lets employees work from home long term.
Cook did, however, say that "some things" work really well virtually, and so that things aren't going to return to just how they were.
In all candor, it's not like being together physically. And so I can't wait for everybody to be able to come back into the office. I don't believe that we'll return to the way we were, because we found that there are some things that actually work really well virtually. But things like creativity and the serendipity that you talk about, these things, you depend on people kind of running into each other over the course of a day. We have designed our entire office such that there are common areas where people congregate and talk about different things. And you can't schedule those times.
And so I think the vast majority of us can't wait until we can be back in the office again. You know, hopefully that occurs sometime next year, who knows exactly what the date may be. We've got about 10-15 percent working today in the office. I'm in the office at different points during the week as well, but the vast majority, 85 to 90 percent of the company is still working remotely.
Cook's full interview, which also goes into detail on Apple's view of how the United States has responded to COVID-19, climate change and the California wildfires, privacy, international policy, his future plans, and more can be watched through the YouTube video up above from The Atlantic.
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.
With the Apple Watch Series 6, Apple introduced two new band options, the Solo Loop and the Braided Solo Loop. These new bands are unique because they have no clasps, buckles, or other fasteners, and instead use a stretch design to allow them to pull onto the wrist over the hand.
Because these bands are not adjustable, Apple sells each one in nine different sizes to make sure each person gets a snug fit. To get the right sizing, Apple offers a printable tool [PDF] and also measurement comparisons so you can estimate size, but as it turns out, that sizing isn't always accurate and Apple's returns for ill-fitting bands ordered with one of the new Apple Watches are a hassle.
Customers who chose a Solo Loop or a Braided Solo Loop along with an Apple Watch Series 6 or SE and have a poor fit can't just return the band for a new size -- the entire Apple Watch has to be returned since it's considered a set.
Unfortunately, there are limited supplies of the new Apple Watch Series 6 models and the new bands, so customers forced to make a return are now having to wait from late October to late November for a new Apple Watch, depending on the model chosen.
There are complaints about Apple's return policy for the Apple Watch bands on Twitter and on a long discussion of the Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands on the MacRumors forums. Apple Watch models that are not fitting properly must be returned in full, and Apple's online support staff has been offering no alternative.
Some MacRumors readers appear to have had luck getting a different-sized band without exchanging the entire watch in an Apple retail store, but it's not clear if that's going to be an option for all users, especially as most Apple Stores seem to have limited band stock. From the MacRumors forums:
I assumed if you ordered the incorrect size, you could keep the watch and just return/exchange the band. But Apple support through chat said you have to return the watch and the band. That's so wasteful. And frustrating. I'm selling my S4 watch and the buyer will have to keep waiting until it's all sorted out.
For those who haven't ordered yet, it's worth reading through the Solo Loop discussion on the MacRumors forums because it's filled with anecdotal fit tips from people who have already been able to try a Solo Loop or Braided Solo Loop. Several people have found Apple's printable measurement tool to be inaccurate, as some have even found measurement comparisons incorrect.
My choices are deal with the wrong sized band, or return the entire thing (watch and band) then re-order one size down which will not arrive until late November. I wish I could figure out why the Apple product experience once you get anywhere near support is a complete nightmare.
— Eli Hodapp (@hodapp) September 21, 2020
There seems to be a preference for a slightly snugger Braided Solo Loop due to stretch, while people have had less trouble with the Solo Loop, but it varies by person. A snug fit is also required for the Blood Oxygen monitoring feature to work properly. The best way to get a good fitting watch is to visit an Apple Store, but of course, that is difficult in some places where Apple Stores haven't reopened, and in others where the pandemic is continues to be a concern.
I’m exactly between a 7 and 8, holding the sizing thing tighter than I’d ever normally wear a watch. The 8 is so loose that the dumb O2 test won’t even work. pic.twitter.com/kpcQTYitpD
— Eli Hodapp (@hodapp) September 21, 2020
At the current time, there seems to be no clear option for people who have an ill-fitting band beyond waiting, but hopefully Apple Watch stock will improve and shipment estimates won't be quite as long as Apple's current November estimates.
Apple in iOS and iPadOS 14 is allowing third-party apps to be set as alternatives to the default browser apps on the iPhone and the iPad, and now one of the most popular third-party email apps, Gmail, can be set as the default email app on your iOS devices.
With the latest Gmail for iOS update available in the App Store as of today, Gmail can serve as a replacement for the Mail app.
You can set Gmail as the default email app on your iPhone or iPad by downloading it from the App Store, opening up the Settings app, scrolling down to Gmail in the apps list and then tapping on Default Mail App.
Google previously updated Chrome with the default browser function so it can be set to replace Safari on the iPhone and iPad. Those who prefer Google's apps can now have a mostly Google-centric experience on the iPhone, at least when it comes to browser and email.
It's worth noting that there is currently a bug that resets the default apps that have been set to replace Safari and Mail every time a device is rebooted, so Gmail may have to be updated as the default email app whenever you restart your iPhone until Apple fixes the issue.
iFixit today did one of its traditional teardowns on the new Apple Watch Series 6 with GPS and LTE, which became available for purchase last Friday. While the new Series 6 models look quite similar to the Series 5 models externally, it turns out there are quite a few internal tweaks and modifications to support new features like Blood Oxygen Monitoring.
The new Apple Watch models open up like a book much like the iPhone rather than from the top down like prior Apple Watch models. Since Force Touch has been removed, there is no Force Touch gasket component, which makes it easier to tear into the new Apple Watch models. iFixit also found fewer cables for a more streamlined design that offers easier repairs.
Apple is using a 1.17Wh battery in the 44mm Apple Watch Series 6, which is just a slight increase (3.5 percent) over the battery used in the prior-generation Apple Watch Series 5. That should come as no surprise as the Series 6 continues to offer the same 18-hour "all-day" battery life as prior models. The 40mm model, which iFixit also took a look at, has a 1.024Wh capacity, an 8.5 percent increase over the 40mm Series 5.
There's a larger Taptic Engine in the Apple Watch Series 6, and the frame has been slightly modified with a narrower lip for adhesive. This tweak, along with the removal of Force Touch, may be why this years's models are just a bit thinner (10.4mm vs 10.74mm).
The display is fused to the top of the casing and the sensor array, updated with new sensors for Blood Oxygen monitoring, is fused to the bottom.
All in all, iFixit was impressed with Apple's ability to pack new sensors, a larger capacity battery, and a bigger Taptic Engine into a thinner casing.
They just keep polishing this thing to a higher and higher gloss and it's almost sneaky how much of it they don't tell you about, keeping all the focus on the whiz-bang health features.
The 2020 Apple Watch Series 6 ultimately earned a repairability score of 6 out of 10 thanks to the easier screen replacements and battery replacements, but there are still tiny tri-point screws to manage and the flex cables mounted directly to the S6 package require skilled microsoldering if an accidental tear occurs.
MacRumors and Anker have partnered up this month to offer our readers new discounts on useful products like USB-C charging accessories compatible with a MacBook Pro or the new iPad Air, and portable batteries perfect for charging up an iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad. All of the devices in this sale can be found on Amazon.
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.
You can find the full list of discounted accessories below. To see the sale prices, add the Anker products you want to your cart, then enter the relevant coupon codes during the checkout screen on Amazon. These discount codes will be live from today through Friday, September 25.
Apple today seeded the first public betas of upcoming iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 updates to its public beta testing group, a few days after seeding the first betas to developers and a little less than a week after releasing the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 updates.
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the iOS and iPadOS 14.2 updates over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website on an iOS device.
iOS 14.2 introduces a new Music Recognition control for the Control Center, deepening the integration of the Apple-owned Shazam app in the iOS operating system. Music Recognition lets you discover music playing around you and it can recognize music playing in apps even when you're wearing AirPods.
The Shazam Music Recognition feature can be added to Control Center through the Control Center options in the Settings app. To use the feature, open up Control Center and then tap on the Shazam icon to initiate a single recognition.
The new update brings a redesigned Now Playing widget for the Control Center that lists recently played albums that you might want to listen to when you have no music playing. There's also a redesigned interface for AirPlay, making it easier to play music across multiple AirPlay 2-enabled devices in the home.
For those who have low vision, Apple added a "People Detection" feature in the Magnifier app that uses the camera to let iPhone users know how far away other people are, which can be useful for social distancing purposes.
The new iOS 14.2 beta will likely be in testing for some time as Apple works on releasing new iPhones, with the new iPhones expected to debut sometime in October.
Apple's upcoming launch of 5G iPhones might not be a "massive event" due to economic uncertainty amid the global health crisis, AT&T Communications CEO Jeff McElfresh said in a paywalled interview published by CNBC.
"I do believe that you will see many of the iPhone subscribers move to upgrade to the device," said McElfresh. "But I wouldn't forecast that it's going to be a massive event. I also don't think it's going to be a nonevent. I think customers, based on the pressures of the economy that we're all facing today, will make a calculated decision as to what they want to do. And we're going to be there to offer them any device that Apple launches here shortly."
McElfresh added that AT&T already has engineers working on next-generation 6G networking, noting that it will take years before the technology fully materializes. No further details were shared about these efforts.
Apple is widely expected to unveil four new iPhones later this year, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model. While flagship iPhones have started at $999 in recent years, Apple still has an opportunity for success in a price-conscious market this year if the 5.4-inch "iPhone 12 mini" starts around $749, as this device is expected to have an OLED display and 5G support just like higher-end models in the lineup.
Despite the global health crisis, Apple posted a June quarter revenue record of $59.7 billion. The results were boosted by strong iPad and Mac sales as more customers work, learn, and connect with family and friends from home.
Five days after Apple released iOS 14, adoption of the software update has reached approximately 26 percent of active iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices, according to mobile analytics company Mixpanel. This includes iPadOS 14.
Mixpanel measures iOS adoption based on visits to websites and apps that use its mobile analytics SDKs, so its data is not official, but it is usually within the ballpark of Apple's own figures. Apple typically waits up to a month after a major release to publish its own adoption numbers, so no data is available for iOS 14 yet.
After expandingAppleCare+ monthly payments to a number of new territories in July, Apple has now made the scheme available to customers in the United Kingdom and Germany.
Monthly payments for AppleCare+ are now available for iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, the UK, and Germany, according to an AppleCare+ support document. The option to pay upfront for AppleCare+ remains.
In these countries and regions, when you purchase AppleCare+ coverage for your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, you can choose to pay monthly or pay upfront for 24 months of coverage. For Apple Watch Edition and Hermes, you can pay upfront for 36 months.
If you paid upfront, you can purchase coverage on a monthly basis after the 24 or 36 months is over. To purchase the new coverage, go to mysupport.apple.com. Or on your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > About, then tap AppleCare+ Coverage Available and follow the onscreen instructions. This monthly plan automatically renews until canceled. You can't pay upfront for an additional 24 or 36 months.
In Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, you can purchase the new coverage within 60 days of the end date of your original coverage. In Japan, you can purchase the new coverage within 30 days of the end date of your original coverage.
The option to pay monthly rolled out in September 2019 for the United States. Monthly payment plans continue to renew each month until canceled, and AppleCare+ coverage on a monthly plan continues beyond the standard 24 or 36 month (for the Apple Watch Hermes) period as long as monthly payments are continued.
Customers who purchase AppleCare+ upfront and pay the full price for a standard AppleCare+ plan can later upgrade to a monthly plan to continue AppleCare+ support beyond 24 months. Monthly payments for AppleCare+ vary based on device and country.
Leaker known as "L0vetodream" has today shared the alleged naming for the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup on Twitter. The tweet proposes that the upcoming iPhone 12 models will be titled "iPhone 12 mini," "iPhone 12," "iPhone 12 Pro," and "iPhone 12 Pro Max."
The names likely correspond to the three expected sizes of iPhone 12, with the 5.4-inch model being the iPhone 12 mini, the 6.7-inch model being the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the two 6.1-inch models being the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
The naming of the "Pro" models follows the precedent established in previous years, and the speculated titles would be a logical naming system for the iPhone 12 lineup. With there being four new iPhones in this year's lineup, the use of four different names would help to differentiate the models significantly.
The iPhone 12 mini would be the first iPhone with the "mini" moniker, which has otherwise been seen on the iPad mini, Mac mini, and iPod mini. At 5.4-inches, the iPhone 12 mini would earn its name being smaller than 2019's smallest iPhone, the iPhone 11 Pro, which stands at 5.8-inches.
Apple TV+ had 18 nominations for this evening's virtual Primetime Emmy Awards, and the fledgling streaming service managed to come away with one win thanks to Billy Crudup's award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in "The Morning Show."
Crudup had also previously won the 2020 Critics' Choice Award for his role as Cory Ellison, the rising-star executive who leverages charisma and confidence to take advantage of a network suddenly finding itself in crisis.
Crudup's Emmy nomination was one of eight for "The Morning Show," with Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Duplass, and Martin Short also earning acting nominations while Mimi Leder earned a directing nomination. The show was also nominated for its colorful opening title sequence and for overall production design.
The Primetime Emmys are considered the primary Emmy awards, but Apple also previously won a pair of Daytime Emmys for Apple TV+ children's shows "Ghostwriter" and "Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10."
Increased competition among Apple's suppliers for mini-LED display chips will accelerate the company's adoption of the advanced technology in its iPad and MacBook lineups, according to a new research note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seen by MacRumors.
Kuo says that while Epistar had been predicted to be the exclusive supplier of mini-LED chips for Apple products in 2021, Sanan Optoelectronics has experienced better than expected development on the technology and will also begin supplying Apple in 2021 rather than the previously estimated timeframe of 2022.
The increased supply capacity and competition among suppliers will reportedly drive Apple's cost for mini-LED display dies from $75–$85 down to around $45. As a result, Kuo expects that mini-LED technology will appear in roughly 30–40% of iPad shipments and 20–30% of MacBook shipments in 2021, up from previous estimates of 10–20% shipment share for both product lines.
Although Epistar has met Apple's mass production requirements, we believe that Apple continues to look for new suppliers in order to reduce supply risks and costs. Among the second supplier candidates, Sanan Optoelectronics' development schedule and cost are superior to competitors (including Osram and Seoul Semiconductor). We predict that Sanan Optoelectronics will have 20–30% and 45–55% of Apple’s mini LED market share in 2021 and 2022, respectively (vs. our previous estimates of 0% and 10–20%), plus non-Apple. The demand for mini LEDs in China has grown, so we believe that Sanan Optoelectronics will significantly benefit from the mini LED business in the next 3-5 years.
Apple has been rumored for some time to be looking to introduce mini-LED display technology to its iPad Pro and Mac notebook lineups, and Kuo said roughly six months ago that Apple has six mini-LED products in its pipeline planned to launch though the end of 2021. The products include a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 27-inch iMac Pro, a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch MacBook Pro, a 10.2.-inch iPad, and a 7.9-inch iPad mini.
As we've outlined in our guide on mini-LED technology, the displays use on the order of 1,000 to 10,000 individual LEDs that offer a number of improvements over traditional LED-backlit displays, coming close to performance of OLED displays without some of the drawbacks of that technology.
Mini-LED displays can offer deeper, darker blacks, brighter brights, richer colors, and better contrast compared to traditional LED-based displays, though the technology comes at a significant increase in cost for the time being.
In iOS 14, Apple introduced the concept of Home Screen widgets, which provide information from apps at a glance. Widgets can be pinned to the Home Screen in various spots and sizes, allowing for many different layouts.
On Twitter, the hashtag #iOS14HomeScreen started trending this weekend with users showing off their latest creations. MacRumors followers also shared their creations on Twitter and in this forum thread.
Some bigger brands have already released widget support, including IMDB, Google, and Twitch. Spotify is notably absent from the early supporting apps, though TuneTrack already offers Spotify "Playing Now" widget support in the meanwhile.
Hands On Video
We grabbed some of the tools we describe later in this article and shot this video which shows how you too can customize your iOS 14 home screen. Our videographer shows how to use Widgetsmith amongst other tools to create custom configurations as well as replacing the standard icons with your own images. There are some limitations to be aware of however.
We even tried to create a special Mac OS X Aqua themed home screen just to see how it would go. Bottom line, it took a while and wasn't quite functional.
Widgetsmith
One of the early Widget apps that has seen a lot of popularity is Widgetsmith [Free] which offers the ability to create widgets alongside styling customizations. Widgetsmith allows you to create customized small, medium or large widgets with Time, Date, Photos, Custom Text, Upcoming Events, Reminders, and Health and Activity. Widgetsmith also offers Weather and Tide widgets as part of their premium subscription package which costs $1.99/month or $19.99/year.
The flexibility of the tool has made it popular with iOS 14 Home Screen screenshots that have been circulating around the web. Taken to the extreme, you can see highly stylized home screens:
Update: Widgetsmith has been updated to version 1.0.4 and includes a new custom color picker and a new Battery icon widget.
ColorWidgets
Another popular choice we've seen is ColorWidgets [Free] which offers a free Time and Battery widget with a lot of colorful styles. Some premium styles are also offered for a $3.99 one time purchase.
Weather Widgets
Weather is a popular widget type that has already seen a number of supporting apps. There are certainly more that we missed, but notably, Apple's own Dark Sky doesn't have widget support yet.
We will continue to cover notable Widgets as they are released. For a deeper dive, please visit our Twitter thread where we asked for widget recommendations and follow along in the 3rd Party Widgets Thread in our iOS 14 forum.
Additional Widgets
Additional interesting widgets that have launched:
Proven leaker known as "L0vetodream" has today shared a range of information about the ultra-wideband U1 chip in Apple's upcoming AirTags item trackers and AirPods Studio headphones.
The first of a series of tweets shared today simply stated that AirPods Studio will contain an ultra-wideband U1 chip. It seems likely that the U1 chip would be used in AirPods Studio to track the location of the headphones in the Find My app, but it could also have other functions such as directional detection of other in-range U1 devices.
Apple says that the U1 chip will "enable short-range wireless location to support new experiences, such as next-generation digital car keys," but other than directional AirDrop, much of its functionality has yet to be realized.
The distance between two devices that support ultra-wideband can be measured precisely by calculating the time that it takes for a radio wave to pass between the two devices, with much more accuracy than Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi. The leaker went on to state that "The Internet of Everything starts with U1."
The U1 chip had only appeared in the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro. The lack of a U1 in the 2020 iPad Pro and the second iPhone SE cast doubt over the future of the chip until its recent inclusion in the Apple Watch Series 6.
A further tweet, translated from Chinese, explained more about the utility of the U1 chip in AirPods Studio and its wider significance. The leaker believes that the expansion of the U1 chip to the Apple Watch Series 6 proves Apple's ongoing commitment to the technology and serves as an indication that the chip will go on to be much more important within Apple's ecosystem in the future.
I said this point a few months ago. With the launch of S6 and the U1 chip, it has confirmed my prediction that the ecosystem in the future will use U1 to determine distance and direction, similar to AirPods' spatial audio function in iOS 14. It is likely that the new headset with the U1 chip should be able to automatically recognize the left and right positioning of the headset.
The U1 chip will reportedly facilitate automatic recognition of the headphone's orientation, meaning that it would not matter which way around users would wear the headphones. There would be no static left or right side, and users could simply put on the headphones and the audio channels would switch as needed without user intervention.
With the release of spatial audio for AirPods Pro and the introduction of directional AirDrop for iPhone 11 with iOS 13, Apple appears to be increasingly interested in directional and location-centric technology.
A final translated tweet described how Apple's upcoming AirTags will have more nuanced importance than simply item tracking.
The tag is a node that interconnects everything. The node acts as a bridge to connect various devices. U1 is the most important part of the realization of this bridge. The privacy function of iOS 14 is created to make the tag better used in a private environment. A good solution to the problem of privacy violations involved in use.
The idea of AirTags being a key part of a larger U1 network to "bridge" different devices, with privacy at the forefront, may explain what makes AirTags different from existing item trackers and why Apple has seemingly waited so long to unveil them. Not only does this have potential for more private, accurate, and widespread item tracking capabilities, but also close-range data transfer between devices with supplementary directional information.
AirTags are believed to be arriving alongside the iPhone 12 in October. AirTags and AirPods Studio have reportedly been in production for some time.
As supposed renders and images, and videos of both products have been shared over the last week, it seems that the announcement of both products is not far away.
Just hours before new app downloads would be banned in the United States, Vanessa Pappas, the interim head of TikTok, announced on Saturday that the company has reached a proposal with Oracle and Walmart that will keep the video sharing platform alive in the country. The deal has also been approved by President Donald Trump, reports Bloomberg.
The deal will effectively establish a new company, TikTok Global, in which Oracle and Walmart can together take up to a 20 percent stake in. TikTok Global will be headquartered in the United States and will bring 25,000 jobs to the country. Pappas said that Oracle will be responsible for storing user data, emphasizing the company's commitment to protect its users' privacy.
We're pleased that today we've confirmed a proposal that resolves the Administration's security concerns and settles questions around TikTok's future in the US. Our plan is extensive and consistent with previous CFIUS resolutions, including working with Oracle, who will be our trusted cloud and technology provider responsible for fully securing our users' data. We are committed to protecting our users globally and providing the highest levels of security. Both Oracle and Walmart will take part in a TikTok Global pre-IPO financing round in which they can take up to a 20% cumulative stake in the company. We will also maintain and expand the US as TikTok Global's headquarters while bringing 25,000 jobs across the country.
The deal was announced just hours before the U.S. Commerce Department was set to ban new downloads of TikTok, and Bloomberg says the ban on TikTok has been delayed by a week after Trump gave his initial approval of the proposal. The initial ban was set to include both TikTok and WeChat, but it is unclear at the current time if the latter app, which is owned by China's Tencent Holdings, will still be banned from Apple and Google's respective U.S. app stores on Sunday.
President Trump in August signed an executive order giving ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, 90 days to sell its TikTok business in the United States due to evidence of possible national security threats from the China-based company. Though TikTok has opted for a partnership instead of a divestment of U.S. operations, all user data will be stored by U.S.-based Oracle, and the company will be able to review TikTok's current source code and that of any subsequent updates.
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.
This week's news was obviously dominated by Apple's media event and the launch of iOS 14, but there was a lot to digest, so check out our summary below for the high-level view of the past week.
With the exception of the massively redesigned iPad Air, all of the new hardware introduced this week is starting to appear on store shelves and on customers' doorsteps, while all of the new software updates bring some changes and new features to existing devices, so there's lots to explore!
Everything Apple Announced at This Week's iPad and Apple Watch Event in Just Seven Minutes
Apple also announced that it will be offering its various services in a bundle called Apple One starting later this year, including an all-new Fitness+ service that will offer "studio-style workouts delivered by inspiring world-class trainers" on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
Key new features of the Series 6 include blood oxygen measuring, up to 20 percent faster performance than the Series 5, a brighter always-on display, a next-generation always-on altimeter, and new casing options like blue aluminum and graphite stainless steel.
Apple Watch Series 6 is available to order now on Apple.com and through the Apple Store app, and has just begun arriving in customers' hands. Pricing starts at $399 in the United States.
Lower-Cost Apple Watch SE Unveiled Without Features Like ECG App and Blood Oxygen Measuring
Apple also unveiled a lower-cost Apple Watch SE that features the same external design as the Apple Watch Series 6, but with some features missing, including an always-on display, blood oxygen measuring, and the ECG app for detecting atrial fibrillation. Apple Watch SE is also powered by the previous-generation S5 chip used in last year's Apple Watch Series 5.
Apple Watch SE shares a handful of features with the Series 6, including fall detection, a compass, an always-on altimeter, Emergency SOS with international emergency calling, high and low heart rate notifications, irregular heart rhythm notifications, water resistance up to 50 meters, the Noise app, and compatibility with the watchOS 7 update released this week.
Priced from $279, the Apple Watch SE is available to order now on Apple.com and through the Apple Store app, and it is starting to make its way into customers' hands now.
Apple Introduces 10.9-Inch iPad Air With A14 Chip, All-Screen Design, Touch ID in Power Button, and USB-C
Shifting attention to the tablet side of things, Apple introduced a redesigned iPad Air with slimmer bezels, paving the way for an all-screen design similar to recent iPad Pro models. In addition, the new iPad Air is the first Apple device with Touch ID built into the power button.
The new iPad Air features a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone support, a USB-C port, and an improved 12-megapixel rear camera. The device is powered by a new six-core A14 Bionic chip for up to 40 percent faster performance and up to 30 percent faster graphics than the previous-generation iPad Air.
The new iPad Air will be available starting in October on Apple.com and through the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions. Wi-Fi models will start at $599, while cellular models will start at $729, with 64GB and 256GB storage capacities available. There will be five colors to choose from, including silver, space gray, rose gold, and all-new green and sky blue finishes.
With iOS 14 and associated other updates barely out the door, Apple has already moved on to a fresh round of beta updates, jumping straight to iOS 14.2, which adds new Shazam music recognition integration to Control Center and a delivers few other tweaks. iOS 14.1 will presumably be shipping with the new iPhones next month, with iOS 14.2's public release to follow.
'Apple One' Bundles Introduced With Apple Music, Apple TV+ and More, Pricing Starts at $14.95/Month
Apple this week introduced new "Apple One" bundles for its services, which will allow customers to subscribe to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and more for one set monthly price, with the total cost being cheaper than subscribing to the services individually.
There will be three tiers of Apple One available starting later this year, including Individual, Family, and Premier. All three will include Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade, with varying amounts of iCloud storage, while the Premier tier will add Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+.
Fitness+ is a new service that will sync with the Apple Watch to help you stay fit. Priced at $9.99 per month on a standalone basis, the service will offer "studio-style workouts delivered by inspiring world-class trainers" on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Apple says the service will launch before the end of 2020.
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Over the course of the iOS 14 beta test, we here at MacRumors have been putting together in-depth feature guides, tutorial videos, and how tos on the new features in the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 updates.
Many of our MacRumors readers have likely been running the betas for a couple of months now, but those who are new to the update will want to check out all of the content we have available below. It's also a great resource to send to friends and family members who have questions about iOS and iPadOS 14 content.
So...You Just Installed iOS 14?
If you just installed iOS 14, it's always a little daunting to figure out how to take advantage of all the new features. We made this video to walk a new iOS 14 user through the first things you should do to start taking advantage of the new features.
Now that you're set up with the basics, let's move on to our top iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 features.
Top iOS 14 Features for iPhone
In our Top iOS 14 Features article and video, we highlighted what we thought were the best features of the release. Watch the video or read the article which dives into the features in a bit more depth.
iPad owners also get a number of new features specifically for their devices. iPadOS 14 Features You Need to Know covered notable iPad-only features that can be found in the latest update. Similarly, the video will take you through them all but the article expands on each feature.
MacRumors readers use our iOS 14 forum to discuss software performance, minor tweaks, apps, and more. Our forums are also a great resource if you need iOS 14 help.
More Help
Have a question not covered in our guides and how tos? Let us know in the comments or send us an email here. Send us an email here. You can always find more on all of the iOS 14 features in our iOS 14 roundup.
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