Since August, Panera Bread has been an Apple Card partner, providing customers with 3 percent Daily Cash when the Apple Card is used with Apple Pay for purchases in the Panera app, on Panera.com, or in Panera restaurants in the United States.
For the next two weeks, Panera is providing an additional bonus to Apple Card holders, according to a promotional email that went out this evening.
Panera Bread customers can get $5 in Daily Cash back when making a purchase of $25 or more with Apple Pay in the Panera app, website, or in a Panera retail location. The offer is limited to a single qualifying purchase of at least $25, excluding gift cards, and the deal will be available from 12/9/20 to 12/25/20.
Both Apple and Google this week told developers that they need to remove X-Mode Social tracking software from all of their apps or risk a ban, reports The Wall Street Journal. Apple and Google are aiming to prevent X-Mode Social from collecting location information from smartphones after it became clear that the company has provided data to U.S. defense contractors.
Google is giving developers seven days to remove X-Mode, while Apple told developers that they have two weeks to remove X-Mode trackers from their apps. Apple found that 100 apps made by 30 developers included the X-Mode software.
Last month, Vice published a piece on how X-Mode collects data directly from apps and then sells it to government contractors that then pass it along to the U.S. military. X-Mode pays developers to include its SDK in their apps, and in April, X-Mode's CEO said that it tracks more than 25 million devices in the United States and 40 million elsewhere.
That led to a government investigation into the sale of the data, which in turn led to the Apple and Google ban. X-Mode has since claimed that it is reevaluating its government work and that it has been unfairly singled out because many other companies collect similar data.
"A ban on X-Mode's SDK would have broader ecosystem implications considering X-Mode collects similar mobile app data as most advertising SDKs, and Apple and Google would be setting the precedent that they can determine private enterprises' ability to collect and use mobile app data," the company said.
In a statement, Senator Ron Wyden, who launched an investigation into X-Mode, said that Apple and Google are "doing the right thing."
"Americans are sick of learning about apps selling their location information and other sensitive data to anyone with a checkbook, including to the government," Mr. Wyden said. "Apple and Google deserve credit for doing the right thing and exiling X-Mode Social, the most high-profile tracking company, from their app stores. But there's still far more work to be done to protect Americans' privacy, including rooting out the many other data brokers that are siphoning data from Americans' phones."
Apple is working to cut down on other apps that use the same tracking methods. In iOS 14.3, Apple is implementing a new App Store feature that requires developers to clearly disclose what data is collected from the people who use their apps, and starting next year, apps will also have to get user permission to track people across apps and websites.
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.
"Extrapolations," an upcoming anthology series about climate change, is coming to Apple TV+, reports Variety. The series was created by Scott Z. Burns, who is writing, directing, and executive producing.
The show will tell "intimate, unanticipated stories" about how changes to the planet will affect "love, faith, work, and family on a personal and human scale." The series will feature 10 interconnected episodes.
"Most of the storytelling around climate change has focused on the science and getting people to accept it," said Burns. "Our aim with 'Extrapolations' is to move beyond science and use drama, comedy, mystery and every other genre to allow us to consider how every aspect of our world is going to be changing in the years ahead. We know the climate is going to change - 'Extrapolations' asks, can we change, too?"
Burns' prior work includes climate change documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," and "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power." He has also worked on movies that include "Contagion," "Side Effects," and "The Laundromat."
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.
The United States Federal Trade Commission today teamed up 46 states, the District of Columbia, and the territory of Guam to sue Facebook for maintaining an illegal social networking monopoly through years of anticompetitive conduct.
Facebook is accused of engaging in a "systematic strategy" to eliminate threats to its monopoly, which included the 2012 acquisition of Instagram and the 2014 acquisition of WhatsApp. Facebook's actions have harmed competition, left consumers with few choices for personal social networking, and deprived advertisers of the benefits of competition.
The FTC is aiming for a permanent injunction that would require the divestitures of assets that include Instagram and WhatsApp, which would mean Facebook would be forced to sell the two social networks. Facebook would also be prohibited from imposing anticompetitive conditions on software developers and it would need government approval for future mergers and acquisitions.
"Personal social networking is central to the lives of millions of Americans," said Ian Conner, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition. "Facebook's actions to entrench and maintain its monopoly deny consumers the benefits of competition. Our aim is to roll back Facebook's anticompetitive conduct and restore competition so that innovation and free competition can thrive."
The complaint says that while Facebook initially attempted to compete with Instagram, it ultimately chose to purchase Instagram instead, neutralizing the threat and making it hard for another social networking competitor to gain scale. Facebook's leadership also allegedly understood and feared that a successful mobile messaging app like WhatsApp could enter the social networking market, which is why it pursued the WhatsApp acquisition.
According to the FTC, Facebook's dominance in social networking has provided it with "staggering profits," including revenue of more than $70 billion and profits of more than $18.5 billion in 2019. Facebook has been under investigation for more than a year, with that investigation culminating in the lawsuits filed today.
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.
Though there haven't been many rumors about the Apple Car in recent months, work on the project is still ongoing. Following news from Bloomberg yesterday about a change in leadership, DigiTimes today shared alleged details on Apple Car development in Cupertino.
One of the self-driving Lexus SUVs that Apple uses to test its autonomous driving software
Apple is said to be in "preliminary cooperation negotiations" with well-known automotive electronics suppliers as it continues to hire new employees from Tesla and other manufacturers. Apple is working with "upstream and downstream" electronics suppliers to ensure that it meets current regulations.
Current discussions have been likened to a "request for quotation" model, in which Apple details its requirements and asks for pricing and other details from vendors.
DigiTimes claims that Apple is working to establish a factory in the United States, and that there is a production plan in place with preliminary technology specifications.
Apple chip supplier TSMC is reportedly working with Apple on some kind of "self-driving chip" at an R&D plant. TSMC is also collaborating with STMicroelectronics to further develop gallium nitride (GaN) technology that will be used in hybrid car converters and chargers, and DigiTimes says that this work is rumored to be related to the Apple Car.
According to DigiTimes, Apple will unveil an Apple Car in 2024 to 2025, and those in the component industry have said that the Apple Car model is "similar to Tesla." The site believes we will hear more about Apple Car suppliers in 2021.
Two years ago, well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that work on the Apple Car was continuing and that Apple was aiming for a 2023 to 2025 debut date.
This means that the dozens of Apple apps available through the App Store, such as Apple Books and Apple Podcasts, will display the same privacy "nutritional labels" as third-party apps. And for built-in iOS apps, like Messages, Apple says that it will make the same privacy information available to users on its website. Apple says this information will be presented in the same way as it appears on the App Store.
This clarification comes in response to Facebook-owned WhatsApp accusing Apple of a double standard with the privacy labels. WhatsApp said that the broad terms displayed in the labels could result in users being concerned about the data that WhatsApp collects, putting it at a competitive disadvantage compared to Apple's built-in Messages app.
Developers are required to include this new privacy information when submitting new apps and app updates to the App Store as of December 8. It is unknown when exactly the privacy labels will begin appearing in the App Store.
At the beginning of the year, Nanoleaf unveiled its new Shapes line, which features interconnected wall-mounted light panels in different shapes that display a rainbow of shifting colors. The Hexagon light panels, launched this summer, were the first new light panels in the lineup, and now Nanoleaf has launched the Triangles and Mini Triangles, two new shape options that connect to one another and to the Hexagons.
Nanoleaf has been making HomeKit-connected light panels since 2017 when it launched its first triangle-shaped lights, but the newest panels in the Shape line are the only ones that are interoperable and able to connect together. The Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles work together, but they do not work with the original triangle-shaped Light Panels or the square-shaped Canvas panels. The Mini Triangles are priced at $119 for five panels, while the standard Triangles are priced at $199 for seven panels.
Design
The Shapes Triangles are an iteration of the original triangles (once called the Aurora) that came out in 2017, with the new Triangles featuring a design that has more rounding at the inside edges, presumably to make them fit better with the Hexagons and Mini Triangles.
Size wise, the Shapes Triangles are similar in size to the original triangles, while the Mini Triangles are much smaller and are Nanoleaf's smallest panels yet. Standard triangles measure in at nine inches long and 7.75 inches high, while the mini triangles measure in at 4.5 inches long and 3.8 inches high.
The Mini Triangles are surprisingly small and are ideal for a small wall-mounted setup behind a desk, while the standard Triangles can be used for larger lighting setups. All of Nanoleaf's products are made from a white plastic material, and some people may not like the look when the panels are turned off. The Triangles and Mini Triangles look best when lit, which is something to keep in mind when choosing a location for placement.
I do want to point out that like the Hexagons, the Triangles and Mini Triangles have rounded edges so the light that is visible is not entirely triangular in shape, but I think that both versions look great. I prefer these to the original Aurora, and I love the look of different shapes mixed together. I particularly like the size of the Mini Triangles and the way they break up the color patterns of the Hexagons and larger Triangles when paired with those panels.
The Mini Triangles alone provide accent lighting, but with enough of them, or with Mini Triangles and standard Triangles combined, the Nanoleaf Shapes put off enough light to replace a traditional light. Depending on how many panels are used, they can be quite bright. I often set my panels to about 20 percent brightness, but at maximum, they flood my office with light.
Setup and Mounting
Like Nanoleaf's Hexagons, the Triangles and the Mini Triangles are mounted to the wall using adhesive. Adhesive strips are applied to small mounting plates on the back of the Triangles and then the Triangles and the mounting plates are stuck to the wall.
When the Triangles need to be removed from the wall, they can be pulled from the mounting plate, making the adhesive that's on the mounting plate easier to access and remove from the wall. Earlier Nanoleaf products used adhesive directly on the panels, which could result in wall damage when removing them. The mounting plate system makes it easier to rearrange Nanoleaf panels if needed, and it's a more hassle-free setup and disassembly method than was used for prior Nanoleaf products.
Figuring out a layout can be one of the most difficult parts of setting up new Nanoleaf lights, and Nanoleaf has a Layout Assistant that lets you experiment with different arrangements. There's even an augmented reality option that lets you see the panels right on the wall before you attach them.
Nanoleaf Triangles and Mini Triangles require a 2.4GHz wireless network to set up, which is always somewhat of a hassle. Prior to setup, your smartphone needs to be connected to a 2.4GHz network or you'll run into errors. I have a 2.4Ghz/5GHz combo network and had no problems with setup. I simply scanned the code and was up and running within a few minutes.
Connectivity and Interoperability
Connecting one Triangle or Mini Triangle to another uses snap-in tabs that are sturdier than the thinner linking tabs that were used for prior Nanoleaf tiles. Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles all use the same snap-in linking tabs and are able to work together.
You can create designs that use the hexagon-shaped panels, the small triangles, and the larger triangles for looks that were not possible with prior Nanoleaf panels. As I mentioned before, the Hexagons, Triangles, and Mini Triangles are not compatible with any pre-2020 Nanoleaf product because those products use a different linking tab. For mounting on the wall, standard linkers are supplied, but there are also optional Flex Linkers that can be used to make the panels bend around corners or to transition from wall to ceiling.
Nanoleaf setups require a power supply and a controller that ships with each boxed set. Up to 28 Triangles can be powered by a single power supply, and up to 77 Mini Triangles. These numbers vary when adding in Hexagons, so the different power needs of each product have to be taken into account for a design. Note that there is a cord coming down from the power supply that needs to be plugged in, so keep that in mind when creating a design.
Nanoleaf App and Features
Nanoleaf Triangles and Mini Triangles support 16 million colors, with different motion and pattern options available in the newly redesigned Nanoleaf app. With Nanoleaf panels, you can create bright, colorful wall art that responds to touch, movement, or voice commands.
Triangles can all be set to a single color (and there are white or color options available) or set to a different color for each panel, plus there's an option to select or create a color palette of mixed colors and then have the panels cycle through those colors using various motion settings like burst, fade, wheel, flow, and random.
With a built-in rhythm module, the Triangles can be set to change colors based on the rhythm of the music that's playing if desired, with sound-based options like fireworks, streaking notes, paint splatter, and others available. Setting up color palettes and choosing motion effects is the most fun part about owning a Nanoleaf product.
Designs can be made to suit any mood, holiday, or time of day to add a pop of color and light to a room. Triangles and Mini Triangles are touch enabled so you can run a hand over them to shift the colors or play little mini games like Whack A Mole. I like the games to show off the panels to people who haven't seen them before, but I otherwise don't use these touch features and find them to be gimmicky.
There are, however, touch gestures for controlling the lights without a smartphone. Double tap, swipe up, swipe down, swipe left, or swipe right can be set to do things like turn the panels on or off, adjust brightness, or swap between scenes. You can set one of the Triangles as the Control triangle for touch-based gestures, and it's a good idea to keep at least one in reach of your hand.
I'm not going to get too deep into the Nanoleaf app, but know that it offers an extensive control setup for the Triangles and Mini Triangles. You can create color palettes and designs, adjust brightness, turn the lights on and off, set schedules, and even download light scenes created by other people.
The app's "Discover" section is my favorite option because I don't have to invest the time in creating a scene myself when I'm just looking for a quick color change. I can find a list of popular options, newly created options, or I can search for a specific theme like "Holidays."
With the redesign, the Nanoleaf app gained a new feature that lets you control your Nanoleaf products and other lights from one interface, which is handy. I can access my Hue lights, Eve Light Strip, and Nanoleaf products all from the same app, with a long press providing access to specific per-device controls. Note that you'll need to use this long press gesture to get to all the Nanoleaf setup options for creating color palettes and motions, all of which can be saved as scenes to use with the Nanoleaf app or the Home app.
Nanoleaf's Triangles and Mini Triangles have HomeKit integration, and can be viewed in the Home app. You can turn the Triangles on or off, adjust the brightness, or set the lights to a solid color with no motion component.
You can also access HomeKit scenes pre-created in the Nanoleaf app and include the Triangles in automations and other scenes, but you need the Nanoleaf app to create custom scenes with shifting colors and motion. HomeKit includes Siri integration, and I find it useful to use Siri to turn the Triangles off or on or activate automations.
Bottom Line
I've been using Nanoleaf's products since the first Light Panels came out, and as a fan of novel lighting options, I continue to enjoy them as both accent and main lighting in my office. The Triangles and Mini Triangles are a great addition to the lineup, and being able to combine the shapes with the Hexagons allows for new design possibilities.
Like the Hexagons, the Triangles and Mini Triangles are bright and deeply saturated, making for impressive light art in any room. There's more versatility with the different shapes than ever before, and the addition of the Mini Triangles also provides an option for those who want a small accent light that's more affordable and doesn't take over an entire wall.
I think the Triangles, Mini Triangles, and Hexagons are Nanoleaf's best products to date, and I'm interested in seeing what new shapes come in the future. These are, of course, more art than light and are expensive, but for those who enjoy the aesthetic, I think the light panels are worth the cost.
How to Buy
Nanoleaf's Mini Triangles and Triangles can be purchased from the Nanoleaf website. Triangles are priced at $199.99 for seven full-sized panels, and Mini Triangles are priced at $119.99 for five panels. An expansion set of three Triangles is also available for $69.99, while a 10 panel Mini Triangle expansion set is available for $119.99.
Note: Nanoleaf provided MacRumors with a Mini Triangles and Triangles set for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
Irish lawmakers implementing European Union directives are proposing new legislation that would require streaming services, including Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix, to host at least 30 percent European content or face being shut down across the EU.
These clauses of the "General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill" come in response to the overwhelming amount of U.S.-centric content on video streaming services. The law, if ratified, will require all streaming services to feature at least 30 percent content that may be classified as "European Work." A new Irish Media Commission would oversee the administration of the law for the entire EU and determine if streamers are meeting their obligations.
The proposal, and its potential threat to Apple TV+ in particular, was highlighted by journalist Adrian Weckler on Twitter, who pointed out that the Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media Catherine Martin has specifically taken aim at Apple TV+:
Minister Catherine Martin says Apple TV+ has to have minimum 30pc European content or govt will shut it down across Europe.
(— Same new legislative bill, implementing EU directive.)
— Adrian Weckler (@adrianweckler) December 9, 2020
Other video streaming services, such as Netflix, produce a more balanced library of content in Europe, and would therefore find it much easier to meet the required quota. Out of the 42 movies and series on Apple TV+, there has only been one European show thus far, British comedy "Trying." Apple would need to add 17 more European programs simply to meet the required quota, without adding any further non-European shows.
Curiously, the Q&A published alongside the proposed legislation states that "European Work" is broader than strictly EU content, which may afford streamers some flexibility. This means that video content produced in the United Kingdom, for example, which has now left the EU, would still be counted as "European Work." Trying was a British Apple TV+ series produced by BBC Studios, so it would still be eligible towards Apple's "European Work" quota.
In spite of this, the vast majority of upcoming content for Apple TV+ continues to be U.S.-centric. If implemented, the legislation will force Apple to heavily invest in European content for Apple TV+ or pull the service out of the EU entirely.
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.
Last-minute holiday shopping is in full swing as we enter the final few weeks before Christmas. For our readers, we have a collection of exclusive discounts that will remain ongoing through December 25, with a few exceptions. These sales offer the perfect chance to do some online Christmas shopping before it's too late for items to arrive before the 25th.
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.
These sales largely focus on accessories for Apple products, including those from Mophie, Nomad, Nimble, Anker, Mujjo, Twelve South, and Pad & Quill. On these websites, you can shop for iPhone cases, MacBook sleeves, Apple Watch bands, screen protectors, leather bags, and much more. We also have an exclusive software sale this year, thanks to a fresh offer from 1Password.
Each sale has a different end date, and shipping will vary from site-to-site, so be sure to read on for more information. Most brands are still offering delivery for Christmas, as long as you place orders soon.
At Pad & Quill, our readers have a chance to save on Apple accessories all the way through Christmas day. With our exclusive discount code, you can save 20 percent sitewide on Pad & Quill, giving you a chance to save on accessories for iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and MacBook. To gain access to this sale, enter the code MR20 at checkout.
Eco-friendly brand Nimble is offering our readers 30 percent off sitewide this holiday season with the exclusive promo code MACRUMORS30. With this promotion you can save on Nimble's portable chargers, wireless chargers, iPhone cases, and more.
Nimble's products are made from highly sustainable materials and come inside plastic-free packaging. The company also runs a one-for-one tech recovery project, placing a disposable bag with every product it sells. In these bags, customers can send back their old or unused tech so that it can be recycled responsibly.
In terms of shipping, Nimble offers free two-day shipping and returns, so be sure to browse the retailer's website soon to place your order in enough time before Christmas.
At Twelve South, you can get 20 percent off your entire order with the promo code MacRumors20. This promo code will last through December 25 for users in the United States.
Twelve South has numerous accessories that are specifically made for Apple products, like AirSnap for AirPods, HiRise Wireless for iPhone, and BookBook Vol. 2 for iPad Pro. You can browse for some holiday shopping ideas of your own on Twelve South's website.
On ZAGG's website, you can get 30 percent off a single item, including from ZAGG itself, Mophie, Braven, InvisibleShield, IFROGZ, gear4, and HALO. This sale covers the gamut of Apple product accessories, including screen protectors, portable batteries, battery cases, charging cables, and more.
To get the discount, head to ZAGG's website, browse for an item, add it to your bag, and when you do you'll notice a pop-up on the right where you can view your bag. Here you can enter the promo code MACRUMORS30 and click apply to see the 30 percent discount taken off the most expensive item in your cart.
In another deal partnership with popular password storage platform 1Password, this holiday our readers can get three full months of 1Password Families for free. After the promotion period ends, you'll need to pay $4.99/month for the service.
Anker and MacRumors have partnered to offer our readers a few deals on potential stocking stuffers this holiday season. You can get a 2-pack of PowerWave Pad wireless chargers for $19.54, Anker's 6-in-1 USB-C Hub for $31.99, and more.
Over at Nomad, you can get 20 percent off sitewide with our exclusive sale. This sale is available all the way through December 25.
Nomad offers a variety of high-quality accessories for Apple products, like the Base Station Pro wireless charger, Rugged Folio for iPad Pro, Rugged Case for iPhone 12, Rugged Case for AirPods Pro, and even a variety of straps for the Apple Watch.
Mujjo is offering our readers an exclusive 20 percent sitewide discount this holiday season, with opportunities to save on iPhone 12 cases, iPad sleeves, MacBook sleeves, and the company's Touchscreen Gloves, which are built to function with any touchscreen smartphone. You'll have until Christmas Eve to shop our exclusive Mujjo sale.
For more of the best Apple-related sales and bargains, head to our full Deals Roundup.
Following the introduction of the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Fitness+, Apple CEO Tim Cook participated in a podcast interview with Outside magazine's Michael Roberts to discuss topics like health, fitness, and the environment.
Asked about the future of the Apple Watch, Cook said Apple is still "in the early innings" with the device, noting that the company is testing "mind blowing" capabilities in its labs, although not everything will see the light of day. "Think about the amount of sensors in your car," said Cook, adding "and arguably, your body is much more important than your car."
Apple has gradually expanded the health features available on the Watch over the years to include heart rate tracking, irregular heart rhythm notifications, the ECG app, blood oxygen measuring, fall detection, and more.
Cook spoke a lot about his love of nature, noting that his time in nature and offline is "like a palate cleanser for the mind," and referring to the outdoors as a "window to the world." Cook said Apple Park has conference rooms named after U.S. national parks, noting that he is "right around the corner from the Grand Canyon room."
Cook goes on to reiterate many of Apple's common talking points and company values. The full interview can be listened to through the embedded player above, and a transcript is also available on Outside magazine's website.
Microsoft has today announced that its cloud-based gaming subscription service, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, will be available to iOS users starting Spring 2021.
The announcement detailed that, as expected, Game Pass will not be coming to iOS via an app, but rather through a web browser.
In Spring 2021, we will take the next step in our journey to reach more players around the world by making cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate available on Windows PCs through the Xbox app and browser, and iOS devices through mobile web browser. By adding over a billion devices as a path to playing in the Xbox ecosystem, we envision a seamless experience for all types of players; whether it's playing Minecraft Dungeons with your Xbox friends using touch controls on an iPhone, or jumping into a Destiny 2: Beyond Light strike on a Surface Pro when you have a break between meetings.
Earlier this year, plans to bring an Xbox streaming app to iOS stalled due to Apple's App Store rules, which forbid apps from streaming multiple games from the cloud via a single app. This is because Apple believes that its inability to review each game in the service's library is a potential security risk. Game Pass streaming would only be viable if each game was available as its own app under Apple's rules.
As Microsoft suggested earlier this year, using a browser instead of an app allows the company to avoid Apple's App Store rules while still providing the same service. Xbox chief Phil Spencer said that Apple "remains open to the user experience we would like people to see."
Microsoft's games streaming service is bundled as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $14.99 per month, with more than 100 games available.
Apple has commissioned a series based on bestselling novel "Dark Matter," which author Blake Crouch will adapt himself, according to Collider.
The series is reportedly set to be produced by Matt Tolmach, who has previously worked on the films "Venom," "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," and "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Tolmach previously developed Dark Matter as a feature film for Sony, which paid 1.25 million dollars for the rights in 2014, but the latest incarnation of the project seems to be a series.
Sony Television will serve as the studio for the project, but the series is expected to ultimately premiere on Apple TV+ exclusively.
The Dark Matter novel is a high-concept sci-fi thriller, and the story is said to explore the paths taken by different choices and how far individuals will go to achieve their dreams. The book was an instant New York Times bestseller, and went on to be published in 35 languages around the world.
Apple began working on its recently unveiled AirPods Max headphones over four years ago, according to tweets by a former Apple engineer.
Rumors that Apple was developing high-end over-ear headphones began way back in early 2018, when the first mention of own-brand headphones appeared courtesy of Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
However, the timeline of their development apparently extended much further than that, based on now-deleted tweets by former Apple engineer Dinesh Dave (@appleidinesh).
Weather Line developer Ryan Jones screenshotted images of the tweets and shared them, so there's a record after they were removed. In the tweets, Dave linked to Apple's AirPods Max announcement and claimed that "the last product NDA I signed is finally out!"
Responding to another Twitter user who asked when the NDA was signed, Dave replied: "~4 years."
Apple first launched the AirPods line almost exactly four years ago, in December 2016, after which their popularity grew rapidly. As Jones notes in his tweet, Apple likely saw the "insane demand" for AirPods and decided to explore additional potential products in the now-vast "hearables" category.
Prior to their official announcement on Tuesday, subsequent rumors about the headphones focused not only on design and features, but also protracted delays that Apple was said to be experiencing in production. Rumors predicted various launch dates for the headphones that continually missed their mark, from launching in late 2018 to sometime in the second half of 2019.
AirPods Max are now available to pre-order on Apple's website, with a launch date of December 15, although there are already massive wait times for shipping running into March 2021.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple tested at least two versions of the headphones, including a "premium version with leather-like fabrics" – aka AirPods Max – and a "fitness-focused model that uses lighter, breathable materials with small perforations," so we may well see an additional version of the headphones sometime next year.
WhatsApp is protesting Apple's requirement that developers submit information about what user data they collect to create new privacy labels on the App Store (via Axios).
WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, has accused Apple of anti-competitive behavior because iMessage is preinstalled on iPhones and does not need to be downloaded from the App Store, where the new privacy labels will be shown.
"We think labels should be consistent across first and third party apps as well as reflect the strong measures apps may take to protect people's private information," a WhatsApp spokesperson told Axios. "While providing people with easy to read information is a good start, we believe it's important people can compare these 'privacy nutrition' labels from apps they download with apps that come pre-installed, like iMessage."
Apple has tried to streamline the privacy labels into broad terms such as "financial information" or "user content" to describe the kind of data that apps collect. WhatsApp says that these terms may worry users about the data WhatsApp collects, giving it a competitive disadvantage.
WhatsApp submitted the required information to Apple on Monday, but said in a blog post that "Apple's template does not shed light on the lengths apps may go to protect sensitive information." The spokesperson told Axios, "while WhatsApp cannot see people's messages or precise location, we're stuck using the same broad labels with apps that do."
The deadline for developers to submit the required privacy information about their apps was yesterday. It is unknown when exactly the privacy labels will begin appearing in the App Store, but now that the deadline for submissions has passed, they will likely be added soon.
Apple has designed a new algorithm that Apple Watch uses to measure electrocardiogram (ECG) waves, according to developer documentation for the iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2 betas.
In the official documentation, a new "version 2 algorithm" declaration has been added. No other information is included.
The ECG feature includes irregular heart rhythm detection, which intermittently measures the user's heart rate in the background and sends a notification if it detects an anomaly it categorizes as atrial fibrillation, which can be a serious heart arrhythmia condition.
Based on beta code uncovered by MacRumors, it's likely that the new algorithm will allow the ECG app to check for atrial fibrillation (AFib) at higher heart rates - during exercise, for example.
iOS 14.3 will introduce support for Apple Fitness+, Apple's upcoming fitness service that will work with the Apple Watch, plus it brings a new Cardio Fitness feature that lets you know if your VO2Max levels are low. VO2Max is a useful measurement of overall fitness and heart health.
iOS 14.3 is set to be released on Monday, December 14, which is also the day that Apple Fitness+ is coming out.
Apple has begun selling the Apple Watch models with cellular connectivity in Portugal for the first time.
Apple Watch Series 6 and SE models with cellular connectivity went on sale in the country on Tuesday, December 8, and can be ordered on Apple's regional online store.
Cellular models are available in aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium variants, but Watch Edition and Hermès LTE versions are currently unavailable.
As of now, Portuguese provider NOS is the first and only provider to support the Apple Watch LTE feature in the country. Apple has yet to update its regional Apple Watch cellular service list to reflect the launch.
Apple has been working to bring Apple Watch Cellular models to more European countries, with Belgium recently joining the LTE Apple Watch club. Ireland, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg are countries still waiting for the feature to arrive.
Set to launch on Monday, December 14, Apple Fitness+ is designed to help Apple Watch owners keep fit through a series of guided workouts across multiple workout categories. While many of the workouts don't require special equipment, for some you need things like dumbbells, a yoga mat, a stationary bike, a rowing machine, or a treadmill.
To that end, Apple's online store has started listing select exercise gear on its online store for the first time. Apple has kicked off its exercise equipment offering with yoga accessories, including a Manduka eKOlite Yoga Mat ($77.95), a Manduka 6 mm Performance Yoga Mat ($119.95), and a Cork Yoga Block ($19.95).
According to the listing's description, the Manduka eKOlite Mat is an eco-friendly and biodegradable surface that's naturally grippy and catches if you start to slip, while the more expensive Manduka 6mm Performance mat is "ultra-dense" and offers a spacious surface with "unmatched comfort and cushioning" that's guaranteed to never wear out.
Meanwhile, the Manduka Cork Yoga Block is made of sustainable cork and provides a level of firmness not found in foam blocks.
It's unclear whether Apple plans to build out its exercise equipment offering in its online store, but Apple Fitness+ includes 10 workout categories including HIIT, strength, and cycling, so there's plenty of scope for more.
Fitness+ will be available for $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year, which breaks down to $6.67 per month. For that price, up to six family members total can use the Fitness+ service. Fitness+ is also included in the Apple One Premier bundle, which is priced at $29.99 per month and also offers Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and 2TB iCloud storage.
With the purchase of a new Apple Watch Series 3 or later, Apple is offering a free three-month trial of the Fitness+ service. watchOS 7.2 also includes support for Apple Fitness+, Apple's newest streaming service. The update is set to come out on Monday, December 14, which is also the Fitness+ release date.
Apple today sent out a new Apple Pay promotional email, offering holiday Apple Pay discounts from a range of merchants including
The promotions provide discounts or credits for future purchases when using Apple Pay to check out in an app or on the web, with a list below:
Puma - 20% off with promo code APPLEPAY.
Ray-Ban - 25% off custom styles with promo code APPLEPAY.
Under Armour - 25% off in the Under Armour app.
Warby Parker - A set of three free custom-designed pins.
Columbia - 15% off purchases at columbia.com.
Cuyana - Free leather card case when spending $200 or more.
J. Crew - Extra $25 off when spending $150+ with promo code APPLEPAY.
Foot Locker - 15% off when spending $99+ with promo code Apple Pay.
Kids Foot Locker - 15% off when spending $99+ with promo code Apple Pay.
1-800-Flowers - $15 off when spending $39.99+ with promo code APPLEPAY.
Champs Sports - $15 off when spending $99+ on select styles with promo code APPLEPAY.
Cole Haan - 20% off with promo code APPLEPAY.
Madewell - $25 off when spending $150+ with promo code APPLEPAY.
Stadium Goods - Free ground shipping in Stadium Goods app.
Sunglass Hut - 25% off select items with promo code APPLEPAY.
Baublebar - $15 off full priced items with promo code APPLEPAY.
Bed Bath and Beyond - Extra 5% in My Funds rewards to be used toward a future purchase.
The deals will be available through December 21 when using Apple Pay in partner apps or websites in the United States. A full list of holiday Apple Pay discounts can be found on Apple's website with links to each site and more information on the deals.
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.
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