A number of Apple Stores will be live streaming the WWDC 2019 keynote for customers to watch tomorrow at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
We've learned from a source that participating locations include Apple Williamsburg in Brooklyn, Apple University Village in Seattle, Apple Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, and Apple Carnegie Library in Washington, D.C., with the keynote to be streamed on the Video Wall at the back of each store.
The keynote will also be live streamed in the theater room of Apple SoHo in Manhattan, according to our source.
According to 9to5Mac's Michael Steeber and others, the keynote will also be streamed at Apple Downtown Brooklyn, Apple World Trade Center in Manhattan, Apple Union Square in San Francisco, Apple Beverly Center in Los Angeles, Apple Champs-Élysées in Paris, and Apple Regent Street in London.
Apple has not shared a list of stores that will stream the keynote, so we recommend calling your local store to see if they will be hosting a viewing party. As of now, there does not appear to be a way to RSVP, so space will likely be available on a first come, first served basis. There is no fee to attend.
Apple Stores with Video Walls include locations opened or renovated after mid 2015.
Of course, the live stream will also be available online, and MacRumors will have full coverage of the announcements with our own live blog and at MacRumorsLive on Twitter. Follow along tomorrow for up-to-the-minute updates.
WWDC 2019 officially kicks off tomorrow, but as usual, the check-in process began today. Developers have started to pick up their badges and WWDC swag, which this year includes a reversible jacket, an assortment of Apple-themed magnetic pins, a special t-shirt for scholarship winners, and more.
Here's a photo of the check-in area via WWDC 2019 scholar Zach Knox:
Update: Apple is now hosting its WWDC Scholarship Kickoff at the Discovery Meadow park next to the McEnery Convention Center. We're told that Apple executive and WWDC scholar chaperone Esther Hare said 75 percent of WWDC 2019 scholarship winners are first-time scholars.
Here's another photo courtesy of Martin:
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 13, macOS 10.15, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13 at its WWDC keynote tomorrow, and it could have some surprise announcements in store, potentially including a preview of its long-awaited Mac Pro redesign.
MacRumors will have live coverage of the WWDC keynote on our website and on Twitter starting Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will also be providing a live stream of the keynote on its website.
More evidence has emerged to suggest that Apple is beginning to move away from its iTunes brand after over 18 years of use.
As noted on Reddit, Apple has abruptly removed all social media content from its iTunes page on Facebook, including posts, photos, and videos. This appears to have happened within the past 24 hours, as a cached version of the iTunes page on Facebook still had content available as of May 31.
As far as we can tell, it looks like Apple has migrated its iTunes page to its Apple TV page on Facebook, including not only all of the content but nearly 30 million likes and its original April 29, 2009 creation date.
Notably, while the overall iTunes app as we know it is expected to be discontinued, the reports did not suggest that the iTunes storefront for purchasing music, movies, and TV shows is going away any time soon.
iTunes has attracted its fair share of criticism over the years for being bloated software, so its split into three separate apps would be much welcomed. Apple's phasing out of iTunes is likely to be a gradual process, however, so the brand could live on in some capacity for the foreseeable future.
Update: As noted by the Iconfactory's Craig Hockenberry, some itunes.apple.com links for songs and artists now redirect to music.apple.com, serving as yet another example of Apple moving away from its iTunes brand.
I haven’t seen it reported elsewhere, but as of last weekend all https://t.co/tCyWJ9I1D3 links redirect to https://t.co/c1nzdCWhSp — a likely indicator that the brand is done (the app will be fine for those of us who need it.)
— Craig Hockenberry (@chockenberry) June 2, 2019
In fact, as noted by Kyle Seth Gray, it appears that Apple is in the process of dropping iTunes links for apps, podcasts, TV shows, movies, and books as well. Apple will instead use category-specific links such as apps.apple.com, podcasts.apple.com, tv.apple.com, movies.apple.com, and books.apple.com.
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is set to kick off on June 3 with a keynote event that will see Apple unveiling next-generation versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
We've rounded up all of the rumors that we're heard so far about the features we can expect in each of the new operating systems. Watch the video below and read on to get a glimpse of what's coming.
Many of these rumors have been sourced from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo, both of whom have shared details on what's coming in 2019.
iOS 13
iOS 13 is going to be a major update, introducing some features that iOS users have been hoping will come to the iPhone and the iPad for quite some time. Below, we'll outline all of the major features that we're expecting, with full details on iOS 13 available in our iOS 13 roundup.
iOS 13, like iOS 12, is expected to introduce speed improvements for devices, including older devices, and it will include bug fixes thanks to Apple's 2018 plan to put more focus on quality.
Dark Mode
iOS 13 will introduce a dark mode for the first time, letting users choose between light and dark themes. There aren't a lot of details on dark mode at this time, but it's expected to be a system wide feature much like the dark mode that came in macOS Mojave.
Apps that are currently light mode only will have darker themes available when dark mode is set, much like Books or Maps, existing apps that have a darker night mode.
Leaked screenshots of iOS 13 suggest the Dark Mode option will be enabled via the Settings app or the Control Center. The Home screen will look similar to the Home screen in light mode, though the dock will be darker.
New Volume HUD
If you're tired of the current volume interface that blocks the middle of the iPhone's screen when you're adjusting the volume, there's good news -- it's expected to change in iOS 13.
We're expecting a volume HUD that's less obtrusive than the current version, with something that doesn't take up quite as much room on the display. We've mocked up what it might look like below.
Sleep Mode
iOS 13 is expected to streamline sleep time behavior with a new sleep mode that's available in the Control Center. According to rumors, sleep mode will toggle on Do Not Disturb, darken the Lock screen so it's not so bright if you pick up your phone in the middle of the night, and mute all incoming notifications.
Unspecified improvements could also come to the Bedtime tab that's available in the Clock app. Bedtime is a feature that was first introduced in iOS 12 and is designed to send you reminders when you should go to bed.
iPad Updates
Several iPad-specific features are going to be overhauled in iOS 13, so this should be a major update for those who use iPads. A new Home screen layout is expected, but few details have been provided.
Apple is introducing improved multitasking. iPad apps will support multiple windows through a tab view, and there may be stackable cards within apps that can be rearranged. Apps will have sheets that are initially attached to the screen, but that can be detached and dragged around so you can have multiple instances of the same app (or different apps) open.
These app cards can be stacked on top of one another, and a depth effect will indicate which cards are on the top or on the bottom. As with card-based interfaces in other parts of iOS, you can close out an app card by flinging a card to dismiss it.
There will be a new gesture for undoing text input on an iPad, letting users undo or redo an action using a three finger tap on the keyboard area along with a slide to the left or the right. Apple will also be adding a new gesture for selecting multiple items in table and collection views, letting users drag multiple fingers on the screen to draw a selection.
There have been rumors that mouse support could come to the iPad as an Accessibility option, and iOS 13 would be an ideal time to introduce that feature, though it has not been confirmed that it's part of the update.
Updated Find My iPhone App
Apple is designing a new Find My iPhone app that also incorporates Find My Friends, so in iOS 13, we may no longer have two apps for these features. The new app is said to include a networking feature that will let Apple devices be tracked even when not connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network by leveraging other iOS devices that are close by.
A mockup of the "Find My" app icon in iOS 13
The app, which is expected to just be called "Find My," will include existing Find My iPhone features like Lost Mode and an option to remotely wipe a device. Location-based sharing options pulled from Find My Friends will also still be available.
Messages
Messages is said to be gaining a new WhatsApp-style feature that will let users add their own profile picture and display name, and then choose who sees that info. Apple is also adding a dedicated menu for Animoji and Memoji stickers.
Mail
In the Mail app, Apple may be planning to add new features that will organize messages into searchable categories like marketing, purchases, travel, "not important," and more, plus there will be a read later queue, an option to mute incoming Mail notifications for specific email threads, and a tool for blocking people you don't want to talk to.
Reminders
The Reminders app may get overhauled to make it a bit more useful with four default sections laid out in a grid, encompassing tasks to be finished today, all tasks, scheduled tasks, and flagged tasks.
A leaked iOS 13 screenshot of the new Reminders app on the iPad via 9to5Mac
Books
You might get rewarded for reading books in iOS 13 with Apple perhaps planning to introduce a progress tracker and a rewards system to encourage reading. There's no word on how this might work, but it could be similar to the achievement system that rewards you with stickers when completing a fitness goal.
Health
The Health app may be getting a new feature related to the health of your ears. The app is said to include a "hearing health" section that will measure how loud you play music on your headphones and the volume of the ambient environment around you.
A better view of daily activity may also be included, and Apple may include better tools for tracking menstrual cycles.
macOS 10.15
macOS 10.15, like iOS 13, is going to be a major update for Mac users. We'll highlight major features below, but full details on the new software can be found in our macOS 10.15 roundup.
We don't know what Apple will call macOS 10.15, but it will have the name of another California landmark, following Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, and Mojave.
Cross-Platform Apps
macOS 10.15, paired with iOS 13, marks a major year in macOS app advancement. Apple started introducing universal apps in iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, and that project, known as "Marzipan," is going to progress in macOS 10.15. Universal apps let iOS apps be ported over to the Mac with few changes, resulting in an app that can run on both platforms.
Apple started porting iOS apps to the Mac in macOS Mojave during the early stages of the project, and in macOS 10.15, Apple is going to give developers the tools to easily bring iPad apps to the Mac.
Apple's aim with Marzipan is to let developers design a single app that works with either a touchscreen or a mouse and trackpad based on whether it's running on iOS or macOS. This universal app feature would likely significantly increase the number of apps available on Macs while also cutting down on developer workload to create cross-platform apps.
iOS apps ported over to the Mac will be able to take advantage of Mac-specific features like the Touch Bar and keyboard shortcuts along with support for multiple windows. Adding Mac support to an existing iOS app will be as simple as checking a checkbox in Xcode.
New Apps Coming to Mac
As part of the Marzipan project, Apple is bringing several iOS only apps to the Mac and revamping some others.
There will be new Music, Podcasts, and TV apps, along with an updated Books app, some of which will be built using Apple's Marzipan developer tools. Right now, all of these functions on Mac are done through the iTunes app, but Apple is retiring iTunes in favor of these new apps.
All of the current iTunes functions will be available, just through the aforementioned separate apps. The iOS Device management that's done through iTunes at the current time will reportedly be done through the Music app instead.
Apple has already announced the TV app, but it's expected to launch on Mac this fall. Music and Podcasts are new apps, and the Books app is rumored to be getting overhauled with an Apple News-style design and new tracking features and rewards that encourage reading.
The Reminders app, Screen Time, and iMessage Effects are also new features that are rumored to be coming to the Mac in macOS 10.15.
iPad as an External Display
macOS 10.15 will feature an option to send any app to an external display, including connected monitors and even an iPad. The feature is said to be available through a menu that can be opened by hovering over the maximize icon in any Mac app.
A mockup of an iPad as a second display for a Mac
Options will be available for opening the app on the external display, making windows full screen, and tiling windows. On an iPad that supports Apple Pencil, users will be able to draw with the Pencil while the iPad is serving as an external display, turning the iPad into a Wacom-style tablet.
32-Bit App Support Ending
Apple began issuing warnings about 32-bit apps in macOS Mojave, and has said that Mojave will be the last version of macOS to support them.
Apple is expected to phase out support for 32-bit apps in macOS 10.15, which means some older apps that haven't been updated in a while will cease to work. Aperture, for example, Apple's now-discontinued photo editing software, will not run on macOS after Mojave, nor will any other 32-bit app.
This change is still likely going to catch some people unaware and there could be some people who are upset when the new version of macOS is released and their favorite older apps no longer run.
New Find MyApp
The new Find My iPhone and Find My Friends hybrid app in the works for iOS is also expected to come to macOS.
It will be similar to the existing Find My iPhone feature on the web, but it will include Find My Friends functionality and it will perhaps have a "find network" feature that will let Apple devices be tracked even when WiFi and cellular connectivity is disabled by using other nearby iPhones. Apple is expected to name this app just "Find My."
Apple Watch Authentication
Your Apple Watch can already unlock your Mac, but in macOS 10.15, the Apple Watch may be able to serve as an authentication method for other operations on the Mac.
Full details on what this might entail are not available, but it could allow the watch to be used instead of entering passwords or confirming payments, similar to Touch ID on Touch ID-enabled Macs.
watchOS 6
There are quite a few new features coming to the Apple Watch with the launch of watchOS 6. First of all, the Apple Watch is rumored to be getting its own App Store, which would let users download new Apple Watch apps right from their wrists.
A mockup of what the App Store could look like on Apple Watch
There's no word on just how this will work, but the Apple Watch App Store is also likely to be available on the iPhone through the Apple Watch app to make it easier to see just what you're downloading.
New health apps could come to the Apple Watch in watchOS 6, with Apple rumored to be working on a "Dose" app for pill reminders and a "Cycles" app for tracking menstrual cycles.
New apps including Calculator, Voice Memos, and Audio Books could come to the Apple Watch, and Apple is expected to add support for Animoji and Memoji stickers.
There will be new complications for hearing aid battery life, audio book status, rain data, and external noise information, which is another new health-related feature coming to Apple Watch. Going forward, the Apple Watch may be able to keep track of the ambient noise level, letting you know if you're in danger of damaging your hearing.
Several new watch faces are said to be in the works, including a Gradient watch face that makes a gradient out of the color a user chooses, two new X-Large faces with jumbo numbers in different fonts and colors, and a California dial that's similar to a classic watch face but with a mix of Roman and Arabic numerals.
The existing Solar Analog face may also be redesigned with a watch face that looks like a sundial.
tvOS 13
We don't know what features are coming in tvOS 13 as it doesn't often get the same major feature changes as other operating systems, but Apple could further refine the TV app and lay the groundwork for the upcoming Apple Arcade service that's designed to let you access exclusive games for a monthly fee.
Games will be available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.
Other Possible Announcements
Mac Pro
Apple is working on a high-end high-throughput modular Mac Pro that's set to debut in 2019, and we could see our first glimpse of it at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
There's no guarantee that we're going to see the new Mac Pro, but when Apple debuted the 2013 Mac Pro, it was shown off at WWDC before its December launch. Apple is also working on a 6K 31.6-inch high-end display to go along the Mac Pro.
New iPhone Cases and Apple Watch Bands
WWDC is one of the events where Apple typically unveils Apple Watch bands, iPhone cases, and iPad cases in refreshed summer colors.
This year should be no exception, and we may also see another rainbow-colored pride band, as Apple has done rainbow bands in June for the last couple of years.
MacRumors Coverage
Apple will have a livestream of the WWDC keynote available on its website and through the Events app of the Apple TV, but for those unable to watch, we'll be covering the event on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account. We'll also have in-depth coverage of all of Apple's announcements throughout the week.
The first WWDC 2019 events kick off in just two days with the early arrival of student scholars, and Apple is putting the finishing touches on decorations at and around the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose.
Decorations on the convention center, light poles, and public transit stops all carry the same neon theme on dark blue as seen on other WWDC materials, with the front entrance area of the convention center covered in a huge sheet displaying a robot emoji with all sorts of icons exploding out of the top of it and the "Dub Dub" nickname sometimes used for WWDC.
Photos from earlier in the assembly process hint at the possibility of some sort of lighting behind the sheet, so we'll have to wait and see what it looks like at night.
The main event of WWDC 2019 kicks off on Monday at 10:00 am Pacific Time with the traditional keynote, and we'll have full coverage here on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Update 8:51 PM: As shared on Twitter by Lucas Wagner, the "Dub Dub" graphic on the facade of the McEnery Convention Center has now been lit.
Subaru is experiencing growing popularity in the U.S., developing a strong reputation based on emphasizing safety, all-wheel drive operation, and technology. The redesigned 2019 Subaru Forester is no exception, offering standard all-wheel drive, a roomier cabin, and new DriverFocus technology that uses facial recognition and monitoring to not only save your driver presets but alert you if it detects drowsy or distracted driving.
The 2019 Forester includes Subaru's STARLINK infotainment system with standard CarPlay support, with lower-level models coming with a 6.5-inch screen while higher-level trims are upgraded to an 8-inch screen.
I've had a chance to spend some time with a top-of-the-line 2019 Forester Touring in Horizon Blue Pearl, so read on for details about how all of the technology comes together for iPhone users.
STARLINK Infotainment
Subaru's STARLINK Infotainment systems offer all of the functionality you'd expect, starting with AM/FM radio with HD support, SiriusXM, USB and Bluetooth media device support, hands-free phone connectivity, and a CD player. All trims also include support for CarPlay, Android Auto, and app integration with Pandora and Aha. They also support cloud apps like Yelp, iHeartRadio, Magellan, TomTom, and more.
Subaru's STARLINK home screen
The base, Premium, and Sport trims all come with a 6.5-inch display, although the Sport trim can be upgraded to the larger 8-inch display. The Limited trim gets the 8-inch display standard with an optional upgrade to embedded navigation from TomTom, while the Touring trim gets the 8-inch screen and navigation standard.
Embedded TomTom navigation
Subaru has gone all-in on displays in the Forester, with my Touring model featuring three separate screens. Aside from the spacious 8-inch main screen on the center stack, there's also a 4.2-inch digital display as part of the instrument cluster directly in front of the driver, which is standard on all trims. This display is customizable and is capable of showing a wide array of information from a digital speedometer to speed limit signs to fuel level to audio information and more. These instrument cluster displays are becoming increasingly common, and it's nice to see it included standard on the Forester.
Instrument cluster
What sets the Forester further apart from many other cars is the third display, located in a housing protruding from the dashboard at the top of the center stack. This housing also includes an array of sensors for features like DriverFocus that I'll talk about a bit later, but the 6.3-inch display included here on higher trims is a fantastic addition.
Dual screens showing audio and navigation information
While the main infotainment display is taken over by CarPlay, built-in navigation, or other functions, the upper display can offer an always-on view of other systems with a dense array of information. By default it shows basic information like the time, outside temperature, and current climate control settings, but the main portion of the display can show one of several different screens based on user preference.
Vehicle safety systems status
This display can show an overview of what vehicle safety systems are active, the current weather forecast, navigation information, audio information, a larger version of your climate settings and more. It will also intelligently change what it's showing based on what else is going on, such as temporarily showing navigation information when a turn is coming up.
Fuel economy screen
The color 6.3-inch display is standard on Sport and higher trims and an option on the Premium trim, but not available on the base trim. The base trim and the standard configuration of the Premium trim include a smaller display that offers more basic information about the vehicle.
Subaru has kept a full set of hardware climate controls, although the only visual feedback on the controls themselves are status lights for some of the buttons. Other visual indicators like temperature settings and fan speed are shown on the other screens higher on the center stack.
CarPlay
CarPlay, which requires a wired connection as in most vehicles, is a great experience on the large 8-inch display. It takes over the whole screen, but the extra multifunction display above still gives you access to other data from the vehicle. The screen is bright and colors are vivid, and touch responsiveness is great with no lag.
CarPlay home screen
Subaru thankfully includes a variety of hardware controls below the screen, so you'll be able to make many adjustments largely by feel.
CarPlay "Now Playing" screen
Large volume and tune/scroll knobs let you easily make those adjustments, while dedicated hardware buttons for various infotainment functions like radio, built-in navigation and audio track skipping let you quickly jump between functions. A prominent home button gets you back to the main Subaru screen from wherever you are.
I really like the way the dual-screen setup gives you command of everything going on in the vehicle at a glance, minimizing the amount of time you need to take your eyes off the road. Apple Maps or Google Maps running in CarPlay can take over the large main display, while all of your other information including CarPlay audio track and album names can be seen simultaneously on the upper display.
Voice control button is at bottom left of left cluster
As usual, there is a voice control button on the steering wheel that lets you talk to the vehicle or Siri. When CarPlay is active, the steering wheel button can only activate Siri. But when you're out of CarPlay, you can activate Siri with a long press of the button or the Subaru system with a short press.
Ports and Connectivity
My Touring trim came with a number of USB-A ports for connectivity, including a pair up front adjacent to the smallish storage tray at the base of the center stack and two more on the rear of the center console for rear passengers. All four ports can deliver up to 2.1 amps, so they'll be able to charge even power-hungry devices like iPads fairly quickly.
Front USB ports and phone storage tray
All Forester trims include the front USB ports, but the base and second-level Premium trims require a $178 option to add the rear ones. The remaining trims include the rear ports as standard equipment.
USB ports on rear of center console
All but the base Forester trim offer in-car Wi-Fi hotspot support via LTE, which requires a separate plan through AT&T. Subaru does not offer a wireless phone charger as either standard or optional equipment on the Forester.
DriverFocus
For the past couple of years, Subaru has been pushing its EyeSight package of driver assistance technology features, which includes adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warnings, and lane-keeping assist. Those features are becoming increasingly popular across car manufacturers, and it's great that Subaru is now making its EyeSight package standard across all Forester trims.
Initial registration for DriverFocus
Subaru is also now taking things to the next level with DriverFocus, a feature currently available only on the highest-level Touring trim as a standard feature. DriverFocus uses facial recognition and monitoring to keep an eye on you while you're driving. If it detects drowsy or distracted driving, it will warn you with a chime and a pop-up message on the driver's display.
While some car manufacturers have focused on monitoring movements of the car to detect drowsy or distracted driving, whether it's drifting from your lane or making repeated sharp steering corrections, Subaru is trying to be even more proactive by actually watching to see if your eyes are open and on the road. It might sound a little Big Brother-ish, but your car isn't going to report you to the authorities or record your behavior, so it could prove to be a great safety feature and you can always turn it off.
Screen with green icon showing DriverFocus is active
Subaru acknowledges that the system isn't perfect and it can generate some false positives, which I did find in my testing. One time the car warned me to take a break when it apparently thought my eyes were starting to droop, but I think I was just squinting a bit into a bright sun. A couple of other times it warned me to keep my eyes on the road, once when I had a hand up to my face rubbing one eye and once when I was on a sharply curving highway exit ramp when it apparently thought I was looking away from the road when I was in fact looking ahead along the curve. Quick glances down or to the side won't trigger a warning, but if you have reason to look somewhere other than fairly straight ahead for more than a couple of seconds, you might get an alert.
Facial recognition lets the Forester greet you by name when you enter and remember your preferred settings
As a bonus, DriverFocus's facial tracking technology can also recognize you when you get in the car, greeting you by name onscreen and automatically setting your preferred seat and mirror positions and climate control options. Some cars make similar adjustments by associating preferences with a specific key fob being used, but Subaru is leveraging its DriverFocus technology to make automatic memory settings even more seamless.
Wrap-up
Subaru offers a solid infotainment system of its own, and the Forester really takes it to the next level with the dual-screen setup in the center stack. Layer the convenience of CarPlay on top of that and you've got some great options for entertainment, navigation, and more, all highly customizable.
I appreciated the abundance of high-powered USB ports in the front and rear, although the phone storage tray up front was rather small for my iPhone XS Max. Wireless charging would be a nice option to have as long as it works well and the price premium isn't too high, so hopefully that's something Subaru will add in the future. Other manufacturers have been hit-or-miss on this feature, but when done well it's a nice option to have.
The 2019 Subaru Forester starts at $24,295 plus destination, delivery, and other fees, with each successive trim level adding around $2,000 before the bigger jump to the top-of-the-line Touring model at $34,295. I do recommend bumping up to the 8-inch display if you can, as it's a great size for the main screen, but that'll push you up close to the $30,000 level on a Sport trim with option package.
The M1 Wireless Mouse, priced at $29.99, features an Apple-like aesthetic with an aluminum finish that's available in silver, space gray, gold, or rose gold to match your Apple devices. Satechi designed the mouse to have an ergonomic design that fits well in the palm of the hand and works well for both left and right-handed users.
It connects to a Mac using a Bluetooth 4.0 connection, and conveniently recharges through an included USB-C port, which is handy if you have a USB-C Mac because you can use your existing cable for charging purposes.
Optical sensors offer up precise tracking and speedy scrolling, and there are soft touch buttons on the top that's meant to make it comfortable to use. A matching aluminum scroll wheel at the top ties the whole design together.
Satechi's Slim Aluminum Wireless Keyboard, priced at $74.99, is a simple, wire-free keyboard that can connect to a Mac or an iOS device like an iPhone or iPad using Bluetooth.
Made from aluminum, it's available in silver with white keys or space gray with black keys to match Apple's silver and space gray devices. It features diamond cut chamfered edges for a sleek, modern look.
The Aluminum Slim Wireless Keyboard was created with the Mac in mind with function hot keys, a full numeric keyboard, and a USB-C port for convenient recharging. It connects via Bluetooth 3.0 and has a range of 33 feet.
Up to four devices at once can connect to the keyboard, and you can switch between them using one of the four available Bluetooth keys. Compatible devices include iMac Pro, iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook, MacBook Pro, iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPhone.
We have five Aluminum Slim Wireless Keyboard and M1 Wireless Mouse combos to give away to MacRumors readers. 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.
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The contest will run from today (May 31) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 7. The winners will be chosen randomly on June 7 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
In a report covering apps that are tracking kids and sending data to companies like Facebook and Google, The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern says that Apple is planning to limit third-party tracking in apps that are in the Kids section of the App Store.
The site says that a "person familiar with the matter" shared the info on the upcoming feature, though Apple declined to comment.
In fact, Apple will limit third-party tracking in apps in the Kids category of the App Store, according to a person familiar with the matter. Apple declined to comment on this, but a spokeswoman provided a statement:
"For privacy and security reasons, Apple does not see what data users choose to share with developers and we can't see what developers do on their servers."
In the piece, Stern mentions an iOS app for kids called Curious World that she found was tracking her son, collecting data that included age, name, and books he tapped on, with that data then sent to Facebook.
She went on to test over 80 apps, many promoted by Apple, and all of them except for one included third-party trackers for marketing, ads, or analytics purposes.
Apps tested (which weren't kids apps specifically) included an average of four third-party trackers, and some had many more. The app her son was using had a total of seven trackers in it.
There are no controls in iOS for limiting the tracking features that are used by apps for everything from ad targeting to analytics, though users can download VPN apps that block these services. Stern suggests that Apple and Google should cut down on the amount of data that third-party trackers are able to collect and require app developers to provide clearer disclosures.
Apple today announced in an updated support document that the Back to My Mac service is being eliminated from all versions of macOS on July 1, 2019.
Apple previously warned that Back to My Mac support would be eliminated in macOS Mojave, but the updated wording seems to suggest the feature will be removed from all versions of macOS rather than just macOS Mojave.
As of July 1, 2019, Back to My Mac service is not available in any other version of macOS. You can use these alternatives for file access, screen sharing, and remote desktop access.
macOS Mojave has not had the Back to My Mac feature since the first developer beta launched, and Apple confirmed plans to end support for the feature in August 2018.
Back to My Mac is designed to let Mac owners connect to one Mac from another Mac for file transfers and screen sharing purposes. It lets users create a network of Mac computers with two or more Macs, but it can be complicated to set up and use, which is perhaps why Apple has decided to discontinue it.
In the support document, Apple suggests customers can access their files across all of their devices - including new machines - from iCloud Drive. Other Macs can be operated through screen sharing functionality, and Macs can be managed remotely with Apple Remote Desktop, software available from the Mac App Store for $80.
Some Back to My Mac users are sure to be unhappy with Apple's decision to sunset the feature entirely and the suggestion that users transition to Apple Remote Desktop for remote management purposes given its high price tag, but there are third-party options like TeamViewer and LogMeIn.
Over a dozen parental control app developers have come together with a shared message for Apple: it's "time to put kids first."
Together, they have launched a new website called Screen Time API that urges Apple to release a public API granting developers access to the same functionalities that iOS 12's Screen Time feature uses. The developers have even proposed their own API, complete with samples of code and a diagram of how it would work.
"Protecting children online and teaching them good technology use habits are some of the biggest challenges facing modern parents," the developers plea. "That's why developers need a cross platform, open screen time API."
The website, shared by The New York Times and The Verge, is a joint effort by OurPact, Kidslox, Qustodio, Screen Time Labs, Safe Lagoon, MMGuardian, Boomerang, Family Orbit, Netsanity, unGlue, Mobicip, Activate Fitness, Parents Dans Les Parages, Lilu, FamilyTime, Bosco, and Tittle.
The developers were encouraged to act by Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive known as the "Father of the iPod." Fadell backed the developers in a series of tweets, and according to The New York Times, he also said he would help "push" their message "out to the world," adding "just make sure it's done BEFORE WWDC."
The campaign comes a month after The New York Times reported that Apple had removed or restricted many of the most popular screen time and parental control apps on the App Store since launching its own Screen Time feature in iOS 12 last year, raising concerns over potentially anticompetitive behavior.
Apple was quick to respond, stating that it became aware over the last year that some parental control apps were using a technology called Mobile Device Management or "MDM" that puts users' privacy and security at risk.
"Contrary to what The New York Times reported over the weekend, this isn't a matter of competition," wrote Apple. "It's a matter of security."
MDM technology is intended for enterprise users to manage their company-owned devices, and Apple says the use of MDM by consumer-focused apps carries privacy and security concerns that resulted in Apple addressing the situation in its App Store review guidelines in mid-2017.
Apple added that when it found out about these App Store guideline violations, it communicated with the necessary developers, giving them 30 days to submit an updated app to avoid being removed from the App Store.
Many developers quickly refuted parts of Apple's press release, with OurPact claiming that its parental control app for children was removed from the App Store on October 6, 2018 without any prior communication from Apple, just three weeks after iOS 12 was publicly released with Screen Time.
Three other developers added that Apple was slow to respond and did not provide any resolution for the sudden guideline violations.
Apple has yet to indicate whether it will release a public API for Screen Time. While it is certainly possible that Apple could announce that it will offer such an API at its WWDC 2019 keynote next week, on short notice, no rumors have indicated that the API is coming in the initial release of iOS 13.
Amazon is ending the week with a big sale on the 2018 iPad Pros, with up to $200 off both 11-inch and 12.9-inch models in both Wi-Fi and cellular configurations. Prices start as low as $674 for the 64GB 11-inch iPad Pro, and rise from there.
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Apple updated the iPad Pro lineup in October 2018 with an all-new design that removed the Home Button, introduced a TrueDepth camera system with Face ID onto the tablet for the first time, and reduced the bezels around the display. These iPads also support the new Apple Pencil 2 as well as the revamped Smart Keyboard accessories.
Amazon's 2018 iPad Pro Sale
11-Inch
Wi-Fi, 64 GB - $674.00, down from $799.00 ($125 off)
Wi-Fi, 512 GB - $999.00, down from $1,149.00 ($150 off)
Cellular, 512 GB - $1,299.00, down from $1,499.00 ($200 off, lowest ever)
Cellular, 1 TB - $1,699.00, down from $1,899.00 ($200 off, lowest ever)
iTunes' Ultimate Movie Weekend
Anyone planning on staying in this weekend should head over to the iTunes Movies store and check out Apple's new Ultimate Movie Weekend sale, which has movie rentals at $2.99 for new releases and as low as $1 for older films. The sale also includes the latest movies as low as $10. Additionally, there are numerous sales on Disney, Godzilla, and 4K movies.
Be sure to visit the iTunes Movies store to check out the full Ultimate Movie Weekend sale. You'll find $1 rentals for films like La La Land, Sicario, Wonder Woman, The Intern, and Dredd. $2 rentals are also available for movies like Interstellar, Star Trek Beyond, Girls Trip, Atomic Blonde, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and much more.
Our Deals Roundup has even more information on the latest discounts heading into the weekend.
While it was initially reported that iTunes would live on in macOS 10.15, it now looks like the app will be retired, over 18 years after it was introduced by the late Steve Jobs at Macworld on January 9, 2001.
Apple will be replacing iTunes with standalone Music, TV, and Podcasts apps in the next major version of macOS, expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2019 next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman:
End of iTunes
iTunes has been the way Apple users listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, hear podcasts, and manage their devices for almost two decades. This year, Apple is finally ready to move into a new era. The company is launching a trio of new apps for the Mac – Music, TV, and Podcasts – to replace iTunes. That matches Apple's media app strategy on iPhones and iPads. Without iTunes, customers can manage their Apple gadgets through the Music app.
This information lines up with a recent report from 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo, who claimed that iTunes will be renamed to "Music" on the Mac. In other words, iTunes is going away and will be replaced by the new Music app, which is expected to become the new utility for syncing and managing Apple devices.
Apple has done what Apple does best — make complex applications easy, and make them even more powerful in the process. iTunes is miles ahead of every other jukebox application, and we hope its dramatically simpler user interface will bring even more people into the digital music revolution.
Here's what iTunes looked like in 2001:
iTunes has attracted its fair share of criticism over the years for being bloated software, so its split into dedicated Music, TV, and Podcasts apps will be much welcomed. Earlier this week, leaked screenshots provided us with our first glimpse at what the Music and TV apps should look like on macOS 10.15.
Apple is widely expected to announce iOS 13, macOS 10.15, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13 at its WWDC 2019 opening keynote on Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors will have live coverage of the event on our website and through MacRumorsLive on Twitter, so be sure to follow along for the latest updates.
Apple has increased the over-the-air download limit for the App Store to 200MB, up from 150MB.
The download limit is now 200MB for iPhones and iPads. The limit affects the maximum size of an app that can be downloaded over 3G or 4G networks.
The file size limit is designed to prevent iOS users from accidentally downloading a large app over cellular and using up all their data allowance or running up data charges. But as 9to5Mac notes, there's no way to opt out of the limit, which can be frustrating for users with unlimited data plans.
Apple officially increased the App Store cellular over-the-air download limit to 150 MB in September 2017.
Developers frequently work hard to keep their apps under the over-the-air download limit, as they believe going over that limit reduces the likelihood of spontaneous purchases.
Apple's Powerbeats Pro totally wireless earphones officially went on sale today in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, as predicted. However, the fitness-focused, Beats-branded earphones are only available in black, and stock appears to be limited.
As of writing, Apple's online UK store is switching between allowing customers to add the earphones to their bag, and graying out the Add to Bag button to prevent them from doing so. Delivery dates are also flipping between June 6-10 and "coming soon."
If you're having trouble ordering Powerbeats Pro via Apple's online store, try the Apple Store iOS app, as it appears to be allowing more orders to go to checkout. Customers can also try their luck ordering through the Beats website, which is quoting similar delivery dates.
Powerbeats Pro cost £219.95 in the UK and 249.95 euros in France and Germany. They're Apple's first totally wireless Beats earphones, featuring the same H1 chip as the second-generation AirPods for hands-free "Hey Siri" and faster connection speeds between the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other devices. They last up to nine hours per charge, with more battery life available on the go via an included charging case.
Powerbeats Pro are similar to traditional earbuds, with silicone tips that nestle in the ear and an earhook to hold them firmly in place. The silicone tips come in four sizes, but the earhooks, which wrap around the ear, are one size, and make sure the Powerbeats Pro stay firmly in place during physical activity.
The earphones are initially available in black only, with ivory, moss, and navy colors set to become available this summer, although Apple cautions that color availability is subject to change.
Powerbeats Pro have been on sale in Canada and the U.S. since early May. In June they will be available in Australia, Singapore, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Austria, Italy, Spain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Mexico, and Brazil.
Florida-based supermarket chain Publix, which has over 1200 stores throughout the southeastern United States, has announced (via Reddit) that it is rolling out support for Apple Pay to all of its stores "within the coming weeks."
The news comes via Publix's Twitter account yesterday, responding to a customer who asked about the lack of support for Apple's mobile payments system.
Good Morning. Our stores are currently rolling out this technology to all of our stores. If your store does not currently accept Apple Pay it should within the coming weeks. ≈ Monique
— Publix (@Publix) May 29, 2019
Not all of Publix's Twitter support agents appear to have been briefed on the news, however, as just in the past few hours other responses to customers have simply offered to "share your suggestion" with the customer service or payments team.
There have been scattered reports of Publix testing Apple Pay in a few stores for a while now, but it looks like a full rollout is finally underway.
Update 8:00 PM: In a follow-up Tweet, Publix now says its initial response was "incorrect." Publix is actually rolling out its own Publix Pay system.
Apple today released AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.9.1 for AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations with 802.11ac support.
According to a support document, the update addresses a number of security issues on the affected models.
The models covered by the update are the last generations of the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule, which were discontinued by Apple just over a year ago, although Apple continued to sell through its remaining stock for several more months.
Target this week announced a recall of "HeyDay" 3-foot Lightning to USB-A Charging Cables, which were sold between June 2018 and January 2019 at Target stores.
Target sold approximately 90,000 of the cables, which can cause electric shock or fires due to the metal around the cord.
The metal around the cord can become electrically charged if it contacts the USB wall charger plug prongs while charging, posing shock and fire hazards.
The charging cable is purple, green, and blue iridescent and is designed to charge Apple's iPhones and iPads. The word "Heyday" is printed on the cable's connector, and there's a 080 08 8261 model number on the packaging.
Target is offering customers who purchased these cables a refund and recommends anyone who purchased a cable stop using it immediately and return it to a Target store for a full refund.
Supplies of Apple's Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR are limited right now, and new orders made for a Smart Battery Case in the United States won't ship out until July.
There's no word on why the Smart Battery Cases are temporarily unavailable from Apple, but there could have been a manufacturing delay or issue that has caused available supply to dry up.
Right now, Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR all list delivery dates between July 1 and July 16, with pickup available in retail stores on July 16.
Those dates pertain to all colors, including Pink Sand, White, and Black, for all Smart Battery Cases.
The Smart Battery Case shortage also means that warranty replacements for Smart Battery Cases in need of repair are unavailable at the current time, as MacRumors reader Andy learned from a retail employee. Replacements will likely be available again in July when supplies improve.
Though in short supply from Apple, Smart Battery Cases for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max can still be purchased from Amazon.
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