AT&T is offering the 64GB iPhone 11 for 50 percent off this month. This offer is available to anyone who's interested in adding a line to a new or existing AT&T account.
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You'll need to purchase the iPhone 11 on a qualifying installment agreement, add the line, pay taxes on the full retail price of the smartphone upfront, and pay a $30 activation fee.
This deal covers nearly all of AT&T's unlimited plans, including Unlimited Starter, Unlimited Extra, Unlimited Elite, Unlimited & More, Unlimited & More Premium, Unlimited Plus, Unlimited Plus Enhanced, Unlimited Choice, Unlimited Choice Enhanced, Unlimited Choice II, and Unlimited Double Pay.
Once you qualify, you'll get $350 in bill credits applied in equal amounts over 30 monthly installments, which represents half off the 64GB iPhone 11 and about $11.67 per month. The same credits can be applied to the 128GB or 256GB iPhone 11 to get these models at a discounted price.
AT&T currently offers express shipping with an estimated arrival between August 20 and August 24. Curbside pickup is also available at select retail locations. The iPhone 11 is available in six colors, and all options are available for this deal.
If you're in the market for a new iPhone, we've begun tracking the latest carrier deals in our Best iPhone Deals guide. This includes discounts and offers from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and more.
Samsung has paired with Mastercard and fintech company "Curve" to power the new service. Curve allows users to link existing cards together and then decide which accounts should be used for different purchases. For reasons that are not entirely clear, existing Curve customers are ineligible to apply for Samsung Pay Card.
Curve offers some unique features, such as the ability to "go back in time" on purchases. For example, if you buy something on your credit card, and later decide that the purchase should have been made on a different card, you have up to 90 days to switch the purchase.
"Now, more than ever, people need a secure payment solution they can rely on. We're excited to be able to put the control back into our customers' hands, by launching Samsung Pay Card," said Conor Pierce, Corporate Vice-President of Samsung UK and Ireland. "At Samsung we believe in the power of innovation and, through our partnership with Curve, the Samsung Pay Card brings a series of pioneering features that will change the way that our customers manage their spending, with their Samsung smartphone and smartwatch at the heart of it. This is the future of banking and we look forward to continuing this journey with our customers."
Samsung Pay Card offers five percent cashback on purchases from Samsung, and one percent cashback at other retailers. It also offers instant spend notifications and currency conversion at market rates when traveling abroad, which Samsung claims will be cheaper than the currency conversion fees at many high street banks.
Payments are protected by "Samsung Knox" security, a "multi-layered defense-grade" security solution. In the event of a smartphone loss, access to Samsung Pay Card can be instantly locked using another device from the Samsung ecosystem.
Although Samsung Pay Card cashback rates are lower than that of Apple Card, it is important to understand that the UK credit market generally has much lower rates of cashback than the U.S. due to lower merchant fees. A one percent cashback rate could be considered quite competitive within the UK. For comparison, the American Express Platinum Cashback card offers only 0.5 percent; one of the highest cashback rates in the country.
Unlike Apple Card, Samsung Pay Card does not offer a physical card. It is a purely digital service available via NFC on Samsung smartphones and smartwatches. Although contactless payments in the UK are usually capped at £45, a spokesperson for Curve said that there is no spending limit on Samsung Card Pay.
Samsung Pay Card is currently only available in the UK, but a rollout elsewhere is likely at a later date. Apple Card has not yet launched outside of the U.S., meaning that Samsung has a captive market in the UK.
Apple today announced that it has renamed its Beats 1 radio station to Apple Music 1. The radio station can be accessed through the Radio tab in the Music app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices, with no Apple Music subscription required.
Launched in 2015, the newly renamed Apple Music 1 is a 24-hour live radio station broadcast by Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden, and other DJs out of studios in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and London. Apple describes the station as "the center for pop culture conversation and artist-led programming, and the global destination for artists from around the world to release new music, break news, and speak directly to their fans."
Apple also announced that it is launching two additional live radio stations. "Apple Music Hits" will play popular songs from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, while "Apple Music Country" will spotlight country music.
The battle royale continues between Epic Games and Apple.
In a statement shared with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple said that "we won't make an exception for Epic because we don't think it's right to put their business interests ahead of the guidelines that protect our customers."
The App Store is designed to be a safe and trusted place for users and a great business opportunity for all developers. Epic has been one of the most successful developers on the App Store, growing into a multibillion dollar business that reaches millions of iOS customers around the world. We very much want to keep the company as part of the Apple Developer Program and their apps on the Store. The problem Epic has created for itself is one that can easily be remedied if they submit an update of their app that reverts it to comply with the guidelines they agreed to and which apply to all developers. We won't make an exception for Epic because we don't think it's right to put their business interests ahead of the guidelines that protect our customers.
Read our Epic Games vs. Apple guide for an up-to-date timeline of the events surrounding Fortnite's removal from the App Store.
Apple worked with the U.S. government on a "secret" modified iPod, according to a new report by former Apple software engineer David Shayer published by TidBits.
Shayer explains that in 2005, he was asked by the director of iPod software to "help two engineers from the U.S. Department of Energy build a special iPod." The engineers were in fact contractors from Bechtel, a large U.S. defense contractor. Only four individuals at Apple were aware of the project at the time, none of whom still work at the company, and there was no paper trail as all communication occurred in person.
The team set about modifying an iPod to record data from added custom hardware. It still had to look and work like a normal iPod, with any additional data recorded to the iPod's hard disk needing to be undetectable. Shayer's main role in the project was to oversee any help needed by the Department of Energy from Apple. The contractors were given an office at Apple headquarters, and over several months they were taught how to navigate and change the early iPod operating system.
The specific modified device was a fifth-generation iPod, chosen for its easily-opening case and large 60 GB disk. It was also the final iPod for which Apple did not digitally sign the operating system, allowing for easier software modification.
The Department of Energy is responsible for U.S. nuclear weapons and nuclear power programs, and in 2005 its budget was $24.3 billion. $9 billion of this budget was intended to meet defense-related objectives such as nuclear deterrence.
Shayer never saw the additional hardware personally, but believes that the iPod was modified to function as a "stealth Geiger counter." He speculates that such a device would be extremely useful for the Department of Energy when conducting covert operations to gather evidence of radioactivity.
Oracle has expressed serious interest in acquiring TikTok, according to the Financial Times.
Oracle reportedly has already held preliminary talks with TikTok's China-based parent company, Bytedance, to explore the terms of an acquisition. Oracle is also believed to be working with venture capital firms including General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital to raise funds for a bid.
Serious interest from Oracle poses a potential threat to Microsoft's bid, which is currently regarded as the frontrunner. Microsoft has officially provided a formal proposal that would involve the purchase of TikTok's operations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Twitter is also understood to be exploring an acquisition of TikTok, but there are serious questions around its ability to raise the necessary capital to do so.
Oracle is a multinational technology company focused on database software and cloud systems. Last year, Oracle was the world's second-largest software company by revenue and market capitalization, and it would likely be able to fund a potential acquisition of TikTok.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Friday demanding that ByteDance sells its U.S. operations within 90 days. The Financial Times noted that Oracle's billionaire co-founder Larry Ellison has been openly supportive of President Trump, but it is unclear whether this would consolidate Oracle as the White House's preferred choice.
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.
Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite that recently entered into a major dispute with Apple over App Store policies, is aiming to organize a wider opposition to Apple, reports The Information.
Epic over the course of the last few weeks has allegedly reached out to other tech executives with the hopes of forming a coalition of companies that are critical of Apple's business practices.
While Epic had preliminary discussions with Spotify, the music streaming company had not signed on to join Epic as of last week. Spotify did, however, weigh in on the dispute, applauding Epic's decision to "take a stand against Apple."
We applaud Epic Games' decision to take a stand against Apple and shed further light on Apple's abuse of its dominant position. Apple's unfair practices have disadvantaged competitors and deprived consumers for far too long. The stakes for consumers and app developers large and small couldn't be higher and ensuring that the iOS platform operates competitively and fairly is an urgent task with far-reaching implications.
The Information suggests that Epic could find it difficult to recruit companies to join it, even those who are privately sympathetic to its goals. An executive at a prominent video game company said that he supported pressuring Apple to lower its App Store commission rates, but worried that forming a coordinated effort could violate antitrust laws. It's also not known what role a broader anti-Apple group would have.
It isn't clear exactly what role a coalition would play, if Epic succeeds in forming one. Companies with concerns about Apple are already having informal discussions about their issues with other like-minded companies behind the scenes. One of the people aware of Epic's discussions with other companies described it as an apparent effort to coordinate public messaging about Apple.
Though Epic has not yet persuaded other companies to join it and speak out against Apple, Epic has launched a major fight over App Store policies. Last week, Epic introduced a direct payment option in Fortnite, purposefully skirting Apple's rules surrounding in-app purchases.
Apple responded as expected and removed the Fortnite app from the App Store, after which Epic Games filed a pre-planned lawsuit against Apple accusing the company of being a "behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation."
Today, Apple sent Epic a letter threatening to terminate Epic Games' entire access to the App Store and Apple's development tools, which would prevent Epic from optimizing the Unreal Engine for Mac and iOS hardware, thereby impacting third-party apps that use the Unreal Engine.
Apple plans to revoke access to all of Epic's developer accounts by August 28 if Epic does not comply with Apple's App Store guidelines, but Epic has filed an emergency lawsuit to attempt to get a court to prohibit Apple from shutting down its access to App Store tools.
Filming resumed today on the second season of "For All Mankind," despite the ongoing pandemic, reports Deadline.
When filming was halted in mid-March on almost all TV shows and movies, the cast of "For All Mankind" had two episodes left to shoot from the season two order.
"For All Mankind" was one of the Apple TV+ debut shows that launched last November, and with filming underway, it could be one of the first shows to have a second season premiere. Apple has renewed all of its launch shows for a second season, including "See," "Dickinson," and "The Morning Show."
The show is being filmed on the Sony lot in Culver City, as Sony Pictures TV has been working to return scripted series to production with safety precautions in place.
Created by Ronald D. Moore, "For All Mankind" is a sci-fi series that imagines what the world might have been like if the global space race had never ended and the space program had remained a priority. The story is told through the lives of NASA astronauts and engineers, along with their families.
The show stars Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman, Wrenn Schmidt, Shantel VanSanten, Sarah Jones, and Jodi Balfour.
Apple is extending the amount of time that customers have to purchase or subscribe to its AppleCare+ after an initial device purchase, reports Bloomberg.
Right now, customers have 60 days after buying a device to sign up for AppleCare+, but that's extending to up to one year for some device purchases in the United States and Canada.
Bloomberg does not specify whether this applies to all AppleCare+ plans or just plans designed for the iPhone. Apple's own support documents on AppleCare+ have not yet been updated.
Apple shared the news about the AppleCare+ extension with retail staff and customer support employees this morning, explaining that the change gives customers "another opportunity to protect their device and have access to all the AppleCare+ benefits."
The extended AppleCare+ purchase option is available for customers who pay for AppleCare+ in full or for those who subscribe via installments on the Apple Card credit card. Those who want to upgrade to AppleCare+ after having a device for some time will need to have their devices screened by a retail employee to check for damage prior to purchase.
Bloomberg speculates that amid slowing AppleCare sales due to the pandemic, providing customers with more time to buy AppleCare+ could increase AppleCare+ sales and boost Apple's services revenue.
Apple is planning to terminate Epic Games' entire access to its App Store and app development tools, Epic Games said today. Apple told Epic that by August 28, all access will be ended.
That includes Epic's access to the development tools necessary to create software for the Unreal Engine that Epic offers to third-party developers for their games. In response, Epic has filed a court order asking a Northern California court to stop Apple from removing Epic's App Store access. [PDF] From the filing:
It told Epic that by August 28, Apple will cut off Epic's access to all development tools necessary to create software for Apple's platforms--including for the Unreal Engine Epic offers to third-party developers, which Apple has never claimed violated any Apple policy.
Cutting off Epic's access to Mac and iOS developer tools could have a significant impact on all of the apps and games that use Epic's Unreal Engine. Apple in its letter to Epic Games letting it know about the upcoming account closures says that Epic can avoid having its access revoked by following Apple's App Store guidelines. From Apple's letter to Epic:
Upon further review of the activity associated with your Apple Developer Program membership, we have identified several violations of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Therefore, your Apple Developer Program account will be terminated if the violations set forth below are not cured within 14 days. [...]
If your membership is terminated, you may no longer submit apps to the App Store, and your apps still available for distribution will be removed. You will also lose access to the following programs, technologies, and capabilities:
- All Apple software, SDKs, APIs, and developer tools - Pre-release versions of iOS, iPad OS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS - Pre-release versions of beta tools such as Reality Composer, Create ML, Apple Configurator, etc. - Notarization service for macOS apps - App Store Connect platform and support (for example, assistance with account transition, password reset, app name issues) - TestFlight - Access to provisioning portal for certificate generation, and provisioning profile generation - Ability to enable Apple services in-app (i.e. Apple Pay, CloudKit, PassKit, Music Kit, HomeKit, Push Notifications, Siri Shortcuts, Sign in with Apple, kernel extensions, FairPlay Streaming) - Access to Apple-issued keys for connecting to services such as MusicKit, DeviceCheck, APNs, CloudKit, Wallet - Access to Developer ID signing certificates and Kernel Extension signing certificates - Developer Technical Support - Participation in Universal App Quick Start Program, including the right to use the Developer Transition Kit (which must be returned to Apple) - Engineering efforts to improve hardware and software performance of Unreal Engine on Mac and iOS hardware; optimize Unreal Engine on the Mac for creative workflows, virtual sets and their CI/Build Systems; and adoption and support of ARKit features and future VR features into Unreal Engine by their XR team
We hope that you are able to cure your breaches of the Apple Program License Agreement and continue to participate in the program.
Epic is asking the court to prevent Apple from taking "any adverse action" against it, including restricting, suspending, or terminating Epic's access to the Apple Developer program. Epic also asks that the court restrain Apple from removing, de-listing, refusing to list, or otherwise making the Fortnite app unavailable, or modifying the Fortnite code.
The dispute between Apple and Epic kicked off last week when Epic made a calculated decision to defy Apple's App Store rules and introduce a direct payment option for in-game currency in Fortnite, skirting Apple's in-app purchase system.
Apple swiftly responded by removing the Fortnite app from the App Store, prompting Epic Games to file a pre-planned lawsuit against Apple accusing the Cupertino company of being a "the behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation" and imposing "anti-competitive restraints" and using "monopolistic practices in markets" against App Store developers.
Epic also released an anti-Apple video based on Apple's famous 1984 ad, which encourages people to "join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming 1984."
At this point in time, Fortnite remains unavailable from the App Store, and barring court intervention or a decision to comply with the rules, all of Epic's developer accounts will be terminated at the end of the month.
Adobe holds an annual event called Adobe MAX each year to highlight new Adobe software releases for design and advertising professionals. Adobe MAX normally takes place in person, but like many events, the 2020 conference will be held digitally from October 20 to October 22.
Adobe MAX 2020 is a free event for everyone who wants to attend, and registration is open as of today. Those interested in signing up for Adobe MAX can do so on the Adobe website.
According to Adobe, there will be 56 hours of "inspiration and learning," which will include live content demos, speakers, sneak peeks, celebrity appearances, and musical performances.
Special guests will include actor Keanu Reeves, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, photographer Annie Leibovitz, and recording artist Tyler, the Creator.
Those who register will be entered into a sweepstakes to win a free MAX t-shirt and can begin crafting a schedule for virtual events they want to attend. Registering also provides access to instructor files and presentation downloads and an opportunity to engage with Adobe product experts.
Apple is getting into music competition TV shows with "My Kind of Country," an upcoming country music competition series on Apple TV+ that will feature a "groundbreaking global search for unconventional and extraordinary country music talent."
"My Kind of Country" will be produced by Reese Witherspoon's production company, Hello Sunshine, along with Jason Owen and Izzie Pick Ibarra. Owen is the CEO of Sandbox Entertainment and manager to country music stars like Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, and Faith Hill, while Izzie Pick Ibarra is the showrunner behind popular series "The Masked Singer" and "Dancing With the Stars."
According to Apple, "My Kind of Country" will have a fresh, documentary sensibility that will also break down cultural and musical barriers in the country music space to let musicians "unleash their authentic voices and take center stage."
There's no release date for "My Kind of Country" at this time, but it will premiere on Apple TV+. It will join other shows produced by Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, including "The Morning Show" and "Truth Be Told."
Apple today updated its TestFlight app for iOS to version 2.7.0, and according to the release notes, the update adds stability improvements and bug fixes. There's one other hidden addition that went unmentioned -- a new icon.
Old icon on left, new icon on right
Apple has once again refined the TestFlight app icon to introduce a new design. The icon continues to feature a propeller, but the new look adds a 3D effect and does away with the simplicity of the prior icon.
TestFlight is Apple's app that developers are able to use to provide beta versions of apps to media, testers, and others to get their apps ready for release.
As expected, Apple today introduced a bundle deal that allows Apple TV+ subscribers to subscribe to CBS All Access and Showtime for $9.99 per month combined. The bundle can be redeemed through the Apple TV app in the United States.
CBS All Access and Showtime usually cost $20.98 per month combined, so this bundle provides an over 50 percent discount.
CBS and Showtime are available through Apple TV Channels, a feature that lets Apple device users sign up for and watch various subscription television services right within the Apple TV app. Users still need to pay for the streaming services, but without the hassle of downloading an app and signing up separately.
MacRumors and Anker have partnered up again this month to provide our readers with a new collection of discount codes on products including wireless chargers, portable chargers, wall chargers, and more. These savings represent up to 37 percent off Anker's products on Amazon, and they'll last through this Friday, August 21.
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.
Sales start with Anker's PowerWave Base Pad wireless charger for $11.79, and also include the PowerCore Essential 20,000 mAh portable charger for $32.99, the PowerPort Atom III wall charger for $27.99, and much more. Be sure to check out all the products on sale with our exclusive discounts in the list below.
Apple today announced that it has expanded its Independent Repair Provider Program to include Mac computers, as reported by Reuters. The program, launched in the U.S. last year, was previously limited to out-of-warranty iPhone repairs.
Image: iFixit
Apple's website has more details about the program, but it has yet to be updated to reflect the inclusion of Mac repairs. For the iPhone, the program provides participating repair shops with access to the same Apple genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals, and diagnostics as Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers.
For the iPhone, repair shops need to have an Apple-certified technician who can perform the repairs to qualify for the program.
Verizon today announced updated Mix & Match Unlimited wireless plans, with access to services like Apple Music and Disney+, and for the first time Hulu (with commercials) and ESPN+ are being added. Verizon calls plans with Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ "The Disney Bundle."
Plans start with the "Just Kids" option at $35 per line per month, with unlimited 4G LTE data and unlimited talk and text to 20 contacts, with parental controls and location tracking. Next up is the "Start" unlimited plan at $35 per line per month with 4G LTE data, Disney+ for six months, and Apple Music for six months.
In the middle tiers lie "Play More" and "Do More" unlimited plans, both running for $45 per line per month. They both include 5G, unlimited mobile hotspot with 15GB of 4G LTE data, and premium network access. The price per line will increase if you have more than four lines on any one unlimited plan.
The perks differ, however, with "Play More" getting Apple Music for six months, and unlimited access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. The "Do More" plan gets Disney+ for six months, Apple Music for six months, and 50 percent off unlimited connected device plans and 600GB of Verizon cloud storage.
On the high-end, there's the "Get More" unlimited plan at $55 per line per month with unlimited 5G ultra wideband, 30GB of 4G hotspot data, unlimited access to Apple Music while you're on the plan, as well as Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
In terms of changes, Verizon's made a few notable tweaks with these updates. Previously, Disney+ was free for the first year on included plans. Now, for "Start" and "Do More" it's been dropped to six months, while "Play More" and "Get More" customers will have access permanently as long as they remain on these plans.
For Apple Music, the only major change comes in the "Play More" plan. Previously on this plan customers would gain access to Apple Music for the entire time they remained on the plan. Now, access will only be given for the first six months, and afterwards they will have to pay Apple Music's $9.99/month fee if they choose to remain with the service.
These new plans will launch August 20, 2020, and customers must enroll with Verizon by February 28, 2021 to gain access to the plan perks.
Apple Card is starting to show up on Equifax credit reports, but not yet for all users, according to a Reddit discussion today.
Apple Card info is now being reported to all three major credit bureaus in the United States, with the other two being Experian and TransUnion. As with any credit card, Apple Card usage can positively or negatively one's credit score based on factors such as payment history, credit utilization, and age of the account.
To apply for an Apple Card, open the Wallet app on an iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later, tap the plus button in the top-right corner, and follow the on-screen steps. The process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, a digital Apple Card will be ready for purchases immediately. A physical, titanium Apple Card can also be requested through the Wallet app for use at retail stores that do not accept contactless payments.
Apple Card's key features include color-coded spending summaries in the Wallet app, no fees, and up to three percent cashback on purchases, paid out daily.
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