AirPlay 2 support will likely be rolled out as part of a free over-the-air software update via the Bose Music app for iPhone and iPad.
AirPlay 2 enables multi-room audio playback with other AirPlay 2 devices, such as the HomePod, Apple TV, and select speakers from Sonos, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and others. AirPlay 2 devices also appear in the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch and can be controlled with Siri voice commands.
Amazon continues to discount the new 16-inch MacBook Pro this week, providing best-ever deals on both entry-level models of the notebook. You can get the Silver 512GB model for $2,187.92, down from an original price of $2,399.00 ($211 off). This is Amazon's lowest price ever for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the lowest we've tracked among the major Apple resellers.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can also get the Space Gray 512GB model for slightly more at $2,189.50 ($209 off). Both of these models are currently in stock and if ordered soon, will arrive as soon as next week. The 512GB 16-inch MacBook Pro also features a 2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor and 16GB RAM.
If you're looking for a bigger SSD, the Space Gray 1TB model is on sale for $2,549.00, down from $2,799.00 ($250 off), but stock is lower for this model. Amazon says that it will be available to ship on January 25, but you can still place your order today to ensure your discounted price before that date.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.
August today introduced a new HomeKit-enabled Wi-Fi Smart Lock. As the product name implies, the lock features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, eliminating the need to use a bridge that was previously required.
August says the Wi-Fi Smart Lock is 45 percent smaller and 20 percent slimmer than its Smart Lock Pro. Available in matte black and silver, the lock also sports a sleeker design with more rounded edges.
As with other smart locks, the Wi-Fi Smart Lock allows you to lock or unlock a door remotely and grant access to family members, friends, and trusted visitors. And with the Activity Feed, you can know who is coming and going at any time, complete with push notifications. There are also auto-lock and auto-unlock features.
HomeKit support allows the lock to be controlled through the Home app on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, or with Siri voice commands. For example, on an iPhone or HomePod, you could say "Hey Siri, lock my front door." The lock also supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and a few other platforms.
Installing the Wi-Fi Smart Lock takes less than 10 minutes, according to August. The lock can be installed on the inside of your door over your existing deadbolt, without touching the outside lock, allowing you to keep your existing deadbolt and keys. August door locks are compatible with most single cylinder deadbolts.
August says the Wi-Fi Smart Lock will soon be available to purchase on its website, but it has yet to reveal an exact release date or pricing. Interested customers can sign up to be notified when it is available.
Two sales have hit Apple's 2019 MacBook Air and iPad mini 5, allowing shoppers the chance to save up to $99 on the MacBook Air and up to $40 on the iPad mini 5. For the latter product, we're seeing lowest-ever prices for both Wi-Fi and cellular options.
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.
Although discounts don't extend past $40, we haven't seen particularly steep sales yet on the new iPad mini, so these are still the best prices currently available. All prices listed below are found on Amazon, with some being matched at B&H Photo.
In regards to the MacBook Air sales, these are not the lowest prices that we've ever seen for each model, but they are currently the best prices among the major Apple resellers online. Still, if you qualify for education pricing on Apple.com, you'll do better to shop directly from the company, but otherwise Amazon's sales offer most customers the best straight cash discounts.
2019 MacBook Air Sale
128GB Gold - $1,038.41, down from $1,099.00 ($60 off)
128GB Silver - $1,037.00, down from $1,099.00 ($62 off)
Samsung today announced the launch of its new Portable SSD T7 Touch, an SSD with 500GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage space.
According to Samsung, the SSD T7 Touch combines a sleek and compact design with the fastest transfer speeds that are offered by the USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard.
Users can expect to see read speeds up to 1,050MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000MB/s, with the SSD T7 Touch coming in at twice as fast as the T5 and 9.5 times faster than external hard drives. It is able to reach its maximum speed when used with the NVMe interface.
Though it's faster, the SSD continues to weigh in at 58 grams, and it measures in at 3.3 by 3.3 by 0.3 inches, so it's pocketable.
The T7 Touch earns its "touch" name with the inclusion of a built-in fingerprint sensor along with password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption. The fingerprint sensor is able to recognize up to four fingerprints, which means it can be used collaboratively while still keeping files secure. Accessing data can be done by holding a fingerprint over the drive's casing to unlock it. There's also a built-in Motion LED that lets the user see the status of the device with a glance.
Samsung is offering the T7 Touch in silver or black and it comes in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities for $130, $230, and $400, respectively. It ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable, and is compatible with Windows and Mac.
Samsung plans to begin offering the Portable SSD T7 Touch later this month. Samsung will also launch an SSD T7 in the second quarter of 2020.
Apple is kicking off 2020 with an all-new Night Mode photo challenge, inviting users around the world to share their best Night Mode photos captured with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max.
iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models turn on Night Mode automatically when the camera detects low-light situations. A crescent moon icon at the top of the display turns yellow when the feature is active.
Shot on iPhone 11 Pro in Night mode by Austin Mann
Apple will accept submissions from today through January 29. A panel of 10 judges will evaluate submissions and reveal five winning photos on March 4. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate, and Apple employees are not eligible. Apple has shared a PDF with full rules and eligibility details.
Apple says photos are allowed to be edited with Apple's Photos app or third-party apps and software. If edited, you must state what apps or filters you used in the image caption or comment. Any photo shot with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max in Night Mode since September 20 qualifies.
The winning photos will be shared on Apple's website and on its Instagram, Twitter, WeChat, and Weibo pages. They may also appear in ads and on billboards, at Apple Stores, or in a third-party photo exhibition. Apple says it will pay a licensing fee to the winning photographers for use of such photos in its marketing.
To participate in the challenge, share your Night Mode photos on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and #NightmodeChallenge. Weibo users can participate using #ShotoniPhone# and #NightmodeChallenge#. Apple says to note which iPhone model you used to capture your image in the caption.
High-resolution photos can also be emailed to shotoniphone@apple.com, using the file format "firstname_lastname_nightmode_iPhonemodel."
When available, the Apple TV app will allow owners of newer LG, Sony, and Vizio smart TVs to stream Apple TV+ shows and movies, use the à-la-carte Apple TV Channels feature, access their iTunes libraries of movies and TV shows, and buy or rent more than 100,000 shows and movies from the iTunes Store.
The Apple TV app is already available on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, Apple TV, select Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, and select Samsung smart TVs.
"2019 was the biggest year for Services in Apple's history. We introduced several exciting new experiences for our customers, all while setting the standard for user privacy and security," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "We begin the new decade with incredible momentum and gratitude to our customers who have shown such enthusiasm for all of our Services, and we continue to celebrate the work of the world's best creators, storytellers, journalists and developers."
Here are some key takeaways from Apple's services highlights of 2019, including some things that the company says customers can look forward to in 2020:
App Store customers spent a record $1.42 billion between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, a 16 percent increase over last year, and $386 million on New Year's Day 2020 alone, a 20 percent increase over last year and a new single-day record.
Over 50 percent of Apple Music listeners have used the new time-synced lyrics feature that was introduced in 2019 with iOS 13.
Apple TV+ "made history" as the first streaming platform to receive multiple Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations in its launch year, and is the first and only streaming service to debut instantly in over 100 countries and regions.
Apple News draws over 100 million monthly active users in the US, UK, Australia and Canada.
In 2020, Apple News will provide live coverage of key moments in the US presidential election in partnership with ABC News.
Apple Podcasts now delivers listeners over 800,000 shows in 155 countries.
In 2019, entry to more than 150 stadiums, ballparks, arenas and entertainment venues around the world was available with contactless tickets on iPhone and Apple Watch.
In 2020, customers will be able to tap their iPhone and Apple Watch to ride trains and buses in Washington, D.C., Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Foshan, Guangdong, and will be able to access dorms and services at additional universities across the US.
Over 75 percent of iCloud users are protected with two-factor authentication, an extra layer of security designed to ensure that no one else can access their account or data.
During its last earnings call of 2019, Apple revealed that in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2019 its services segment brought in $12.5 billion, up from $10.6 billion in the year-ago quarter and $11.46 billion in the third quarter of 2019. Services grew 18 percent year-over-year, and Apple said that it saw growth in all regions around the world.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that almost every one of Apple's services had set new all-time revenue records, including its search ad business, Apple Music, Apple Care, cloud services, and the App Store. Apple's services category is now the size of a Fortune 70 company by revenue.
Apple's chief privacy officer attended a discussion panel at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday to debate the state of consumer privacy, marking the first time in 28 years that Apple has been at CES in an official capacity.
Jane Horvath, Apple's senior director for global privacy, joined an all-female panel consisting of representatives from Facebook, Procter & Gamble and the Federal Trade Commission. During the discussion, Horvath defended Apple's use of encryption to protect customer data on mobile devices.
"Our phones are relatively small and they get lost and stolen," Horvath said. "If we're going to be able to rely on our health data and finance data on our devices, we need to make sure that if you misplace that device, you're not losing your sensitive data."
Apple has held a consistent position regarding its use of encryption, even if that means it has limited ability to help law enforcement access data on devices involved in criminal investigations.
Just this week, the FBI asked Apple to help unlock two iPhones that investigators believe were owned by Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, who carried out a mass shooting at a Naval Air Station in Florida last month. Apple said that it had already given the FBI all of the data in its possession.
Apple's response suggests it will maintain the same stance it took in 2016, when the FBI demanded that Apple provide a so-called "backdoor" into iPhones, following the December 2015 shooter incidents in San Bernardino. Apple refused, and the FBI eventually backed down after it found an alternate way to access the data on the iPhone.
Horvath took the same tack by saying that Apple has a team working around the clock to respond to requests from law enforcement, but that building backdoors into software to give law enforcement access to private data is something she doesn't support.
"Building backdoors into encryption is not the way we are going to solve those issues," Horvath said.
Horvath went on to talk up Apple's "privacy by design" technologies like differential privacy, user randomization in native apps and services, the on-device facial recognition in the Photos app, and minimal data retrieval for Siri. Horvath also confirmed that Apple scans for child sexual abuse content uploaded to iCloud. "We are utilizing some technologies to help screen for child sexual abuse material," she said.
Horvath became Apple's chief privacy officer in September 2011. Prior to her work at Apple, Horvath was global privacy counsel at Google and chief privacy counsel at the Department of Justice.
Note: Due to the political 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.
Global home appliance company Bosch has announced that its smart home products are about to gain broad support for Apple's HomeKit platform.
In a press release titled "New Year, New Perspectives," the German company said that in combination with iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod, its Bosch Smart Home System would soon offer numerous operating options, including interaction with other HomeKit-compatible devices.
The Apple Home App will soon be able to control the Bosch Smart Home System... After the voice services from Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant have been integrated during the course of 2020, the Bosch Smart Home System will also be conveniently controllable via Siri, Apple's voice assistant.
The announcement was short on specifics, but it's worth mentioning that the Bosch Smart Home system is a platform for shutters, light fittings, thermostats, intelligent alarms and other accessories, so there are plenty of reasons to throw HomeKit support into the mix. Whether that support will extend to home appliances like fridge-freezers and ovens remains to be seen.
Also this year, Bosch said it would offer an open interface for selected third-parties that would enable them to integrate Bosch Smart Home devices into their own solutions via a cloud API.
Bosch said the integration would mean partner apps would be able to control the devices and services, which would ultimately allow for "a safer life and an optimized living environment." The first partner apps are expected in the spring and will be able to control Bosch Smart Home cameras, the company said.
Mophie parent company Zagg at CES told Bloomberg that it is developing a wireless charging mat that has capabilities that Apple attempted to implement in the now-canceled AirPower, but was unable to make work.
The charging accessory will charge iPhones and other mobile devices regardless of where they are placed on the charging mat, a feature that the AirPower was supposed to have.
Apple's canceled AirPower
It's not clear if the charging mat that Zagg is developing will be able to charge the Apple Watch or if it will be limited to Qi-based wireless charging. Apple wanted the AirPower to be able to charge the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods, but had trouble implementing the overlapping charging coils that were necessary.
There are multi-device chargers on the market able to charge the iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch at once, but each device must be placed in a specific spot on the charger. Zagg's solution would apparently work anywhere, and will be marketed under the Mophie brand.
Some current charging mats from Mophie
Unless the wireless charger Zagg is working on works with the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, it won't quite match what the AirPower was supposed to do, but multi-device charging regardless of position is still a challenge even when limited to Qi-based wireless charging devices.
Zagg marketing executive Brad Bell told Bloomberg that the company is pitching the charging device to retailers and gathering feedback, so it's not clear when this charging device might see a debut. There's also no word on what it might look like, though it could be a flat charging mat similar to the AirPower.
Zagg is also working on long distance charging that would charge devices from several feet away, but that charging technology is still "many years away."
LIFX, known for its line of HomeKit-connected lights and accessories, is debuting several new products at CES, ranging from bulbs to light strips, with highlights below.
LIFX Filament
LIFX's new filament bulbs are an answer to the Hue filament bulbs that came out in late 2019. The ST64 Teardrop debuted at CES, but LIFX also plans to make a G95 Globe bulb. The bulbs are HomeKit-enabled and are available in a single warm white color. LIFX plans to debut the filament bulbs in the spring of 2020 and they're expected to be priced at $30.
LIFX Switch
The LIFX Switch is a small wall accessory equipped with four switches to control both dumb and smart LIFX bulbs. It's designed to replace a four-gang bank of light switches with one installation, and it wires into an existing light switch setup. The LIFX Switch is priced at $120 (though there will be a $20 launch discount) and is set to debut in the spring of 2020.
LIFX Z 360 Kit
The LIFX 360 Kit is a 360 degree Light Strip setup that's meant to make it easy to run a light strip along the back of a TV. It features corner connectors and LED strip pieces optimized for TVs. There's also a separate LIFX Z Gamer Kit for gaming monitors. The LIFX Z 360 Kit is priced at $100, while the gamer kit is priced at $70. These kits will be available in stores in the spring of 2020.
Candle White to Warm
The LIFX Candle White to Warm joins the previously announced LIFX Candle Color, offering tunable white light in a candelabra bulb. It can connect to HomeKit and can be adjusted with the LIFX app. The Candle White to Warm will cost $30 and it's expected to launch in the spring of 2020.
Along with these products, LIFX is also planning to debut a new app experience in mid-January 2020 offering a more friendly design, better scheduling options, grouping of lights in the dashboard, and a Scenes and Effects section that saves user favorites.
The M5 mobile router is equipped with Qualcomm's X55 modem and it will work with mobile networks that support 5G, offering speeds up to 4Gb/s. Ahead of the widespread rollout of 5G, it also works with 4G.
According to Netgear, the M5 is designed to provide fast internet speeds with low latency regardless of location, offering up 5G connection while on the go or a backup option for home internet when at home through the included gigabit Ethernet port.
When at home, the Ethernet port can be used to connect the M5 to an existing router, bringing 5G speeds to the home network. Netgear plans to release the Nighthawk M5 mobile hot spot in the second half of 2020, with pricing to be announced at a later date.
Along with the Nighthawk M5 5G WiFi 6 Mobile Router, Netgear also debuted the 4G LTE Orbi Tri-Band Mesh WiFi Router, designed for people who have limited or no access to traditional broadband.
The Orbi 4G LTE can work alone or it can be combined with an existing wired service to serve as a backup in case the traditional WiFi service is interrupted. The Orbi 4G Router promises speeds of up to 1.2Gb/s over 4G LTE and is combined with high-performance tri-band AC2200 WiFi.
The router is designed to work with SIM cards from major LTE providers, and its internal antennas can reach up to 2,000 square feet of WiFi coverage that can be extended with Orbi WiFi 5 satellites for a mesh WiFi system.
"Up to 22% of American homes and an even higher percentage around the world don't have a good option for high speed internet. It's either too slow, too expensive, or non-existent. We are solving this problem for customers by delivering fast broadband for the home, wherever there is mobile coverage," said David Henry, senior vice president of Connected Home Products for NETGEAR. "Additionally, because this is part of Orbi Mesh WiFi systems family of products, the customer will also get the best in class WiFi speed and coverage as well as the safety and security of NETGEAR Armor Cybersecurity and Circle Parental Controls."
The 4G LTE Orbi Tri-Band Mesh WiFi Router will be available in April 2020 and it will cost $400.
Netgear also introduced the new Netgear Nighthawk Mesh Wifi 6 System, a two-pice dual-band router that's similar to the Netgear WiFi 6 Orbi Mesh System.
Priced affordably at $230, the Nighthawk WiFi 6 Mesh System, which supports 2x2 MU-MIMO, offers speeds of 600Mb/s on the 2.4GHz band and 1,200Mb/s on the 5GHz band. At those speeds, the router isn't taking full advantage of WiFi 6's capabilities, but it is more affordable than other current WiFi 6 mesh systems.
Netgear's Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 System is set to launch in January.
Today is the first official day of CES, and thousands of companies are in Las Vegas demonstrating their newest tech-related products.
At CES, there are several major media events where companies can set up a booth to show off their products, and last night, one such event, Pepcom, took place. MacRumors attended Pepcom, and in our latest YouTube video, we rounded up some of the most interesting devices that we saw.
There were a ton of iPhone accessories on hand at Pepcom, with major manufacturers like Otterbox and Incipio showing off new products. Otterbox demoed its iPhone cases with built-in pop sockets, a set of new Apple Watch bumper cases, and the OtterSpot Wireless Chargers that combine wireless chargers with power banks.
Incipio was showing off its new Organicore cases, which are made from compostable plant-based materials that are designed to break down within six months at an industrial composting site, making them some of the most environmentally friendly cases on the market.
Griffin, Incipio's parent company, highlighted its new super small GaN USB-C power adapters, available in 30W, 45W, and 96W varieties. GaN power adapters are known for being much smaller than traditional power adapters and they're great for saving space.
Case maker Catalyst was on hand to show off its case options for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, including the newest Catalyst case for the AirPods Pro. Catalyst makes multiple cases for the AirPods Pro, ranging from cases offering full protection to a minimal single band model.
Unsurprisingly, there were multiple headphone manufacturers at the show highlighting new wire-free headphone options. Jabra, for example, was showing off its new Elite 75T Active earbuds featuring a more durable coating for better water and sweat resistance.
Lenovo had one of the more interesting booths focusing on its Thinkpad X1 Fold, a PC with a 13.3-inch foldable OLED display. The Thinkpad X1 Fold combines the functionality of a smartphone, tablet, and PC into one, and it can be used in multiple different ways depending on how it's folded.
Beyond Apple related accessories, there were plenty of zany tech products that fit into the "does anyone really need this?" category. The Juno, a prototype beverage machine, can cool or heat a drink super quickly. Put in a soda or a bottle of wine, and it chills it in just two minutes using a spinning mechanism. Watching the demo was neat, but Juno is an Indiegogo project that's not a reality at this time.
For parents, 4moms was showing off the mamaRoo, a smart bassinet that can be controlled with an iPhone, allowing you to rock and soothe a baby from afar.
The Townew trash can is designed to make it easier to take out the trash by sealing up a bag once it's full. Just pop in a bag, fill it up with trash, tap the button, seal it up, and dispose. It's a good idea for those who hate dealing with trash.
Moen demonstrated a smart faucet that's able to dispense a specific amount of water at an exact temperature using a voice command, which was neat. The water runs until it reaches the desired temperature, and then when done, you can wave a hand over the faucet to automatically fill your cup. This faucet works with Alexa and Google Assistant rather than HomeKit, but we'll be showing off some HomeKit-enabled Moen accessories later this week.
Stay tuned to MacRumors because we're going to be doing daily videos featuring everything notable that we come across at CES. The last two videos have focused on events, but for the next few days, we'll be featuring content from the show floor, which opened up today.
Zagg at CES is showing off a trio of new keyboard cases that are designed for Apple's low-cost 10.2-inch iPad, including the Slim Book Go, the Rugged Messenger, and the Messenger Folio.
Priced at $99, the Zagg Slim Book Go for the 10.2-inch iPad offers up an ultra slim keyboard design along with a detachable case, and it is designed to be Zagg's most portable keyboard for the device.
It offers protection for the iPad without adding too much bulk, and because the keyboard and the case are detachable, it can be used in multiple modes for typing, travel, video watching, and more.
The keyboard can connect to two devices simultaneously, and there's a kickstand with a 100 degree radius. An Apple Pencil holder keeps the Apple Pencil safe when not in use, and the keys are backlit and can be changed to seven colors.
Zagg's Rugged Messenger for the 10.2-inch iPad is more protective, offering a keyboard and a case with better impact protection than the Slim Book Go. Also priced at $99, the case can withstand drops from up to two meters.
A built-in stand allows the iPad to be used in multiple viewing angles, and the battery lasts for up to two years between charges.
Zagg's Messenger Folio for the 10.2-inch iPad is its most affordable at $60, and it offers up a simple, lightweight keyboard paired with a case. There's a built-in holder for the Apple Pencil, along with a rechargeable battery that lasts for up to three months.
The new keyboard options will be available on the Zagg website later in the first quarter of 2020.
In what has become an annual tradition, car audio brands like Alpine, Pioneer, Jensen, and JVC/Kenwood are showcasing new aftermarket CarPlay and Android Auto receivers at CES in Las Vegas this week.
Alpine is debuting a new CarPlay and Android Auto receiver with an 11-inch capacitive touchscreen, which it claims is the largest on the market, offering 49 percent more surface area than its 9-inch receivers. The display hovers over the dashboard, allowing it to be placed in most vehicles without the need for custom installation.
The display is attached to an adjustable mount that is connected to a traditional single-DIN chassis. It can be tilted at four pre-set angle points to better match the tilt and height of the dashboard.
Other features of the iLX-F411 include a mech-less design with no CD/DVD slot, Bluetooth music playback, SiriusXM readiness, a USB-A port, an AUX input, one HDMI input and one HDMI output, and one rear-view camera input. When not in CarPlay mode, the receiver has a customizable user interface with 22 available widgets.
Alpine says the iLX-F411 will be available in June 2020 for a suggested price of $1,200 in the United States. Alpine also has two new 9-inch receivers — model numbers iLX-F309 and iLX-F259 — available now for $800 to $1,200.
Pioneer is showing off five new CarPlay and Android Auto receivers at CES, including the DMH-WT8600NEX, a 10.1-inch model with a 720p capacitive touchscreen. Like the Alpine receiver above, the display hovers over the dashboard, allowing for it to have a traditional single-DIN chassis with no custom installation needed.
The DMH-WT8600NEX supports both wired and wireless CarPlay, according to Pioneer. This means an iPhone can be connected to the receiver with a Lightning to USB cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Pioneer says the DMH-WT8600NEX will have a suggested price of $1,200 in the United States, but it is unclear when it will be available. Pioneer is also releasing two 6.8-inch and two 9-inch receivers as part of its 2020 lineup.
Jensen and JVC/Kenwood are also launching new CarPlay receivers at CES this week.
Apple today shared the first official trailer for upcoming Apple TV+ series "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet," which is set to debut on Friday, February 7.
"Mythic Quest," a comedy, follows a team of video game developers as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game.
The series was created by Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day, known for their work on long running TV show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." McElhenney will star in the show as the company's creative director, but Day will not have a role.
"Mythic Quest" also stars F. Murray Abraham, Danny Pudi, Imani Hakim, Charlotte Nicdao, David Hornsby, Ashly Burch, and Jessie Ennis.
Apple has ordered nine half-hour episodes, and when "Mythic Quest" debuts, it will be one of the first comedy shows on the Apple TV+ service, joining existing shows that include "Dickinson," "For All Mankind," "See," "Servant," and "The Morning Show."
There's a new wall-mounted Appear fixture, priced at $140, which is designed to create a directed triangle of light that reaches both up and down, with the aim of elevating the home's curb appeal.
The new low-voltage Lily XL Spotlight, priced at $140, is similar to the existing Lily spotlight but it's larger and provides more light output.
The Philips Hue Econic family is gaining a new low-voltage pedestal light, priced at $130, which is ideal for path lighting, plus there's a new 100W outdoor power supply unit and a 2.5-meter extension cable with T-part for more flexibility arranging outdoor lighting options.
All of the lights in the outdoor collection can be customized with 16 million colors and 50,000 shades of warm-to-cool white light, and all of the lights also integrate with existing HomeKit-enabled Hue setups.
Along with outdoor lighting, Signify today announced improvements coming to the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, which allows Hue lights to be synced with televisions, gaming consoles, and more.
The Sync Box is getting HomeKit integration, which means the it will be able to respond to Siri commands. Siri will be able to turn the sync box on or off, change the light settings, and switch between HDMI devices, which will make it much easier to control the Sync Box without the need to open up the app.
Siri integration will be available in the spring of 2020 through an update that will be installed on the Sync Box through the Hue Sync mobile app.
The Hue Play HDMI Sync Box can also now be controlled using infrared TV remote controls, which can turn it off or switch between HDMI inputs.
As of today, there's a new update for the Hue app, which updates the Zones feature. There's a permanent Zones addition that allows accessories like the Philips Hue wireless dimmer switch or the Philips Hue Smart button to control a Zone in the home rather than a room.
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.
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.
