The calendar has flipped over to November, which means Black Friday sales are looming and the Apple news pipeline is starting to slow down a bit, although we're still awaiting the launch of the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR before the end of the year.
This week's biggest stories included a fix for multitasking issues on iOS, new high-profile app introductions from Microsoft and Adobe, and some more rumors about the so-called "iPhone SE 2" expected early next year.
Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 13.2.2 With Fix for Background Refresh Bug
Last week, we highlighted growing complaints from iOS users about multitasking problems, where it appeared poor RAM management was causing apps in the background to be closed out prematurely. While there had been some sporadic reports of the issue under previous versions of iOS 13, they seemed particularly bad under the recently released iOS 13.2.
That iOS 13.3 beta released this week includes a few other changes, including new Communication Limits for Screen Time that let you specify who your children can talk to and when with Phone, FaceTime, and Messages.
Microsoft Introduces Unified Office App for iOS and Android
Microsoft this week launched a beta of a new Office Mobile app for iOS and Android that brings together Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in a single app. The app adds some new features and makes it easier to work with different document types.
Outlook users also received some news this week, with a new "Play My Emails" feature for the iOS version of Outlook that uses AI to intelligently summarize and read out your incoming emails while analyzing any impacts on your daily schedule, while an upcoming revamp of Outlook for Mac will bring several design changes and feature improvements.
Adobe Launches Photoshop for iPad
Adobe has launched Photoshop for iPad, just over a year after the company announced it was bringing its flagship graphics editor to Apple's tablet platform. Photoshop for iPad is optimized for touch and mobile, but it will be immediately familiar to users of the desktop version.
Kuo: Apple Expected to Sell at Least 20 Million 'iPhone SE 2' Models in 2020
Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a new report this week outlining his expectations for the "iPhone SE 2," which is expected to launch early next year as an enhanced version of the iPhone 8 with Apple's latest A13 chip and more.
Kuo believes Apple will sell at least 20 million "iPhone SE 2" units in 2020, with a chance of hitting 30 million units. Previous rumors have suggested the device could sell for $399, offering a great upgrade path for budget-minded consumers and those in developing markets where Apple's latest flagships are out of reach.
When Might Apple Release an Arm-Based Mac?
We've been hearing for years that Apple may be planning to move away from Intel chips in its Macs and instead use Arm-based chips similar to those found in its iOS devices.
The shift to Arm-based chips would bring Apple's Mac processor design in-house and likely result in more efficient chips as Arm designs have significantly closed the performance gap on x86 chips like those made by Intel, all while maintaining efficient power usage.
We've put together a guide explaining the differences between Arm and Intel x86 chips, why Apple might be looking to make the shift, and when we might see that happen.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
ColorWare is offering the AirPods Pro in dozens of custom colors, ranging from solids to metallics in all colors of the rainbow. Jet black gloss, deep purple, yellow, orange, red, gold, silver, and more are options.
Each AirPod Pro earbud can be painted in a different shade, and the Wireless Charging Case can also be painted in a unique color. Users can choose between a matte or gloss finish.
A custom version of the AirPods Pro will cost $389, which is a $139 premium over the base $250 price tag. Customizing the AirPods Pro case as well costs an additional $50, for a total of $439.
ColorWare is using Apple's base AirPods Pro for the customization, so these have all of the standard features of the AirPods Pro such as Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive EQ, and more, with no change in functionality due to the painting.
To create AirPods Pro in custom colors, ColorWare disassembles them and then carefully custom paints each individual component. There is, unfortunately, no option for sending in existing AirPods.
All ColorWare work is guaranteed for 12 months, and 24 months with the purchase of an additional warranty. Returns are available for the first 30 days but are subject to a 25 percent restocking fee.
Apple in October 2019 debuted the AirPods Pro, a new higher-end version of its existing AirPods with an updated design, noise cancellation technology, a customizable fit with silicone ear tips, and a more expensive $249 price tag.
We've collected 14 of our favorite AirPods Pro tips to help you get the most out of Apple's latest and greatest wireless earbuds. Check out our video, keep reading, and you might discover a new trick or two.
1. Take Out Your AirPods Pro the Right Way
Have you found yourself getting frustrated trying to wrestle each AirPod Pro out of the case? Well, we're here to tell you "you're holding it wrong."
Apple has designed them in such a way that you simply have to push on the back of each earbud and it will swivel right out between your thumb and forefinger.
2. Enable Noise Cancellation for Better Audio
AirPods Pro are Apple's first in-ear headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which adapts to the shape of your ear and blocks out the outside world so you can focus on what you're listening to.
ANC relies on a feature called Ambient EQ, which Apple says adjusts the sound signal 200 times a second to optimize audio for your specific ear shape through the use of an internal-facing microphone.
When you turn off noise cancellation, Ambient EQ is also disabled, meaning sound quality is slightly degraded. So for the best Airpods Pro audio experience, it's better to keep noise cancellation on. By default, pressing and holding either AirPod Pro stem will cycle between Noise Cancellation and Transparency, or you can control the noise functions on your iPhone or iPad.
Open Control Center on your iOS device.
Press and hold the Control Center volume bar (a pair of earbuds will be visible inside of it to indicate the AirPods Pro are connected.)
Tap Noise Cancellation in the strip at the bottom of the screen.
You can also control Noise Control functions by going to Settings -> Bluetooth and tapping the information icon (the circled "i") next to your AirPods Pro. And if you've got your AirPods connected to a Mac running macOS Catalina, you can control it from the volume icon in the menu bar.
3. Tap to Check Wireless Charge Status
AirPods Pro come with a wireless charging case, and you can charge it on most Qi-compatible third-party charging mats. The case also includes a neat new function for checking its charging status at any time.
Place the charging case face up on a charging mat – the light will turn on for a few seconds, then turn off as it starts to charge.
To check the charging status at any time, tap the case with your finger to make the light come on.
Take notice of the light's color: An amber light means it's still charging, and green means it's fully charged.
4. Activate Noise Cancellation on One AirPod
You can use noise cancellation when using only one AirPod Pro, which is useful if you like to take calls using just the one earbud.
Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap Accessibility -> AirPods.
Tap the toggle next to Noise Cancellation on One AirPod.
5. Access Noise Controls via Apple Watch
Most Airpods Pro users will know they can flip between the noise control features or turn them off entirely from iPhone's Control Center. It's less well-known that you can access the same functions on Apple Watch, too.
Make sure your Airpods Pro are connected to your iPhone and audio is playing.
Raise your wrist to wake your Apple Watch.
On the Now Playing screen, tap the icon with the triangle and three circles in the lower left corner.
Tap your AirPods Pro in the list.
6. Use AirPods Pro as a Remote Mic
AirPods Pro support Apple's Live Listen feature, which uses your iPhone as a microphone and relays what the iPhone picks up to the earbuds, even if the AirPods are in another room.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Select Control Center -> Customize Controls.
Tap the "+" button next to Hearing.
Launch Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen (on iPhone 8 or earlier, swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
Tap the Hearing icon.
Tap Live Listen.
Place your iPhone close to the person(s) you want to hear...
7. Share Audio Between Two Pairs of AirPods
If you're running iOS 13.1 or later, Apple's Audio Sharing feature lets you share your device's Bluetooth audio with a second pair of AirPods, so two of you can listen to music together while running, or enjoy a movie on a plane without disturbing those around you.
With your AirPods on, start playing audio on your iPhone or iPad.
Launch Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen or up from the Home button on devices with a Home button.
In Control Center's audio playback controls, tap the icon with the triangle and three circles.
Bring your friend's AirPods inside their case close to your device and flip the lid open.
You should see a prompt on your device's screen offering to Share Audio with the second pair of AirPods.
8. Use One AirPod to Extend Listening Time
AirPods Pro offer excellent stereo audio output, but Apple has designed the wireless Bluetooth earphones so that you can also use them one at a time.
Insert one AirPod in your preferred ear and leave the other AirPod in the charging case – the H1 chip will automatically detect which one is in use.
When you hear the low battery tone from the AirPod you're wearing, swap it out with the fully charged one in your Charging Case.
Keep switching between them like this to continue listening for as long as your Charging Case has juice.
Note that when you use just a single left or single right AirPod, stereo signals are automatically converted to mono output, so you won't miss a thing.
9. Adjust Force Sensor Duration
If you're having difficulty engaging the AirPods' Force sensor by squeezing it between your fingers, try adjusting the duration to see if it makes it any easier.
Launch the Settings app on your connected device.
Select Accessibility -> AirPods.
Under "Press and Hold Duration," select Default, Short or Shorter.
10. Change AirPods Press Speed
The controls on AirPods Pro allow you to press once to play, pause or answer a phone call, press twice to skip forwards, and press three times to skip backwards. Like the press-and-hold gesture, if you're having trouble engaging these functions then you can adjust the press speed to make it slower.
Launch the Settings app on your connected device.
Select Accessibility -> AirPods.
Under "Press Speed," select Default, Slow, or Slowest.
11. Find Your Misplaced or Lost AirPods Pro
If you lose or misplace your AirPods Pro, you can find their last known location in the Find My app.
Open Find My app on your iOS device (or access it in any browser via iCloud.com).
Tap the Devices tab at the bottom of the screen.
Tap your Airpods Pro in the list.
Tap Play Sound if you're fairly sure your AirPod(s) are somewhere within earshot. If you don't know where you lost your AirPod(s), the last place they were connected will be shown on the map – tap Directions to get directions to the last known location.
12. Have AirPods Pro Announce Your Calls
If you receive a call on your iPhone (or an Apple Watch with cellular) when your Airpods Pro are connected, the ringing tone will interrupt whatever it is you're listening to.
To find out who's calling, normally you'd have to take out your iPhone or look at your Apple Watch, but you can have Siri announce who it is over your AirPods, saving you the trouble.
On your iPhone, launch the Settings app.
Tap Phone in the list.
Tap Announce Calls under the Calls heading.
Tap Headphones Only so that a tick appears alongside the option.
13. Check AirPods Battery Life
You can check the charge status of your AirPods using the Batteries widget in your iPhone's Today View, but when you're wearing your AirPods, just ask Siri "How is my AirPods' battery?" and you'll get an individual percentage level for each earbud. If you just opened your charging case, you'll get a percentage for that too.
You can also check the battery level of your AirPods from Apple Watch, whether they're paired with your iPhone or directly with your watch. To do so, swipe up on a watch face or when in an app to bring up Control Center, then tap the Apple Watch battery icon, indicated by a percentage.
Your AirPods' battery level will be displayed as a ring below the Apple Watch battery percentage, and if you place an AirPod in its charging case, you'll see individual percentage charges for the lot.
14. Reset Your AirPods Pro
If your AirPods aren't working as they should be – if you can't connect to them or if they won't charge, for example – you can reset them by following these steps.
Put your AirPods in their case and close the lid.
Wait 30 seconds, then open the lid.
On your iOS device, go to Settings -> Bluetooth and tap the circled "i" icon next to your AirPods.
Tap Forget This Device, and tap again to confirm.
With the AirPods case lid open, press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds until you see the status light flashing amber.
With the case lid open, place your AirPods close to your device and follow the steps on your device's screen to reconnect your AirPods.
Got any more AirPods tips or tricks we've not covered here? Let us know in the comments below.
In an ongoing effort to keep track of upcoming (and current) Black Friday sales, we've begun highlighting the biggest and best discounts offered by major retailers. Yesterday we started with Best Buy, and today we're moving on to Target.
Target's Black Friday sale is set to be massive and will extend across home furniture, clothing, video games, and of course electronics. Target will open its doors at 5 p.m. local time on Thanksgiving evening, close them at 1 a.m. Friday morning, and then re-open at 7 a.m. Friday morning.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Target. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Like most other stores, Target has also put some deals online ahead of time in what it's calling the "Black Friday Preview Sale," which lasts today and ends tomorrow night. Preview Sale items include everything from iPhone 11 models to weighted blankets, so be sure to head to Target for the full list. In this article, everything is considered an upcoming sale that isn't yet live unless otherwise noted to be part of the available Preview Sale.
It should also be noted that Target RedCard holders and members of its Circle loyalty program will gain early access to Black Friday deals beginning the day before Thanksgiving, November 27.
You'll also be able to get the new 32GB 10.2-inch iPad for $249.99, down from $329.99, representing the lowest-ever price on this model.
Next up, the retailer will offer the Apple Watch Series 3 starting at $169.99 and totaling $30 savings across multiple styles. The newest Apple Watch, Series 5, will remain priced at its regular point starting at $399.99 for GPS and $499.99 for cellular.
There will be a chance for some App Store and iTunes gift card savings. Target plans to offer buy one, get one 30 percent off on these gift cards, where the lower-priced gift card will be 30 percent off. There is no specification yet on which tiers will be on sale, but you can likely expect the usual $25, $50, and $100 tiers. Under this sale, purchasing two $50 iTunes gift cards will cost you a total of $85 for $100 iTunes credit, which is the typical 15 percent off sale we usually see.
Lastly, Target plans to offer the AirPods with Charging Case for $144.99, down from $159.99, and AirPods with Wireless Charging Case for $169.99, down from $199.99 [Preview Sale Now]. These aren't the lowest prices we've ever seen for either model, and in fact you can get them both for slight cheaper right nowon Amazon. Target lists the AirPods Pro, but there won't be a sale on the latest model and it will still cost $249.99.
Electronics
You'll find the usual array of smart home devices, headphones, streaming sticks, and more on sale at Target this Black Friday. We've rounded up some of the best offers in the lists below:
To start, Target shoppers should note that the retailer has a notable buy two, get one free "Mix and Match" eventhappening right now. With this offer, you can buy two products across video games, books, movies, board games, music, and children's activity kits, and get a third from any of these categories for free. For gamers and movie fans, this includes brand-new titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, The Outer Worlds, Toy Story 4, and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
If you were planning to buy a Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe this year, you can get a bundle of both for $299.99, netting you the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe copy for free. This is the same offer shared across all of the major retailers this year, including Best Buy (which throws in a screen protector) and Amazon. Target will also be selling Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Tennis Aces, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for $29.99 doorbusters.
$15 video games:
World War Z
Overwatch: Legendary Edition
The Division 2
Kingdom Hearts 3
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Crash Team Racing
Overcooked 2
Rainbow Six Siege
There will be over 100 total games on sale at this price...
$25 video games:
Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
Control
Just Dance 2020
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD
There will be over 40 games on sale at this price...
$29.99 video games:
Fallout 76
Rage 2
Red Dead Redemption 2
There will be over 30 games at this price...
$35 video games:
Gears 5
Borderlands 3
Need for Speed: Heat
There will be over 10 games on sale at this price...
Target will also have Call of Duty: Modern Warfare on sale for $45, and you'll be able to save $5 on gaming subscription services like Xbox Live, PS Plus, and Nintendo Switch Online.
Console bundles include a 1TB PS4 with The Last of Us Remastered, God of War (2018), and Horizon: Zero Dawn at $199.99, down from $299.99. If you're looking for an Xbox, Target will have a doorbuster offering the 1TB Xbox One X with Gears 5 and a free $40 gift card for $349.99, down from $499.99. You'll also be able to purchase all of the main video game console controllers for $20 off: Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons ($59.99), DualShock 4 ($39.99), and Xbox Wireless Controller ($39.99) will all be on sale.
For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with Throwboy to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a pillow from the Throwboy Iconic Pillow Collection, which features plush, squeezable versions of classic Apple products.
The Iconic Pillow Collection features five pillows that are modeled after the 1977 Apple II, the 1984 original Macintosh, the 1998 iMac G3, the 2001 iPod, and the 2007 original iPhone.
After a successful Kickstarter launch in 2018, Throwboy has been offering its plushie Apple products on its website for $39.99 or $189.99 for the full set.
Each of the Iconic pillows have been carefully embroidered with intricate detailing to ensure that they look like their hardware counterparts, and in a review we did earlier this year, we were impressed with the softness, huggability, and impressive detail.
Design details include a click wheel on the iPod with appropriate ports on the bottom, a rainbow logo and floppy disk drive on the 1984 pillow, speakers and a disk drive for the iMac G3, a Home button and speaker for the iPhone, and a full keyboard and display for the Apple II.
Each pillow also features the correct colors for each machine. The Apple II and the Macintosh are a light beige color, while the iMac G3 is in white and aqua. The iPod is white with a gray click wheel, and the iPhone is silver and black like the original model.
When it comes to size, these are the ideal throw pillows for a couch or a chair, making them a great decoration or gift idea for Apple fans. Each pillow is soft, squishy, and comfortable, both to hold and to lean against, but they're also firm enough to hold their shape. Photos of the pillows in action can be seen on Throwboy's Instagram account.
The Mac versions of the pillows are a bit larger than the iPod and the iPhone versions, but all work well as throw pillows or room decor. Throwboy also makes a few other fun pillows like a classic Mac Finder icon and the well-known spinning rainbow wheel.
We have 10 of the Iconic Pillows to give away to MacRumors readers, and each winner will be able to pick their favorite pillow. 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.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (November 8) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 15. The winners will be chosen randomly on November 15 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
There's a vulnerability in the macOS version of the Apple Mail app that leaves some of the text of encrypted emails unencrypted, according to a report from IT specialist Bob Gendler (via The Verge).
According to Gendler, the snippets.db database file used by a macOS function that offers up contact suggestions stores encrypted emails in an unencrypted format, even when Siri is disabled on the Mac.
In this email, Gendler demonstrates that the private key has been made unavailable in Mail, rendering the message unreadable. It continues to be available in the database, though.
Gendler initially discovered the bug on July 29 and reported it to Apple. Over the course of several months, Apple said that it was looking into the issue, though no fix ever came. The vulnerability continues to exist in macOS Catalina and earlier versions of macOS dating back to macOS Sierra.
Let me say that again... The snippets.db database is storing encrypted Apple Mail messages...completely, totally, fully -- UNENCRYPTED -- readable, even with Siri disabled, without requiring the private key. Most would assume that disabling Siri would stop macOS from collecting information on the user. This is a big deal.
This is a big deal for governments, corporations and regular people who use encrypted email and expect the contents to be protected. Secret or top-secret information, which was sent encrypted, would be exposed via this process and database, as would trade secrets and proprietary data.
Apple told The Verge that it has been made aware of the issue and will address it in a future software update. Apple also said that only portions of some emails are stored, and provided Gendler with instructions on preventing data from being stored by the snippets database.
This issue affects a limited number of people in practice, and is not something that macOS users should generally worry about. It requires customers to be using macOS and the Apple Mail app to send encrypted emails. It does not impact those who have FileVault turned on, and a person who wanted to access the information would also need to know where in Apple's system files to look and have physical access to a machine.
Still, as Gendler points out, this particular vulnerability "brings up the question of what else is tracked and potentially improperly stored without you realizing it."
Those concerned about this issue can prevent data from being collected in the snippets.db database by opening up System Preferences, choosing the Siri section, selecting Siri Suggestions & Privacy, choosing Mail and then turning off "Learn from this App." This will stop new emails from being added to snippets.db but won't remove those that have already been included.
Apple told The Verge that customers who want to avoid unencrypted snippets being read by other apps can avoid giving apps full disk access in macOS Catalina. Turning on FileVault will also encrypt everything on the Mac.
Actor Adam Scott has been cast as the lead in Apple's latest project for Apple TV+, called "Severance" (via The Hollywood Reporter). The show is described as a workplace thriller set at a company "looking to take work-life balance to a new level."
"Severance" is being produced by Ben Stiller, and was created by Dan Erickson. The show comes from Endeavor Content, which also produces Apple TV+ shows like "See" and the upcoming "Truth Be Told."
Apple has yet to announce a launch date for "Severance," but it has been ordered straight-to-series with a 10-episode first season. Recently, all of the major launch shows for Apple TV+ received second season orders from the company.
Head to the MacRumors Apple TV+ forum to join in discussions for all of the new shows that have launched, and will soon launch, on Apple's streaming service.
Pad & Quill is a company known for its leather accessories, crafted mainly with Apple devices in mind. The company offers iPhone cases, iPad sleeves, Apple Watch bands, and even paper journals and full leather bags and briefcases.
For the past week, I've had a chance to check out Pad & Quill's Gladstone Leather Briefcase, which is priced at $495.00 on the company's website (although you can get it for 15 percent off with the coupon code PQ15). The accessory is made of full-grain, American-sourced leather with a Herringbone fabric lining and a classic ultra-wide briefcase-style hinged opening.
In terms of space for accessories, you'll find a pocket that can hold up to a 15-inch laptop, a slightly smaller zipper pocket, two accessory pockets that I found to be perfect for portable batteries, and two pen holders. The outside holds a slip pocket on the rear that can fit a few papers, while the front has a smaller pouch with a secure buckle fastener.
Overall, the Gladstone Leather Briefcase is exceedingly luxe, with a super sturdy construction and high-quality stitching on everything from the included shoulder strap to the barely-seen internal accessory pockets. I've carried numerous messenger bags and backpacks around over the years, with an endless array of material construction, but this is easily one of the most handsome and eye-catching that I've ever owned.
The optional luggage strap attaches to the rear of the case and helps secure the briefcase to rolling luggage, available as a $39.99 add-on
Day-to-day use has been solid so far; I've found the Gladstone's interior compartment offers a nice balance between being spacious and compact. I was able to fit my 12-inch MacBook, iPad mini, AirPods, book, Beats Studio3 headphones, chargers, and still have some room on the bottom of the bag left over.
Because it's a briefcase-style case, the bag sports a solid six-inch footprint, and measures 12 inches tall and 16 inches wide. The leather construction, rigid paneling, and eventual interior contents add up to a bag that isn't entirely light to carry around, but over short distances this wasn't too big of a problem for me.
The biggest issue with its weight comes in how it's distributed when using the shoulder strap, which is hooked to the back of the briefcase instead of directly at the center top of the bag. This means that when it's full, the bag becomes slightly top-heavy and tilts forward away from your body, making it easier to bounce against your torso as you walk. It's not a huge issue, but when you carry it around daily it's something you quickly become aware of.
The briefcase sports a swivel opening that uses hinged copper rivets for a smooth, easy-to-open central compartment. I found that the bag was a bit tough to open at the start, but over the course of a few days the leather and the hinges became a bit less stiff, but still retained enough rigidity that I felt like it would never open on its own. If you still want more security, the main compartment also includes a second line of defense with an overarching buckle and notch strap.
If you like the look of classic briefcases you'll be able to quickly get over how it takes ever-so-slightly longer to open Pad & Quill's bag to get to your contents. If you prefer your work bags to be more economical with your time in a sacrifice to style, you'll likely wish for a simpler zipper system, which would also make the bag easier to access when it's placed on its side.
The other issue I had with the Gladstone Leather Briefcase was its overall lack of interior dividers. There are thousands of leather briefcases on the market that hit below Pad & Quill's $495.00 price tag and offer a bit more focus on work documents over housing electronics. It's big enough to house legal-sized papers and roomy enough for a lot of documents to fit inside, but it can quickly become messy without proper built-in organizational pockets.
While it's obvious that an Apple accessory company would likely lean toward securing placement of your MacBook or iPad (a strategy all of Pad & Quill's leather bags use), I would have preferred a bit more balance between the two. As it stands, the Gladstone Leather Briefcase doesn't offer any specific placement for paper documents, outside of ones you might be able to stuff next to your MacBook on the internal compartment, or feel safe enough placing in the external rear compartment (which lacks any form of latch or security).
The briefcase is big enough to slip in a few folders of your own between the MacBook slot and accessory pouches, however, so it isn't an insurmountable problem. But people with a job that relies on extensive organization of paper documents might find the accessory to be insufficient.
Bottom Line
Thanks to an attractive design, adequate interior compartment space for electronic devices and accessories, and leather construction that's sure to age well the more you use it, Pad & Quill's Gladstone Leather Briefcase makes for a reliable and striking laptop bag.
It does have a few downsides: the high price and lack of truly spacious paper document compartments mean you'll have to be on the hunt specifically for a high-quality MacBook bag that has room for a few accessories and a small number of work-related documents, but not much else.
Note: Pad & Quill sent MacRumors one Gladstone Leather Briefcase for the purposes of this review, and no other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Pad & Quill. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Discolored by Shifty Eye: A surreal, first-person puzzle adventure game that tasks you with restoring the color to a once-vibrant world.
Guildlings by Sirvo Studios: A story-driven episodic adventure from the maker of Threes, telling a lighthearted coming-of-age fantasy story about a group of friends on a mythical quest.
Sociable Soccer by Rogue Games: A fast-paced, cross-platform soccer game that includes gameplay on the soccer field and also a full team management system.
UFO on Tape: First Contact by Revolutionary Concepts: An AR game that puts you in the shoes of a UFO hunter.
Takeshi & Hiroshi by Oink Games: A 1-hour long short story about two brothers, taking place in the real world and inside of a role playing game that one of the brothers is making.
Marble It Up: Mayhem! by The Marble Collective: A puzzle game where you have to safely navigate a marble across vast and treacherous landscapes.
All six games are available to play on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, with Discolored, Guildlings, and Sociable Soccer also available on Mac.
With the addition of these six games, Apple Arcade has now reached 100 total games on iOS and tvOS, and 92 on macOS. Apple has been adding new games to Apple Arcade over the weeks, following the service's launch on September 19.
With a $4.99/month subscription to Apple Arcade, you can gain unlimited access to these 100 games for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV (as well as many on the Mac). If the game is on Apple Arcade, it does not have any in-app purchases or ads of any kind.
After updating its "The A-List" playlists for genres like alternative and hip-hop, Apple Music has now changed "The A-List: Country" to "Today's Country." This playlist will essentially be the same, keeping track of all of the latest songs coming out of the country music genre, updated every day, while simply ditching "The A-List" moniker that has been around essentially since Apple Music launched in 2015.
Apple began a large-scale playlist rebranding earlier in 2019, switching "The A-List: Dance" to "danceXL," "The A-List: Hip-Hop" to "Rap Life," "The A-List: Alternative" to "ALT CTRL," and "Best of the Week" to "New Music Daily." One of the few remaining playlists to retain the "A-List" branding is for the pop genre, which now has a simple "A-List Pop" title.
More niche sub-genres are still using the original A-List name style, like Bollywood, K-Pop, Classical, Mandopop, and Russian Hip-Hop. Apple has also launched brand-new playlists this year, like the Shazam Discovery Top 50, which is powered by shazams made around the world to highlight up-and-coming songs and artists that users are discovering any given week.
Apple products are visible in an average of 32 camera shots in each episode of "The Morning Show," and an Apple logo is visible in roughly one-third of those shots, based on a tally count by The Wall Street Journal.
Reese Witherspoon's character sleeps beside her iPhone and MacBook in 'The Morning Show'
In one four-second scene in episode one of the flagship Apple TV+ series, nine Apple products are shown as two characters walk and talk through a newsroom, according to WSJ's report.
As far as product placement goes, it's an impressive count for the newsroom drama, which debuted last week to a mixed critical reception but a generally favorable audience reaction, according to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
"The Morning Show" stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell, and reportedly costs more than $15 million per episode, but as a vehicle to push Apple's own products, it could be worth tens of millions of dollars. WSJ:
"The Morning Show" wastes little time giving Apple screen time. The first scene of the first episode opens with the character of executive producer Chip Black, played by Mark Duplass, sprawled on the floor of his office in the dark, feet away from a Mac computer, when the iPhone next to him lights up with an incoming call. About 20 seconds later, Steve Carell's soon-to-be-disgraced anchor, Mitch Kessler, is awakened by his iPhone. In total, there are 31 shots of Apple devices in Episode 1, including eight with the company's logo.
Other Apple products that get decent screen time in the series include MacBooks and iMacs, iPads, and AirPods and Apple Watches. Even the HomePod speaker makes a cameo on a producer's office desk.
Spending on product placement has doubled since 2012 to about $10 billion, according to PQ Media, a media research firm that tracks the industry. However, Apple has said it doesn't pay for product placement, and people close to "The Morning Show" told WSJ that producers weren't under pressure to include Apple products in the shows.
Of course it helps that Apple products are very popular – the iPhone has a 35 percent share of the U.S. smartphone market – so it stands to reason that Apple products will appear in shows depicting modern life. Apple products often show up in other TV series not affiliated with Apple, too. But as WSJ notes, the iPhone appears in "The Morning Show" so much that it can seem like an appendage.
The office of 'The Morning Show' character Chip Black, played by actor Mark Duplass
Some viewers may consider the flagship series to be overzealous in its product placement, but the very fact that Apple is able to promote its hardware in a subscription service that was designed to help lessen the company's dependency on its iPhone business at a time of slowing sales, is a sweet sort of irony. If the service is a success, it could well be a virtuous circle for Apple's long-term product revenues.
"In a changing world where people watch less traditional television, especially younger audiences, how do you reach them?" said Patrick Quinn, president of PQ Media. "One way to do that is to launch your own streaming service and show off your product. Not everyone can do that, but Apple can."
Apple is providing customers with a free 7-day trial for Apple TV+, which is priced at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. Apple is also offering all customers who purchased an Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Mac, or iPod touch after September 10 one free year of access to Apple TV+.
Apple shipped an estimated 6.8 million smartwatches in the third quarter of 2019, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
Apple doesn't disclose Apple Watch sales in its earnings reports, grouping the wrist-worn device under its "Other Products" category, so we have do go from estimated figures, which can vary between research firms.
If Strategy Analytics' figures are accurate, Apple Watch shipments are up 51 percent compared to the third quarter of last year.
Apple shipped 6.8 million smartwatches worldwide in Q3 2019, rising an above-average 51 percent from 4.5 million in Q3 2018. Apple Watch remains a long way ahead of the chasing pack and its global smartwatch marketshare has grown from 45 percent to 48 percent in the past year. Apple Watch continues to fend off strong competition from hungry rivals like Fitbit and Samsung. Apple Watch owns half the worldwide smartwatch market and remains the clear industry leader.
The figures suggest Apple's closest wearables rival remains Samsung, which shipped 1.9 million smartwatches in Q3 and took 13.4 percent of the global market share. Fitbit, which was recently acquired by Google, dropped to third place, losing just under 4 percent of its market share (11.3 percent).
According to the report, the global smartwatch market grew considerably, with shipments reaching 14 million units in total, up 42 percent year on year. Notably, Apple Watch growth outpaced overall market growth, indicating that Apple is eating an increasingly bigger slice of the burgeoning wearables sector.
Disney+ is coming to Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom on March 31, about four months after it launches in the U.S. on November 12.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the launch date for the European markets yesterday during an earnings call, the same day it was revealed that the streaming service would be available on Amazon Fire TV streaming devices.
Disney+ will also be on LG and Samsung smart TVs, Roku's streaming devices, Apple TV, iOS, Android, Xbox One, and PS4 at launch.
Disney+ is already available in the Netherlands, where it launched as a free pilot trial back in September. Iger said on Thursday that Disney+ is coming to more countries and additional launch dates will be announced soon.
Just announced: #DisneyPlus will be available in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain (and more to be announced soon) starting on March 31st. Please note: Titles may vary by territory. pic.twitter.com/lE6nzBeaXy
— Disney+ (@disneyplus) November 7, 2019
Iger didn't mention how much European customers would have to pay to access its 500 feature films and over 7,500 shows, including the entire Pixar library and a raft of original content.
The service will cost $6.99 per month in the U.S. and will cost 6.99 euros per month in the Netherlands from November 12.
Popular YouTuber MKBHD today shared a video that compares Apple's original iPhone released in 2007 with the new 2019 iPhone 11 Pro, which was released 12 years later.
The video goes over details like camera quality, design, feature set, and more, offering an interesting look at just how much the iPhone has changed over the course of the last decade.
There are no surprises here given the impressive number of technology updates that have been implemented over the years, but it's still a fun look back at how different things were in 2007.
Compared to the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro, the 3.5-inch original iPhone almost looks like a toy because of its small size, though there are undoubtedly some iPhone fans who miss the tiny screen and the ability to easily use a device one-handed.
Some of the biggest iPhone upgrades have come in the form of camera improvements. The single-lens 2-megapixel camera available in 2007 was decent back in the day and can still put out web cam-quality photos, but today we have 12-megapixel triple-lens cameras with features like Portrait Mode and Night Mode that can rival some DSLRs.
As MKBHD points out, the comparison between the original iPhone and the iPhone 11 Pro is also interesting because it leaves us imagining what kind of technology changes we might be seeing in another 12 years. It's impossible to see that far ahead, but folding technology, super fast 5G connection speeds, and more could be coming in the not too distant future.
Apple this evening shared a behind the scenes look on how the world behind one of its new Apple TV+ shows, "See," was created.
"See" is one of the Apple TV+ launch shows, starring Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard. It features a postapocalyptic setting where much of the world has been wiped out by a virus, and the survivors are all blind.
Enough time has passed that sight has become a myth, and it is forbidden to speak of, though two children are born with the capability.
The video features Francis Lawrence, who directed the series, talking about how the buildings and environments in "See" were constructed. The "See" crew had a team of advisors who are blind providing instruction on everything from how buildings would be built to how people would live and interact.
Apple TV+ is available for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, but Apple has also made it available for free to everyone who purchased an Apple TV, Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad after September 10, 2019.
Apple today sent out emails highlighting the latest Apple Pay promo, which offers a $5 discount on an order of $10 or more placed through the Uber Eats app.
The discount can be applied when checking out with Apple Pay after the promo code APPLEPAY5 is entered.
The $5 Uber Eats discount will be available from November 8 through November 10, and is only valid when spending over $10 before taxes or fees. The offer is limited to one discount per customer, and delivery fees and service fees still apply.
Apple TV+ has been out for less than a week, but Apple has already renewed several of the first TV shows that launched on the service.
As noted by Variety, "See," "For All Mankind," "Dickinson," and "The Morning Show" will all get a second season. Of those, "The Morning Show" already had a two-season order and second season episodes are being filmed, but the other renewals are new.
Several of Apple's TV shows like "The Morning Show" and "See" received less than stellar reviews from critics, but they seem to be faring better with viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, for example, "See" has a critic score of 41 percent (rotten), but an audience score of 83 percent. "The Morning Show" has a critic score of 62 percent and an audience score of 95 percent, and similar scores can be seen for most of Apple's TV shows.
Apple has not provided details on how many people have signed up for an Apple TV+ subscription nor how many views its shows have received so far, but Variety says that sources "close to Apple" claim the service has drawn "millions of users" spending more than an hour on the Apple TV+ platform.
Apple insiders are said to be impressed by the "volume of activity" on the platform and that most viewers who watched one episode of one of the four main series watched at least one or two more. Apple is said to believe that those metrics suggest viewers are responding well to the shows, leading to the renewals.
Apple on Friday will release new episodes of "See," "For All Mankind," and "The Morning Show" as these shows launched with just three episodes available. All of "Dickinson" has been made available to watch on the platform.
Apple is providing customers with a free 7-day trial for Apple TV+, which is priced at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. Apple is also offering all customers who purchased an Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Mac, or iPod touch after September 10 one free year of access to Apple TV+.
We've begun keeping a track of early Black Friday deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, and in an effort to prepare our readers for the big shopping event we're highlighting sales store-by-store in the lead-up to November 29.
Today we're starting with Best Buy, which announced its Black Friday sales today while simultaneously kicking off a notable early sale on Apple doorbusters.
Apple Doorbusters - Live Now
Ahead of Black Friday, Best Buy has opened up numerous discounts on Apple devices and accessories today, with a sale that will last through Sunday, November 10 at 11:59 p.m. CT. All of the discounts found below will be live through that time, unless they sell out.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Highlights in the sale include HomePod for $199.99, lowest-ever prices on the 2019 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and solid discounts on both storage capacities of the new 10.2-inch iPad. Check out all of the discounts below and if you're interested be sure to make your purchase before Sunday night.
Macs
MacBook Air - Save $200 on select models / starting at $899.99 with lowest-ever prices
MacBook Pro - Save up to $300 on select models / starting at $1,099.99 with lowest-ever prices
Best Buy Black Friday - Doors Open 11/28 at 5 p.m.
Like in years past, Best Buy's Black Friday sales include a lot of markdowns on quality TV sets, Blu-Rays, smartphones, Dyson vacuums, smart speakers, video games, and much more. The sales listed below will not be live until Thanksgiving, unless otherwise noted.
Bluetooth speakers
UE Boom 2 - $69.99, down from $179.99 [On Sale Now]
There are quite a few solid video game deals set to hit Best Buy this Black Friday, including a headlining Nintendo Switch bundle that we've already seen pop up at places like Target. Best Buy is also offering the Nintendo Switch with a free copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundled in, but will throw in a free screen protector for the console as well.
You'll be able to get Joy-Cons for $20 off, as well as a handful of first-party Nintendo games for $39.99, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Party, and Splatoon 2.
Moving over to Sony, another popular gaming bundle this year will see a discount at Best Buy this Black Friday: the 1TB PlayStation 4 console bundle with The Last of Us Remastered, God of War (2018), and Horizon Zero Dawn will be $199.99, down from $299.99. DualShock 4 controllers will be $39.99 ($20 off) and the official Sony Gold Wireless Headsets will be $30 off.
There are a few Xbox One bundles, with the lowest priced being the 1TB Xbox One S All-Digital Console for $149.99, down from $249.99. Those interested in the upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game can also get the 1TB Xbox One X Deluxe Edition bundle with the game at $349.99, down from $499.99. Xbox One Controllers will also be $39.99 ($20 off).
We've rounded up some notable game discounts below:
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Target. 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 Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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