MacRumors

The iOS 13.3 update that is currently available to developers and public beta testers has a new Safari feature that supports NFC, USB, and Lightning FIDO2-compliant security keys.

This option was activated in the first beta of iOS 13.3, but in the second developer beta, Apple has added details about it in the release notes.

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Now supports NFC, USB, and Lightning FIDO2-compliant security keys in Safari, SFSafariViewController, and ASWebAuthenticationSession using the WebAuthn standard, on devices with the necessary hardware capabilities.

With the iOS 13.3 update, Safari will support physical security keys like the Lightning-equipped YubiKey, which can be used for more secure two-factor authentication.

Yubico announced the YubiKey 5Ci back in August, but at the time of launch, it was of limited usefulness because it did not work with Safari, Chrome, or other major browsers, though it was compatible with apps like 1Password.

With Safari support, the YubiKey 5Ci is a legitimately useful tool that can be more convenient than software-based two-factor authentication because there's no need to enter a security code -- you simply plug it in to an iPhone or Mac (there's also a USB-C connector) to authenticate. Support for FIDO2-compliant USB security keys using WebAuthn was previously added to Safari 13 in macOS.

Other NFC, USB, and Lightning-based security keys will also work with Safari following the iOS 13.3 update. There's no word yet on when iOS 13.3 will be released, but we may see it sometime in December after a few more weeks of beta testing.

Related Forum: iOS 13

The Facebook for iOS app appears to be accessing the iPhone or iPad's camera in the background when the app is in use, according to multiple reports on Twitter.

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The sliver of brown in this demo photo is the Facebook app accessing the camera behind the timeline.

When scrolling through the Facebook timeline, several users saw the camera activated in the background, as demonstrated in the tweets below.



One Facebook user found it through an interface bug that shows a small sliver of the display when looking at a photo, while another found it when rotating a device.

Both The Next Web and CNET were able to reproduce the issue and confirmed that the camera is activated in the background when using Facebook on iOS. The issue appears to impact iPhones running iOS 13, including the newest release version of iOS 13, iOS 13.2.2. Devices running iOS 12 do not appear to be impacted.

Facebook vice president of integrity Guy Rosen this morning said that it "sounds like a bug" and that Facebook is looking into it, but Facebook has not officially commented on the issue.


Security researcher Will Strafach told TechCrunch that it appears to be a "harmless but creepy looking bug."

For the Facebook app to access the camera in the background, camera and microphone access must be enabled in the Settings app. Those concerned about the bug can disable Facebook's access to these features on the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌, or delete the Facebook app.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 13.3 update to developers, one week after seeding the first beta and two weeks after releasing the tvOS 13.2 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 13.3 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

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tvOS updates (aside from major releases) have historically been minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes. Apple provides little to no information on what's included in tvOS beta updates, so we may not discover any major changes after installing the software.

The update does, however, include a useful new setting that's designed to let you change the main banner interface in the TV+ app from What to Watch to Up Next, which shows content from shows that you're already watching instead of show suggestions.

The option can be accessed by going to the Settings app, choosing Apps, and selecting the TV app. From there, select Home Screen and choose "Up Next" in the "Top Shelf" section.

While we don't often know full details about what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 6.1.1 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the first beta and two weeks after releasing the watchOS 6.1 update.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated ‌‌Apple Watch‌‌ app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.

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To install the update, the ‌‌Apple Watch‌‌ needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the ‌iPhone‌.

watchOS 6.1.1 appears to be a minor update focusing on performance improvements and bug fixes that weren't able to be addressed in watchOS 6.1.

No new features were found in the first beta of watchOS 6.1.1, but we'll update this article should new features be found in the second beta.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.3 updates to developers, one week after seeding the first beta and two weeks after the release of iOS 13.2 with new emoji, Siri privacy controls, Deep Fusion, and more.

iOS and ‌‌iPadOS‌‌ 13.3 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper developer profile has been installed.

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iOS 13.3 introduces Communication Limits for Screen Time, a feature that Apple promised would be coming in an iOS 13 update. Communication Limits allow parents to control who their children are able to contact both during downtime and during Screen Time.

Communication Limits include FaceTime, Phone, and Messages, along with iCloud contacts. Calls to emergency numbers are always allowed and will turn off communication limits for 24 hours when placed.

The iOS 13.3 update also appears to address a multitasking issue where iOS 13.2 users were seeing poor RAM management that caused apps like YouTube and Safari to reload more frequently than normal.

After installing iOS 13.3, affected users are now seeing fewer refreshes when accessing these apps, doing another task, and then opening them again.

In the Keyboards section of the Settings app (under General), there's a new toggle that prevents Animoji and Memoji stickers from being displayed as an option on the Emoji Keyboard, and when editing a video, there's an option to save the edited version as a new clip rather than saving over the original.

Apple has also tweaked the Apple Watch app icon, changing the color of the Digital Crown from black to gray.

Related Forum: iOS 13

Apple this morning shared a new "First Look" featurette covering "Ghostwriter," one of the TV shows that launched on Apple TV+ when it became available in early November.

"Ghostwriter" on ‌Apple TV‌+ is a remake of the of the original "Ghostwriter" series that aired on PBS from 1992 to 1995. It follows the story of a group of kids who discover a ghost in a neighborhood bookstore, going on to solve fiction-related mysteries to learn more about it.

When a ghost haunts a neighborhood bookstore and starts releasing fictional characters into the real world, four kids must team up to solve an exciting mystery surrounding the ghost's unfinished business.

Andrew Orenstein, producer of "Ghostwriter," says that he hopes kids will watch each episode to see how the mystery plays out before going back to rewatch it to find all of the easter eggs.

"Ghostwriter" is one of the ‌Apple TV‌+ shows aimed at children along with "Helpsters," a show from the makers of "Sesame Street" that's aimed at teaching young kids the basics of coding.

Apple has other TV shows aimed at children in the works, but at the current time, "Ghostwriter" and "Helpsters" are the only two kids shows available. ‌Apple TV‌+ is available on multiple platforms for $4.99 per month.

Separately, on its Apple YouTube channel, Apple today shared a trailer for "What the Golf," one of the games that's available on Apple Arcade.


Apple has been sharing trailers for some of the more popular ‌Apple Arcade‌ games in recent weeks, presumably with the aim of luring in new subscribers. ‌Apple Arcade‌ offers access to over 90 gaming titles for $4.99 per month.

Apple plans to announce its widely rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro this week, according to a tweet from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

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In another tweet, Gurman suggested the announcement will be made by Wednesday. The news would likely be shared in the form of a press release on the Apple Newsroom and would also likely coincide with early hands-on impressions of the 16-inch MacBook Pro from select media outlets and YouTube channels.


9to5Mac recently reported that Apple appears to be holding private press briefings of some kind at its luxury loft mansion in New York City this week, likely to facilitate those 16-inch MacBook Pro first impressions. Multiple out-of-town tech reporters have tweeted that they are in or headed to New York City over the last few days.

Rumors suggest the 16-inch MacBook Pro will feature slimmer bezels around the display, a more reliable scissor switch keyboard, a standalone Touch ID sensor, and possibly a much-requested physical Esc key. Pricing is unknown, but would likely be higher than the $2,799 high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro.

For what it's worth, 15-inch MacBook Pro models with AMD Radeon Pro Vega graphics options became available to order on the Wednesday of this week a year ago, along with a (PRODUCT)RED version of the Apple Watch Sport Loop. Apple also launched its annual holiday gift guide on the same day.

After rampant rumors, supply chain clues, and leaked imagery from macOS Catalina, the 16-inch MacBook Pro might be 24 hours or less away.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Amazon has introduced a new sale on the Mid 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro with a 1.4 GHz processor, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD, now priced at $1,299.99, down from $1,499.00. At $199 off, this is the lowest price we've ever tracked for this model among the major Apple resellers online.

macbook pro 13 inch 2019Note: 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 purchase this configuration in both Silver and Space Gray at this price point. Amazon also has the model with a 128GB SSD on sale for $1,149.00, down from $1,299.00 (note that while this is among the lowest prices currently available, it's not a lowest-ever price).

Our full Deals Roundup has even more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains. Additionally, you can visit our Black Friday Roundup to stay updated on all of the most notable discounts that are coming later in November.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Last week, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that Disney+ will launch in the United Kingdom and other select European countries on March 31, 2020.

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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.

However, one MacRumors reader appears to have discovered the British and French pricing plans ahead of time, simply by switching between Apple accounts on his iPhone.

Jean-Marc first downloaded the Disney+ app from the US App Store using his US Apple ID, and then switched to his French ‌Apple ID‌, followed by his British ‌Apple ID‌. The Disney+ subscription screen subsequently presented him with the following monthly and yearly pricing plans.

disney prices uk and france

  • France: €7.49 per month or €75.99 per year.
  • UK: £6.99 per month or £68.99 per year.

Of course, these prices haven't been officially announced by Disney and could be subject to change before the service launches in Europe next year.

However, given that Disney+ costs $6.99 per month in the U.S. (or $69.99 per year), it was pretty much expected that the dollar price would be mirrored in pound sterling.

As for the price in Euros, it's unclear if this applies only to France or to other Euro-using countries as well. We do know that Disney+ costs €6.99 in the Netherlands (€69.99 per year) because of its early trial there, so perhaps we can expect some variation between EU territories.

Otherwise, the annual prices given are equal to 12 months at €6.33/month and £5.75/month, respectively, offering a 16 percent saving over the monthly plan.

(Thanks, Jean-Marc!)

Twitter is set to roll out a new feature called "Topics" that allows users to follow conversations about subjects of interest, similar to how they'd follow an account.

twitter topics feature
According to an official Twitter blog post, Topic suggestions will soon start appearing in user timelines and in search, based on what they tend to look for and already follow on the social media platform.

When a user follows a topic, like a music band, sports team, or celebrity, they'll see tweets from a broad range of accounts that share the same interest.

twitter topics submenu

Previously, all of the work was on you to figure out the best way to keep up with what's happening by following certain accounts, searching for it, or looking in the Explore tab for the latest. Now, you have the option of seeing the most relevant and interesting Tweets about what you care about with a single tap, and the conversation will come to you.

A Topics option already appears in the mobile app's sidebar menu, but currently just shows an introductory screen for the feature. When the feature rolls out in full, it will list the topics you've followed.


Future features will include the ability to preview the feed content of a topic before choosing to follow it, the ability to add topics to lists, and the ability to mute topics.

Twitter says that Topic suggestions will start showing up in timelines and in searches from November 13, with a worldwide rollout taking place over the coming months.

Tag: Twitter

Apple premiered its limited drama series "Truth Be Told" at The Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles, California, on Monday night.

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Octavia Spencer

Set to debut on Apple TV+ next month, the show stars Octavia Spencer in the role of Poppy Parnell, a podcaster who aims to reopen a murder case that she was involved in solving 18 years earlier that put Warren Cave (played by Aaron Paul) behind bars.

Spencer's character is unsure if she made a mistake when she helped put Paul's character (Warren Cave) in prison, and with her podcast, she tries to discover the truth and determine whether Cave was wrongfully convicted.

Based on the novel by Kathleen Barber, "Truth Be Told" is said to offer a unique glimpse into America's obsession with true crime podcasts and challenges its viewers to consider the consequences when the pursuit of justice is placed on a public stage.

Beginning December 6, the first three episodes of "Truth Be Told" will be available to watch on ‌Apple TV‌+ in over 100 countries and regions around the world, with new episodes rolling out weekly, every Friday. You can watch the trailer for the series here.

Apple Truth Be Told Premiere The Cast And The Executive Producers 111119

Left to right: Haneefah Wood, Mekhi Phifer, Ron Cephas Jones, Annabella Sciorra, Elizabeth Perkins, Reese Witherspoon, Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Octavia Spencer, Aaron Paul, Michael Beach.

‌Apple TV‌+ costs $4.99 per month with a family of six able to watch for that price point. Apple is also providing customers who purchase an ‌Apple TV‌, Mac, iPad, or iPhone with a free one-year subscription.

Apple banking partner Goldman Sachs has issued another statement regarding allegations made earlier in the week that some credit decisions for Apple Card have been made in a discriminatory manner on the basis of gender.

apple card
In a typed statement, an image of which was shared on Twitter on Monday night with the comment "We hear you #AppleCard," Goldman Sachs retail bank CEO Carey Halio said that the bank would take another look at credit lines for customers who expected higher limits.

"We have not and never will make decisions based on factors like gender," Halio said. "In fact, we do not know your gender or marital status during the Apple Card application process."

The CEO added that Goldman Sachs worked with a third-party to review its credit decisioning process "to guard against unintended biases and outcomes."

If you believe that your credit line does not adequately reflect your credit history because you may be in a similar situation, we want to hear from you. Based on additional information that we may request, we will re-evaluate your credit line.

Over the weekend, app developer David Heinemeier Hansson claimed on social media that his ‌‌Apple Card‌‌ credit limit was twenty times that offered to his wife, even though the couple has been married for many years, file joint tax returns, and live in a community property state where all income and assets acquired while married are considered jointly owned.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak also reported that his ‌‌Apple Card‌‌ credit limit was ten times that offered to his wife, with the Wozniaks in a similar financial situation where all assets are jointly owned.

In response, the New York State Department of Financial Services announced that it would would examine whether the algorithm used to make the credit limit decisions violates state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.

In Goldman Sachs' original response to the controversy, the bank maintained that factors like gender are never used in credit decisions and explained how members of a family could receive very different credit decisions.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.

Disney's new streaming service, Disney+, is now available in the United States and can be accessed across a range of supported devices, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android smartphones, Roku streaming boxes, Amazon Fire TV, and more. You can download the Disney+ app on iOS and tvOS, sign up for the service at $6.99/month or $69.99/year, and then begin watching your favorite Disney shows and movies.

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At launch, Disney+ already has one of the biggest back catalogs of content among the major streaming services, stretching back over a half century to include classic Disney films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Bambi, and Miracle on 34th Street. Disney+ content ranges from 1937 to 2019, essentially including every film produced under The Walt Disney company umbrella, as well as its subsidiaries including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic.

In addition to classic content, Disney is producing new shows, movies, and documentaries for Disney+. Today you can watch new TV shows like The Mandalorian, Encore!, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Original movies include Noelle starring Anna Kendrick and the Lady and the Tramp reboot starring Justin Theroux and Tessa Thompson. There are also behind-the-scenes looks at aspects of the Disney company, including One Day at Disney, which highlights daily routines of cast members at Disney Parks.

Disney+ is launching just a few days after Apple debuted its own streaming TV service, which also uses the "plus" naming style, called ‌Apple TV‌+. On Apple's service you can pay $4.99/month to watch a handful of original TV shows like The Morning Show, For All Mankind, Dickinson, See, Ghostwriter, Helpsters, and Snoopy in Space. Apple plans to add new shows and movies monthly, next up including Servant from producer M. Night Shyamalan and The Banker with Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie.

Disney+ is compatible with the ‌Apple TV‌ app, so all of the TV shows and movies you stream in the Disney+ app will be updated and added to Up Next in the TV app, which also syncs to iOS. For more information on Disney+ and all of the content that you can watch inside of the new service, check out Disney's website and head to the App Store to download the app on iOS today.

Disney+ is also now available in Canada and the Netherlands. The service will launch in Australia and New Zealand on November 19, 2019, followed by the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on March 31, 2020.

Following a report from The Information this morning summarizing a recent internal Apple meeting that pegged the release of Apple's augmented reality headsets for the 2022–23 timeframe rather than the more aggressive 2020 window that has previously been rumored, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared additional information on the company's AR roadmap that will initially focus on the iPad and iPhone before the glasses come to fruition.

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"Apple Glasses" concept

Gurman says Apple is working on "a range of augmented and virtual-reality devices" based around a new 3D sensor system, which will arrive first on a new iPad Pro slated for release in the first half of next year, and followed by the 2020 iPhones later in the year.

A new iPad Pro for release as early as the first half of 2020 will feature a new module with two camera sensors, up from one on the current model, and a small hole for the 3-D system, letting people create three-dimensional reconstructions of rooms, objects and people. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant also plans to add the sensor to new high-end iPhones later in 2020, along with 5G networking capabilities, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing unannounced products.

Moving beyond existing devices, Apple is said to be targeting 2021 or 2022 for the release of a combination VR and AR headset focused on "gaming, watching video and virtual meetings." A lighter weight set of AR glasses could follow as soon as 2023.

The 3D sensor system to be used in the upcoming is said to be a more advanced version of the current Face ID sensor, and Apple's engineering teams are working on creating linkages to the new "rOS" operating system for these headsets that will let them work with existing iOS devices.

For more on Apple's AR/VR project, check out the full report over at bloomberg.com.

Related Roundups: Apple Vision Pro, iPad Pro
Related Forums: Apple Vision Pro, iPhone

Apple's widely rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro is likely still coming based on recent supply chain checks by IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani and Forbes contributor Brooke Crothers, but release timing remains unclear. Crothers is a former contributor to CNET, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal in Asia.

16 inch MBP Solo

16-inch MacBook Pro concept

"We were expecting an announcement in October," Ubrani said in an email, according to Crothers. October came and went without an announcement, but Ubrani added that his research firm is "starting to see early signs" of the notebook within Apple's supply chain. "However, the timing of this is still uncertain," he said.

Crothers said he has heard similar, writing that "a source in Asia who talks to the Apple supply chain told me over the weekend that the 16-inch [MacBook Pro] is in production but the release date is unclear."

This information lines up with a recent DigiTimes report that claimed Apple will begin receiving volume shipments of the 16-inch MacBook Pro this quarter, possibly to sidestep a 15 percent import tariff on notebooks slated to take effect December 15. If accurate, mass production is likely underway.

Rumors suggest the 16-inch MacBook Pro will feature slimmer bezels around the display, a more reliable scissor switch keyboard, a standalone Touch ID sensor, and possibly a much-requested physical Esc key. Pricing is unknown, but would likely be higher than the $2,799 high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: Forbes
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Signify, the company behind the Philips Hue lights, in September announced a new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, which brings a capability that many Hue users have wanted for years now: the ability to sync Hue lights with content that's playing on the TV for an immersive home entertainment experience.

There's already a Hue Sync app that lets Hue lights be tuned to Macs and PCs, but it's limited to computers. In the past, there have also been limited run light syncing features for "12 Monkeys" and "Sharknado 2" that were pre-programmed, but before the Hue Play Sync Box, there was no simple solution for on-the-fly syncing of Hue lights to content on a TV set.

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The Hue Play Sync Box is a simple black box that plugs into a TV with an HDMI cable. It has a power port (and an included power supply) along with four HDMI ports that are designed to accommodate HDMI devices like Apple TV, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and more. It's just a black box, and nothing special to look at, because it's meant to be tucked away on an entertainment unit.

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Any console or set-top box can be plugged into the Hue Play Sync Box, allowing it to analyze the colors and tune them to a Hue light setup, shifting colors and brightness to match the content on the TV screen. The box is basically passing video signal to the TV while also detecting the colors.


Setting up the Hue Sync was as simple as plugging it into my TV, plugging my devices into the box, connecting it to my existing Hue Bridge (on a 2.4GHz network) and then downloading and opening up the dedicated Hue Sync app. Using the Hue Sync Box requires a separate Hue Sync app, and it doesn't work with the standard Hue app.

In fact, when the Hue Sync is turned on (which can be done in the Hue Sync app) you're not able to control your lights with the standard Hue app. Though most Hue products show up in HomeKit, the Hue Sync isn't a ‌HomeKit‌ device, it's a standalone option that's just for Hue-branded lights.

Using the Hue Play Sync Box requires an existing Hue light setup (and Hue Bridge) around a television set, and it works best with the Hue Play, the Hue Lightstrip, the Hue Go, and other Hue lights bulbs that are deeply saturated and offer rich colors.

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It technically works with any Hue lights, but some of the older bulbs don't have blues and greens that are particularly saturated, which can detract from the setup. Setting up the Hue Sync requires designating an Entertainment Area, which is basically selecting the lights that you want to change in tune with the colors on the TV.

I had mine set with a Hue Lightstrip, a Hue Go, and a few standard Hue bulbs that are located close to the TV in my office, which worked well, though I imagine it would be even better with a Lightstrip and a few of the Hue Play Light Bars.

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There are three different sync modes for video, music, and games, along with three intensity levels: Subtle, Moderate, High, and Extreme. Subtle and moderate are the smoothest with fewer transitions that are ultimately less distracting. In High and Extreme modes, the colors change rapidly and it can be a bit distracting depending on what you're watching.

In general, I preferred to watch with the settings on Subtle for regular usage because the other settings were just too much shifting between colors. For a few colorful films I did experiment with the High and Extreme modes and it can make a movie more fun, but these aren't settings I'd want to use all the time.

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I'm not entirely sure what the difference is between the video, music, and game modes, because there are no clear explanations in the app, but selecting these did tweak the colors somewhat between modes. By the way, using Sync mode requires activation in the app, though there is an option to do it on the box itself if that's closer (mine's behind the TV so the app is easier). There's no automatic activation mode.

There's an option to set a minimum preferred brightness level and there's an important setting in the "Advanced" section for minimum brightness. To prevent the lights from going off entirely when the screen shows scenes that are black, the minimum brightness setting should be activated to keep a minimum light level. During my testing, I found that there are a surprising number of completely black scenes that cause the lights to go off, which is distracting.

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There are also a lot of just plain white/yellow colors in a lot of TV shows, so there are some situations where the Hue lights don't show off a lot of color. It certainly works the best and looks the best with shows and movies that have a lot of different colorful scenes, but the subtle white lighting changes can also make what you're watching more immersive.

I've been testing the Hue Sync for a couple of weeks now, and I haven't noticed much latency if any. My Hue lights change pretty much in the instant that the colors change on the TV screen.

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I primarily used it with my ‌Apple TV‌ 4K on a 4K Sony TV, and it worked great. Everything was smooth and seamless, and the colors were detected and shifted regardless of the content that I was watching.

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On my Nintendo Switch, the Hue Sync worked well. I tested it with Link's Awakening, and there were some neat video game features like a flash of light whenever I attacked an enemy, along with colors that matched the game environment.

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I also tested with my PS4 Pro and had no problems getting the syncing features to work properly. With both my Nintendo Switch and my PS4 Pro, I saw no lag issues with the color changes. As mentioned above, that's with six active lights and a 4K TV (without Dolby Vision).

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There's an automatic switching feature (activated in settings) that swaps between different HDMI inputs when a console or ‌Apple TV‌ is activated, which worked well for me, but switching via my remote did not work (since everything is technically routed through one of my TV's HDMI ports) so any manual switching between inputs needed to be done through the app.

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Unfortunately there were a few occasions where the automatic switching feature did not work as expected (mostly with my PlayStation 4) and I had to use the app

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Based on multiple reviews of the Hue Play Sync Box, some users with devices routed through sound bars and receivers have had issues (though it's supposed to work), so deeper investigation may be required before purchasing to make sure that it works with your particular setup. It does not work with built-in smart TV apps, so you're going to need an ‌Apple TV‌, Fire Stick, Roku, or similar, which is something to be aware of. Content must pass through the box to the TV for it to work.

The Hue Sync Play Box supports 4K at 60Hz and HDR 10, but it does not support HDR10+ or Dolby Vision, so if you have a TV that uses HDR10+ or Dolby Vision, this may not be something that you want to invest in. It does support passthrough so you can still watch HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content, but it can't detect them to create the lighting effects.

Bottom Line

The Hue Play Sync Box is expensive and there are some bugs and issues that need to be worked out, but I think that people who have invested in Hue lights for their entertainment systems will enjoy what the box has to offer.

It's unfortunate that it does not work with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ because I suspect there is a good amount of overlap between people who have HDR10+/Dolby Vision capable devices and those who have a Hue setup that would make the Hue Play Sync Box worthwhile, but for those who can work with the limitations, it's a great way to make TV shows, movies, video games, and music more immersive.


Setup was simple for me, but I also have a simple TV setup without a sound bar and other additions, so there could be more complexity involved, and that's something to be aware of before purchasing. On the whole, I think many of those who love Hue lights will be pleased to have this option for content syncing, and I'm hoping some bug fixes and improvements will make the Hue Play Sync Box a more seamless experience in the future.

How to Buy

The Hue Play Sync Box can be purchased from the Hue website or from Best Buy for $229.99.

While the Apple Watch Series 5 lineup was released less than two months ago, rumors are already looking ahead to next year.

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In a research note with investor firm TF International Securities, seen by MacRumors, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted that 2020 Apple Watch models will feature faster performance, improved water resistance, and improved wireless transmission for potentially faster Wi-Fi and cellular speeds.

Kuo believes all of these advancements will be made possible by Apple's switch to liquid crystal polymer or LCP material for the flexible circuit boards in next year's Apple Watch models, expected to launch in the second half of the year as usual. Series 5 models and earlier use a material known as polyimide or PI.

Dongshan Precision, Avary Holding, and Flexium Interconnect will be the primary LCP suppliers, according to Kuo.

It would not be surprising if so-called Apple Watch Series 6 models feature a faster Apple-designed S chip, as the only known differences with the S5 chip in Series 5 models compared to the S4 chip in Series 4 models is a built-in compass and a new always-on display driver, so a performance bump will be due next year.

As for water resistance, Apple Watch Series 2 models are already suitable for swimming or showering and can be submerged to a depth of up to 50 meters. With further improvements, perhaps Series 6 models could be certified for some high-velocity water activities such as scuba diving or water skiing.

Previous reports have suggested that 2020 Apple Watch models may also feature sleep tracking and MicroLED displays.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Today is Veterans Day in the United States and, as usual, Apple CEO Tim Cook has thanked veterans around the world for their service.


Apple is also showing its support for Veterans Day with a short message on its website: "Here's to the brave ones. We're proud to honor America's veterans and service members this Veterans Day and every day."

apple veterans day 2019
As noted by Kyle Seth Gray, Apple Watch users can earn a special Veterans Day badge in the Activity app today by completing any workout for 11 minutes or longer. The annual Activity Challenge, limited to the United States, also awards users with a Veterans Day sticker for use in the Messages app.


Last, Apple has highlighted how iPhone app Healium AR is helping veterans manage anxiety. The augmented reality app was created by former TV journalist Sarah Hill, who is profiled in the Apple Newsroom story.

November 11 also marks similar Remembrance Day or Armistice Day commemorations in many other countries.