iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max models include the necessary hardware for a two-way charging feature that was widely rumored for the devices, but Apple has disabled the feature on the software end, according to "reliable sources" cited by leaker and former Apple blogger Sonny Dickson.
Reliable sources are saying iPhone 11 and 11 Pro do include the hardware for bilateral charging, but that it is software disabled. Uncertain whether this was removed prior to final production run.
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) September 13, 2019
Dickson, through his connections, has proven reliable at times in the past. He had early line of sight on the AirPower's development challenges, for example, and the wireless charging mat was eventually canceled.
For months ahead of their unveiling, the latest iPhones were rumored to feature a Qi-based device-to-device charging feature, allowing for an Apple Watch, AirPods, and other accessories to charge on the back of the iPhones. The feature was expected to be similar to Wireless PowerShare on Samsung's Galaxy S10.
The centered Apple logo on the iPhone 11 models was even believed to be partly intended to help customers know where to place their AirPods, Apple Watch, or other accessories to charge on the back of the iPhone.
Just hours before Apple's event this week, however, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the feature appeared to have been canceled. In a note seen by MacRumors, Kuo said the feature was possibly abandoned because "the charging efficiency may not meet Apple's requirements."
Teardowns of the iPhone 11 models will soon confirm whether the two-way charging hardware is in fact present in the devices. Deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Friday, September 20.
Shortly after pre-orders for Apple's new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models went live, supplies of the new higher-end iPhone 11 Pro models began dwindling, with launch day shipping no longer available for many colors and capacities.
Most iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max models in the midnight green color went first, suggesting it is the most popular color this year. At this time, most new Pro models in midnight green will ship in late September to early October.
Space Gray, Silver, and Gold iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max models are also selling out quickly with many colors and capacities across several carriers now unavailable for launch day delivery. Gold devices are still in stock along with a few Silver and Space Gray, but it looks like all available supply will soon be exhausted.
The iPhone 11 appears to be faring better and most models in most colors and capacities can still be purchased for launch day delivery.
Given how fast the iPhone 11 Pro is selling out, it's best to place an order as early as possible. Those who don't get launch day delivery may be able to visit an Apple Store or another retail location on launch day to get a new iPhone.
Update 6:15 a.m.: Shipping estimates for select models of the iPhone 11, led by the new green and purple colors for T-Mobile and Sprint customers, have started slipping beyond the September 20 launch date as well.
Priced at $699, the iPhone 11 is Apple's most affordable new iPhone this year. It features a 6.1-inch edge-to-edge LCD display, a colorful glass body that comes in one of six colors, improved water and shatter resistance, an A13 chip, and a new dual-lens camera system with a wide-angle and ultra wide-angle lens.
The more expensive iPhone 11 Pro, which is priced at $999, features a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED display, a matte glass body, improved water and shatter resistance, an A13 chip, longer battery life, and a new triple-lens camera setup with telephoto, wide-angle, and ultra wide-angle lenses for some impressive photography improvements.
Apple's most expensive iPhone, the $1099 iPhone 11 Pro Max, is identical to the iPhone 11 Pro with the exception of its larger 6.5-inch display and bigger battery. Both the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max ship with an 18W USB-C power adapter and USB-C to Lightning cable for fast charging right out of the box, and they're available in a new green color.
All three new iPhones feature Haptic Touch instead of 3D Touch, next-gen Smart HDR for the cameras, a new night mode that's designed to capture crisp, bright photos even in very low lighting conditions, Portrait mode improvements, and an upgraded 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera system.
Face ID is up to 30 percent faster and it works from more angles, and the front-facing camera features improved Smart HDR and support for 120 fps slo-mo video, enabling what Apple calls "slofies."
Pre-orders are available in the United States and more than 30 other countries and regions. We haven't heard rumors of supply constraints so available iPhone models should be plentiful, but it's always best to order early especially when it comes to the midnight green shade because it's a new, never-before-offered option.
All of the major U.S. carriers -- Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile -- are accepting pre-orders for the new devices, as are many other carriers around the world. Major online retailers including Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, are also accepting pre-orders starting today.
The iPhone 11 is priced at $699 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB of storage available for $749 and 256GB of storage available for $849. iPhone Upgrade Program pricing is available, as are trade-ins to lower prices.
The iPhone 11 Pro is priced at $999 for 64GB of storage, $1149 for 256GB of storage, and $1349 for 512GB of storage. The iPhone 11 Pro Max offers the same storage tiers at price points $100 higher than iPhone 11 pricing ($1099, $1249, and $1449).
In the United States, customers can purchase the new iPhones from any of the four major carriers using Apple's site, or choose a SIM-free version. Customers who successfully place an order for launch day delivery can expect to begin receiving their devices on Friday, September 20, the official release date for the new devices.
Apple today announced that its Omotesando retail store in Tokyo reopens Friday, September 20 following renovations, as noted by Japanese blog Mac Otakara. Doors will open at 8 a.m. local time. September 20 is iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and Apple Watch Series 5 launch day.
Likewise, Apple previously announced that its iconic Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan reopens September 20 at 8 a.m. local time.
"We're transforming our iconic store into a space that's open to collaboration of all kinds," reads Apple's new Fifth Avenue store preview page. "Made for the city where creativity never sleeps. Stop by during our weeklong celebration to get inspired by some of the best creative talent in the city."
To celebrate the reopening of its Fifth Avenue flagship, Apple has temporarily covered the store's iconic glass cube in an eye-catching iridescent film. Below, the underground store has been significantly expanded in size, with circular skylights added at ground level to allow natural light into the store.
Update: Apple Antara in Mexico City will open at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27. It will be the company's second retail store in Mexico.
Spotify will require family plan members to provide their location data "from time to time" to prove they're all living under the same roof, in an effort to curb subscribers who abuse the offer.
The Spotify Premium Family Plan has been hugely popular among users of the music streaming service, since it offers families up to six accounts under one plan for a single price of $14.99 a month, as does Apple Music's equivalent.
It's no secret that friends sometimes gang up together to share the spoils of subscribing to Spotify's cheaper family plan, even though they don't live together. If six people share a plan then the cost of Spotify Premium works out at $2.50 per person.
The streaming service officially requires that fellow family plan members live in the same household, but Spotify has historically been fairly lax about checking up on where people live, so it's easy to see the appeal.
However, according to the streaming service's terms and conditions, updated in August, family plan users will be expected to share location data "from time to time" in order to prove that everyone on the plan is in fact living in the same residence.
First spotted by CNET, the new requirement does raise privacy concerns, but Spotify has moved to allay those fears by issuing the following statement:
"The location data that is collected during Premium Family account creation is only used by Spotify for that purpose.... once verification of a family member's home address is completed, we do not store their location data or track their location at any time. This data is encrypted and can be edited by the plan owner as needed."
It's not clear how aggressive Spotify will be in checking user's locations, but it has tested the policy before – though it ended shortly afterward after complaints of privacy violations.
@Spotify Why do you need my GPS location to continue offering me a "Premium discount"? I pay for the family plan and it should not matter where my family lives. Will you cancel my account if my family gets too far from each other? #wtf#failpic.twitter.com/HauQtHXSUA
— suck (@unaligned) September 18, 2018
Regardless, existing family plan subscribers who don't like the change have up to 30 days to cancel their subscription after the new terms come into effect. Depending where they are though, subscribers may not have as much time as they think. The updated family plan terms rolled out first in Ireland on August 19 and in the U.S. on September 5.
Apple's online store is down in anticipation of iPhone 11 series pre-orders, which begin at the unusual time of 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time this year.
Arguably favoring the east coast this time around, Apple's U.S. storefront placeholder currently reads: "Staying up late is so last year. The good news is, now you don't have to. This year, pre-order begins at 5:00 a.m. PDT. See you then."
Apple unveiled the iPhone 11 on September 10 with new colors, a dual-lens camera, improved durability, and a faster A13 chip than last year's iPhone XR, which it replaces.
The successors to the 2018 iPhone XS series are called iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, and feature triple-lens cameras, A13 chips, faster Face ID, Night Mode, shatter resistant glass, improved water resistance and more.
The iPhone 11 is priced at $699 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB of storage available for $749 and 256GB of storage available for $849. iPhone Upgrade Program pricing is available, as are trade-ins to lower prices.
The iPhone 11 Pro is priced at $999 for 64GB of storage, $1149 for 256GB of storage, and $1349 for 512GB of storage. The iPhone 11 Pro Max offers the same storage tiers at price points $100 higher than iPhone 11 pricing ($1099, $1249, and $1449).
Customers who successfully place an order for launch day delivery should receive their devices on Friday, September 20, which is the official release date for the new devices.
Looking further ahead, rumors suggest Apple is planning to release three 5G-capable iPhones in 2020, but in new sizes. Apple is said to be working on 5.4 and 6.7-inch high-end iPhones with OLED displays, which would presumably be the devices to adopt the rumored 3D-capable rear camera systems, and a lower-cost 6.1-inch model with an OLED display.
Are you getting a new iPhone this year or waiting for 2020? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Apple today announced a new billing grace period for subscriptions, which will let subscribers who experience unsuccessful auto-renewals continue to use an app's paid content while Apple attempts to collect payment.
This will be a useful feature for developers as customers who do not immediately update their billing when a subscription fee becomes due can currently lose access to premium features right away.
Apple's new option is designed to provide a short period in which customers can still access those premium features while giving them time to fix the billing problem. Grace periods will vary based on subscription length.
Subscriptions that last a week will have a six day grace period, while all longer subscriptions will have a 16 day grace period.
Apple says that there will be no interruption to a subscriber's days of paid service or to a developer's revenue if payment is successful within the new grace period.
You can now enable Billing Grace Period for your apps with auto-renewable subscriptions in App Store Connect. Billing Grace Period allows you to let subscribers whose auto-renewal has failed due to a payment issue continue accessing your app's paid content for a period of time while Apple attempts to collect payment. There won't be any interruption to the subscriber's days of paid service or to your revenue if Apple is able to recover the subscription within the grace period.
Developers who have subscription apps are now able to implement support for the new billing grace period.
Apple's latest iPhones, the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, are nearing their release dates on September 20. Apple is separating the new smartphones into its usual low-cost versus high-cost categories, with big differences between the two models coming down to the camera, display, and battery life.
Slight Design Differences
Although they look very similar, the iPhone 11 is made with an aluminum frame and both the front and back are made of glass. The iPhone 11 Pro has the same glass build as the iPhone 11, but with a premium matte finish on the back of the device. Instead of an aluminum frame, its frame is made of stainless steel.
For all three 2019 iPhones, Apple claims that its glass is the "toughest glass found in a smartphone," and promises durability if you happen to drop or otherwise accidentally harm your iPhone. For both smartphones, the square camera bump has a polished glass finish.
The iPhone 11 is 5.94 inches tall, 2.98 inches wide, and 0.33 inches thick, with a weight of 6.84 ounces. The iPhone 11 Pro is ever slightly smaller at 5.67 inches tall, 2.81 inches wide, and 0.32 inches thick, with a weight of 6.63 ounces. Of course, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is the biggest of the bunch at 6.22 inches tall, 3.06 inches wide, and 0.32 inches deep, at a total weight of 7.97 ounces.
The iPhone 11 comes in Purple, Yellow, Green, Black, White, and Product Red. The iPhone 11 Pro comes in Midnight Green, Silver, Space Grey, and Gold. All models have the same front-face notch, bezels, antenna bands, volume and side buttons, mute switch, speaker grills, microphones, and Lightning port.
Display Differences
The iPhone 11 sports a 6.1-inch "Liquid Retina HD" LCD display, while the iPhone 11 Pro family has a sharper "Super Retina XDR" OLED display. While the LCD on the iPhone 11 provides true-to-life colors, the OLED on the iPhone 11 Pro is brighter in sunlight, can display true blacks and more detail in bright areas, and is able to support HDR movies on iTunes.
Specifically, the iPhone 11 reaches 625 nits max brightness while the iPhone 11 Pro reaches 800 nits max brightness. Both models support True Tone and Haptic Touch, but neither has support for 3D Touch, which Apple has abandoned this generation. 3D Touch provided pressure-sensitive feedback for shortcuts throughout iOS, and Haptic Touch is the somewhat similar replacement for it, without the hardware-based feedback.
The LCD display is mainly how Apple can keep the cost of the iPhone 11 down in comparison to the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, but it'll be more than sufficient for most users who use their iPhone to casually browse social media apps and stay connected with friends and family through Messages.
Performance Same
Both the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro are powered by Apple's A13 Bionic chip, which the company claims to be the fastest CPU ever in a smartphone.
In detail, the A13 Bionic features four high-efficiency cores that are up to 20 percent faster and consume 40 percent less power than the A12 Bionic, and two high-performance cores that are up to 20 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient than the previous chip.
Battery Life
This leads to improved battery life on the 2019 iPhones thanks to the more efficient A13 Bionic chip. The iPhone 11 has up to one hour longer battery life than the iPhone XR (its direct predecessor). Based on Apple's internal testing, the iPhone 11 is rated for up to 17 hours of offline video playback, up to 10 hours of streaming video over Wi-Fi, and up to 65 hours of audio playback per charge.
The iPhone 11 Pro has up to four hours longer battery life than the iPhone XS, rated for up to 18 hours of offline video playback, up to 11 hours of streaming video over Wi-Fi, and up to 65 hours of audio playback per charge.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max has the longest battery life in an iPhone to date, lasting up to five hours longer than the iPhone XS Max. It's rated for up to 20 hours of offline video playback, up to 12 hours of streaming video over Wi-Fi, and up to 80 hours of audio playback per charge.
All three models support wireless charging on any Qi-compatible mat, as well as fast charging via 18W or higher USB-C charger and Lightning to USB-C cable. This will net you up to a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes. Notably, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max include an 18W charger and Lightning to USB-C cable in the box, but the iPhone 11 does not include these upgraded accessories and instead comes with the previous 5W charger and Lightning to USB-A cable.
Cameras, the Biggest Difference
Besides the display, the camera is one of the biggest differences between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, but you'll still be getting a solid smartphone camera on either device.
To start, the iPhone 11 has a dual 12-megapixel camera system, with wide (ƒ/1.8 aperture) and ultra wide (ƒ/2.4 aperture) lenses. With ultra wide, you can "zoom out" to 0.5x without physically moving, and capture more of a scene in the process. It also supports the new Night Mode for improved low-light images, Auto Adjustments, optical image stabilization, digital zoom up to 5x, 2x optical zoom out, brighter True Tone flash with Slow Sync, Portrait Mode with six effects, and Smart HDR.
Comparatively, the iPhone 11 Pro camera's main difference is found in its third telephoto camera (ƒ/2.0 aperture). This means the 11 Pro family has three total lenses: ultra wide, wide, and telephoto. You'll also get dual optical image stabilization, 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, and digital zoom up to 10x.
The main advantage of the telephoto lens are that it allows for zooming in on distant subjects without losing much clarity in the image. Apple said that this can be seen when taking images of wildlife from afar, or when you're at a sporting event.
Across the iPhone 11 family of devices, you'll be able to use Apple's "slofies" (aka slow-motion selfies on the front-facing camera); gain access to all six Portrait Lighting effects; and take Portrait Mode photos of humans, objects, and pets.
They also all include Apple's third-generation Neural Engine, enabling next-generation Smart HDR for more natural-looking photos. Later this fall, it will enable a new Deep Fusion system that uses advanced machine learning for pixel-by-pixel processing of photos, including texture, details, and noise.
Connectivity Same
Both the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro include 802.11ax Wi-Fi and Gigabit-class LTE, meaning that in terms of cellular performance all models of the 2019 iPhone should see similar statistics.
They both include Bluetooth 5.0 support and have NFC readers to support Apple Pay. On the new side of things, Apple has included its in-house designed U1 chip to enable ultra-wideband support for improved spatial awareness.
In a practical sense, this means that iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro can precisely locate other U1-equipped Apple devices. With iOS 13.1, for example, you'll be able to point your iPhone 11 to another iPhone to AirDrop a photo or file.
Storage and Pricing Differences
You can purchase the iPhone 11 in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage capacities, priced at $699, $749, and $849 respectively in the United States.
The iPhone 11 Pro is available in 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, priced at $999, $1,149, and $1,349 respectively in the United States.
Lastly, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is available in 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, priced at $1,099, $1,249, and $1,449 respectively in the United States.
Tech Specs Compared
Below you'll find tech specs for iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, with each difference bolded.
iPhone 11
6.1-inch LCD display
Battery lasts up to 1 hour longer than iPhone XR
1792×828 resolution and 326 PPI
True Tone display
Dual 12-megapixel rear cameras (wide and ultra-wide lenses)
Single 12-megapixel front camera
Portrait Mode with Depth Control: humans, pets, and objects
Fast charging capable: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
Qi-based wireless charging
IP68-rated water resistance to a depth of 2 meters for up to 30 minutes
64/128/256GB
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM)
Gigabit-class LTE
VoLTE
802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 with MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0
Night Mode photos
Front-facing slo-mo video recording at 120 FPS
QuickTake video recording shortcut
Dolby Atmos sound
U1 chip for spatial awareness
iPhone 11 Pro
5.8-inch OLED display
Battery lasts up to 4 hours longer than iPhone XS
2436x1125 resolution and 458 PPI
True Tone display
Triple 12-megapixel rear cameras (wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto)
Single 12-megapixel front camera
Portrait Mode with Depth Control: humans, pets, and objects
Six Portrait Lighting effects
Next-gen Smart HDR
A13 Bionic chip with third-gen Neural Engine
Face ID
Haptic Touch
Lightning connector
Fast charging capable: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
Qi-based wireless charging
IP68-rated water resistance to a depth of 4 meters for up to 30 minutes
64/256/512GB
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM)
Gigabit-class LTE
VoLTE
802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 with MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0
Night Mode photos
Front-facing slo-mo video recording at 120 FPS
QuickTake video recording shortcut
Dolby Atmos sound
U1 chip for spatial awareness
iPhone 11 Pro Max specs identical to 11 Pro, except...
6.5-inch OLED display
Battery lasts up to 5 hours longer than iPhone XS Max (longest battery in an iPhone)
2688x1242 resolution and 458 PPI
iPhone 11 vs iPhone 11 Pro: Which One?
Apple continues to offer a nice array of iPhones across the price spectrum for customers, who will have to decide whether the "pro" upgrades are worth the price. At $999 for entry-level pricing, the iPhone 11 Pro has the same great camera of the pricier 11 Pro Max models, along with the OLED display and improved battery life compared to the previous generation.
Still, those advantages might not be worth the $300 upcharge from the entry-level iPhone 11, which still offers a solid camera, Face ID, a True Tone LCD display, and more color options. Because of this, the $699 64GB iPhone 11 will remain a more popular option among most 2019 iPhone buyers.
Apple's iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models both feature upgraded camera systems with some impressive new capabilities, including a Night Mode that's designed to use Apple's machine learning and hardware to significantly improve photos captured in low light.
The feature, which is similar to the Google Pixel's Night Sight mode, was shown off by Apple on stage, but real-world photos have also surfaced today.
Apple's Night mode demo shot
Canadian model and Nomad Management Modeling Agency founder Coco Rocha recently tweeted a night time shot that compares performance between the iPhone 11 and the iPhone X.
The photos show a drastic difference, with the iPhone 11 shot preserving the full content of the image while the iPhone X produces a photo that's too dark to be usable.
The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max all support Night Mode, which is designed to work without the flash to produce natural, bright photos in low light. A key component of the new Night Mode is the updated Wide camera sensor present in both iPhones.
Night Mode is activated automatically when it's needed, and Apple has outlined how it works. When you capture a Night Mode image, the camera takes multiple pictures in a row while utilizing optical image stabilization to steady the lens.
From there, the iPhone's software aligns images to correct for movement, discards sections with too much blur, and fuses sharper images together. Contrast is adjusted for balance purposes, and colors are fine-tuned to look natural. Noise reduction is employed and details are enhanced to produce the final images.
On Instagram, Apple has also been sharing photos that demonstrate the different camera modes available in the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, both of which feature triple-lens camera setups.
These shots demonstrate the capabilities of the telephoto, wide, and ultra wide-angle lenses, with the latter lens being the new option.
The iPhone 11 has a dual-lens camera setup with a wide-angle and ultra wide-angle lens, so while it can do much of what the iPhone 11 Pro can do, it lacks the telephoto lens and the 2x optical zoom that comes with it.
All of the new iPhones support Portrait mode (and in the 11, you can take portraits of non-people, which wasn't possible with the XR), next-generation Smart HDR, Portrait Lighting, and will soon have a new Deep Fusion feature that Apple says will use pixel-by-pixel processing to optimize for texture, details, and noise.
The new iPhones will go on sale starting tomorrow, September 13, with pre-orders set to kick off at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time. An official launch will follow on Friday, September 20.
The guidelines now state that, in limited cases, third-party analytics may be permitted in kids apps provided that the services do not collect or transmit any identifiable information about children, such as their name, date of birth, email address, location, or unique device identifier.
Apple says third-party advertising may also be permitted in limited cases, provided that the services have publicly documented practices and policies for kids apps, including human review of ad creatives for age appropriateness.
Apple had previously implied that no third-party ads or analytics would be permitted in kids apps whatsoever, but several developers of kids apps expressed concerns that this would harm their business models, leading Apple to delay the requirements and make the changes announced today.
Moreover, apps in the App Store's Kids category or those that collect, transmit, or have the capability to share personal information from a minor must include a privacy policy and must comply with all applicable children's privacy statutes, such as the U.S.'s Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
Newly submitted kids apps must follow these guidelines immediately, while existing apps will have until March 3, 2020 to be fully compliant, according to Apple.
"As we got closer to implementation we spent more time with developers, analytics companies and advertising companies," Apple's marketing and App Store chief Phil Schiller told TechCrunch. "Some of them are really forward thinking and have good ideas and are trying to be leaders in this space too."
'Sign in with Apple' criteria
Meanwhile, as previously announced, apps that exclusively use a third-party or social login service such as Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Amazon, or WeChat to set up or authenticate a user's primary account within the app must also offer Sign in with Apple as an equivalent option.
However, Apple has now clarified that Sign in with Apple is not required if:
- Your app exclusively uses your company's own account setup and sign-in systems. - Your app is an education, enterprise, or business app that requires the user to sign in with an existing education or enterprise account. - Your app uses a government or industry-backed citizen identification system or electronic ID to authenticate users. - Your app is a client for a specific third-party service and users are required to sign in to their mail, social media, or other third-party account directly to access their content.
Starting today, new apps submitted to the App Store must follow these guidelines for Sign in with Apple. Existing apps must follow them by April 2020.
Slack today launched dark mode for all desktop apps, including Mac, Windows, and Linux. This follows the company previously making dark mode available on iOS back in June.
To find dark mode in Slack on Mac, click on your name in the left sidebar > Preferences > Themes. This will show you a quick preview of how everything will look, and then you can choose to switch to dark mode or stay in light mode.
The company has also added new themes specifically tailored for dark mode, all of which are also available today. There is no required update to see dark mode on Slack, but you'll need to restart the app to get it to appear.
Slack also confirmed that in the near future you will be able to set Slack to switch automatically between light and dark mode, based on your macOS settings. The company didn't provide a specific release date for this feature but said it will be available fairly soon.
Apple today shared a new video on its YouTube channel that highlights some of the games coming to Apple Arcade in 100 seconds.
Earlier this week, Apple announced that its subscription-based Apple Arcade gaming service will launch September 19 in over 150 countries. In the United States, pricing is set at $4.99 per month, with a one-month free trial available. This price will apply to individuals or a family of up to six members via Family Sharing.
Featured games and their corresponding timestamps in the video:
[00:00] “Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm” by Cornfox [00:04] “Towaga: Among Shadows” by Noodlecake [00:04] “Mosaic” by Raw Fury [00:04] “Overland” by Finji [00:05] “Manifold Garden” by William Chyr [00:05] “Lifeslide” by Block Zero [00:06] “Where Cards Fall” by Snowman [00:06] “WHAT THE GOLF” by Fun Plus [00:06] “ChuChu Rocket! Universe” by SEGA® [00:07] “Cat Quest II” by Gentlebros [00:07] “The Enchanted World” by Noodlecake [00:07] “Hot Lava” by Klei Entertainment [00:20] “EarthNight” by Cleaversoft [00:30] “Skate City” by Snowman [00:42] “Jenny LeClue - Detectivu” by Mografi [00:53] “LEGO Brawls” by Lego [01:08] "Sayonara: Wild Hearts" by Annapurna [01:22] "Sonic Racing" by SEGA® [01:24] "Pac-Man Party Royale” by Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. [01:26] “Frogger in Toy Town” by Konami [01:27] “Shinsekai: Into the Depths” by Capcom [01:29] “Cricket Through the Ages” by Devolver [01:31] “ShockRods” by Stainless Games [01:32] “Redout: Space Assault” by 34BigThings [01:33] “Super Impossible Road” by Rogue Games Inc. [01:34] “Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm” by Cornfox
Apple Arcade will provide iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV users with access to a library of over 100 games, with no ads or additional in-app purchases. Read our Apple Arcade guide for more details and a preview of the games coming at launch.
Walgreens today announced that, starting Friday, customers will receive 3% Daily Cash when they use the Apple Card with Apple Pay for all eligible health, beauty, personal care, household, and seasonal products they purchase at Walgreens or Duane Reade pharmacy locations, including medicines and prescriptions.
As noted by TechCrunch, the 3% Daily Cash also applies to purchases made in the Walgreens app and on Walgreens.com.
Last month, Apple announced that it would extend 3% Daily Cash to more merchants, and the list now includes Uber and Uber Eats, Walgreens, Duane Reade, and purchases made directly with Apple, including at Apple Stores, Apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, and for subscriptions like Apple Music and iCloud storage.
All other purchases made with the Apple Card via Apple Pay will continue to receive 2% Daily Cash, while purchases made with the physical, titanium Apple Card qualify for 1% Daily Cash anywhere but Apple Stores.
To apply for an Apple Card, simply open the Wallet app on an iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later, tap the plus button in the top-right corner, and follow the on-screen steps. The process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, your digital Apple Card will be ready for purchases immediately.
Apple's new iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max both come with 6GB of RAM – 2GB more than the previous generation iPhone XS series – while the iPhone 11 features 4GB, up from 3GB in the iPhone XR, according to new details leaked today.
The specs come from reliable mobile leaker Steve Hommersteffer (@OnLeaks), whose tweet today also claims to reveal the battery capacities for Apple's latest iPhone lineup, as follows.
The iPhone 11 Pro is said to come with a 3,190mAh capacity battery, compared to the 2,658mAh one in the iPhone XS, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts 3,500mAh (the iPhone XS Max had 3,174mAh). The base iPhone 11 is said to include a 3,110 mAh battery, up from the 2,942mAh in the iPhone XR.
For those who care about these details #Apple never share officially, seems like:
- #iPhone11 = 4GB RAM + 3110mAh battery (Xr = 3GB + 2942mAh) - #iPhone11Pro = 6GB RAM + 3190mAh battery (Xs = 4GB RAM + 2658mAh) - #iPhone11ProMax = 6GB RAM + 3500mAh (Xs Max = 4GB RAM + 3174mAh)
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) September 12, 2019
However, the above RAM specs contradict some recent Geekbench results. One that appeared last night (shared by MacRumors forum member EugW) is for an alleged iPhone 11 Pro showing a device with 4GB of RAM – with an A13 processor benchmarking around 10-15 percent faster than the A12 processor in the iPhone XS series. The other, reported last week, is allegedly for a base iPhone 11, also with 4GB.
Hemmerstoffer's specs are sourced from a Chinese certification platform, so they aren't officially confirmed. But then Geekbench scores can also be faked, so it's best to take these sources with a pinch of salt until something more definitive comes along.
If the iPhone 11 series does indeed feature 4GB RAM across the board, then it could be that Apple's proprietary off-chip enhancements also bring greater working memory optimizations, but that's something we can't know for sure based on raw CPU scores.
Apple is taking online pre-orders for the all-new iPhone 11 series models from Friday, September 13 and will start shipping the devices the following Friday, September 20.
Mozilla this week began piloting its own browser-based VPN service, and if you're located in the U.S. you can start testing it for free right away.
Called the Firefox Private Network, the service promises Firefox users a more secure, encrypted path to the web that prevents eavesdroppers from spying on your browsing activity and hides your location from websites and ad trackers.
In that respect, it won't protect any internet traffic outside of your web browser, but it's a good option if you want to use an encrypted connection on the fly when you're using Firefox on a public Wi-Fi network, for example.
As a time-limited beta, the Firefox Private Network is currently free to try, although this does suggest it may become a paid service in the future. You also need to be a U.S. resident logged into your Firefox account using Firefox desktop browser.
If you can fulfill those pre-requisites, you can install the private network by navigating to this page, clicking the blue + Add to Firefox button, then granting permission for the network to be added to the browser.
Click the door hanger icon that appears at the top-right corner of the toolbar, and you'll see a switch that you can use to toggle the VPN on and off. A green tick in the icon indicates the secure network is active and your browsing activity is being encrypted.
Opera browser offers a similar free VPN service that cloaks your web browsing, but with the added benefit that it lets you choose the continent that you want your connection to reside. So if you're looking to access a location-restricted service (Netflix, say) from abroad, you might have better luck using it instead.
Following the release of iOS 12.4.1 on August 26, Apple has stopped signing iOS 12.4, the previous version of iOS that was available to consumers.
iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners who have upgraded to iOS 12.4.1 will no longer be able to downgrade to iOS 12.4.
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, but iOS 12.4.1 was released because iOS 12.4 had a major vulnerability.
The vulnerability allowed hackers to create a jailbreak for iOS 12.4 and left devices vulnerable to hacking attempts. Apple fixed the bug in iOS 12.4.1, and the iOS 12.4 jailbreak will not work after upgrading.
iOS 12.4.1 is now the only version of iOS that can be installed on iPhones and iPads, but developers and public beta testers can download iOS 13, an upcoming update that's currently being beta tested and is set to be released next week.
Apple today asked developers to begin building, testing, and submitting watchOS 6 apps for inclusion in the new standalone Apple Watch App Store.
Starting with watchOS 6, developers are able to distribute apps built solely for the Apple Watch without a companion app on iOS. Apple was not previously accepting standalone Apple Watch submissions and has also updated its watchOS site for developers.
Apple Watch apps can be installed from the Apple Watch App Store directly on the wrist even when an iPhone isn't available.
With watchOS 6, customers around the world can use the new App Store on Apple Watch to easily discover, browse, search, and install apps directly on their wrist. And for the first time, you can distribute an app just for Apple Watch, without a companion app on iOS. Build your watchOS apps using Xcode 11 GM seed, test them on devices running the latest watchOS 6 GM seed, and submit them for review.
Apple says that starting in April 2020, all new watchOS apps and app updates submitted to the App Store will need to be built with the watchOS 6 SDK and support the Apple Watch Series 4 or later.
watchOS 6 with standalone App Store is set to launch on the Series 3 and Series 4 Apple Watch models on Thursday, September 19. It will be available for Series 1 and Series 2 Apple Watch models later in the year.
The Apple Watch Series 5, which launches on Friday, September 20, will come with watchOS 6 installed.
While the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 have now been discontinued, some customers may be wondering which of these two older iPhones may be better. The two devices have several similarities, but the iPhone 11 takes a step forward with regards to camera technology, battery life, and more.
Design Very Similar
The iPhone 11 has a very similar glass-and-aluminum design as the iPhone XR, with one major visual difference being its dual-lens rear camera system housed in a large, square camera bump. On the back of the iPhone 11, the Apple logo is centered, and the "iPhone" brand name is no longer shown.
Otherwise, much is the same, including the display, bezels, notch, antenna bands, volume and side buttons, mute switch, speaker grilles, and microphones. The iPhone 11 also sticks with the Lightning connector.
The iPhone 11 comes in six colors, including green, purple, white, black, yellow, and (PRODUCT)RED.
Both devices weigh in at just under half a pound and have identical dimensions.
Displays Same
The iPhone 11 has the same 6.1-inch LCD display as the iPhone XR, including a resolution of 1792 by 828 pixels for 326 pixels per inch, 625 nits max brightness, and True Tone and P3 wide color gamut support. The LCD panel keeps costs down compared to the OLED displays used for the iPhone 12 lineup.
Like the iPhone XR, the iPhone 11 relies on software-based Haptic Touch for contextual menus and shortcuts. Unlike older iPhones, there is no pressure-sensitive 3D Touch layer built into the iPhone 11's display.
Performance Differences
The iPhone 11 is powered by Apple's A13 Bionic chip, behind only Apple's A14 Bionic chip in the iPhone 12 models.
Based on 7-nanometer architecture, the A13 Bionic features four high-efficiency cores that are up to 20 percent faster and consume 40 percent less power than the A12 Bionic chip in the iPhone XR. The A13 chip also has two high-performance cores that are up to 20 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient than the A12 chip.
Battery Life
Apple says the iPhone 11 has up to one hour longer battery life than the iPhone XR overall. Based on Apple's internal testing, the iPhone 11 is rated for up to 17 hours of offline video playback, up to 10 hours of streaming video over Wi-Fi, and up to 65 hours of audio playback per charge.
Like the iPhone XR, the iPhone 11 supports Qi-based wireless charging, as well as fast charging for up to a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes with an 18W or higher USB-C charger.
Cameras, the Biggest Difference
The rear camera system is easily the iPhone 11's biggest upgrade over the iPhone XR. Unlike the XR, the wide-angle ƒ/1.8 lens is accompanied by an ultra-wide-angle ƒ/2.4 lens for a 120° field of view. The ultra-wide-angle lens allows users to "zoom out" to "0.5x" and capture four times more scene, according to Apple.
The iPhone 11's wide-angle lens also has an updated sensor that enables Night Mode for markedly improved low-light photos that are brighter and have less noise. This feature is similar to Night Sight on Google's newer Pixel smartphones.
The iPhone 11's third-generation Neural Engine enables next-generation Smart HDR for more natural-looking photos. The Neural Engine also enables Deep Fusion, which uses advanced machine learning for pixel-by-pixel processing of photos, including texture, details, and noise.
Portrait Mode on the iPhone 11 works with not only human faces, but also objects and pets.
There are also six Portrait Lighting effects available on the iPhone 11, including Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, and High‑Key Mono. This is up from three on the iPhone XR: Natural, Studio, and Contour.
iPhone 11 also features front-facing slo-mo video recording at 120 FPS.
Connectivity Compared
With both 802.11ax Wi-Fi and Gigabit-class LTE, the iPhone 11 theoretically has faster download speeds than the iPhone XR, but real-world performance is typically limited by multiple factors such as location and network congestion.
The iPhone 11 also features an Apple-designed U1 chip that enables ultra-wideband support for improved spatial awareness. The chip enables the iPhone 11 to precisely locate other U1‑equipped Apple devices, such as other iPhones and Apple's AirTags.
Storage and Pricing Differences
iPhone 11 is available in 64GB and 128GB for $499 and $549 respectively, while the iPhone XR will be available in similar storage configurations for prices around $100 lower than this.
Tech Specs Compared
Below you'll find tech specs for iPhone 11 and iPhone XR, with each difference bolded.
iPhone 11
6.1-inch LCD display
1792×828 resolution and 326 PPI
True Tone display
Dual 12-megapixel rear cameras (wide and ultra-wide lenses)
Single 12-megapixel front camera
Portrait Mode with Depth Control: humans, pets, and objects
Fast charging capable: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
Qi-based wireless charging
IP68-rated water resistance to a depth of 2 meters for up to 30 minutes
64/128/256GB
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM)
Gigabit-class LTE
VoLTE
802.11ax Wi‑Fi with MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0
Plus…
Night Mode photos
Front-facing slo-mo video recording at 120 FPS
QuickTake video recording shortcut
Dolby Atmos sound
U1 chip for spatial awareness
iPhone XR
6.1-inch LCD display
1792×828 resolution and 326 PPI
True Tone display
Single 12-megapixel rear camera (wide lens)
Single 7-megapixel front camera
Portrait Mode with Depth Control: humans only
Three Portrait Lighting effects
Smart HDR
A12 Bionic chip with second-gen Neural Engine
Face ID
Haptic Touch
Lightning connector
Fast charging capable: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes
Qi-based wireless charging
IP67-rated water resistance to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
64/128GB (256GB discontinued)
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM)
LTE Advanced
VoLTE
802.11ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO
Bluetooth 5.0
iPhone 11 vs iPhone XR Verdict
The iPhone 11 is a rather iterative update to the iPhone XR, but users who take lots of photos may find the camera advancements worth spending an extra $100 on. The iPhone 11 is also one year newer than the iPhone XR, so it should receive an additional year of iOS updates.
Spotify will require family plan members to provide their location data "from time to time" to prove they're all living under the same roof, in an effort to curb subscribers who abuse the offer. 
Mozilla this week began piloting its own browser-based VPN service, and if you're located in the U.S. you can start testing it for free right away.
Following the 
