Apple today released an iOS 13.3 beta to developers for testing purposes, and the new update introduces Communication Limits for Screen Time, a feature Apple promised was coming to iOS 13 in a future update.
With Communication Limits, parents can control who their children are able to contact. Communication Limits apply to the Phone, FaceTime, and Messages apps, along with iCloud contacts.
There are settings to control communication during Screen Time, with options to allow just contacts or everyone to be contacted. There's also a toggle that either allows or disallows users to be added to a group chat when a contact or family member is in the group.
There's also a separate setting for communication limits during downtime, which is also able to be set to everyone or just specific contacts.
Finally, there's a toggle for allowing or disallowing contact editing, which can change some of the contact settings.
Regardless of Communication Limits settings, calls to emergency numbers are always allowed and will turn off communication limits for 24 hours when placed.
With the Communication Limits feature, parents will be able to better control who their children are contacting during different periods of the day, cutting off access to friends during school, for example.
There are other smaller tweaks in iOS 13.3, including an option to disable Memoji and Animoji stickers from showing up on the emoji keyboard and a change to the Apple Watch app that shifts the Digital Crown on the icon from black to gray.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 6.1.1 update to developers, one week after releasing the watchOS 6.1 update with support for AirPods Pro and the Series 1 and Series 2 Apple Watch models.
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.
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.
We don't yet know what features are included in the watchOS 6.1.1 beta, but once we install the update and figure out what's new, we'll update this article.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 13.3 update to developers, one week after releasing the tvOS 13.2 update.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 13.3developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.
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 anything new after installing the software.
In tvOS 13.2, for example, Apple's only available information was that it included general performance and stability updates.
While we don't often know 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.
If we find anything new in the tvOS 13.3 beta, we'll update this article.
\Apple today seeded the first betas of an upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.3 update to developers, just a week 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.
We don't yet know what's new in the iOS 13.3 update, but it likely includes bug fixes for issues not able to be addressed in the prior update. As a 13.x update, it also likely features some feature changes and updates.
What's new in iOS 13.3 beta 1:
- Communication Limits - There are now Communication Limits in the Screen Time section of Settings for limiting who children are speaking with via the Phone, Messages, and FaceTime apps.
- Multitasking Bug Fix - The beta appears to fix the iOS 13.2 issue that was causing apps to refresh more frequently than normal.
- Memoji/Animoji Stickers - In the Keyboards section of the Settings app, there's a new option to prevent Animoji and Memoji Stickers from being displayed on the Emoji keyboard.
- Apple Watch app - The Apple Watch app icon's Digital Crown is now gray instead of black.
Apple is rumored to be working on an updated lower-cost "iPhone SE 2," which is set to be released in 2020. In a new research note to investors highlighting supplier expectations for the new device that was seen by MacRumors, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some sales predictions.
Kuo believes Apple will ship at least 20 million iPhone SE 2 units in 2020, following the device's launch in the first half of the year. An optimistic situation, says Kuo, is 30 million units.
iPhone SE and iPhone 8
According to Kuo, the iPhone SE 2 will use a 10-layer Substrate-like PCB (SLP) for its motherboard, which will benefit some iPhone suppliers like Pending Holdings, Xinxing, and AT&S despite the fact that it's expected to be a less expensive component than the SLP used in the iPhone 11 series.
In prior research notes, Kuo has shared quite a lot of detail on the "iPhone SE 2," which, despite the somewhat misleading name, is actually closer in design and specification to an iPhone 8.
The device will feature a 4.7-inch display, a single-lens rear camera, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It will ship with the same A13 chip that's in the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, and it will have 3GB RAM.
The only thing that's "iPhone SE 2" about the upcoming iPhone is its price, which is expected to be $399. At that price point, it will replace the iPhone 8, which Apple currently sells for $449.
Apple's upcoming low-cost iPhone is expected to be a very popular upgrade option for iPhone users who are still holding on to an older model like an iPhone 6 or 6s and are looking for an affordable upgrade option that offers the same speeds and many of the same features as Apple's flagship devices.
It's also expected to be popular in countries where lower-cost devices sell well, such as India and China.
The new iPhone is expected to come out in the spring of 2020, which would see Apple launching it months ahead of when the new 2020 flagship iPhones come out in September.
Apple today shared the official trailer for "Hala," an upcoming movie that is set to debut on Apple TV+ on December 6.
"Hala" is a coming of age story of 17-year-old Hala, who is played by Geraldine Viswanathan. Anna Chlumsky, Jack Kilmer, Gabriel Luna, Azad Khan, and Purbi Joshi also star in the movie.
Seventeen-year-old Pakistani American teenager Hala (Geraldine Viswanathan) struggles to balance desire with her familial, cultural and religious obligations. As she comes into her own, she grapples with a secret that threatens to unravel her family.
Written and directed by Minhal Baig and executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith, "Hala" was an official selection of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.
"Hala" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it will see a theatrical run before it hits Apple TV+. "Hala" will be in theaters starting on November 22, coming to Apple TV+ two weeks later.
Apple TV+ is available starting now, with TV shows that include "Dickinson," "See," "The Morning Show" and "For All Mankind." Right now, the only movie available is "The Elephant Queen," but additional movies are coming to the service in the future.
Mophie has begun a major new sale on Juice Pack Air cases for older models of the iPhone. This includes the iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. There are multiple colors discounted for each case, but stock is limited considering how deep the discounts are during the sale.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Mophie. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
All of these Juice Pack Air Cases can be purchased for $29.95 for a limited time, down from $99.95. For an even deeper discount, you can use the MacRumors exclusive promo codeRUMORS20 to take an additional 20 percent off, and get each case for just $23.96, the lowest we've ever tracked for a new model of Mophie's Juice Pack Air line ($75.99 off).
New data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners indicates that 35 percent of iPhone buyers in the United States have a smartwatch, compared to just 16 percent of Android buyers. This suggests that iPhone users are more than twice as likely as Android users to purchase a smartwatch.
Within this percentage of iPhone owners in the U.S., 19 percent own the Apple Watch and 10 percent own a Fitbit. Android owners are more likely to own a Fitbit (5 percent) than a Samsung smartwatch (4 percent).
“Among the relatively small share of all smartphone buyers that have any kind of smartwatch, iPhone buyers are twice as likely to own one than Android buyers,” said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder.
“Not surprisingly, Apple Watch is the leading smartwatch for iPhone buyers, while about half as many own a Fitbit. Until now, Fitbit was a neutral brand, but now becomes part of the Google-Android-Pixel-Nest universe. This creates an interesting new Android entry point into the Apple ecosystem, with a decent percentage of iPhone owners now using a wearable that becomes a more Android-friendly device. Also, among the small percentage of Android owners that have a smartwatch, Samsung and Fitbit have roughly equal shares.”
Google just announced its plan to acquire Fitbit for $2.1 billion, planning to release a new "Made by Google" wearables category that includes Fitbit devices.
For Apple, CEO Tim Cook recently stated that Apple set new fourth quarter revenue records for its wearables in every market, based on strong sales for Apple Watch and other devices like AirPods and Beats headphones.
CIRP based its findings on a survey of 500 mobile phone buyers in the United States, surveyed from September 29 through October 10, 2019. Those surveyed activated a mobile phone in the U.S. in the July to September 2019 period.
Apex Clean Energy today announced that Apple is leading a group of companies that has committed to purchase approximately 75 megawatts of energy from an upcoming wind farm in Texas. Sprint, eBay, and Samsung have all partnered with Apple on the agreement, and the full 500-megawatt White Mesa Wind project is scheduled to come online in early 2021.
Shared energy purchases like this allow companies to pool their energy demands and collectively support the addition of large-scale renewable energy projects to the grid. Apple brought together other technology leaders dedicated to responsible business practices – eBay, Samsung and Sprint – in the aggregation agreement, which will enable all participants to access cost-effective low-carbon renewable energy from the new project. [...]
“We’re proud to be powering all of Apple’s operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy and driving the private sector to support the clean energy transition,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Businesses of all sizes and of varying energy needs can help bring new, renewable energy online. This collaborative agreement in Texas is a model we hope others will replicate.”
Apple has been aggressively pushing forward on its renewable energy efforts, not only moving its own operations to 100 percent renewable but pushing its suppliers to do the same. Just a few weeks ago, Apple announced that it has partnered with ten of its suppliers to invest in three wind farms in China.
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.
Amazon's latest Gold Box deal today is offering up to 48 percent off of select Anker accessories, including portable batteries, wireless earphones, Bluetooth speakers, and more. We've rounded up the sale below, so be sure to check it out soon if you're interested because it will only last until later tonight.
As is usual with Amazon's Gold Box sales, all of the discounts have been automatically applied and you will not need any separate discount codes for these Anker deals. In addition to the items listed below, you can also save on a Nebula Capsule II Mini Projector and a carrying case for the projector.
Amazon this week kicked off a big sale on iPhone 11 cases, including Clear Cases, Leather Cases, and Silicone Cases for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max. These are some of the lowest prices we've seen yet on the new 2019 official Apple iPhone accessories, with prices as low as $30 for Leather Cases and $23.99 for Silicone Cases.
Nearly every color option is available at a discount today, with the main exceptions being the Pine Green Silicone Case colors for iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Head to our full Deals Roundup for more of the latest Apple-related discounts.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Almost a quarter of Apple customers in the U.S. own an Apple TV, according to new data shared by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP). As reported by Cult of Mac, the survey asked U.S. Apple customers which devices they own, and Apple TV came out top in the "Other Products" category, suggesting the set-top box is more widely used than AirPods and Apple Watch.
"Apple TV is the most popular of the gadgets among the Other Products, with about one-quarter of current customers owning one," said Mike Levin, CIRP partner and co-founder. "Apple TV has been around for many years, so we're not surprised that it has achieved this penetration."
Apple Watch came in second in the Other Products category, with around 20 percent of Apple customers owning the iPhone accessory, while less than 10 percent of customers own a pair or AirPods.
It's important to note that the survey doesn't tally new sales, but devices that are in use as of September 2019, regardless of when they were purchased. Even so, the results show a several percentage point rise in Apple TV penetration over the last year.
That bodes well for Apple TV+, the company's streaming service which launched on November 1 featuring $2 billion worth of original programming. For $4.99 per month, Apple TV+ subscribers can watch Apple Originals on their television via Apple's set-top box. The service is also available on iOS devices and Mac via the TV app, as well as select Samsung smart TVs and Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices.
As for HomePod, Apple's $299 smart speaker "trails both Amazon Echo and Google Home, even among Apple customers," noted Levin. Apple cut the price of HomePod by $50 in April, down from $349. Apple does not disclose exact HomePod sales figures.
Rumors have suggested that Apple is considering a more affordable version of the HomePod that could be priced as low as $150, but it's not clear if and when Apple might release such a speaker.
CIRP bases its findings on a survey of 500 U.S. Apple customers, surveyed from September 29 to October 10, 2019 that purchased an Apple device in the U.S. in July-September 2019 period.
Back in January 2017, MacPaw's subscription app service Setapp launched as an alternative to the Mac App Store, offering unlimited access to more than 60 Mac apps across a wide range of categories for a flat $9.99 monthly fee.
Since then, Setapp has grown its curated software collection to over 160 apps and gained 1 million users, and this week the service announced the public beta launch of Setapp for Teams, which offers the same raft of apps at a slightly reduced per-user pricing and single-point billing for a company or organization.
The pricing is pretty simple: For a team of four users, Setapp costs $8.99 per user per month. Each person can use Setapp on one device, and each additional device is $7.99 per month.
MacPaw says Setapp for Teams will remain in beta while it works to add features like single sign-on for admin management of app access, and user groups. Otherwise, the same apps that are available to Setapp's individual subscribers are accessible to teams.
Setapp's extensive catalog includes many popular apps in categories including productivity, design, writing, social media, and maintenance tools, all from approved vendors, and all apps on Setapp are available without ads or in-app purchases. Interested workgroups can try Setapp for Teams by following this link.
Microsoft has revealed its plans to bring a new design to its Outlook for Mac app along with several performance improvements (via The Verge).
Account syncing optimizations are promised as Outlook will adopt the same cloud sync technology that's used in Outlook for iOS and Android, which should mean Office 365, Outlook.com, and Google accounts sync faster.
Design-wise, users can expect a bundle of new features they may already be familiar with from using the web and mobile versions of Outlook. They include single line email views, a new mail compose interface, the ability to ignore emails, and collapsible panels in the main view.
Regular users will also notice that the ribbon has gone from Outlook for Mac. Microsoft explained its removal to The Verge in the following terms:
"Following the same design principles as the Office 365 user experience updates announced last year, the ribbon was updated in the new Outlook for Mac to be fully customizable. In Mac environment, we refer to it as a toolbar – at this time, there are no plans to announce updates to the ribbon elsewhere on Office for Mac."
Meanwhile, Microsoft is integrating Microsoft Search into the Outlook search bar, which will now live at the top of the Outlook window and hopefully provide quicker and more relevant results. There's also a new My Day view being added to the calendar in the main mail screen.
The new-look Outlook for Mac is available this week to beta testers in signed up to the Insider Fast builds. Simply toggle the "New Outlook" in the top right-hand corner of the app window. Microsoft says it has more updates in the works that should arrive over the coming months.
Apple TV+ has the highest 4K streaming quality offered by a streaming service that supports 4K, according to testing conducted by FlatpanelsHD founder Rasmus Larsen.
Larsen says that the Apple TV+ offers higher quality 4K streaming than most iTunes movies, based on averages of the variable bitrate employed by the service.
"See" had the highest bitrate of an Apple TV+ show tested, averaging a 29Mb/s video bitrate and a 41Mb/s peak.
"The Elephant Queen" averaged right around 26Mb/s for video bitrate, and other content, such as "Snoopy in Space" also performed well.
According to Larsen, the Apple TV+ offers 1.5 to 2x the video bitrate of a typical HD Blu-ray disc and around half of a typical UHD Blu-ray disc.
Comparatively, Netflix's 4K bitrate appears to max out at right around 16Mb/s, though Netflix requires a 25Mb/s connection to stream 4K content.
Apple in late October 2019 surprised us with an upgraded version of the AirPods called the AirPods Pro, which feature Active Noise Cancellation, superior sound quality, and an all-new design.
Apple's AirPods Pro are its second set of headphones to feature the "Pro" moniker, following the Beats-branded Powerbeats Pro earbuds that Apple released back in April 2019. In this guide, we'll go over all of the differences between the AirPods Pro and the Powerbeats Pro.
The AirPods Pro are designed for casual use, while the Powerbeats Pro are aimed specifically at those who are using them for workouts like running, biking, and trips to the gym.
Design wise, the AirPods Pro look similar to the AirPods 2 but with a much shorter stem and a tweaked body design that incorporates flexible silicone ear tips, a first for the AirPods line. The silicone ear tips snap right onto the base of the AirPods Pro, allowing for a comfortable fit and Active Noise Cancellation technology.
Apple designed the silicone tips of the AirPods Pro to ensure a comfortable fit in most ears, with the design aimed at conforming to the contours of each individual ear for a superior seal.
AirPods Pro have also been designed with what Apple is calling an "innovative vent system" that's meant to equalize pressure within the ear to minimize discomfort that's common in other in-ear designs.
Apple says that AirPods Pro will make you feel like there's nothing in your ears, and in testing, we have found the AirPods Pro to be more comfortable than the Powerbeats Pro, especially over long periods of use.
The Powerbeats Pro also use silicone ear tips much like the AirPods Pro, but they're designed for fitness, also incorporating earhooks that fit over the ears to secure them in place.
Powerbeats Pro come with four tip sizes, rather than three, also offering a customized fit for each user. Powerbeats Pro are meant to stay in the ears during vigorous activity, and Apple says that it tested over 20 designs before settling on the current design that fits most people.
AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro both come in charging cases. The AirPods Pro charging case is larger than the charging case for the AirPods 2, but it's still quite a lot smaller than the case for the Powerbeats Pro, which is huge.
The Powerbeats Pro clamshell-style case is much larger because it has to incorporate the earhooks, which makes it almost unpocketable. The AirPods Pro case fits comfortably in a pocket.
Active Noise Cancellation
One of the key features of the AirPods Pro is Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and this marks the first time that Apple has built ANC technology into earbuds. The feature has been previously used in over-ear Beats headphones, but not earbuds, including the Powerbeats Pro.
The Powerbeats Pro have silicone ear tips and offer noise isolation properties, but noise isolation is nowhere near as powerful as Active Noise Cancellation.
ANC uses two microphones and Apple's software algorithms to adapt sound to each user's ears. One microphone is outward-facing and designed to detect external sound to let the AirPods Pro analyze and cancel out environmental noise, while a second inward-facing microphone listens to sounds towards the ear to fine tune the noise cancellation.
AirPods Pro with Active Noise Cancellation can drown out a lot more sound than the Powerbeats Pro with simple noise isolation.
AirPods Pro also have a Transparency mode that's designed to tweak the Active Noise Cancellation algorithms so that you can continue to hear what's going on around you, useful for situations like commuting, listening for traffic, and more.
There is no Powerbeats Pro feature for filtering in ambient noises, which is something to be aware of as the Powerbeats Pro can drown out exterior sound with the volume turned up high enough.
Sound Differences
When announcing the Powerbeats Pro, Apple said that sound was a focus. The Powerbeats Pro are designed to offer powerful, balanced audio with pure sound reproduction, enhanced clarity, and improved dynamic range.
Superior sound is also a selling point of the AirPods Pro, and the AirPods Pro have an Adaptive EQ feature.
Adaptive EQ tunes the low- and mid-frequencies of music that's playing to the shape of each person's ear for what Apple says is a rich and immersive listening experience.
The AirPods Pro feature a custom high dynamic range amplifier to produce pure, clear sound, along with a custom high-excursion low-distortion speaker driver that optimizes audio quality and removes background noise.
In our testing, we didn't find a significant difference in sound quality between the Powerbeats Pro and the AirPods Pro, as both offer sound that's quite good. The Powerbeats Pro are a bit warmer and slightly more bass heavy whereas the AirPods Pro sound more neutral to our ears.
AirPods Pro have less bass, but the sound profile allows all of the instruments to be heard clearly and distinctly.
Physical Buttons
The AirPods Pro feature a Force Sensor on the stem, a control method that's unique compared to the Powerbeats Pro and the AirPods 2.
The Force Sensor supports press-based gestures, so you can press once to play or pause music, press twice to skip forward on a track, press three times to skip backwards, or press and hold to switch between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode.
The Powerbeats Pro are quite a bit larger than the AirPods Pro and thus have the space for physical buttons. There are buttons for adjusting volume, changing the song track, and accepting or declining an incoming call.
The AirPods Pro have no on-device option for adjusting the volume, and that's something that needs to be done using a connected device.
Water Resistance
AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro both feature IPX4 water resistance, which means they can hold up to water splashing against the enclosure from any direction, but can still fail when immersed in water.
With an IPX4 water resistance rating, the AirPods Pro and the Powerbeats Pro can survive sweat exposure, but rain, swimming pools, and other excessive moisture should be avoided.
Apple's warranties do not cover water or sweat damage, which is something to be aware of.
Powerbeats Pro Colors vs. AirPods Pro Colors
Despite rumors suggesting the AirPods Pro would come in multiple colors, Apple only released them in white.
Powerbeats Pro come in Black, Ivory (an off white shade), Navy, and Moss (an olive green). AirPods Pro also feature a white charging case while all Powerbeats Pro models ship with a black charging case.
Price Difference
Powerbeats Pro are priced at $249, as are AirPods Pro, but you can often find deals that drop the price of the Powerbeats Pro by $50.
Processor, Sensors, and Siri Support
AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro both use Apple's H1 chip, offering simple setup, fast switching between devices, low latency, and hands-free "Hey Siri" support.
Powerbeats Pro and AirPods Pro have all of the same sensors and features that come with the H1 chip, including ear detection that plays/pauses music appropriately based on position.
The H1 chip in the AirPods Pro has a unique design because it was engineered to be in the shape of the AirPods Pro earbud, with the design dictating the internal component arrangement instead of the other way around.
Phone Calls
AirPods Pro feature a speech-detecting accelerometer and beamforming microphones designed to filter out noise when you're making a phone call or a Siri request, and Powerbeats Pro also have a similar feature.
Both earbuds have dual beamforming microphones, with the microphones in the Powerbeats Pro positioned on each side to make up for the lack of a stem like the AirPods Pro have.
Calls on both the AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro are crisp, clear, and sound great with little difference between them.
Battery Life
Battery life is the main area where the Powerbeats Pro have a significant edge over the AirPods Pro.
Each Powerbeats Pro earbud offers nine hours of listening time, a full four and a half hours longer than the AirPods Pro promise.
AirPods Pro offer 4.5 hours of battery life when Active Noise Cancellation is turned on, or five hours of battery life when it's turned off.
Both the AirPods Pro and the Powerbeats Pro have battery cases that extend battery life to over 24 hours, but you can get much longer listening time with the Powerbeats Pro.
Live Listen
Powerbeats Pro and AirPods Pro both support the Live Listen feature for using the earbuds as a directional microphone.
Charging
The AirPods Pro and the AirPods Pro Wireless Charging Case can be charged using the included USB-C to Lightning cable or a Qi-based wireless charger.
The Powerbeats Pro case does not support Qi-based wireless charging and must be charged with a Lightning cable.
The Powerbeats Pro have a Fast Fuel feature that adds 1.5 hours of music playback after five minutes of charging and 4.5 hours of playback after 15 minutes of charging.
The AirPods Pro also have a fast charging feature that offers around an hour of listening or talk time after charging for five minutes.
Comparison Chart
Here's an at-a-glance comparison chart that gives a quick overview of the differences between the AirPods Pro and the Powerbeats Pro.
Bottom Line
With the same $249 price point, the AirPods Pro are superior to the Powerbeats Pro because of the Active Noise Cancellation feature.
For casual, everyday use, the AirPods Pro edge out the Powerbeats Pro, but for athletes and those who need the secure fit of earhooks and the much longer battery life, the Powerbeats Pro win out.
Fit is subjective, so some people may prefer the fit of the Powerbeats Pro over the AirPods Pro or may not care about Active Noise Cancellation.
The AirPods Pro are smaller and more convenient to carry and offer wireless charging, while the Powerbeats Pro come in more colors.
Choosing between AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro will ultimately come down to the fit that you prefer and the set of features that you want.
More Info
For more details on the Powerbeats Pro, make sure to check out our full Powerbeats Pro guide, and for more info on the AirPods Pro, make sure to check out our AirPods Pro roundup.
British audio company Naim Audio today announced plans to add AirPlay 2 support to its high-end network streamers through a free update that will be coming in the future.
The update will bring AirPlay 2 to the ND 555 ($24,698), NDX 2 ($5,999), and the ND5 XS 2 ($2,700). Naim has previously updated its Mu-so and Uniti ranges with AirPlay 2 support, so with the upcoming software, Naim's entire family of music streaming products will support AirPlay 2.
AirPlay 2 is designed to allow iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more to stream audio to multiple AirPlay 2-enabled speakers throughout the home at one time for a whole home audio experience.
There's no word on when Naim plans to provide the new firmware, but once it is available, the Naim app will prompt customers to perform an over-the-air update to get the AirPlay 2 functionality.
There are a number of AirPlay 2-enabled speakers on the market now, including those from Bose, Libratone, Sonos, and more, along with the HomePod. Apple maintains a list of all third-party AirPlay 2 speakers on its website.
Apple today sent out a notice to developers urging those that continue to send push notifications with the legacy binary protocol to update to the HTTP/2-based APNs (Apple Push Notification service) Provider API as soon as possible.
Apple says that developers will be able to take advantage of features like authentication with a JSON Web Token, improved error messaging, and per-notification feedback.
More information on the Apple Push Notification service Provider API can be found on Apple's website.
Apple's Push Notification service will no longer support the legacy binary protocol starting in November 2020, so developers that continue to use the older protocol will need to update before that date.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Mophie. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple today sent out a notice to developers urging those that continue to send push notifications with the legacy binary protocol to update to the HTTP/2-based APNs (Apple Push Notification service) Provider API as soon as possible.
