MacRumors

Apple on Monday announced that it would commit $2.5 billion to easing a housing shortage that has seen property prices skyrocket across California.

Apple Destination Home Build Site Workers Outside 102919
Apple's commitment includes $1 billion in affordable housing investments, $1 billion in mortgage assistance for first-time homebuyers, and $300 million worth of Apple land opened up to affordable housing projects.

"Before the world knew the name Silicon Valley, and long before we carried technology in our pockets, Apple called this region home, and we feel a profound civic responsibility to ensure it remains a vibrant place where people can live, have a family and contribute to the community," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Affordable housing means stability and dignity, opportunity and pride. When these things fall out of reach for too many, we know the course we are on is unsustainable, and Apple is committed to being part of the solution."

Apple is also launching a new $150 million affordable housing fund with Bay Area partners including Housing Trust Silicon Valley to support new affordable housing projects. The fund will consist of long-term forgivable loans and grants.

Apple Destination Home Build Site Tim Cook Gavin Newsom 102919

Tim Cook and California Governor Gavin Newsom, discussing the land Apple is freeing up for affordable housing

"This unparalleled financial commitment to affordable housing, and the innovative strategies at the heart of this initiative, are proof that Apple is serious about solving this issue. I hope other companies follow their lead," said Gavin Newsom, governor of California. "The sky-high cost of housing — both for homeowners and renters — is the defining quality-of-life concern for millions of families across this state, one that can only be fixed by building more housing. This partnership with Apple will allow the state of California to do just that."

In addition, Apple will donate $50 million to support Destination: Home's efforts to address homelessness in Silicon Valley. Apple says it will focus its contribution on driving systemic change across the many factors affecting homelessness. Apple will also be identifying similar efforts in Northern and Southern California, focusing on strategies that both end and prevent homelessness.

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.

Apple appears to be providing redeem codes to customers eligible for the Apple TV+ 1-year free trial who have been unable to activate the offer via the TV app.

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‌Apple TV‌+ officially launched on November 1, and anyone who purchased an iPhone, iPad, ‌‌Apple TV‌‌, iPod touch, or Mac after September 10 can get a year's subscription to it for free.

The trial is supposed to be offered to users who launch the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app on a qualifying Apple device. However, reports on Friday suggested that many customers aren't seeing any sign of the trial they're entitled to.

Some people experiencing trouble activating the trial on an Apple mobile device have reportedly had better luck visiting https://tv.apple.com on a desktop web browser and logging in using their Apple ID credentials.

But if that doesn't work for you, contact Apple support. According to users on Reddit, they are able to generate a unique 1-year offer code that can be redeemed in the iTunes/App Store.

To facilitate the resolution, customers should have to hand their MacOS/iOS version, proof of purchase and date of purchase, and the name of the store where they bought their qualifying Apple product.

The code redemption confirmation is said to show ‌Apple TV‌+ as "free for 1-one week," but actually states lower down that the paid subscription doesn't start until November 2020.

DigiTimes is reporting this morning that Apple has partnered with U.S. game developer Valve to develop its rumored AR headset, which is expected to launch next year.

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Apple reportedly has partnered with US game developer Valve to develop AR head-mounted display devices, which may be released in the second half of 2020 at the earliest, with Taiwan's ODMs Quanta Computer and Pegatron said to handle the assembly job, according to industry sources.

Creator of the popular Steam digital storefront and delivery platform, Valve launched Steam machine consoles in 2015 and released its first VR headset, Valve Index, in April 2019.

Notably, Valve worked with Apple in 2017 to bring native VR headset support to macOS High Sierra, leveraging the operating system's then-new eGPU support with a Mac version of Valve's SteamVR software. However, Apple's latest partnership with the company is said to be focused on AR, not VR.

Apple will cooperate with Valve on AR headsets rather than VR devices, as its CEO Tim Cook believes that AR can make digital content become part of the user's world and will be as popular as smartphones with consumers. This has also promoted Apple to step up the development of AR software by recruiting more engineers for graphic design, system interface and system architecture segments.

Back in July, DigiTimes reported that Apple had temporarily stopped developing AR/VR headsets and that the team working on them was disbanded in May and reassigned to other product developments.

However, according to the latest information from the Taiwan website's sources, Apple was actually in the process of shifting from in-house development to collaborative development with Valve.

Just last month, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was cooperating with third-party brands to launch its first head-mounted AR product. Kuo believes Apple's AR headset is rumored to enter mass production as soon as the fourth quarter of this year in time for an early 2020 launch.

Code found in Xcode 11 and iOS 13 as recently as September has confirmed that Apple is still working on an augmented reality headset of some kind. In addition, there is an icon within the internal Find My app bundlede picting what appears to be an AR or VR headset that looks similar to the Google Cardboard.

apple glasses concept macrumors

MacRumors concept of Apple Glasses

Kuo has said Apple's glasses would be marketed as an iPhone accessory and primarily take a display role while wirelessly offloading computing, networking, and positioning to the ‌iPhone‌.

As early as November 2017, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple's headset would run a custom iOS-based operating system dubbed "rOS" for "reality operating system." At the time, Gurman said Apple had not finalized how users would control the headset, but possibilities included touchscreens, Siri voice activation, and head gestures.

Apple originally aimed to have its AR product ready by 2019, but the company is said to have been relaxed about not shipping a product until 2020.

Quanta Computer and Pegatron are said to be handling the manufacturing and assembly job for Apple's headset. Quanta can reportedly produce AR headsets at a lower cost by leveraging camera lens technology licensed by Lumus, according to today's report.

‌DigiTimes‌' sources often provide reliable information, but the site has a mixed track record when it comes to interpreting that information and accurately deciphering Apple's plans, so treat this report with the necessary degree of skepticism for now until we can corroborate it from other sources.

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

Following Friday's launch of Apple TV+, new data on Apple's television and online advertising spend reveals that the company is taking a "slow-roll" approach in promoting the new streaming service (via The New York Times).

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According to data gathered by iSpot.TV, Apple spent $14.9 million on television commercials ‌Apple TV‌+ in the month of September, compared to $28.6 million on ads promoting its new iPhone line-up in the same month.

In October, as the ‌Apple TV‌+ November 1 launch date approached, Apple ratcheted up its ad spending, but the budget share was broadly similar. The Cupertino-based company spent $19.9 million on television commercials for ‌Apple TV‌+, compared to $38.6 million on ‌iPhone‌ TV ads.

As for online marketing, October saw Apple spend $1.7 million on 139 unique digital ads for ‌Apple TV‌+, and $2.3 million for 245 separate ‌iPhone‌ ads, according to the advertising analytics platform Pathmatics.

Billboard tracking data for Apple's recent spate of outdoor ads are not yet available, but what we do know is that taken together, the company spent a total of $71.9 million on ‌iPhone‌ ads and $40.3 million on Apple TV Plus spots on television and online in the past two months.


The New York Times quotes business analyst Dan Rayburn of business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan as saying that Apple is playing a wise game by avoiding an iPhone-level marketing blast for ‌Apple TV‌+ because of the dearth of content on offer compared to the vast libraries of digital streaming rivals like Disney+ and Netflix.

"Consumers are just drowning in content right now, and all of these services are competing for our time," he said. "But they're all approaching the market differently. This isn't some race for Apple. It's a slow roll."

Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives provided the report with a somewhat different perspective. Ives believes that ‌Apple TV‌+ marketing has so far been "aggressive" compared to most other Apple launches, and he expects advertising to pick up more over the holiday season as well as a year from now, when Apple tries to convert customers on free trials into paying subscribers.

"This is a pivotal juncture for Apple to be successful — they cannot trip over their shoelace," Mr. Ives said. "They were late to the game, they've underinvested in content and they have a lot of room to make up."

If you purchase or have purchased an ‌‌Apple TV‌‌, ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, Mac, or iPod touch after September 10, 2019, you're entitled to a free year of ‌‌Apple TV‌‌+ service, after which it costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year for up to six family members.

iOS 12.3, tvOS 13.2, and macOS Catalina are required for ‌Apple TV‌+ on ‌iPhone‌/‌iPad‌, ‌Apple TV‌, and Macs, respectively, but content can be watched on any device by going to tv.apple.com in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

For more on ‌Apple TV‌+, make sure to check out our Apple TV+ guide. You can also discuss shows in our new Apple TV+ forum.

Even without an Apple media event to round out October, we did get several product launches this week, including the AirPods Pro and the long-awaited Apple TV+ subscription service.

We're still waiting for the Mac Pro that's been promised in 2019 and updated iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models that may or may not come before the end of the year, so there's still lots to look forward to. Read on for all of the details on this week's debuts and what's still in Apple's pipeline.

Apple Releases AirPods Pro

Apple this week treated us with all-new AirPods Pro with several improvements over regular AirPods, including active noise cancellation, IPX4-rated water and sweat resistance, and improved sound quality. Be sure to read our AirPods vs. AirPods Pro feature comparison and check out our hands-on video!

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AirPods Pro sport an in-ear design with three sizes of silicone ear tips, complete with a vent system for improved comfort. A new Ear Tip Fit Test feature located in Settings > Bluetooth on an iPhone or iPad can help determine which size ear tips are best for you.

AirPods Pro are priced at $249 with a wireless charging case and have been available to order since October 30. Apple Store pickup is also available. For more details, read our in-depth AirPods Pro roundup.

Hands-On With the New Apple TV+ Streaming Service

Apple's new Apple TV+ streaming service has finally launched, and we went hands-on to get an idea of what it's like. Apple TV+ is available across a host of platforms, and while the catalog is still awfully light, Apple is offering a number of ways to try out the service at little or no cost.

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Everybody gets a free one-week trial, while customers who have purchased a new Apple devices since September 10 get an entire year's worth of free Apple TV+. Students with Apple Music subscriptions also get free access, while those who need to pay can opt for a $4.99 monthly subscription or a $49.99 annual plan.

iOS 13.2 is Out With New Emoji, Deep Fusion for iPhone 11, Siri Privacy Options, and More

Apple this week released iOS 13.2 and iPadOS 13.2 for the iPhone and iPad, respectively, with several new features like new emoji, Deep Fusion image processing for the iPhone 11 lineup, new Siri privacy options, AirPods Pro support, and more.

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iOS 13.2 led to a few leaks this week, including a potential "AirTags" name for Apple's rumored Tile-like item trackers as well as Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone 11 lineup.

Other software updates released this week include macOS Catalina 10.15.1, watchOS 6.1, tvOS 13.2, and a revised 13.2.1 update for the HomePod that hopefully shouldn't brick the speaker anymore.

Apple's Rumored Tile-Like Item Trackers May Be Named 'AirTags'

This week, based on an iOS 13.2 code discovery, we learned that Apple may be planning to call its rumored Tile-like item trackers "AirTags."

Tile Render

A mockup of what AirTags could look like

MacRumors then came across some potential signs of Apple acquiring the rights to the "AirTag" trademark from a Russian company, followed by a report claiming the mark was indeed sold to Apple.

AirTags will be closely integrated with the Find My app on iOS 13. MacRumors obtained additional screenshots of what the new "Items" tab will look like in the app. It's unclear when Apple plans to introduce the tags.

For more details, read everything we know about the AirTags so far.

New Mac Pro Receives FCC Approval Ahead of Launch

Apple's new Mac Pro received FCC approval this week ahead of its release later this year. Apple's website still says the new ‌Mac Pro‌ is "coming this fall," but this may signal an imminent release.

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The new ‌‌Mac Pro‌‌ will start at $5,999 in the United States with an eight-core Intel Xeon processor, 32GB of ECC RAM, Radeon Pro 580X graphics, and 256GB of SSD storage. Apple will also be selling the 32-inch Pro Display XDR with 6K resolution for $4,999, with an optional stand to be available for $999.

16-Inch MacBook Pro Touch Bar Layout Confirmed

An image uncovered in macOS Catalina 10.15.1 has revealed that the Touch Bar and Touch ID will likely be separated on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, lending credence to an earlier rumor that the Esc key will also be a separate, physical key again.

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It's unclear if the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be released in 2019 or 2020, but a supply chain report has claimed that Apple will begin to receive volume shipments of the notebook in the fourth quarter of this year, possibly to sidestep a proposed 15% tariff on additional Chinese imports that is slated to go into effect December 15.

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MacRumors has received a potential image of Apple's rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro with three distinct design aspects: slimmer bezels around the display, a standalone Touch ID sensor, and a physical Esc key.

unconfirmed 16 inch macbook pro physical esc key
While all three of those features line up with other images of the 16-inch MacBook Pro uncovered in macOS Catalina 10.15.1, we cannot confirm if this latest image is legitimate. It certainly looks believable at face value, but we cannot find the file in any recent macOS Catalina builds and it could be photoshopped.

Our anonymous tipster claims the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be equipped with AMD Radeon RX 5300M or 5500M graphics, part of its Navi line. That is also unconfirmed, but MacRumors contributor Steve Moser did recently uncover a "Radeon RX 5500/5500M" string within macOS Catalina 10.15.1 code.

MacRumors leaked a similar image of the 2016 MacBook Pro a few days ahead of Apple announcing that notebook, and it turned out to be legitimate. The image depicts a user authenticating an Apple Pay purchase with Touch ID.

Last month, an icon corresponding to a 16-inch MacBook Pro was uncovered in the macOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta, revealing slimmer bezels and what appears to be a physical Esc key after zooming in closely, which would certainly please critics of the virtual Esc key on the Touch Bar now.

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Then, a few days ago, a close-up image of a standalone Touch ID sensor was uncovered in the release version of macOS Catalina 10.15.1.

16 Inch MacBook Pro Touch ID Touch Bar
Back in July, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the 16-inch MacBook Pro would be equipped with a scissor switch keyboard, with Apple finally beginning to move away from its troublesome butterfly keyboard design. At that time, Kuo also predicted the notebook would be released in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Even if the image sent to us is proven fake, it could still end up being an accurate representation of the 16-inch MacBook Pro design based on leaks and rumors. At this point in the year, however, it is unclear if Apple plans to release the 16-inch MacBook Pro by the end of 2019 or in 2020.

Update: A couple of additional hints, including the "Touch ID to pay Apple" text taken from a similar image asset for the 13-inch MacBook Pro not matching the North Face website taken from a version of the asset for the MacBook Air, suggest that this is very likely a fake.

Update November 15: The leaked image turns out to have been real after all. It appears during the setup process of the new MacBook Pro.

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

During Apple's earnings call for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2019 this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he believed that the Apple Card had the "most successful launch of a credit card in the United states ever," and that Apple was "thrilled" with its reception.

More information on how the ‌Apple Card‌ launch went was shared in Goldman Sachs regulatory filings this week, with key details highlighted by Bloomberg.

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From the launch of the card in August to September 30, Goldman Sachs extended credit lines totaling approximately $10 billion to Apple customers. There's no word, though, on how many iPhone users have signed up for an ‌Apple Card‌.

Customers who did get an ‌Apple Card‌ had $736 million in loan balances at the end of September, though it's not clear how that compares to other credit cards as Bloomberg says banks do not break out performance by individual cards.

Goldman Sachs has historically worked with corporations and major investors, but is aiming to reach a mainstream market through ‌Apple Card‌. With the launch of ‌Apple Card‌, Goldman has cut down on unsecured personal loans through its Marcus brand, intentionally slowing that growth while to focus on the Apple-branded offering.

Due to this, nearly all of Goldman's growth came from credit card loans over the course of the last quarter.

Apple has been steadily adding new benefits to ‌Apple Card‌ since its launch to continue to draw new users. ‌Apple Card‌ now offers three percent cash back when using the card for purchases from Uber, Uber Eats, T-Mobile, Walgreens, and Duane Reade, with plans to expand the three percent cash back offering to additional merchants in the future.

At other stores, Apple offers two percent cash back when making an Apple Pay purchase or one percent cash back when making a non-Apple Pay purchase with the physical card or online.

Most recently, Apple announced an upcoming option that will let ‌Apple Card‌ customers purchase a new ‌iPhone‌ and then pay it over 24 months with no interest. It's the same setup as Apple's current device payment plans, but more conveniently integrated into the ‌Apple Card‌ for ‌Apple Card‌ users.

It's November 1, which means Apple TV+, Apple's long-awaited streaming service with original TV shows and movies, has now launched and is available to anyone who has a web browser or a compatible device.

In our latest YouTube video, we check out ‌Apple TV‌+, take a look at some of the devices where you can watch it, and check out some of the new shows.


For an Apple service, ‌Apple TV‌+ is available on a surprising number of devices. You can watch it on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or ‌Apple TV‌ (just make sure all of your software is up to date) or on any device with a Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser.

It's also on the Roku, Amazon Fire TV devices, and Samsung smart TVs at the current time. On all of these devices, you can get to ‌Apple TV‌+ by opening up the ‌Apple TV‌ app. There are tons of banners for it so it's impossible to miss, but a sure fire way to find it is to go to the Channels section in the ‌Apple TV‌ app.

In the Channels section (or if you select any of the ‌Apple TV‌+ banners for various TV shows), you can sign up for an ‌Apple TV‌+ subscription. ‌Apple TV‌+ costs $4.99 per month with a 7-day free trial or $49.99 per year, which saves you a couple bucks if you plan to subscribe long term.

Of course, if you purchased an ‌Apple TV‌, ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, Mac, or iPod touch after September 10, 2019, you're also entitled to a free year of ‌Apple TV‌+ service, which you can redeem right in the ‌Apple TV‌ app by making sure you're signed in with the Apple ID you have associated with the new device.

The trial period lasts for a full year, and it's good for the whole family. If you bought multiple devices, you don't get to stack the free trial, and the same is true of multiple family members who each bought a device. It's one free trial per family, and ‌Apple TV‌+ is available for up to six family members using Family Sharing.

Make sure not to cancel your one-year subscription right after signing up because it ends it right away rather than letting you have a full year's access. Instead, make a calendar reminder for October 30th, 2020 (if you signed up on launch day) and you can get the full watch period and make sure you're not charged when the year trial is up.

‌Apple TV‌+ is super cheap and Apple is giving away a free year because content is super limited. There's no back catalog of content and there's no content from third-party providers -- this is all Apple's original content and there's not much to go on right now.

Here's everything that's available at launch:

  • The Morning Show
  • For All Mankind
  • See
  • Dickinson
  • Ghostwriter
  • Helpsters
  • The Elephant Queen (the sole movie)
  • Oprah's Book Club
  • Snoopy in Space

Apple plans to add new content on a regular basis and has new shows like Servant and Truth Be Told coming in the near future, but for the time being, there's not a lot here compared to other streaming services. Apple is also limiting some shows to three episodes at launch, with new episodes to come out over time.

"The Morning Show," "See," and "For All Mankind" have three episodes available, but most other shows are available in their entirety.

The ‌Apple TV‌+ section of the ‌Apple TV‌ app is well-organized with dedicated cards for each of the currently available shows and movies, plus a section for titles that are coming soon. There are show descriptions, trailers, and other details that you can view before deciding on a series to watch.

Each show has its own handy page where you can see cast information, related TV shows, and anything else you might want to know before deciding to try out a series. Shows you've started will show up in "Watch Now" across all of your devices so you can start a show on one device and then pick it up on another. You can also download ‌Apple TV‌+ shows for offline viewing by tapping on the little cloud icon next to a show on the ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.

If you don't want to sign up for an ‌Apple TV‌+ subscription or want to try it out first, there are a few free premieres that you can watch at the current time.

As a side note, if you're having trouble getting your free year of ‌Apple TV‌+ activated on your ‌iPhone‌, make sure to go to ‌Apple TV‌+ on the web (tv.apple.com) and log in with your ‌Apple ID‌. From here, you should see the free one-year trial option. After that, just sign out of the TV app on your ‌iPhone‌, open it up again, and sign in, which should get everything working smoothly.

Have you watched any of Apple's new ‌Apple TV‌+ content? Let us know what you thought in the comments.

Apple has asked the United States government to exclude Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, iPhone components, and other devices and parts imported from China from the 15 percent tariff that went into effect on September 1, reports Bloomberg.

Apple filed for exclusions on 11 products or components on Thursday, which was the first day that companies were able to ask for relief from tariffs.

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During Apple's earnings call earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that Apple is already paying tariffs on some of its products. Cook also said that Apple is hopeful the United States and China will resolve the trade dispute.

"I don't know every chapter of the book, but I think that will eventually happen," Cook said. "I certainly hope it happens during the quarter, but we'll see about that."

In its request for tariff waivers, Apple said that it has been unable to find a source outside of China able to meet the U.S. demand for products or components in the coming year.

Apple asked for tariff exemption for Mac Pro components earlier this year, and though Trump initially said Apple would not be granted tariff relief, Apple did indeed receive exemptions for some of the Chinese made components, and in turn agreed to manufacture the new Mac Pro in Texas.

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.

Following the launch of Apple TV+, Apple has shared the full official trailer for "Ghostwriter," one of the television shows that's available to watch right now.


The show, which is aimed at kids, is a remake of the "Ghostwriter" series that aired on PBS from 1992 to 1995.

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.

"Ghostwriter" is one of the first shows available on ‌Apple TV‌+ alongside "The Morning Show," "For All Mankind," "Dickinson," and "See."

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Aukey to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a USB-C/USB-A charger or a dual-port USB-C charger and a USB-C to Lightning cable from Aukey, a company that specializes in Apple accessories.

Aukey has several USB-C options for charging your Macs, iPads, and iPhones, including the PA-D3 and the PA-D5. The PA-D3 (priced at $43) features a USB-C port for charging a USB-C device like a MacBook or an iPad Pro, along with a USB-A port for an iPhone, Apple Watch, or another device. The USB-C port can also be used with a USB-C to Lightning cable for fast charging an ‌iPhone‌.

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The USB-C port is 60W when used alone, or 45W when both the USB-C and USB-A ports are used together, so it's powerful enough for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. It's not going to charge a 15-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ as quick as the 85W charger, but it still works and multiple ports are convenient when traveling.

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Aukey's PA-D5 (priced at $50) is similar to the PA D3, but instead of a USB-C and a USB-A port, it has two USB-C ports. When using one port for charging purposes, it delivers 60W, and when using both, one port delivers 45W of power while the other is 18W, so it can be used to charge a ‌MacBook Air‌ and an ‌iPad Pro‌ at full speed, or a ‌MacBook Air‌ while also fast charging an ‌iPhone‌.

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Both chargers feature slim designs thanks to GaN technology, plus there are foldable prongs, which makes them easy to take on the go, and there are built-in safeguards to protect against overheating and overcharging.

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To go with its USB-C chargers, Aukey also sells a $14 USB-C to Lightning cable that can be used for fast charging recent iPhones that support the feature. The cable has a braided nylon design for durability, along with reinforcements at each end.

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Aukey is providing five of each charger for us to give away to MacRumors readers, with the first five winners receiving the dual USB-C design and the next five winners receiving the USB-C/USB-A design. Each winner will also receive a USB-C to Lightning cable.

To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (November 1) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 8. The winners will be chosen randomly on November 8 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

MacRumors and Mophie have partnered up again to offer our readers a chance to get 20 percent off sitewide on Zagg.com, which includes Zagg itself, Mophie, Braven, Invisible Shield, iFrogz, Gear4, and Halo. With this deal, you can save money on portable batteries, battery cases, charging cables, and more.

Zagg SaleNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Zagg. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

To get the discount, head to Zagg's website, browse for an item, add it to your bag, and when you do you'll notice a pop-up on the right where you can view your bag. Here you can enter the promo code RUMORS20 and click apply to see the 20 percent discount taken off the most expensive item in your cart.

This discount can be applied across all of Zagg's brands, and it can be used twice per customer. You'll have until December 31, 2019 to use the code, so it should be a great way to save some money during your holiday shopping this season. To get an idea of how much you can save, we've listed some of Mophie's and Invisible Shield's best accessories below.

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via @mophie on Instagram

invisible shield deals post

via @invisibleshield on Instagram

For more of the best Apple-related sales and bargains, head to our full Deals Roundup. You can also start preparing for Black Friday in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, which we began updating this week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
Tag: Mophie

eBay today has kicked off its new pre-Black Friday sale event, which will see select products discounted every Friday for the month of November and into December. This will lead up to Black Friday on November 29, and include sales on Apple Watch Series 5, Nintendo Switch Lite, Pokémon Sword and Shield, iPhone 11, and more.

ebay apple watch 5Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with eBay. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The event is beginning with a $20 discount on the Apple Watch Series 5, which includes savings on 40mm GPS models. During the sale, you can get this version of the Apple Watch Series 5 for $379, down from $399, including multiple case and band color options.

Below we've listed the full slate of every product going on sale during eBay's new event, which hit at 12 p.m. ET on the specified days. In terms of Apple products, the next major deal will be on November 22 for an unlocked iPhone 11.

  • November 1 - Apple Watch Series 5 at $20 off

  • November 8 - Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine at over 50 percent off; Bose SoundTouch 10 Wireless Speaker, Factory Renewed at over $100 off

  • November 15 - Nintendo Switch Lite, Pokémon Sword, and Pokémon Shield [discount unknown]

  • November 22 - 128GB Unlocked iPhone 11 at over $45 off

  • November 29 (Black Friday) - No details yet

  • December 6 - Ray-Bans at over 40 percent off

  • December 13 - KitchenAid 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Ten-Speed Countertop Stand Mixer at over 40 percent off

eBay said that every Friday drop will include free shipping. All of this month's tech-related offers can be found on eBay's Tech Deals landing page.

Our full Deals Roundup is keeping track of all of the latest sales as we head into the holidays. You can also visit our Black Friday Roundup to start preparing for the shopping holiday.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple Arcade received another weekly refresh today with five new games across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac. The service now has 94 games available on iOS and tvOS, as well as 87 titles on the Mac.

the mosaic apple arcade
The latest titles:

  • The Mosaic by Raw Fury: "Mosaic is a dark surrealistic ad atmospheric adventure game about urban isolation and the dread of being a piece in a giant machinery you can't understand."

  • Super Mega Mini Party by Red Games Co.: "Compete with players from around the world in hyper casual competitive mini-games or throw a Super Mega Mini Party with friends!"

  • Star Fetched by Crescent Moon Games: "Star Fetched is a sci-fi platformer about a young space-adventurer who is mysteriously teleported to a far-away solar system to help defend against an incoming alien invasion. It combines side-scrolling action with elements of tower-defence, exploration & RPG."

  • Monomals by Picomy: "There's a big music contest going on amongst the world's best animal DJs! Armed with a big fishing rod and a plug, go fishing in deep waters to help the DJs catch all of the Monomals™, and create your very own music in the MonoMaker™!"

  • Jumper Jon by Esteban Duran: "Jumper Jon is a 30 seconds metroidvania style platforming adventure where Jon, our hero, will die and respawn every 30 seconds keeping items and abilities already obtained."

Apple Arcade is Apple's new subscription-based gaming service, providing iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac users with access to dozens of premium games for $4.99 per month, with no in-app purchases or ads. The service launched in late September in over 150 countries, with a one-month free trial available.

fitbit wearablesGoogle today announced it plans to release its own "Made by Google" wearables following its $2.1 billion acquisition of fitness tracker maker Fitbit. The deal is expected to close in 2020 pending regulatory approvals.

Over the years, Google has made progress with partners in this space with Wear OS and Google Fit, but we see an opportunity to invest even more in Wear OS as well as introduce Made by Google wearable devices into the market. Fitbit has been a true pioneer in the industry and has created engaging products, experiences and a vibrant community of users. By working closely with Fitbit's team of experts, and bringing together the best AI, software and hardware, we can help spur innovation in wearables and build products to benefit even more people around the world.

Fitbit confirmed that it will continue to support both Android and iOS, and that Fitbit health data will not be used for Google ads.

Tags: Fitbit, Google

Apple has quietly introduced an annual subscription option for Apple TV+, priced at $49.99 in the United States, $59.99 in Canada, £49.99 in the United Kingdom, and €49.99 in many other European countries.

apple tv plus 1 year sub
In the United States, the $49.99 annual subscription provides a savings of $9.89 per year compared to a $4.99 per month subscription, which totals $59.88 in a year. In other words, the annual subscription effectively provides 12 months of Apple TV+ access for the price of 10 months for paying upfront.

To switch to the annual subscription plan on an iOS device, open the TV app, tap on your profile in the top-right corner, tap on Manage Subscriptions, tap on Apple TV+, and select the one-year option. Those with a free one-year trial will not be billed until expiration of that trial on October 31, 2020 or later.

Apple TV+ launched today and here is everything to know.

Apple Stores this summer hosted a series of "Made in LDN" creative sessions in partnership with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, as part of the Today at Apple program. Apple says thousands of young people from across the city came together to express themselves with photography, art, design, music, and more.

today at apple made in ldn
Now, Apple will be showcasing their work at 49-50 Poland Street in London on Friday, November 8 through Sunday, November 10 between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. local time each day. The showcase will feature work from sessions including Vicky Grout, Mr. Bailey, Wretch 32 and 56 Black Men, and other talented young Londoners.


Registration is open on Apple's website.

AT&T today introduced a new deal on the 32GB Apple TV 4K streaming box, now priced at $90, down from a regular price of $179 at Apple and other major resellers ($89 off). This is the lowest that we've tracked for a new model of the Apple TV 4K, and is well timed because today is also the launch day of Apple's new streaming service Apple TV+.

apple tv nov 1 2019Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with AT&T. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can get the deal by visiting AT&T's website, adding the Apple TV 4K to your cart, and checking out before the offer expires. AT&T noted that customers will have a 14-day return policy on the device, and purchases are limited to four per customer. With standard shipping, the Apple TV 4K should arrive between November 6 and November 8.

Since September 10, Apple has also been bundling one year of Apple TV+ with any purchase of an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, or Mac. This means that if you take advantage of AT&T's offer today, you'll also be getting one year of Apple TV+ at no extra cost. Our Apple TV+ guide has more information on the service and its shows.

Check out our full Deals Roundup for a more detailed look at all of the newest Apple-related sales and bargains happening this week.

Update 10:07 a.m. PDT: The 32GB Apple TV 4K has sold out and is now out of stock on AT&T's website.

Update 10:24 a.m. PST November 5: AT&T has unfortunately canceled many of these orders, stating "this item flew off our shelves and isn't available anymore." We've reached out to AT&T for any additional information, but have yet to hear back.

Update 11:11 a.m. PST November 6: AT&T tells us that the Apple TV offer "sold quickly, much quicker than we expected," and that the carrier won't be restocking the offer as it was a "while supplies last" deal.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals