MacRumors

Apple is enhancing its Augmented Reality Quick Look feature that's designed to allow users to see augmented reality versions of products they're intending to purchase right in their houses.

According to CNET and TechCrunch, Apple has updated the Quick Look preview feature in Safari to allow retailers to add links and buttons to the augmented reality experience.

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When browsing sites like Home Depot, Wayfair, Bang & Olufsen, and 1-800-Flowers, customers will now see options to make purchases and learn more about a product while previewing it in AR mode.

Apple added the Quick Look browsing feature to Safari in 2018, and on sites that have implemented it, it adds a button for putting a 3D object in a room so its size, shape, and other features can be previewed prior to a purchase.

Apple introduced the new link and button tools in iOS 13 and previewed them at WWDC, but retailers have just now begun incorporating the new features.

Prior to the addition of links and other information at the bottom of the augmented reality viewing window, users would need to tap out of the experience to make the purchase or learn more about an item.

The links essentially streamline the shopping process, making it easier to add an item to a shopping cart, find a nearby store, or chat with customer service.

Later this year, Apple plans to further enhance Quick Look with a spatial audio feature, which is included in the iOS 13.4 beta. Spatial audio will allow shopping sites and other augmented reality sites within Safari to add audio to the experience.

Apple today updated song identification app Shazam with a new feature that allows users to search for content.

The refreshed version of the app features a new Search button right on the Home screen that can be used to look up any artist, song, or song lyric.

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Got a song on your mind? You can now tap the new Search button on the home screen to search for any artist or song. Can't remember the name of it? Try searching with lyrics instead!

The search button replaces the camera icon that was previously in the Shazam app, and the camera functionality appears to have been eliminated from the Shazam app entirely.

The camera button was used for a visual feature that allowed Shazam users to scan images with a Shazam camera logo or a QR code. When the "See It, Shazam It" feature was released, Shazam had partnerships with Disney, Sports Illustrated, the WSJ, and more.

The camera functionality dates back to 2015, prior to when Apple acquired the Shazam app. It's likely that all of the prior partnerships Shazam had with outside companies have expired, leading the camera technology to become outdated.

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The prior Shazam camera interface

Tapping on the new search icon that replaces the camera icon opens up a dedicated search interface where content can be searched for and then played right in the Shazam app for those who have Apple Music. Other app functionality, such as the library of saved Shazam songs and the top charts remains unchanged.

Along with adding search capabilities to the Shazam app, Apple today also updated the Shazam Encore app to make it free. Shazam Encore was a paid app that cost $2.99 and it was the counterpart to the free Shazam app, removing the ads that were in the free version.

When Apple purchased Shazam in 2018, all of the ads in the main Shazam app were removed, making it essentially identical in functionality to Shazam Encore. For some reason, though, Apple never made the Encore app free to purchase.

There's no point in downloading Shazam Encore if you have the standard Shazam app, and we wouldn't be surprised to see it discontinued in the future. Shazam and Shazam Encore can both be downloaded from the App Store for free.

Tag: Shazam

Apple has begun selling certified refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro models through its online store in the United States for the first time since the notebook was released in November 2019. All of the refurbished configurations are discounted by 15 percent compared to the equivalent brand new models.

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Apple says refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a 96W USB-C power adapter and USB-C cable in the box. In our view, a refurbished MacBook Pro is virtually indistinguishable from a brand new model, so this represents a good opportunity for savings.

Keep in mind that third-party resellers frequently offer better deals than Apple's refurbished prices, so be sure to monitor our deals roundup.

A refurbished MacBook Pro comes with Apple's standard one-year warranty effective on the date the notebook is delivered. The warranty can be extended to three years from the refurbished purchase date with AppleCare+ for Mac, which costs $379 for the 16-inch MacBook Pro in the United States.

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

Apple has updated its website to indicate that all five of its retail stores in the Beijing area will be reopening February 14 with limited hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time until further notice, as noted by Reuters.

Apple has yet to announce reopening dates for its other stores in mainland China, which remain listed as closed through at least February 19 on its website due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. Apple began working toward re-opening its corporate offices and contact centers in the country earlier this week.

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The coronavirus outbreak has also impacted Apple's suppliers, including its largest manufacturing partner Foxconn, which is reportedly in the process of resuming operations at its factories across China.

There remains a lot of uncertainty regarding the coronavirus outbreak, which has resulted in extended shipping estimates for some Apple products and could impact the company's overall sales. Apple operates over 40 stores in China, which represents less than 10 percent of its retail locations worldwide.

Apple recently provided its retail stores, authorized service providers, and carrier partners with an enhanced cleaning guide that recommends that demo Apple products be cleaned at least twice per day. The document, shared with MacRumors, contains best practices for using microfiber cloths as well as hand washing tips for employees.

Apple plans to release its first iPhone and iPad Pro models with 5G connectivity in the second half of 2020, according to a pair of reports today from Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.

The first report claims that the devices will be equipped with 5nm-based A14 chips — likely A14X for the iPad Pro — and support a combination of mmWave and sub-6GHz. Qualcomm is expected to supply its Snapdragon X55 modem for the iPhones, but the report does not specify which modem the iPads will use.

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mmWave or millimeter wave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, making it best suited for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas.

DigiTimes believes that both the iPhone and iPad Pro models will likely be announced in September. Apple typically makes iPad announcements in October, but it has used its iPhone event in September to make a few iPad announcements before, including the original iPad Pro in 2015 and the 10.2-inch iPad in 2019.

From the first report:

Based on its 5G product roadmaps, Apple is expected to launch new iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads, incorporating both sub-6GHz and mmWave specs probably in September, which will significantly drive up demand for 5nm A14, the sources said.

A14 can be applied to diverse iOS mobile devices for different 5G frequency bands as long as corresponding modem chips and AiP modules are adopted, the sources indicated, adding that Qualcomm will provide 5G Snapdragon X55 modem chipsets for new iPhone devices in 2020.

The second report provides a more vague timeframe of the second half of 2020, so an October announcement is not ruled out:

Win Semi reportedly will be the sole fabricator of VCSEL components for ToF (time of flight) AR and depth-of-field (DoF) photography applications, as its US IDM clients have also captured orders from Apple. The ToF camera modules are expected to be incorporated into 5G iPhones and iPads to be released in the second half of 2020, the sources said.

Key Takeaway

Rumors suggest that Apple plans to update its iPad Pro lineup in March, with key new features expected to include a triple-lens rear camera system and 3D sensing for augmented reality. This would make sense from a timing perspective, as the iPad Pro has been updated on roughly an 18-month cycle since 2015, and it will have been 18 months since the iPad Pro was last updated in October 2018.

This would pave the way for the first 5G iPad Pro models with an A14X chip to launch in the fall, with other hardware changes likely being few to none. The new 5G models would likely simply be additional SKUs at the high end of the lineup.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPhone

gmail logoGoogle is rolling out an update to its Gmail app for iOS devices so that users can upload attachments from Apple's native Files app.

When the new feature becomes available, tap the paperclip icon when you're composing or replying to a message in the Gmail app. This will bring up a sheet with carousels for "Camera roll" and "Attachments" (formerly named "Recent attachments").

This new Attachments section will feature a special folder icon for directly accessing the contents of the Files app on your iPhone or iPad, including access to the native search and selection tools of the Files extension.

As for the rollout timeline for the Files integration, Google says there will be an extended rollout which may take longer than two weeks for "feature visibility." Whether that means this is a server-side change or requires an updated version of the app is unclear.

The Gmail app is a free download available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Feral Interactive today announced the release of World War II real-time strategy game Company of Heroes on iPad.

company of hearoes ipad
Originally developed for Windows by Relic Entertainment, the critically-acclaimed RTS has been specially designed and developed for the ‌iPad‌ by Feral, and on first look the results are very impressive.

Command two crack companies of American soldiers and direct an intense campaign in the European Theater of Operations starting with the D-Day Invasion of Normandy.

Fully tailored to and optimized for tablet, Company of Heroes features a sophisticated user interface that makes it intuitive for players to execute real-time tactics, adapt to constantly shifting environments, and ultimately overcome ferocious opposition to secure the liberation of France.

Company of Heroes requires iOS 13.1 or later and supports the iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), ‌iPad‌ (5th generation), ‌iPad‌ (6th generation), ‌iPad‌ (7th generation), iPad Pro (1st generation: 9.7-inch, 12.9-inch), ‌iPad Pro‌ (2nd generation: 10.5-inch, 12.9-inch), and ‌iPad Pro‌ (3rd generation: 11-inch, 12.9-inch).


Company of Heroes is available to download from the App Store for $13.99 / £13.99 / €14,99. The game requires 6GB of free space to install, and at least 8GB of free space is recommended to avoid installation issues.

Tag: Feral

Strava for iOS was today updated with improved HealthKit integration, allowing users to import Apple Watch workouts into the Strava app.

strava healthkit
Prior to today's update, Strava users had to rely on third-party solutions like the Healthfit app to share workouts between the Apple's Health records and Strava. Now they can import workouts recorded on iPhone or Apple Watch directly into the app.

To enable the Apple Health import feature, users should go to the Settings in the Strava app and select Applications, Services, and Devices. Then choose the Health app and any workouts recorded through Apple's native app should be available to upload to Strava.

In addition, today's update adds the ability to crop user activity recorded on ‌iPhone‌, which is useful if GPS tracking has been left running for too long. Summit members can also now see their heart rate, power, and Grade Adjusted Pace on Segments.

Strava: Run, Ride, Swim is a free download for ‌iPhone‌ and iPad available on the App Store. A premium Strava membership costs $7.99 per month.

IPSWFollowing the release of iOS 13.3.1 on January 28, Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.3, which means downgrading to that version of iOS is no longer possible.

iOS 13.3 was a major update that included Communication Limits for Screen Time, support for NFC, USB, and Lightning FIDO2-compliant security keys in Safari, and more.

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.

iOS 13.3.1 is the current publicly available version of iOS, with the update introducing a toggle for the U1 Ultra Wideband chip in the newest iPhones along with various bug fixes and improvements.

Developers and public beta testers can also download iOS 13.4, an upcoming update that includes a new toolbar in the Mail app, iCloud Folder Sharing, new Memoji stickers, and more.

Darkroom today announced that it has switched to a subscription-based business model for new users, with pricing set at $3.99 per month or $19.99 per year. A one-time $49.99 purchase option is also available. A subscription provides access to all of Darkroom's filters and tools, plus any new features added later.

In a blog post explaining the move, Darkroom says existing users will continue to have access to all of the app's premium features for free. For new users, Darkroom is hopeful that the subscription model will increase its revenues so that it can hire more people and invest more heavily in its infrastructure.

darkroom watermark
The popular photo editing app for the iPhone and iPad has also been updated to version 4.4 with new features, including a watermarking tool, a selection of custom app icons, and a photo export summary:

- Icon Picker:

It doesn't hurt to have a bit of fun now and then :) Those who have been following us for a while know that every year or so we tend to give our brand a big overhaul to reflect major changes to the app. Now you can pick from old favorites or fun new interpretations of our icon.

- Export Watermark:

Full-featured watermarking tool that allows you to set a text or image watermark, and control its size, location, opacity, and even typeface. More explicit form of protection, particularly in a world dominated by social media where images are often reshared without credit.

- Export Summary:

Now you can see a short summary of your most important options when exporting a photo, such as export file type and quality, is watermark or copyright metadata protection added etc.

Darkroom is available on the App Store for the iPhone and iPad.

Microsoft in September introduced Project xCloud, a service designed to allow gamers to play games on any device, from PCs to consoles to mobile devices.

Project xCloud for mobile devices has been available on Android for a few months now, but as of today, Microsoft is expanding it to the iPhone and iPad through a limited TestFlight beta test.

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The Project xCloud beta test is available in the United States, UK, and Canada, and due to TestFlight restrictions, it is limited to a total of 10,000 testers.

The iOS TestFlight preview is kicking off with a single game, "Halo: The Master Chief Collection" and while the Android test version also includes Xbox Console Streaming, that feature is not available on iOS at this time.

Microsoft says that it anticipates demand will exceed capacity, and that it will be unable to accommodate all applicants. Invites will be provided on a first-come first-served basis.

Participating in the preview requires a Microsoft account and associated Xbox gamertag, a Bluetooth-enabled Xbox One Wireless Controller, an iPhone or iPad running iOS 13 or later, and access to a data connection that supports 10Mb/s down bandwidth.

iOS users who want to sign up for the beta test can do so by signing up on the Project xCloud website.

Microsoft says that it wants to work with Apple to bring the full preview of xCloud to more iOS customers in the future, and that it plans to use the feedback to improve the technology.

Mobile World Congress, a major smartphone trade show event held each year in Barcelona, Spain, has been canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Mobile World Congress event in Spain is a huge trade show that's important to the tech world because it's where many device manufacturers announce new smartphones and other hardware. Apple doesn't participate, but many other major brands make announcements at MWC.

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Starting in early February, multiple vendors began pulling out of the event, citing concerns about the coronavirus and the potential for spreading it at such a large event. Intel, LG, Nokia, Vodafone, ZTE, Nvidia, Sony, Amazon, Cisco, Ericsson and other notable companies canceled press conferences and attendance plans.

Given the number of companies refusing to go to MWC, the GSM Association responsible for organizing the event today confirmed to Bloomberg that it's canceled. GSMA CEO John Hoffman said that the virus outbreak has made it "impossible" to hold the event.

The GSMA initially attempted to continue on with MWC, implementing disinfection measures, banning attendees from certain areas in China, and more, but too many companies exited the event. Canceling MWC is similar to canceling CES, as it is a huge deal for new product launches and partnerships.

The coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has infected more than 42,000 people and more than 1,000 people have died, primarily in China.

Back in 2015, Andy Rubin, the co-founder of the Android operating system, started up a company called Essential, focusing on smartphones. Essential launched its Essential Phone PH-1 in 2017, debuting a 5.71-inch device made from titanium and ceramic with an edge-to-edge QHD display.

The Essential Phone was praised for its design, but reviews found faults with the camera, the display, and other features, and it was never popular enough to compete with flagship smartphones from other companies.

ph 1 color black moon copy 1000x1000

The Essential Phone

Essential in October 2019 announced the Gem, a replacement for the Essential Phone, but the Gem is never going to see a release because Essential today announced that it is shutting down.

Our vision was to invent a mobile computing paradigm that more seamlessly integrated with people's lifestyle needs. Despite our best efforts, we've now taken Gem as far as we can and regrettably have no clear path to deliver it to customers. Given this, we have made the difficult decision to cease operations and shutdown Essential.

Essential last year acquired the CloudMagic team and its cross-platform Newton Mail app, which is also affected by the shuttering of the company.

Essential will no longer be providing updates for the Essential Phone, and while it will continue to work, there will be no future software refreshes or customer support available. Newton Mail will be available through April 30, 2020.

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The unreleased Essential Gem

Essential says that it offers its "deepest thanks" to the Essential and Newton Mail communities for their "support and passion for our vision."

When it launched, Essential secured over $330 million in funding and at one point, the company had a $1 billion valuation. Essential was impacted by poor sales of its phone and its inability to put out another product.

The Pokémon Company today announced the launch of its "Pokémon Home" cloud service, which is available on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. Pokémon Home is designed to allow users to transfer a Pokémon from one game, upload it to a Pokémon Box in the cloud, and then send it to another compatible game.

By linking the same Nintendo Account to Pokémon Home on the Nintendo Switch and an iOS device, Pokémon players can access the same Pokémon boxes from both platforms.

pokemon home 4
The Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon Home works with Pokémon Sword, Pokémon Shield, and Pokémon: Let's Go, while both the Switch version and the mobile version offer connectivity with the Nintendo 3DS software Pokémon Bank for transferring Pokémon from older games. In the future, the software will support Pokémon GO.

pokemon home 3
Along with transferring Pokémon between games, the Pokémon Home app also supports trades, and there are several trading methods available. Pokémon can be placed in a Wonder Box, traded via the GTS for specific Pokémon trades, added to a Room Trade event with up to 20 people, or traded with a friend.

pokemon home 1
Pokémon placed in Pokémon Home will be registered in the National Pokédex, including Mega Evolve or Gigantimax forms. The iOS version of Pokémon Home includes information on Pokémon abilities and the moves each Pokémon is able to learn.

Pokémon Home can be downloaded and used for free, but without upgrading to the premium tier, functionality is limited. Moving Pokémon from the Pokémon Bank, for example, is a premium feature, and the number of Pokémon that can be deposited or traded is also limited.

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The Pokémon Home premium plan is priced at $2.99 for one month, $4.99 for three months, and $15.99 for a year. The Pokémon Home app can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Pokemon

Taiwan-based suppliers are gearing up for production of a new lower-cost iPhone, a device that has been tentatively referred to as the iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9, according to paywalled information shared by DigiTimes.

While the lower-cost iPhone may be on track, DigiTimes also reports that Apple has stopped sending engineers to China to assist with the Engineering Validation Test or EVT stage of iPhone 12 development. Last month, Apple said it was restricting travel to China to "business critical" purposes only due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, which has also forced many Apple suppliers to suspend operations.

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As a result, DigiTimes believes iPhone 12 models are unlikely to enter production in June, citing unnamed industry sources. Given the coronavirus outbreak is a fluid situation, though, timeframes may change. If the production delay ends up materializing, it is still very possible that Apple will announce its iPhone 12 lineup in September as usual, even if supply of the devices is tighter than usual.

Rumors suggest that the iPhone 12 lineup will include four new models, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model, and each will likely be equipped with a faster Apple-designed A14 chip. DigiTimes expects A14 chip orders to be 50-60 percent higher than A13 chip orders.

All of this information was shared in DigiTimes' Daily Digest for paying subscribers, with the full reports likely to be released by tomorrow.

Update: The full DigiTimes report has been released and, as we suspected, it claims that the iPhone 12 production delays are unlikely to affect Apple's plan to announce the new devices in September.

Related Forum: iPhone

Last week, we reported that many custom iMac, iMac Pro, and MacBook Pro configurations are facing longer-than-usual delivery estimates on Apple's online store in the United States.

The reason for the delays is unconfirmed, but it could be related to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in China that has forced many of Apple's suppliers to temporarily close their factories and suspend production. While some factories are beginning to resume operations, initial production appears to be limited.

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In any case, the delay has extended to the new Mac Pro. In many European countries, for example, the base model without any customizations is currently estimated for delivery on March 10. While the new Mac Pro is assembled in the United States for orders placed in the Americas, European orders are assembled in China.

The new Mac Pro also has a February 24-26 delivery estimate in the United States, despite being assembled in Texas, possibly because some components are still sourced from temporarily-closed suppliers in China.

The coronavirus outbreak is a fluid situation, so it remains unclear what its impact might be on upcoming Apple products. Last month, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo outlined his expectations for several new Apple products in the first half of 2020, including refreshed MacBook Pro/Air models, refreshed iPad Pro models with a triple-lens rear camera system, Tile-like item tracking tags, high-end wireless headphones, a small wireless charging mat, and a new lower-cost 4.7-inch iPhone.

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

MacMall today is discounting Apple's 64GB cellular 11-inch iPad Pro to $749.00, down from an original price of $949.00. This same iPad Pro is priced between $825 and $925 on competing retailer websites like Best Buy and Adorama, and this $749.00 price tag represents the best-ever price that we've tracked among the major Apple resellers online.

ipadpromagnetapplepencil2Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with MacMall. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

MacMall offers free two-day shipping and free returns on certain high-priced items, and the iPad Pro is eligible. The tablet is in stock, so if ordered today it will arrive by Friday, February 14. During checkout, you can also choose to change the storage size and color of the iPad, add AppleCare, or add accessories, but of course that will raise the price of the order.

11-Inch iPad Pro Sale

  • 64GB Cellular - $749.00, down from $949.00 ($200 off, lowest ever)

The new lowest-ever discount on the 64GB cellular 11-inch iPad Pro comes after a round of markdowns hit Apple's entire iPad lineup earlier this week. If you visit our article on the sales, you'll find lowest prices on the iPad mini 5, 10.2-inch iPad, and a few other iPad Pro models, in addition to up to $50 off the iPad Air.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Reuters reports that Apple's main iPhone assembler Foxconn aims to reopen half of its manufacturing facilities in China by the end of February. The move would allow production lines to be phased back into action following the extensive lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

foxconn

Taiwan's Foxconn hopes to resume half of its production in China by month-end, a source told Reuters on Wednesday, as the supplier to tech giant Apple and others reopens plants shut over a coronavirus outbreak.

The world's largest contract electronics maker also aims to resume 80 percent of production in China in March, added the source, who has direct knowledge of the matter, citing internal targets set by Chairman Liu Young-Way.

Foxconn was originally planning to reopen its factories on February 10 to begin production on Apple devices after the Lunar New Year holiday, but the company's plans were put on hold due to the ongoing viral outbreak while facility inspections were performed. Local governments are concerned the virus will spread quickly in a labor-intensive working environment.

Foxconn this week got the go-ahead to reopen some major plants in China, and its plant in the eastern city of Kunshan was also approved on Tuesday to resume production. However, only around one tenth of the workforce had returned to two key plants in southern Shenzhen and central Zhengzhou as of Monday, a source told Reuters.

Apple has also extended the shutdown of its own retail stores in China. Stores were supposed to open on Monday, but Apple has decided to wait until February 15.

Apple typically sources components from multiple suppliers, mainly to diversify local production risks, and Apple is mulling shifting more assembly orders for its new models slated for launch in the first half of 2020 to factories in Taiwan, according to DigiTimes.