Amazon has a few sales surrounding Apple's 11-inch iPad Pro this week, including a few accessories that are compatible with the tablet. Some of the prices listed below are the lowest seen for the products, and we've designated each discount as such, so be sure to browse the new sales before they expire.
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.
11-Inch iPad Pro
Shoppers should note that the 256GB model's $799 discount price will not be reflected until you get to the checkout screen.
Wi-Fi, 1TB - $1,099.97, down from $1,349.00 ($249 off, lowest ever)
Wi-Fi, 256GB - $799.00, down from $949.00 ($150 off)
Wi-Fi, 64GB - $674.00, down from $799.00 ($125 off)
The Smart Keyboard Folio allows you to gain access to a full-size keyboard on the iPad Pro, without need for batteries or Bluetooth pairing thanks to Apple's Smart Connector. When closed, the folio also doubles as display protection for the iPad Pro.
Apple Pencil Second Generation
You can also save a little money on the second generation of the Apple Pencil this week. Amazon has the accessory priced at $120.00, down from its regular price of $129.00 ($9 off).
The Apple Pencil 2 hasn't seen many discounts since it launched last fall, and this price is one of the lowest that we've tracked among Apple's major resellers like Amazon and Best Buy. This version of the Apple Pencil is only compatible with the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2018.
Visit our full Deals Roundup for a deeper dive into the latest Apple-related bargains.
Apple's widely rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro will be available by the end of October, suggesting that an announcement is imminent, according to supply chain sources cited by hit-or-miss industry publication DigiTimes.
16-inch MacBook Pro concept by MacRumors
The report claims Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer has already begun volume shipments of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which the supply chain sources expect to feature a more reliable scissor keyboard, an "ultra-thin bezel design," and Intel's latest Coffee Lake Refresh or Ice Lake processors, although Intel has yet to announce Ice Lake chips appropriate for a high-end MacBook Pro.
The slimmer bezels would result in the 16-inch MacBook Pro being around the same size as the existing 15-inch model despite having a larger display. IHS Markit analyst Jeff Lin said the notebook's resolution will be 3,072x1,920 pixels.
Last week, icons depicting a MacBook Pro with slimmer bezels in Silver and Space Gray were uncovered in the macOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta, lending credence to an upcoming release. Both icons were created just over a week ago, have "16" in the filename, and reference an unreleased MacBookPro16,1 model.
15-inch MacBook Pro icon on left, possible 16-inch MacBook Pro icon on right via MacGeneration
Apple is expected to position the 16-inch MacBook Pro at the high end of its notebook lineup, with existing 15-inch and 13-inch MacBook Pro models remaining available and following suit with scissor keyboards in 2020, according to Kuo.
WIRED has published a lengthy feature about Apple's foray into streaming video, and while many of the details are known, the article serves as a nice primer ahead of the launch of Apple TV+ on November 1.
In an interview, Apple TV+ co-chief Zack Van Amburg said Apple is focused on quality rather than demographic programming. "No one here is sitting around saying we need to find the next show for males 18 to 34, or the next show for females older than 32. We're defining our programming by quality."
While TV shows on traditional networks are often aimed at capturing viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, a key demographic for advertising, Apple TV+ can avoid this since the subscription-based service has no commercials.
One of Apple TV+'s first series will be Ronald D. Moore's space-race drama "For All Mankind," with the article noting that Moore pitched the series with an impressive level of detail spanning up to seven seasons:
On the wall, a series of timelines and character profiles helped illustrate how the show might progress over the seven seasons that Moore and his writers had broken down. "The level of detail was overwhelming," Erlicht says. "Every aspect of the butterfly effect that would happen from the slightest change in that event." The executives walked out into the hallway, grinned at each other, and negotiated which one of them was going to give Moore the good news.
Apple TV+ will be available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, and other platforms, including online at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Since September 10, customers who purchase any iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, or Mac can get one year of Apple TV+ for free.
When Dark Mode was marketed as a headline feature in iOS 13, Apple promoted it as an alternative new look that was easier on the eyes when viewed in dark environments. Oddly though, Apple never mentioned that it also potentially offers energy-saving benefits – particularly for OLED iPhones, since pixels on an OLED panel are individually powered and true black pixels remain inactive.
That potential battery saving has now been put to the test. In an experiment shared on YouTube, PhoneBuff used robotic arms to interact with two fully charged iPhones running iOS 13, with one running in Dark Mode and the other in Light mode. The robots worked their way through various native and third-party apps, all of which support both iOS display modes, until the iPhones died.
The results are pretty conclusive: The test found that an iPhone XS Max using Dark Mode uses up significantly less battery than an iPhone XS Max using Light Mode. When the Light Mode-enabled iPhone XS Max died, the Dark Mode iPhone XS Max still had 30 percent battery life remaining.
PhoneBuff notes one important variable in his test that conditioned the results: The iPhones both had their displays set to 200 nits brightness. At 100 nits, which is what you'd expect indoors, two hours on Twitter saved just 5 percent more battery in Dark Mode. The same test performed at 300 nits, which is closer to outdoors use, saw Dark Mode save 12 percent battery.
Either way, the test appears to prove that Dark Mode is a significant battery saver for OLED iPhones, which include the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone 11 Pro, but not the iPhone XR or iPhone 11. You can watch the video embedded above for the full lowdown.
Apple has targeted a 2020 release for its augmented reality headset, although the timeframe could be pushed back if the product needs more development, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Google Glasses
The report claims the glasses are expected to wirelessly pair with an iPhone to display information such as messages, emails, and maps over the wearer's field of vision. It would also be possible to play games on the headset, with Apple reportedly considering having an App Store for the headset.
Google has said it will release a software update "in the coming months" that will let Pixel 4 owners require their eyes to be open for the phone's Face Unlock security feature to work.
The acknowledgement follows last week's discovery that the Pixel 4's facial authentication system isn't currently capable of distinguishing a face with eyes open versus eyes closed. The finding immediately sparked concerns that the phone could be opened by anyone simply by waving it in front of its sleeping / dead owner.
Google's Pixel 4 Face Unlock feature replaces the fingerprint sensor and works similarly to Apple's Face ID, which is found on iPhones and iPads that have a TrueDepth camera system. However, Face ID requires by default that the user's eyes are open, although users can turn off this Attention Aware option in settings.
Previously, Google said that Face Unlock "is designed to get better over time with future software updates," but stopped short of committing to deliver the "Require eyes to be open" toggle that was spotted in pre-launch leaks of the Pixel 4's features. Now though, it wants customers to know that the setting is on its way. The company gave the following statement (via The Verge):
We've been working on an option for users to require their eyes to be open to unlock the phone, which will be delivered in a software update in the coming months. In the meantime, if any Pixel 4 users are concerned that someone may take their phone and try to unlock it while their eyes are closed, they can activate a security feature that requires a pin, pattern or password for the next unlock.
Despite the security implications of Face Unlock working even if your eyes are closed, Google still claims the feature "meets the security requirements as a strong biometric, and can be used for payments and app authentication, including banking apps. It is resilient against invalid unlock attempts via other means, like with masks."
Google has said it will patch a "bug" in Google Photos that enables iPhone users to store pictures in the cloud in their original quality without counting toward their Google Drive storage limit.
Currently, the Google Photos iOS app happily uploads photos in Apple's efficient HEIC format without requiring them to be converted from "Original Quality" to "High Quality JPEG."
The reason is that the HEIC photos are already smaller than Google's compressed JPEG format, so the Photos app doesn't convert them during upload, meaning the pictures are essentially stored on Google's servers for free in their original size. The quirk was uncovered by a Reddit user last week.
However, the unintentional perk for Apple device owners looks to be on borrowed time. Over the weekend, a Google spokesperson told Android Police: "We are aware of this bug and are working to fix it."
The wording of the statement doesn't exactly make it clear how, though. Google Photos may start converting HEIC photos to the less-efficient High Quality JPEG format during upload, which would result in an additional reduction in quality. Alternatively, Google could allow the pictures to be uploaded as-is but start counting them toward Google Drive usage. We'll have to wait and see which course the search giant takes.
Under Google One plans, Google account holders are entitled to 15GB of free Google Drive cloud storage. Beyond the free allotment, Google charges $1.99 a month for 100GB storage, $2.99 for 200GB a month, and $9.99 a month for 2TB, with additional 10TB and 20TB storage options available.
Over the weekend, MacRumorsforum users noted that the most recent YouTube App update added HDR support for the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. YouTube has supported HDR on its iOS app since the iPhone X but has required updates to support new hardware.
To check to see if you are watching YouTube videos at their highest quality, you can simply press the three dots on the top right of the video, and you should see "HDR" options listed on supported videos. HDR options are also only be available on devices released since 2017 that have OLED displays (so that excludes all iPad models and the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR).
This week saw a new addition to Apple's Beats headphones lineup, while Apple appears to have leaked images of its upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro in the new macOS 10.15.1 betas.
Other top stories this week included rumored $399 pricing for the so-called "iPhone SE 2" coming early next year, the release of iOS 13.1.3, and more, so read on for all of the details!
Apple Introduces $300 Beats Solo Pro Headphones With Noise Cancellation, Unfold-to-Power, and More
Apple this week unveiled new Beats Solo Pro headphones with active noise cancelation, the Apple-designed H1 chip for hands-free "Hey Siri" support, redesigned on-ear cushions for improved comfort, an enhanced acoustic platform for improved sound delivery, the ability to power on the headphones by simply unfolding them, and more.
We've already had a chance to go hands-on with the new headphones, so be sure to check out our early impressions. Beats Solo Pro will be available October 30 in Black, Ivory, Gray, Dark Blue, Light Blue, and Red, with pre-orders available now on Apple.com. Pricing is set at $299.95 in the United States.
16-Inch MacBook Pro Referenced in macOS Catalina 10.15.1 Beta
The icon looks similar to the 15-inch MacBook Pro asset that is included in previous versions of macOS, but with slightly thinner bezels and perhaps a distinct escape key. The notebook is depicted in both Silver and Space Gray, with "16" in both filenames presumably referring to the larger 16-inch display expected for the rumored machine.
iPhone SE 2 Estimated to Start at $399 With Red Color Option
The rumored "iPhone SE 2" will feature an A13 Bionic chip, 3GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB storage options, while 3D Touch will be removed, according to noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo believes the device will launch in the first quarter of 2020 in Space Gray, Silver, and Red colors, adding that pricing will likely start at $399.
Previous reports have suggested the device will resemble the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button.
Apple Releases iOS 13.1.3 With Bug Fixes for Phone, Mail, Health, and More
The fourth update to iOS 13 arrived this week in the form of iOS 13.1.3, which includes bug fixes and improvements related to incoming calls, iCloud backups, Apple Watch pairing and notification syncing, Bluetooth connectivity in vehicles, and more.
And for the Mac, there's a new supplemental update for macOS Catalina that fixes an issue that prevented Setup Assistant from completing, improves installation reliability on Macs with low disk space, and more.
AirPlay 2 Speakers Compared: Sonos Move vs. Bose Portable Home Speaker
Bose and Sonos recently came out with new AirPlay 2-enabled speakers, providing alternatives to Apple's own HomePod speaker.
Responding to the incident, Samsung said it was "aware of the case of S10's malfunctioning fingerprint recognition and will soon issue a software patch."
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
U.S lawmakers on Friday sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cookexpressing concern over Apple's decision to remove the HKMap Live app from the App Store after complaints from the Chinese Government.
The letter [PDF] calls Apple's removal of the HKMap Live app "disappointing" and points out a prior quote from Tim Cook that reads "At Apple, we are not afraid to say that our values drive our curation decisions."
The HKMap Live app, which was used by protestors in Hong Kong to crowdsource information about street closures and police presence, was pulled from the App Store in early October.
Apple later reversed course and approved the app, allowing it back into the App Store, but after China accused Apple of "protecting rioters," Apple removed the app once again and it has remained unavailable.
According to U.S lawmakers, the HKMap Live app lets peaceful demonstrators to share locations to keep out of harm's way. Apple, says the letter, has also censored "at least 2200 apps in China," including VPN apps and apps made by and for "oppressed ethnic minorities."
The letter goes on to accuse Apple of complicity in China's efforts to block change, and questions whether Apple is willing to bow to Chinese demands to avoid losing access to Chinese consumers.
You have said publicly that you want to work with China's leaders to effect change rather than sit on the sidelines and yell at them. We, too, believe that diplomacy and trade can be democratizing forces. But when a repressive government refuses to evolve, or, indeed, when it double down, cooperation can become complicity.
The Chinese government is growing more aggressive in its attempts to dictate terms to U.S. corporations, as last week's headlines involving Apple, the National Basketball Association, and Activision Blizzard make clear. Cases like these raise real concern about whether Apple and other large U.S corporate entities will bow to growing Chinese demands rather than lose access to more than a billon Chinese consumers.
When the app was pulled for the final time, Apple CEO Tim Cook told Apple employees that based on "credible information" from Hong Kong police, the app was being used to target individual officers for violence.
It is no secret that technology can be used for good or for ill. This case is no different. The app in question allowed for the crowdsourced reporting and mapping of police checkpoints, protest hotspots, and other information. On its own, this information is benign. However, over the past several days we received credible information, from the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau, as well as from users in Hong Kong, that the app was being used maliciously to target individual officers for violence and to victimize individuals and property where no police are present. This use put the app in violation of Hong Kong law. Similarly, widespread abuse clearly violates our App Store guidelines barring personal harm.
The letter from the lawmakers ends by urging Apple to reverse course and re-allow the HKMaps on the App Store.
In promoting values, as in most things, actions matter far more than words. Apple's decisions last week to accommodate the Chinese government by taking down HKMaps is deeply concerning. We urge you in the strongest terms to reverse course, to demonstrate that Apple puts values above market access, and to stand with the brave men and women fighting for basic rights and dignity in Hong Kong.
The letter was written by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Sen. Maro Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., and Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J. A similar letter was also sent to Blizzard following Blizzard's decision to ban Ng Wai Chung, a Hearthstone player who voiced support for the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
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.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Plex to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a cord-cutting bundle that includes a lifetime Plex Pass, an antenna, and a TV tuner for watching live TV and other content without a cable subscription.
If you're unfamiliar with Plex, it's an all-in-one media hub that organizes your entire library of content, from TV shows and movies to music and photos, plus it offers free access to news, support for Podcasts, access to live TV, and soon, some free ad-supported movies through partnerships with Warner Bros, Lionsgate, and Legendary.
To organize your media content, you can set up the Plex Media Server on a Mac, which makes everything you own accessible on all of your devices through the Plex iOS and Apple TV apps, along with Plex apps for consoles, Android devices, and other set-top boxes. You can watch and stream all of your content along with live TV content, news, and more from your Mac to any device, anywhere.
Plex's Live TV service doesn't require a cable subscription, and it's simple to set up with a digital tuner and a digital antenna. Using a tuner and an antenna with Plex lets you access HD content from channels that are available for free over-the-air, such as U.S. networks that include ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, the CW, plus local programming that includes news and sports.
You can even watch local NFL games, and with Plex's latest update, there's an option to watch live TV while simultaneously recording content through Plex's DVR feature.
Using Plex's Live TV functionality will require a Plex Pass subscription, which is priced at $5 per month, $40 per year, or $120 for a lifetime subscription, which is significantly cheaper than cable. Plex is including a lifetime Plex Pass in the giveaway, which gives lifetime access to Plex's premium service.
We have two Plex cord-cutting bundles to give away, complete with Mac-compatible tuner, antenna, and Plex Pass. 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 MacRumorsFacebook 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 (October 18) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 25. The winners will be chosen randomly on October 25 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Google Maps for iOS is gaining a new feature today that's designed to allow people to report crashes, speed traps, and traffic slowdowns right from their iPhones.
Reporting traffic accidents and slowdowns has long been a feature on Android and now it will also be available for iPhone users to contribute to Google's crowd sourced incident reporting.
Google is also introducing the ability to report on several kinds of new incidents, including construction, lane closures, disabled vehicles, and objects in the road, which will mean that Google Maps users will be notified when there is an upcoming traffic hazard.
Reporting an incident can be done by tapping on the "+" sign in Google Maps and the selecting "Add a Report." The new reporting feature will be rolling out to iOS users this week.
Apple this week introduced Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones in a new Camo Collection, available in either Forest Green or Sand Dune.
The Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones in the Camo Collection are identical to prior Beats Studio3 headphones with Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling Technology, a built-in Apple-designed W1 chip, fast charging functionality, up to 22 hours battery life, and a $349 price point.
Along with the new Camo Beats Studio3 Wireless, Apple has brought back previously available colors of the BeatsX and Beats Solo3 headphones. The Beats X earphones in the Defiant collection are back, available in black and red for the standard $99.95 price point.
As for the Solo3 headphones, Apple is once again selling its Satin collection, offering the headphones in Satin Silver and Satin Gold right alongside the Red, Rose Gold, and Black options.
Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones include Apple's W1 chip for simple setup and device switching, fast charging, 40 hours of battery life, and a $199.95 price point.
Apple previously offered a Belkin branded Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable, but this new model is direct from Apple and also $5 more expensive than the Belkin version.
Apple Arcade gained a batch of new games today for the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.
The latest titles available include real-time player-versus-player baseball game "Ballistic Baseball," gravity-based puzzle game "Manifold Garden," the classic "PAC-MAN Party Royale," and horror-themed game "Things That Go Bump." Ballistic Baseball is not yet available on the Mac, but should be soon.
Watch the trailers and gameplay videos below:
Gameloft sent us details about Ballistic Baseball:
Ballistic Baseball is a real-time multiplayer experience allowing to play against friends in Player versus Player online duels. Players see and react to their opponent’s actions, all in real time. Further expanding the field of players is robust cross-platform play, allowing players on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Apple TV to play against the other and to track progress as they switch devices. Unique achievements and balanced matchmaking have also been implemented to create a fun and competitive experience.
Including five new games added last week, Apple Arcade now has 84 games available for iOS and tvOS, and 76 on macOS.
Apple Arcade is Apple's new subscription-based gaming service, providing iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac users with access to dozens of games with no in-app purchases or ads for $4.99 per month, with a one-month free trial available. The service first launched September 19.
While the status of Apple's electric vehicle plans are unclear at this point, hit-or-miss DigiTimes reports that Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer is currently supplying Apple with unspecified "autonomous driving solutions."
Tesla Autopilot illustration
An excerpt from the paywalled report, emphasis ours:
With the test of its autonomous vehicle, Quanta is now able to prove its ability in designing an autonomous driving platform, which is expected to assist the company to obtain more partnerships, said the sources, adding that Quanta is currently one of the suppliers of Google's and Apple's autonomous driving solutions.
Quanta recently confirmed that it has developed and tested its first autonomous vehicle on closed tracks in the United States, according to the report, allowing it to "prove its ability in designing an autonomous driving platform." Quanta did not reveal details of the vehicle or the tests.
The icon looks similar to the 15-inch MacBook Pro asset that is included in previous versions of macOS, but with slightly thinner bezels. The notebook is depicted in both Silver and Space Gray, with "16" in both filenames presumably referring to the larger 16-inch display expected for the rumored machine.
MacRumors can confirm the files exist in the second beta of macOS Catalina 10.15.1:
The icons also have a corresponding MacBookPro16,1 model identifier that Apple has never used. The latest 15-inch MacBook Pro has a MacBookPro15,1 identifier, according to a support document on Apple's website.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro is rumored to feature narrower bezels, as the icons above suggest, perhaps allowing the larger display to fit in a notebook with a similar physical size as the current 15-inch MacBook Pro.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the 15-inch MacBook Pro icon (left) with the icon uncovered today (right):
Apple CEO Tim Cook this week tweeted in support of the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, urging the U.S. Senate to move quickly to pass the bipartisan bill, which would eliminate per-country limits on employment-based green cards and increase per-country limits for family-sponsored green cards.
"Immigrants make this country stronger and our economy more dynamic," said Cook. "As a first step toward needed comprehensive reform, I urge the Senate to move quickly to pass the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. The contributions of these workers are critical to America's future."
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the High-Skilled Immigrants Act in July, but the Senate has so far blocked the bill.
Apple and Cook frequently back pro-immigration legislation. Earlier this month, for example, Cook lent his name to Apple's amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy that protects "Dreamers" from deportation.
Immigrants make this country stronger and our economy more dynamic. As a first step toward needed comprehensive reform, I urge the Senate to move quickly to pass the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. The contributions of these workers are critical to America’s future.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 17, 2019
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.
Created, written, and executive produced by Alena Smith, the 19th-century coming-of-age story explores the constraints of society, gender, and family from the perspective of rebellious young poet Emily Dickinson. The series stars Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actresses Hailee Steinfeld and Jane Krakowski.
Apple says the complete 10-episode first season of "Dickinson" will be available to stream on Apple TV+ starting November 1, the day the service launches, in over 100 countries and regions around the world.
In other Apple TV+ news, Variety reports that screenwriter and producer Monica Beletsky has reached a multi-year deal with Apple to develop and produce television series exclusively for Apple's streaming video service. Her previous credits include "Fargo," "Friday Night Lights," and "Parenthood."
Apple TV+ will be available in the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Roku, select smart TVs, and other devices, including online at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial.
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.
Google has said it will patch a "bug" in Google 
