Alongside new iPad mini and a new 10.5-inch iPad Air, Apple today launched new Smart Covers for each device line. There's also one new color for the Smart Folio case that fits the third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
For the iPad mini and 10.5-inch iPad Air, you can get a Smart Cover in Papaya, Charcoal Gray, Pink Sand, and White. The iPad mini Smart Cover costs $39.00 and the 10.5-inch iPad Air Smart Cover costs $49.00.
Meanwhile, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's Smart Folio has gained a new Pink Sand color option. This is for the third-generation iPad Pro with Face ID and no home button. Other colors available include Charcoal Gray and White.
To find more information on the newly released tablets, visit our posts for the iPad mini and 10.5-inch iPad Air.
Apple today announced that its iWork suite of apps for iOS will be updated next week with enhanced Apple Pencil integration. Keynote, for example, will gain new animation options that let users draw an animation path for any object, and an all-new user interface for implementing build effects such as move, rotate, and scale.
iWork apps for iPhone and iPad include Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. All three apps are available for free on the App Store.
Other new features will include the ability to create and share animated GIFs by exporting one or more slides in Keynote on iOS and macOS, add vertical text in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages to the body of Pages documents on iOS, increase max zoom to 400 percent in Numbers on iOS, and more.
All three iWork apps for iOS will also gain:
Improvements to collaboration: edit grouped objects while collaborating. Maximum file size has increased to 2GB.
Save and sync shapes, templates, and themes: save custom shapes, templates, and themes on iOS. These will sync across macOS and iOS devices using iCloud.
Image placeholders: create image placeholders to replace images without affecting the formatting of your page, slide, or spreadsheet.
The news was shared alongside the launch of new iPad mini and iPad Air models today.
There are two noteworthy flash sales happening today only, with discounts that knock the price of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro to new all-time-low prices. As a note, the MacBook Pros on sale are the latest 2018 models, while the iPad Pro is the older model with a home button that launched in mid 2017.
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You'll find the MacBook Pro sale at Best Buy, with seven total configurations on sale that are up to $500 off. There are both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale, and every version has a Touch Bar. Additionally, these MacBook Pros have a Retina display with True Tone, Touch ID, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and up to 10 hours of battery life.
B&H Photo has the iPad Pro sale, marking the 512GB and Wi-Fi only model down to just $749.00. This price point is $400 off the original $1,149.00 price, and $50 below the previous low price among the major Apple resellers.
The 10.5-inch iPad Pro had remained available from $649 following the release of 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models in October 2018, but it has been replaced by the 10.5-inch iPad Air with a cheaper starting price of $499.
The new iPad Air is available to order on Apple.com starting today with 64GB and 256GB storage. Apple Store and reseller availability will begin next week. Prices start at $499 for Wi-Fi models and $629 for Wi-Fi + Cellular models in the United States.
Initial launch countries include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US.
More countries and regions will follow "soon," including Colombia, Greece, India, Israel, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey.
Apple also introduced a new iPad mini with the A12 Bionic chip and first-generation Apple Pencil support. The 9.7-inch iPad was not updated today.
Apple today launched a new fifth-generation iPad mini, featuring an upgraded A12 Bionic processor, first-generation Apple Pencil support, a new advanced Retina display panel, and the same $399 price tag as the previous model.
Apple says that with the new A12 Bionic chip, the iPad mini now delivers three times the performance and nine times faster graphics. Meanwhile the advanced Retina display with True Tone technology and wide color support is 25 percent brighter and has the highest pixel density (3 million) of any iPad.
Elsewhere, an 8-megapixel rear camera brings improved low-light performance and HD video recording, while the front facing camera has been bumped up to 7 megapixels for better-quality selfies and FaceTime HD.
The new iPad also benefits from the same Wi-Fi performance and Gigabit‑class LTE that's built into the latest iPad Pro models, and retains the headphone jack found in previous iPad mini models.
"iPad continues to provide magical new experiences for a growing range of uses where it is the absolute best device, from playing games in augmented reality to note-taking and drawing with Apple Pencil, from streaming HD movies and editing 4K films to learning to develop apps with Swift Playgrounds," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Today the iPad family takes two big leaps forward with an all-new 10.5-inch iPad Air that brings high-end size, features and performance at a breakthrough price, and a major upgrade to the 7.9-inch iPad mini, which also brings Apple Pencil, Retina display and the A12 Bionic chip to the many customers that love its compact size."
Available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold, and in 64 and 256GB storage capacities, the new iPad mini starts at $399 for the Wi-Fi model and $529 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. An Apple Pencil (1st generation) is available for purchase separately for $99. Online orders for the new iPad mini begin today on the Apple website, with availability in Apple stores and select resellers starting next week.
In one week, Apple will host a media event in California focused mainly on details about its upcoming TV streaming service. This week, The New York Times published a report about the state of a few shows on the service, hinting at which ones might be available at launch, the issues some partners have with Apple's plans, and more.
According to the story, around 11 projects have either completed filming or are nearing the end of filming, meaning they are the likeliest to appear in the "first wave" of shows on Apple's service. While we'll get the first glimpse at Apple's streaming service next week, the full service isn't expected to launch until later in the year.
Shows that have finished shooting include "Are You Sleeping?" starring Octavia Spencer; Ronald D. Moore's "For All Mankind"; M. Night Shyamalan's thriller series; Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney's unnamed comedy; and "Dickinson" starring Hailee Steinfeld. Looking forward, the number of original Apple productions is expected to increase in 2020.
Apple is said to be using this event to show customers "just how many shows [it] has pulled together," and that its streaming service will be worth checking out at launch. Combined with content purchased from third parties, Apple's offering could put it on par with the size of Hulu, Showtime, or FX, according to The New York Times. Previous rumors have suggested the launch lineup would be predominantly third party content.
More than a dozen people who have had dealings with Apple's TV service did reference concerns about the project in this week's report. Many working with Apple have received "little or no information" regarding the time frame of their shows' release dates, other than vague statements like "later this year, probably fall." Apple has also not divulged marketing plans to its partners.
Apple’s entertainment team has not been totally opaque. It has provided feedback to individuals involved in the shows, but it has been tight-lipped about the marketing and rollout plans. The March 25 event may allay Hollywood’s concerns, but several people involved in the new programs have interpreted the lack of communication as a sign that there may not be a clear game plan.
Apple has also reportedly been "squeamish" when it comes to the portrayal of its own technology in the shows. The company is said to ask specific questions about how iPhones or MacBooks will be used, suggesting that they prefer them to be seen in positive situations.
Apple's "It's Show Time" event will kick off on Monday, March 25 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park Campus in California. As with most Apple events, it will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The event is also expected to include the unveiling of its expanded Apple News service.
Spotify on Monday began offering all premium Family plan subscribers in the U.K. a free Google Home Mini smart speaker.
From today, both new and existing family plan subscribers can claim their free Google speaker, worth £49, simply by heading to the Spotify website. The offer ends on 14 May 2019.
Spotify's premium family plan costs £14.99 per month and allows up to six people to access the service using a personal account for each family member.
With that in mind, it's worth noting that the free speaker offer can only be claimed by the master account holder. However the device's built-in Google Assistant can recognize up to six different voices in the home, which means each person in the family can stream Spotify tracks from their own accounts.
Update: This offer is no longer available and Google is no longer offering free Google Home Mini speakers to UK family plan subscribers.
Apple's online store has gone down this morning. The company typically takes the site down pending changes to its product lineup, so we may well see new product announcements later today.
Apple has several rumored products debuting soon, including a new affordable iPad, iPad mini 5, next-generation AirPods, and its long-delayed AirPower wireless charging mat.
At least some of these product announcements were expected to be made via press release during the company's March 25 "It's Showtime" event, which will reportedly be service-focused, but Apple could feasibly announce new products sooner.
Indeed, well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurmanrecently suggested Apple could decide to announce new iMacs and iPads ahead of its upcoming media event in order to underline how much it intends to focus on news and video services.
If Apple was to be planning, say, new iPad and iMac announcements for this week, it would make a real statement about how much it wants to focus its March 25th event on its news and video services.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) 16 March 2019
We'll follow up on this development shortly when we learn more.
The war of words has since continued. In a statement issued to Variety, Spotify said "every monopolist will suggest they have done nothing wrong" and that, consequently, Apple's response was "entirely in line" with its expectations.
Spotify's statement:
Every monopolist will suggest they have done nothing wrong and will argue that they have the best interests of competitors and consumers at heart. In that way, Apple's response to our complaint before the European Commission is not new and is entirely in line with our expectations.
We filed our complaint because Apple's actions hurt competition and consumers, and are in clear violation of the law. This is evident in Apple's belief that Spotify's users on iOS are Apple customers and not Spotify customers, which goes to the very heart of the issue with Apple. We respect the process the European Commission must now undertake to conduct its review.
Stanford Medicine researchers presented their findings of the Apple Heart Study at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session and Expo in New Orleans today, as noted by Apple in a press release.
Apple and Stanford created the study to evaluate the Apple Watch's irregular heart rhythm notification feature, which occasionally checks the wearer's heart rhythm in the background and sends a notification if an irregular heart rhythm appears to be suggestive of atrial fibrillation.
419,093 people across the United States participated in the study. As part of the study, if an irregular heart rhythm was identified, participants received a notification on their Apple Watch and iPhone, a phone consultation with a doctor, and an ECG patch for additional monitoring.
Study results showed 0.5 percent of participants - approximately 2,095 people - received an irregular heart rhythm notification. Apple says "many participants sought medical advice following their irregular rhythm notification."
Apple COO Jeff Williams:
We are proud to work with Stanford Medicine as they conduct this important research and look forward to learning more about the impact of Apple Watch alongside the medical community. We hope consumers will continue to gain useful and actionable information about their heart health through Apple Watch.
The podcast covers a range of topics regarding Apple's attempt to service both large developers as well as small independents. Schiller confirms that the reason WWDC remains limited at approximately 5,000 developers is the inability to offer a quality experience given the limitations in the number of Apple engineers that would be available for one on one sessions at the event. Notably, Schiller notes that both he and others at Apple follow blogs, emails, podcasts, forums, and social media after events and monitor and listen to that feedback.
Schiller participates in the full podcast at the very start of the episode.
In the 2018 iPhone lineup, Apple introduced the iPhone XR, an iPhone that shares many of the same hardware advancements added in the XS and XS Max, but at a more affordable $749 price tag.
Samsung followed in Apple's footsteps with its own 2019 Galaxy smartphone lineup, introducing the Galaxy S10e alongside the S10 and S10+ with a smaller screen size and a cheaper $749 price point that's meant to compete with Apple's iPhone XR. In our latest YouTube video, we compare Samsung's affordable smartphone option to Apple's.
Samsung's Galaxy S10e features a 5.8-inch 2280 x 1080 OLED display, while Apple's iPhone XR uses a 6.1-inch 1792 x 828 LCD display that Apple calls "Liquid Retina" because it's the company's best LCD to date. Samsung's OLED display is bright, crisp, vibrant, and a close match to the display used in its higher-end smartphones.
Apple's display doesn't look bad, but it can't quite match the quality of OLED. When it comes to cutouts, the iPhone XR uses the same notch as the iPhone XS and XS Max because it has the same Face ID facial recognition system, while the Galaxy S10e uses a unique hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera that maximizes available screen real estate.
Samsung can't match Apple's facial recognition capabilities, so the Galaxy S10e features a fingerprint sensor built into the power button on the right side of the device. That's a deviation from other S10 devices that have an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Apple's iPhones typically beat Samsung's when it comes to processor performance, and it's no different with the XR and S10e. The XR is equipped with Apple's A12 bionic chip (the same chip that's in the XS and XS Max), while all of Samsung's smartphones, S10e included, use the Snapdragon 855. The Snapdragon 855 does not perform as well as the A12 on benchmarks, but these are modern smartphones that excel at everyday tasks.
The S10e is equipped with 6GB RAM, double the RAM in the iPhone XR, but Apple has traditionally made better use of lower quantities of RAM due to deep integration between hardware and software.
Samsung's S10e wins out over the XR when it comes to storage because the base model starts at 128GB of storage (vs. 64GB) and comes with a microSD card slot for expanding space available to you.
Because it has a smaller display, the S10e is lighter and more compact, which is better for one-handed use and closer to the iPhone XS. Both devices have multiple color options, with the XR coming in six shades and the S10e available in four colors with a pearlescent sheen.
Apple scaled back on the iPhone XR's rear camera to cut down on cost, and Samsung did the same thing. The iPhone XR uses a single-lens camera while the other iPhones have dual-lens setups, and the S10e has a dual-lens camera instead of a triple-lens camera. The S10e features both wide and ultra-wide lenses, while the XR only has a single wide-angle lens.
The XR uses software for Portrait Mode photos that have blurred backgrounds, which prevents the feature from working with pets, food, and anything but people, really. The S10e doesn't have that limitation, which, paired with the ultra-wide lens, gives the S10e an edge when it comes to photography. Apple's images are more color accurate and better at accurate exposures.
There are pluses and minuses with both Samsung and Apple's "budget" smartphones. Apple brings Face ID, its faster A-series chip tech, and tighter software/hardware integration (which, arguably, means a longer life and more frequent software updates), while Samsung's S10e has a dual-lens rear camera, an OLED display, and expandable storage.
Do you prefer the iPhone XR or the S10e? Which company did a better job making an affordable device that still has all of the modern tech one might want in a smartphone? Let us know in the comments.
Apple and Qualcomm this week wrapped up a patent trial where Apple was accused of infringing on three of Qualcomm's patents, and the verdict from the jury is in -- Apple violated Qualcomm's patents in its iPhones.
According to CNET, the jury today sided with Qualcomm and said that Apple needs to pay Qualcomm upwards of $31 million, which is the total that Qualcomm had asked for in damages.
The patents in question cover a method for allowing a smartphone to quickly connect to the internet once turned on, graphics processing and battery life, and a method for allowing apps to download data more easily by directing traffic between the processor and modem.
During the trial, Apple argued that one of its engineers, Arjuna Siva, had a hand in inventing the technology included in the first patent mentioned above in an attempt to get the patent invalidated, but the jury did not buy Apple's argument.
Apple will undoubtedly appeal the jury's ruling, and the legal battle between Qualcomm and Apple is far from over. Next month, the two companies will be back in court over a lawsuit that Apple levied against Qualcomm after Qualcomm refused to pay $1 billion in rebate payments.
Yesterday, a preliminary ruling went in Apple's favor, with a U.S. District Judge deciding that Qualcomm is obligated to make the rebate payments to Apple under the terms of the cooperation agreement between the two companies.
Update: In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that Qualcomm is trying to distract from "larger issues" with patent infringement claims: "Qualcomm's ongoing campaign of patent infringement claims is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the larger issues they face with investigations into their business practices in US federal court, and around the world."
Priced at $89.99, Satechi's USB-C iMac Hub raises the foot of the iMac to what Satechi says is an optimal viewing angle and adds an array of useful easy-access ports. It includes three 5Gb/s USB-A ports, a 5Gb/s USB-C data port, an SD card slot, an audio jack, and a micro SD card slot.
iMacs don't suffer from the same lack of ports as Apple's notebooks, but all iMac ports are located on the back of the machine, which is not always convenient. The iMac Hub puts them right within reach and adds additional ports for you to use.
It's quite a bit easier to use an SD card slot on the front of the iMac than on the back, which will make this hub worth it for photographers, drone operators, and others who often need to access SD and micro SD cards. Make sure to check out the review we did on Satechi's USB-C iMac Hub for a closer look at the ports and how it performs in day to day use.
Available in either silver or space gray aluminum, the iMac Hub has been designed to match well with Apple's iMac lineup. The Hub is designed to plug in to one of the four available USB-C ports on modern Macs, though it is also compatible with older Macs using an included USB-A to USB-C adapter. It has a short cable, which prevents cord mess.
The iMac Hub raises the iMac up 1.63 inches, and while it's not adjustable, Satechi says that this cuts down on neck strain and encourages better posture.
We have five of the USB-C iMac Stand Hubs to give away to MacRumors readers. 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.
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If you're a fan of classic Mac designs, you may be interested in the iBot G3, a figurine that's modeled after Apple's iconic iMac G3, first released in 1998.
The iBot G3 was designed by Philip Lee, who previously released another Mac-related figurine called the Classicbot. The iBot G3 is Lee's latest project, and like the Classic bot, it's a fun take on one of Apple's original Mac designs.
There are two variants of the iBot G3, one in Bondi Blue and one in Tangerine, both of which are two classic iMac G3 colors. The figures are made from plastic and are injection molded with details that closely mimic the design of the original iMac G3.
Injection molding allows for the smallest of components to be included, which means you get the classic iMac G3 design with translucent teardrop-shaped enclosure, carrying handle at the top, side hatch that gives a peek into the internal components, and even a tiny round mouse and matching keyboard.
It's so accurate to the original design that the inside components have also been separately created so you can see the machine's hardware through the translucent outer shell.
You can see the CRT tubes, the speakers on the front, the vents, the CD drive, the power button (and the power button on the tiny keyboard), all of the ports (hidden by an access panel complete with mouse cord cutout), and the spot where the power cable plugs in. The only thing missing is an Apple logo, as not including one prevents Lee from running into trademark issues. The Apple logos traditionally at the top and the back of the iMac G3 have been replaced with little bot logos.
The display of the iBot G3 features two little eyes, because it is, as the name suggests, an iMac that's been transformed into a robot. It has detachable legs and magnetic arms, and it is able to stand (or sit) on its own. You can remove the arms and the legs if desired, add an included stand, and set it up as a more traditional looking iMac with the keyboard and the mouse as accessories.
I like that the iBot G3 converts because it allows those who prefer the iMac robot look to use it their way, while others who would rather have a little iMac that looks more similar to the traditional design can disassemble it and display it that way. You can also combine the two, with a sitting or standing iBot G3 that also has the keyboard and mouse nearby.
Speaking of the keyboard and mouse, these two accessories are quite cute. The mouse is about the size of my fingernail and is an accurate miniature replica of the original round mouse that came with the iMac G3, while the keyboard features a translucent plastic housing with black keys.
The arms and legs of the iBot G3 are made from the same translucent plastic of the enclosure, so everything matches up well. The display is printed on, which is worth noting. I think it would have been neat if it had an actual electronic display, but that would have driven the cost up and been a lot more difficult to implement.
It would, however, be nice to be able to purchase an iBot with different eye expressions, and I would have preferred a lighter film because the the face of the iBot can be a bit hard to see sometimes depending on the lighting conditions of the room.
I don't have an iMac G3 to compare the iBot to, but I do have an iBook G3 that used the same design elements. It's in Blueberry, which is pretty similar to Bondi Blue (though a touch lighter) so it looks like the color of the Bondi Blue iBot G3 is close to accurate. The Tangerine color also looks quite similar to pictures of the Tangerine iMac G3.
The iBot G3 is not a toy and it is meant for displaying. It is not made of the sturdiest of plastics, and I would not be too rough with it. I did snap off the little hatch that lets you look inside on accident on one of the models, but it snapped right back in place. Still, I was worried about breaking it when trying to put it back together.
The magnetic connection between the arms is not particularly strong and there are a lot of small components, so this is not an ideal toy for a child. It would be easy to lose the pieces since many of the components are so tiny, and there is a warning on the website that the laminated cover of the display is prone to scratching. I didn't have any issues, but I was also careful with it.
$39 is a little expensive for an inanimate toy, but that's not unusual for figurines with this level of detail and it seems like a fair price given the attention put in to making the iBot G3 look like an iMac G3.
Bottom Line
If you're an Apple fan looking for interesting Apple-related desk or shelf decor, I don't think you're going to be disappointed by the iBot G3. It's adorable, fits in well with Apple products, and looks good in any home or office environment.
Similarly, if you're looking for a gift for an Apple enthusiast, the iBot G3 is a great choice that will delight everyone who sees it. Hopefully the artist, Philip Lee, will continue to make additional figurines like the iBot G3 based on classic Mac designs because I'm sure Apple fans would love to have a collection of Apple device bots.
LG today announced that its first 2019 OLED TVs with AI ThinQ will be debuting in April. These models, like other TVs in the 2019 lineup, will support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit later this year.
The 65-inch E9 and C9 models will be the first to launch, with additional models and screen sizes coming in May or June. Other LG OLED models will be announced later in the year.
LG's 2019 lineup, first revealed at CES, will be available in screen sizes ranging from 55 inches to 77 inches.
Along with TVs from Samsung, Sony, and Vizio, LG's newest TVs will include AirPlay 2 support. With AirPlay 2 support, LG TV users will be able to beam photos, videos, and music from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to the LG TV, similar to how the Apple TV works today.
HomeKit support will let users control their television sets using Siri voice commands or the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Siri will be able to be used to do things like play a specific TV show or movie to be AirPlayed to your smart TV.
All of the LG OLED, NanoCell SM9X, NanoCell SM8X, and UHD UM7X television sets from 2019 will work with Apple's services according to Apple's HomeKit website.
Neither TV manufacturers nor Apple have provided a specific timeline for when AirPlay 2 and HomeKit will be made available on smart television sets, but LG recently said that it expects to enable the features through a mid-year upgrade.
The next iPhone XS Max and possibly iPhone XS will feature a triple-lens rear camera system within a square bump like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, according to Japanese blog Mac Otakara, citing information from Chinese suppliers. The report includes a few renders of what the new design could look like.
The renders are largely consistent with earlier ones shared by OnLeaks, who also expects at least one 2019 iPhone to have a triple-lens rear camera. One difference is that the camera lenses are more symmetrically aligned in the renders above, whereas the lenses are asymmetrical in the OnLeaks render below.
Render via OnLeaks/Digit
The Wall Street Journal in January reported that the next iPhone XS Max will feature a triple-lens camera, with the next iPhone XS and iPhone XR featuring dual-lens rear cameras. However, Mac Otakara says there is a high probability of a triple-lens camera on both the next iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
Mac Otakara's sources claim Apple is readying official iPhone cases with "large holes" on the back, presumably for the square bump.
Many other sources have backed up the triple-lens camera rumor, including the well-connected Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman. Apple would be following in the footsteps of Android smartphone makers like Samsung and Huawei by adding a third lens, which should result in improved 3D sensing and other benefits.
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