In partnership with Pricebaba.com, @Onleaks today released a series of high-quality renders of the next-generation iPhone XR expected to launch this coming September. The renders are based on rumors and alleged leaks regarding the device's outward design.
The iPhone XR successor depicted in the renders could easily be mistaken for last year's iPhone XR, if it wasn't for the addition of the dual-lens cameras, arranged vertically with the LED flash on the right and housed in a large square bump.
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the 6.1-inch iPhone XR successor is said to feature a dual-lens rear camera setup rather than a triple-lens setup, which will be exclusive to the next-generation iPhone XS and XS Max models.
Renders of the latter 2019 devices have included a square bump housing the three lenses, but this is the first time we've seen the same controversial housing for the upcoming dual-lens iPhone XR. All three of the front-facing cameras in the 2019 iPhones are expected to be 12 megapixels, up from 7 megapixels in the 2018 models.
While some rumors suggest Apple may go with an all OLED lineup, doing away with the LCD displays of the iPhone XR, other rumors believe Apple will stick with its Liquid Retina LCD display because of the high price of OLED displays.
All 2019 iPhones are likely to adopt upgraded A13 chips from TSMC, Apple's chip supplier. The A13, like all chip upgrades, should bring performance and efficiency improvements.
As for dimensions, OnLeaks suggests the iPhone XR 2019 will measure 150.9 x 76.1 x 7.8mm, with the camera bump being the thickest point, at 8.5mm.
Rumors suggest Apple is planning to make changes to the front-facing TrueDepth Camera System that enables Face ID in the 2019 iPhones. Kuo believes 2019 iPhones will feature a new flood illuminator that will improve Face ID by lowering the impact of the invisible light from the environment.
Despite some rumors suggesting a smaller notch or no notch at all, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes there will be no change to the size of the notch in the 2019 iPhone lineup.
The iPhone XR was Apple's best-selling iPhone in 2018, accounting for an estimated 32 percent of U.S. iPhone sales, according to sales data by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. Comparatively, the iPhone XS and XS Max, Apple's more expensive iPhones, were responsible for 35 percent of sales combined.
Apple is expected to unveil its new 2019 iPhone lineup in September, likely launching the phones in the weeks following the announcements.
Apple has finalized a list of locations for its first retail store in India, according to sources who spoke to Bloomberg.
The vetted locations are said to include several upscale sites in Mumbai that are comparable to iconic Apple stores on Fifth Avenue in New York, Regent Street in London, or the Champs-Elysees in Paris. A final decision on the plans is expected to come "in the next few weeks," said Bloomberg's sources.
In the Indian market, Apple ranks 11th and accounts for just one percent of India's phone sales, selling fewer than one million iPhones during the first half of 2018. Comparatively, rival smartphone maker Xiaomi sold "more than 19 million" during that period, according to data gathered by Counterpoint Research.
In an effort to revamp the company's presence in India, Apple CEO Tim Cook is believed to be working behind-the-scenes to "remold Apple's failing India strategy," according to both current and former Apple employees who spoke to Bloomberg.
This strategy includes better and longer-lasting retail deals with higher sales targets, the opening of official Apple retail stores in India, "overhauling" the company's relationship with independent retailers, and improving apps and services "aimed more closely at Indians." For retail, the official Apple stores are said to open in 2019 and will eventually include locations in New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai.
While the Indian government's rules for foreign companies opening shops have previously prevented Apple from launching local stores, the company now builds some of its iPhone SE and iPhone 6s models in India, which is believed to help it meet India's rule requiring these companies to manufacture 30 percent of their products locally.
Apple Pay arrived unexpectedly in Iceland today, allowing bank customers to use Apple's mobile payment system for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch wherever they see the contactless logo.
International payment solutions company Valitor is said to have played a key role in bringing Apple Pay to the country, with Landsbankinn and Arion banki among the first Icelandic banks to announce support for the digital wallet.
As to which country will get the next Apple Pay rollout, it's currently a toss-up between The Netherlands and Portugal, where regional banks have teased that Apple's contactless payment system is "coming soon."
Apple Pay first launched in the United States in October 2014 and is also available in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Japan, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Ireland, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in March that Apple Pay will be available in more than 40 countries and regions by the end of 2019.
The manufacturer of rigid-flex printed circuit boards (PCBs) used in Apple's AirPods 2 is ramping up production of the technology into early 2020 at least, despite rumors that Apple will launch two new AirPods models as early as this year with a different internal design.
DigiTimes reports that Apple supplier Unitech Printed Circuit Board still sees the rigid-flex PCB combination as the mainstream technology for truly wireless headphones, and will expand its production capacity in Taiwan by 25-30 percent in 2019 to meet increased demand from clients.
In contrast, Apple's two new AirPods models are expected to make use of SiP (system in package) technology, which will improve assembly yield rates, save internal space and reduce cost.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasts that the two new models will likely go into mass production between the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020.
Kuo has said one of the new AirPods models will feature an "all-new form factor design" and a "higher price" than the second-generation AirPods, which cost $159 with a standard charging case and $199 with a wireless charging case. The other model is expected to be a more iterative update to AirPods 2 with the same pricing.
In March 2019, Apple launched its second-generation AirPods powered by an Apple-designed H1 chip, enabling hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality and up to 50 percent more talk time compared to the original AirPods. The second-generation AirPods feature the same outward design as the original.
Bloomberg reported that Apple's third-generation AirPods will feature a new design and perhaps improved water resistance that will allow the AirPods to hold up to "splashes of water and rain."
The AirPods aren't likely to be entirely water resistant, however, and won't be able to be submerged in liquid. These third-generation AirPods are also rumored to include noise cancellation features and increase the distance that AirPods can be listened to away from an iPhone or iPad.
Samsung, Huawei, Sony and Google are all actively developing their own truly wireless headphones, many of which are expected to use the older rigid-flex PCB technology. Apple now dominates nearly 70 percent of the truly wireless headphone market, according to DigiTimes, suggesting Apple's adoption of the new SiP tech could give the company an even greater advantage over rivals as the market continues to grow.
Apple CEO Tim Cook today visited the Mall at Millenia Apple Store in Orlando, Florida, where he met up with 16-year-old Liam Rosenfeld, one of the WWDC scholars who will be attending Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference this June.
Cook was in Florida for an event that saw SAP and Apple announce an expanded partnership focused on new enterprise apps taking advantage of technologies like machine learning and AR. Cook apparently visited the Apple Store after the conference. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Cook had a short chat with Rosenfeld, who called the meeting "an amazing surprise."
Rosenfeld runs a coding club at his high school, and he's created an app that converts images into ASCII, plus he has two additional apps in the works. Cook said that the teenager had impressed him.
"He has a quality that I think is on a short list of characteristics that drive success, and that is curiosity," said Cook, after talking with Liam about the creation of the coding club.
Cook went on to say that WWDC scholarships provide Apple with a way to contribute to the growing need for a tech workforce.
"You need public, private, non-governmental organizations working together because this is not a trivial transformation that needs to happen here," he said. "We have an obligation. We are fortunate to have had some success."
Apple offered 350 scholarships to students and STEM organization members for WWDC 2019. Each scholarship includes a free WWDC ticket, free accommodations in San Jose, California, near the McEnery Convention Center, and a free one-year membership to Apple's developer program.
Apple's new wire-free Powerbeats Pro are set to launch this Friday after pre-orders became available last week, and ahead of their official debut, we were able to get a pair to test out to find out whether Apple's latest Beats-branded earbuds are worth the $250 price tag.
While Apple is planning to sell the Powerbeats Pro in four colors, including ivory, moss, navy, and black, only the black version is available right now, with the other options coming later in the summer.
Powerbeats Pro share many features with the AirPods, but the design is totally different because they're aimed at vigorous physical activity like sports and working out. There are a set of earhooks that wrap around your ear to keep the Powerbeats Pro in place, along with four sets of ear tips for a customized fit.
Multiple tips means the Powerbeats Pro will fit most people, and while it's early, we found them to be lightweight and comfortable overall, though any earbud is going to cause ear fatigue after long periods of usage. This kind of around the ear fit isn't going to appeal to everyone, and it can take a bit of practice to be able to get them positioned in your ears correctly.
The Powerbeats Pro fit on the ears super securely, and it's unlikely these are going to fall out of your ears during physical activity. Powerbeats Pro fit in the ear canal unlike the AirPods, and will drown out ambient noise, which is something to be aware of. We tested these out with sunglasses and found them comfortable, so these may work well for those who wear glasses regularly.
As for sound quality, with the tips positioned correctly in your ears, the Powerbeats Pro sound impressive. Everything is full, crisp, and clear, and parts of songs remain distinguishable. Bass sounds great and is not muddy, which can be an issue with other wire-free headphones.
Powerbeats Pro have a carrying case, but it's a lot bigger than the AirPods case. It's not really pocketable, and it's worth noting that wireless charging is not an included feature. You need to charge this case using a Lightning cable. Opening up the case causes the Powerbeats Pro to pair with your device just like the AirPods and thanks to the H1 chip, easy pairing, easy device swapping, and "Hey Siri" support are all Powerbeats Pro features.
We were impressed with how quickly the Powerbeats Pro were able to pair with an iPhone, and it's worth noting that the Live Listen feature available on the AirPods is also available on Powerbeats Pro. Live Listen is designed to let the iPhone serve as a microphone, amplifying the ambient noise around you and beaming it to your earbuds.
Automatic play/pause functionality will pause audio when you remove an earbud and play it again when it's put back in place, a super handy feature, and there are some physical buttons for doing things like playing music, pausing music, adjusting volume (these buttons are at the top) and skipping tracks. Physical buttons are nice, but it's not always easy to use the button on the first try and it takes a bit more effort than the tap controls on the AirPods.
Powerbeats Pro offer up to nine hours of listening time per earbud along with 24 hours of additional battery life from the charging case, plus there's a fast fuel feature that offers up 1.5 hours of playback with a five minute charge. We haven't had the Powerbeats Pro long enough to test the battery life sufficiently, but we'll be providing more detail in a future video.
So are the Powerbeats Pro worth the $250 price tag? We think the answer is yes if you're looking for a set of earbuds that have a secure, comfortable fit with all of the features offered by the AirPods. They're perfect if you live an active lifestyle or are looking for a more traditional earbud fit than the AirPods offer.
We'll be doing a follow up video comparing the Powerbeats Pro to the AirPods, so make sure to keep an eye out for that tomorrow, and for more info on Powerbeats Pro, check out our Powerbeats Pro guide.
Apple's chief designer Jony Ive is set to speak at the Dalkey Book Festival in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday, June 15 at 6:00 p.m.
Ive will be joined by actor and comedian Stephen Fry for a session titled "The Object of Language and the Language of Objects."
Actor, comedian, raconteur, and author, Stephen Fry shares his wit and wisdom with Jony Ive, the man who, by designing three of the most iconic products of our age - the iPod, iPad, and iPhone- has changed your world probably more than any other single living human being.
Truly a one-off event featuring treasured polymath, Stephen Fry, and Apple design guru, Jony Ive. Two global superstars mark the tenth anniversary of the festival by sharing one stage at Dalkey!
Tickets were available for the event from the Dalkey Book Festival website for 30 euros, but have all sold out at this time.
Stephen Fry and Jony Ive know one another, and in 2015, Fry wrote a profile on Ive following the announcement of his chief design officer title. In the past, Fry has also profiled Steve Jobs, and he's long been acquainted with Apple executives.
Google's annual I/O developer conference took place today, and the Mountain View-based company announced a number of changes and updates, some of which will be coming to Google products available on iOS devices and others that are of interest as services that compete with Apple services.
Google Search
Google plans to enhance Google Search with the addition of "Full Coverage" news, providing a more balanced view of news when searching for something. Right now, Google News has a timeline and a feature that displays different viewpoints of the same story, and these options are coming to Search as well.
ARe you seeing this?! With new AR features in Search rolling out later this month, you can place, view and interact with 3D objects right in your own space. #io19pic.twitter.com/Q61U0r2Hvg
— Google (@Google) May 7, 2019
Google Search is also going to index podcasts in the future, allowing users to search for podcast content, not just title. Podcast episodes will be able to be listened to in search results.
New augmented reality features will be available in Google Search, with 3D augmented reality models coming to search results. You'll be able to do things like view a pair of shoes you're searching for in the real world while shopping. On stage, Google showed off an animated shark that was pulled from the web and broadcast into the room using AR.
Retailers that already use 3D assets will be able to add 3D models to Google Search results with just a few lines of code, and Google is working with NASA, Samsung, Target, Wayfair, and others.
Search is getting an Incognito feature that will allow you to make Google searches without having the data added to your Google account.
Google Duplex
Google is updating Duplex, the service that makes calls for you, with web support, which will allow it to make rental car bookings, reserve movie tickets, and fill in web forms, similar to existing auto fill features.
You'll be able to say something similar to "Hey Google, book a rental car from Hertz for my next trip," and Duplex will pull up the website and start filling out all the necessary information. You'll be prompted to fill out information that it doesn't have, but it's able to pull data from calendar, Gmail, and Chrome. It's a feature coming to Android phones later this year, and an iOS device launch date isn't known.
Google Maps
Incognito mode, which has long been available in Google's Chrome browser, is being expanded to the Google Maps app so you can get directions privately.
Coming soon to @googlemaps, when you turn on Incognito mode in Maps, your activity—like the places you search or get directions to—won’t be saved to your Google Account. Just tap from your profile picture to easily turn it on or off. #io19pic.twitter.com/z7GRkkmDbn
— Google (@Google) May 7, 2019
On Pixel devices, Google Maps is getting an AR walking mode, which shows walking directions in real time overlaid over the real world.
Google Lens is being updated with some new features, such as the ability to read a menu and highlight the most popular dishes, or to read a receipt and automatically calculate a tip.
Today's special: Google Lens. 🍽️ Automatically highlighting what's popular on a menu, when you tap on a dish you can see what it looks like and what people are saying about it, thanks to photos and reviews from @googlemaps. #io19pic.twitter.com/5PcDsj1VuQ
— Google (@Google) May 7, 2019
Privacy
Google plans to make Google Account information more easily accessible from your profile in all major Google products. This is in addition to the recently announced feature that will automatically clear search and location history every three months or every 18 months.
Google Assistant
Google showed off a next-generation version of its Google Assistant, which is much speedier (Google says 10x faster) than it was previously, and smarter as well. In a demo on stage, Google Assistant was able to accurately and quickly respond to rapid fire requests, which is something Apple's Siri voice assistant can't do.
Running on-device and coming to new Pixel phones later this year, the next generation Google Assistant can understand and process your requests up to 10 times faster, making operating your phone, multi-tasking and even composing email easier than ever. #io19pic.twitter.com/iNPpOvwDM2
— Google (@Google) May 7, 2019
The "Hey Google" wake word wasn't required for this process, which ran through commands like checking the weather, bringing up a contact, turning on the flashlight, and taking a selfie all within seconds. Personalization features will bring up tailored voice results using a "Picks For You" feature, which can suggest personalized recipes, podcasts, and more. Google's updated Google Assistant is coming to new Pixel phones later this year.
Google Assistant is also coming to Waze in the next few weeks, and on Android devices, Google is implementing a new Driving Mode for Google Assistant, coming this summer.
Android Q
Google shared some details on Android Q, the next-generation version of the Android operating system that runs on Android devices.
A Live Caption feature will add real-time subtitles for any audio that's playing on an Android device, and it's available with or without an internet connection because it's done on-device.
A Smart Reply feature will offer up suggested actions, similar to how Siri suggestions work on iOS devices. Android Q, like iOS 13, will have a built-in system-wide dark mode option.
Google is aiming to address privacy concerns and bring Android privacy more in line with iOS privacy with a comprehensive set of privacy tools for limiting developer access to personal information. There's also an Android OS Framework that will provide over-the-air security updates from Google that will work without a reboot of the device and that will be installed in the background.
Screen Time-like features are coming to Android Q with Focus Mode, which will limit access to apps that are distracting, such as social media apps. Parental Controls are also being improved, with options that will let parents restrict apps on an app by app basis. Android Q is available today on 21 devices in a beta capacity, including all Pixel smartphones.
Google Home
Google today announced that all of its smart home products will be unified under the "Nest" brand, which it purchased a few years back. Under the new brand, Google debuted the Nest Hub Max, a device with a 10-inch display that's designed to be a home control hub with a dashboard for controlling smart home products.
It also works like a Nest Camera, but is set up for multiple people with Face Match technology. It has privacy controls so nothing is streamed or recorded sans permission, and there's a green light that comes on when it's recording.
When not in use, it can display photos, serving as a digital photo frame, and it can be used to play YouTube videos and other TV/movie content. Nest Hub Max is launching this summer for $229. Google's original Nest Hub is also now available for $129, a $20 discount.
Google Pixel
Google announced two new lower-cost smartphones, the Pixel 3a and 3aXL, with prices starting at $399. It includes many features the Pixel line is known for, including high-quality cameras with front and rear portrait modes and the well-known Night Sight feature. Call screening and adaptive battery life are also included, with the latter feature allowing the Pixel 3a to get up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Google on stage threw some shade at Apple, comparing the Pixel's Night Sight Mode to an iPhone X image, and pointing out that it continues to have a headphone jack for those who prefer a greater range of headphone options.
Amazon is discounting the latest 256GB 12-inch MacBook to a new all-time low price of $799.99, down from $1,299.99. This is the lowest price ever seen on this model of Apple's Retina MacBook, only available in Space Gray during the new sale.
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B&H Photo is also discounting the 512GB 12-inch MacBook this week, with a sale that focuses on the Rose Gold and Gold color options, the former of which Apple eliminated in late 2018. Shoppers should note that the Gold option on sale is an older shade in comparison to updated models from 2018, but otherwise all internals are exactly the same.
Apple has begun offering users the chance to add 10 percent extra credit to their App Store and iTunes accounts this week, similar to past offers from the company. For this deal, you'll have to add money to your Apple ID account from a credit or debit card connected to your account.
To add the funds on your iPhone, visit the App Store, tap your profile picture, and then tap "Add Funds to Apple ID." Here you can choose from $1.00 to $200.00 to add to your account in order to get the 10 percent bonus credit. This means that the most you can get out of the offer is $20 in free iTunes credit when adding $200 to your account.
The promotion will last through Friday, May 10 and is available in the United States as well as other regions, including Japan. With the credit in your iTunes account, you can rent or purchase iTunes movies and TV shows, buy books in Apple Books, pay for your Apple Music or iCloud subscriptions, and much more.
Apple today uploaded a new video to its YouTube channel promoting its iPhone trade-in program, which allows people to trade in their older devices when purchasing a new one to get an Apple gift card or to simply recycle broken electronics.
Apple either refurbishes iPhones that are traded in and resells them, or recycles older unusable devices for the components.
You've done great things with your iPhone, but at some point, you'll be ready for something new. You can easily trade it in with Apple so it can be refurbished and put back into the world so someone new can do their own great things with it.
But if your device is at the very end of its life, materials inside will be recovered and recycled. Either way, you can continue to do what you love while respecting the planet.
At the end of the video Apple uses the tagline "Do one last great thing with it." The new ad is featured on Apple's environmental website, which provides more detail on how the trade-in program works.
Apple has been heavily promoting its trade-in program in recent months as a way to cut down on the cost of new devices and to further its environmental protection efforts.
Canadian residents who purchase third-party protection plans for an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch can now access service and support directly from Apple, with equivalent coverage as AppleCare+ customers, according to an internal document published by Apple today and obtained by MacRumors.
If a customer purchases a protection plan for her iPhone from a carrier like Bell or Rogers, for example, she can now book an appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider in Canada and receive the same services as AppleCare+, including up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage.
Apple advises technicians to service customers with an eligible third-party protection plan "in the same manner you do today for AppleCare+" and to "address their issue in the same great way you take care of all our customers."
Theft, loss, and any accidental damage incidents after the first two will remain handled by carriers and their insurance providers, wrote Apple.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.3 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV through a profile installed using Xcode.
tvOS 12.3 includes a revamped TV app that was first shown off at Apple's March 25 services-focused event. The TV app is an updated version of the original TV app, providing access to TV shows, movies, sports, news, and more, along with a dedicated section for children's programming.
The TV app offers an updated interface with a fresh look and feel that's more modern. It still has the "Watch Now" section with the "Up Next" feature for keeping track of the TV shows and movies you're watching, and there's a new machine-learning based "For You" feature that surfaces content based on what you've previously watched.
There's a new "Channels" option built in to the app, which is a major part of Apple's new services push. Channels are subscription services that you can subscribe to and watch right in the TV app without having to swap over to a third-party app.
During the beta, you can subscribe to Showtime, Starz, Smithsonian, Tastemade, and EPIX, but additional Channels will be available when the new TV app launches.
In the future, Apple plans to add its new TV+ subscription service to the TV app, with TV+ offering all of Apple's original TV shows and movies. The TV app is available on the Apple TV and iOS devices so you can pick up whatever you're watching no matter which device you're on.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.2.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the fourth beta and over a month after the release of the watchOS 5.2 update, which introduced AirPods 2 support and expanded the ECG feature to Europe.
Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software update.
To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.
It's not yet clear what features will be introduced in the watchOS 5.2.1 update, but as 5.x.x software, it's likely to focus on bug fixes and other under-the-hood performance improvements rather than significant feature updates.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.5 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the fourth beta and more than a month after the launch of macOS Mojave 10.14.4.
The macOS Mojave 10.14.5 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center.
It's not yet clear if there are new features in macOS Mojave 10.14.5, but it likely includes bug fixes and performance improvements to address issues that weren't able to be fixed in the macOS Mojave 10.14.4 update.
This update will make macOS more secure because after macOS 10.14.5, new Mac apps released outside of the Mac App Store that want to have Apple's seal of approval will need to go through Apple's notarization security process.
The prior update, macOS Mojave 10.14.4, brought the Apple News+ subscription service, expanded Apple News to Canada, and introduced a new automatic Safari Dark Mode feature for websites.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming iOS 12.3 update to developers, one week after releasing the fourth beta and over a month after the launch of iOS 12.2, an update that introduced Apple News+, new Animoji, and more.
Registered developers will be able to download the new iOS 12.3 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.
iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 introduce a new version of Apple's TV app, which has been updated with a new look and fresh functionality.
In the new TV app, "Watch Now" and "Up Next" are still front and center for keeping track of what you're watching, but there's a new machine learning-based recommendation engine that will suggest content based on your viewing preferences and history.
The app's interface has been streamlined with sections for movies, TV shows, sports, and kids content, and on iOS, there's a separate bottom bar for the library, search, and Watch Now options.
There's a new "Channels" feature in the TV app, which is one of the major new components of Apple's services push. Channels are subscription services that you can sign up for and watch within the TV app without having to open up another app.
So, for example, if you come across a show you want to watch on your iPhone or Apple TV that's on Showtime or Starz, you can tap to subscribe right in the TV app, and then you can watch that show without having to open another app.
Some of the new Channels that will be supported include CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, HBO, Nickelodeon, Mubi, The History Channel Vault, and Comedy Central Now. During the beta, though, users can subscribe to Showtime, Starz, Smithsonian, EPIX, and Tastemade.
You'll still get recommendations for content from services that aren't a part of the Channels feature, but non-channel content will need to be watched in a third-party app. The TV app also houses iTunes TV shows and movies.
When Apple debuts its Apple TV+ service this fall, all of the company's original TV shows and movies will also be accessible in the TV app.
Pandora Premium today announced new discounted subscriptions offered to students and members of the military.
Just like offerings from Apple Music and Spotify, students will now be able to pay just $4.99/month for the Pandora Student Plan, compared to $9.99/month for everyone else. Premium offers subscribers the chance to listen to music on-demand and ad-free, and includes features like personalized playlists, radio stations, and more.
The Pandora Military Plan will also provide a discount to active military and vets, priced at $7.99/month. Those who can take advantage of this discount include active duty, reservists, retirees, veterans, and military family members. Both the Pandora Military Plan and Pandora Student Plan include a 60-day free trial.
Originally a live radio streaming service only, Pandora launched its on-demand music streaming platform in 2017 in an effort to compete with Apple Music and Spotify. The company continuously updates its iOS app, in January introducing a voice assistant to help subscribers quickly play music and jump around the app.
Although student discounts are common, a price cut for individuals in the military is not offered by either Apple Music or Spotify. Tidal, however, does have a few military-related discounts, starting at $5.99 for a basic monthly plan and rising to $11.99 per month for a Hi-Fi audio plan.
Apple potentially has a legal battle on its hands over iPhone 7 audio chip issues informally known as "Loop Disease."
Two class action lawsuits filed against Apple in California and Illinois over the last week accuse the company of knowingly selling the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with an audio chip defect that causes issues ranging from a grayed-out speaker button to customers not being heard during phone calls and FaceTime video chats.
The nearly identical complaints, viewed by MacRumors, allege that "the materials used in the iPhone's external casing are insufficient and inadequate to protect the internal parts," eventually resulting in the audio chip losing electrical contact with the logic board due to "flexion" of the device during regular use.
Apple is accused of actively concealing the defect and failing to provide free repairs to affected customers outside of a brief period last year, thereby breaching its warranties and violating multiple California and Illinois consumer protection laws.
The plaintiffs, including California residents Joseph Casillas and De'Jhontai Banks and Illinois residents Brianna Castelli, Karen Lyvers, and Matthew White, are seeking damages "likely in the millions of dollars" on behalf of all other affected iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus customers in the United States.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order that requires Apple to repair, recall, and/or replace the affected iPhones and to extend the warranties of the devices for a reasonable period of time. A jury trial has been demanded.
Apple's document said service providers could request a "warranty exception" for affected iPhones, which resulted in free repairs for at least some customers, but that abruptly ended in July 2018 after Apple deleted the document.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices still within Apple's limited one-year warranty period or covered by AppleCare+ remain eligible for a free repair, but the audio chip issues usually take time to manifest, and warranty coverage has lapsed on many of the devices since they were released in September 2016.
MacRumors has repeatedly contacted Apple for comment regarding the audio chip issues, but we have never received a response.
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