MacRumors

Bowers & Wilkins today unveiled a new Formation Suite of high-end home audio products with support for Apple's wireless streaming protocol AirPlay 2.

The new line includes five wireless products at launch, including the three-channel Formation Bar, carbon-domed Formation Duo speakers, elliptical-shaped Formation Wedge speaker, Formation Bass subwoofer with a Class D amplifier, and the Formation Audio that brings wireless audio streaming to any passive audio system.

‌AirPlay‌ 2 enables multi-room audio playback between the Formation products and other ‌AirPlay‌ 2 devices, such as the HomePod, Apple TV, and Sonos speakers. ‌AirPlay‌ 2 speakers also appear in the Home app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch and work with Siri for controlling music playback.

The high-fidelity, high-resolution Formation Series products are also high-priced, of course, with prices ranging between $699 and $3,999.

PayPal has returned with the latest 15 percent discount on App Store and iTunes gift cards this week, offering customers the chance to get the $100 gift card for $85 on eBay. This matches previous iTunes gift card sales on PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay storefront, which we haven't seen for a few months.

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

To get the discount, head to eBay and click "Buy it Now" on the iTunes gift card's page. The 15 percent discount is automatically applied, and once you complete your order it will be delivered to you via email within a few hours. The sale is only available to customers in the United States.

App Store and iTunes gift cards can be used to pay for iCloud storage, to rent films on iTunes Movies, and even on subscriptions to Apple Music, Netflix, Hulu, and more. Thanks to sales on the gift cards, you're able to save a little bit of money on these purchases, so be sure to visit PayPal on eBay this week if you've been looking to stock up on iTunes credit.

If you're shopping around on iTunes Movies after purchasing the gift card, Apple has debuted a new Marvel-themed sale this week in preparation for Avengers: Endgame. The sale has a collection of Marvel Cinematic Universe films for $9.99 and under, including the first two Avengers movies, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Thor: Ragnarok, and more.

Under $10: The Avengers

• Captain America: Civil War

• Avengers: Age of Ultron

• The Avengers

• Thor

• Avengers: Infinity War

• Iron Man 3

• Thor: The Dark World

• Ant-Man and the Wasp

• The Incredible Hulk

• Ant-Man

• Spider-Man: Homecoming

• Thor: Ragnarok

There are also a few MCU movies at $14.99 ($5 off), including Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Doctor Strange. Check out our full Deals Roundup for even more sales happening this week.

Update: PayPal is currently restricting the iTunes gift card sale to pre-approved buyers only, requiring shoppers to email the seller to be placed on a list for purchasing the card. We've reached out to PayPal and eBay for more information, and will update this article with any details they provide.

Update #2: The iTunes gift card deal is now live for all U.S. shoppers.

The popularity of OLED smartphones with in-display fingerprint sensors will continue to gather pace in 2019, DigiTimes reports this morning, despite Apple's decision to move away from the technology in favor of face recognition.

Citing industry sources, the report says that rising popularity for fingerprint scanners in smartphone screens is being driven by a reduction in sensor prices and the price gap between OLED and LCD panels.

The market size of OLED panels with in-display fingerprint sensors has expanded significantly as handset vendors including Samsung Electronics, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have extended the adoption of in-display fingerprint sensing technology from the premium smartphones to mid-range models, said the sources.

The introduction of optical fingerprint sensing solutions by vendors including Synaptics and Goodix Technology in 2018, which came with more competitive pricing and fitted with the prevailing all-screen display design for smartphones, has helped bring down overall prices of in-display fingerprint sensor chips and therefore further drive up the popularity of such a technology, said the sources.

Apple was widely rumored to be attempting to integrate Touch ID under the display on the iPhone X, but the company's hardware engineering chief Dan Riccio later said it ditched any form of fingerprint scanning after hitting "early line of sight" with Face ID.

Apple has since done away with fingerprint recognition entirely in its flagship smartphone lineup, which includes the ‌iPhone‌ XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, and LCD-based ‌iPhone‌ XR. All have a notch at the top of the screen housing the TrueDepth sensing camera in lieu of a Home button, which contains ‌Touch ID‌'s focused capacitive drive ring in earlier iPhones. Apple's latest iPad Pro models have also inherited Apple's cutting edge face-recognition tech.

Apple's biggest rival, Samsung, includes an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner embedded into the screen of its latest Galaxy S10 smartphone. Samsung's tech uses sound waves to create an intricate 3D map of the user's fingerprint. The Galaxy S10e meanwhile uses an electrostatic fingerprint scanner on the Power button.

Apple has explored various in-display fingerprint scanner solutions in the past, including fingerprint sensing MicroLED displays. So far, Apple has not developed in-screen fingerprint technology for a consumer device, while ‌Touch ID‌ has found a new lease of life on laptop keyboards, specifically in Apple's MacBook Pro with Touch Bar range and the latest MacBook Air.

Best Buy today kicked off a new 1-day sale for Easter, discounting MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Pro, iPhone X, and iMac. Many of these discounts are lasting for one day only and will expire Easter evening at 11:59 p.m. CT, so if you're interested, be sure to browse the sale today before it ends.

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

Best Buy Easter Flash Sale

• 13-inch MacBook Pro Without Touch Bar - Save up to $400 on select models / as low as $999.99
• iMac - Save up to $350 on select 2017 models / as low as $1049.99
• iMac Pro - $4199.99 (save $800)
• iPad Pro - Save up to $200 / as low as $649.99
• iPhone X - Save $150 / plus get an extra $50 with qualified activation

The iPad Pro prices in particular are the best we've ever seen from a major vendor.

Other Sales (Expiring 4/27)

• MacBook Air - Save up to $200 on select models with Best Buy's Student Deals program

Head over to Best Buy's shopping event page for even more deals like Beats headphones, iTunes/App Store gift cards and more from Apple and lots of other brands. Then check out our full Deals Roundup for more information on sales and bargains happening right now.

Anker today kicked off a new Amazon Gold Box flash sale, discounting numerous charging accessories to notable low prices. Items on sale include wireless charging mats, portable battery packs, car chargers, USB-C cables, and more.

We've listed every Anker item on sale today below, and since this is a one-day-only event be sure to head to Amazon to browse and place your order before the low prices expire later tonight. Also note that each discount price has been automatically applied so you don't need discount codes.

Anker's Flash Sale

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.

• PowerCore 10,000 mAh - $34.49, down from $45.99
• PowerCore Speed 20,000 mAh Portable Battery - $59.98, down from $99.99
• PowerCore+ 26,800 mAh Portable Battery - $88.98, down from $129.99

• PowerDrive 2 Elite Car Charger with Lightning Cable - $15.98, down from $19.99
• PowerWave Wireless Vent Phone Holder - $42.99, down from $59.99

• PowerPort Speed 2 Wall Charger - $17.98, down from $25.99
• PowerWave 7.5 Pad with Wall Charger - $32.99, down from $49.99

• Powerline II USB-C to USB-C Cable (6ft) - $8.99, down from $12.99
• Powerline Micro USB Cable (5-Pack) - $11.99, down from $15.99
• Powerline+ USB-C to USB-A Cable (3-Pack) - $14.19, down from $18.99
• Powerline Lightning Cable (3-Pack) - $19.99, down from $27.99

Our readers should also note that the MacRumors exclusive Anker sale that began on Monday is now entering its last few days, with all of the codes expiring tomorrow, April 21. Our exclusive sale includes discounts on Lightning cables, USB-C hubs, wall chargers, and more.

For more sales and bargains, check out our full Deals Roundup.

In April 2019, Google announced the launch of a free, ad-supported version of its YouTube Music streaming service for use with Google Home and other smart speakers that feature its voice-activated assistant.

Essentially, the free streaming tier means that you can listen to songs from the YouTube Music catalog, interspersed with occasional ads, on your Google Home or other Google Assistant-powered speaker right out of the box.

With YouTube Music and Google Home, you can ask Google Home to play the right music for any moment or mood, and YouTube Music will play a station customized to your tastes based upon your request. So you could say, for example, "Hey Google, play music for working out," and your speaker will fill the room with some upbeat tunes.

At the time of writing, free, ad-supported YouTube Music is available on smart speakers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, and Austria. Google is also working to make the service available in more countries.

To enable free, ad-based YouTube Music on your smart speaker, simply follow these steps.

1. Launch the Google Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.
2. Tap the account Settings option on the app's main Home screen.
   
   

3. Scroll down and tap Music.
4. Tap YouTube Music to link the streaming service to your smart speaker and make it your default music provider.

That's all there is to it. If you have an Echo device instead of a Google Home device, you can listen to Amazon's new free music service instead just by asking Alexa to play a station based on a song, artist, era, genre, or an Amazon Music global playlist.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Aukey to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a pair of the Key Series B80 Earbuds, which are wireless and connect to your devices using Bluetooth.

Aukey's earbuds are a good option for working out, sports, and other rigorous, fitness-related activities because they're designed to stay in the ears and also offer water resistance.

Design wise, the B80 earbuds feature soft tips that go in your ears along with a wraparound earhook that keeps them in place while you're active. Aukey provides a variety of different ear tips, with three sizes of memory foam and soft silicone to meet all preferences.

These headphones aren't wire-free like AirPods or more expensive earbuds from other companies, but the wire stays out of the way and the $70 price point makes them much more affordable than an alternative like AirPods.

Aukey has designed the B80 earbuds with sound in mind. Features include dual drivers that Aukey says have been "precisely tuned" to generate rich, pure sound with a 10Hz to 22kHz frequency range and aptX-Low Latency. Aukey promises "full, warm lows and mids" combined with "clear and natural highs."

The B80 earbuds ship with a soft silicone case for storage purposes, and they're designed to charge using USB-C, which is convenient if you have other USB-C devices. A 10 minute charge will give you 80 minutes of playback, and when fully charged, the B80 earbuds will last for up to 8 hours.

Three colors are available, including gray, red, and dark gray, all of which have gold accents. There is an included remote for turning the earbuds on, adjusting volume, switching tracks, and phone calls. IPX6 water resistance is included, so these can hold up to sweat or rain, though you won't want to submerge them.

For those who prefer not to have earhooks, Aukey also makes the $50 B60 earbuds, which are similar in design but have a different fit.

We have eight pairs of the B80 headphones 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 MacRumors Facebook page.

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

The contest will run from today (April 19) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 26. The winners will be chosen randomly on April 26 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Netflix has begun testing a new feature on mobile that allows select users to "Play a Popular Episode" of certain TV shows, without having to scroll through and pick which one they want to watch. As spotted by Android Police, the test only appears to be on the Android app as of now.

Additionally, users have noticed that in the playback controls of a TV show, there is a new "Random Episode" button. With this feature you would be able to shuffle around within the TV show you're already watching, which would be useful for people who watch their favorite shows repeatedly and don't necessarily need to see everything in order.

As with all tests, it's unclear if Netflix will ever launch these features to a wide audience on both Android and iOS devices, or other platforms. If you're on Android, the random episode test is on v7.6.0 build 19 34157 of the Netflix Android app.

Netflix will be gaining competition in the streaming market later this year when Apple TV+ and Disney+ launch, but the company has said that it isn't worried about these launches because of the "differing nature" of the content on offer. The company is also ramping up original content production, which means a price hike to $12.99/month for the popular HD streaming plan for all users beginning in May.

In lockstep with Amazon, Google has announced a free, ad-supported music streaming option for use with smart speakers that feature its voice-activated assistant.

The new "free" streaming tier means owners of Google Home or other Google Assistant-powered speakers can listen to tracks from the YouTube Music catalog, albeit interspersed with ads.

Listening to music on your Google Home speaker right out-of-the-box seems too good to be true, right? It’s not! Starting today, YouTube Music is offering a free, ad-supported experience on Google Home speakers (or other Google Assistant-powered speakers).

Free, ad-supported YouTube Music is available on smart speakers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, and Austria. Google says it will be available in more countries soon.

Note that the ad-supported streaming tier isn't supported on computers or phones. On that note, Google appears to be using the free offering to entice people to upgrade to YouTube Music Premium ($9.99/month), which enables listening on both supporting smart speakers and the YouTube Music mobile app, which also lets users background play music while using other apps and download tracks for offline listening.

Amazon on Thursday also announced the debut of a free music option for Amazon Alexa users in the United States alongside its Prime music service, which provides access to more than two million songs, and Amazon Music Unlimited, Amazon's on-demand music service priced starting at $9.99 per month ($7.99 for Prime members).

Bose this week quietly announced AirPlay 2 support for its line of "BoseSmart" smart speakers. The audio company revealed the added functionality via its official Twitter account and separately in a post on its community support forums.

Introduced late last year, the BoseSmart range of speakers support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and Alexa voice activation. Models in the range that now support ‌AirPlay‌ 2 include the Bose Home Speaker 500 ($399), the Soundbar 500 ($549), and the Soundbar 700 ($799). Bose says the feature support is being delivered to eligible speakers as an over-the-air firmware update, via the Bose Music app.

As noted by HomeKit Hero, the company's announcement comes as somewhat of a surprise, as Bose had previously given no indication that ‌AirPlay‌ 2 support was coming to its speakers, and the brand didn't appear on Apple's own third-party AirPlay 2 speakers list, which includes both available and upcoming products.

In its forum post, Bose mentioned it is still working on bringing ‌AirPlay‌ 2 compatibility to its SoundTouch speakers, which start at $199 and also include Alexa support, but offered no timeline for its introduction.