This includes Apple supplier Quanta Computer, which produces Apple's MacBook line. Suppliers like Quanta have moved volume production to facilities in Taiwan to meet client needs, but a component shortage is believed to continue to affect shipment numbers. This shortage is due to suppliers who are prevented from going to work following the outbreak.
This component shortage is predicted to cause disruptions to the supply chain in March. Meanwhile, Quanta is said to be moving to accelerate volume production at its new facilities in Taiwan in order to fulfill rush shipments to its clients in the United States.
Previously, global notebook shipments were predicted to fall about 17 percent in Q1 2020, but that number has been increased to between 29 and 36 percent as of DigiTimes' latest research. "Severe labor and components shortages and stagnant logistics arising from the coronavirus outbreak are derailing supply chain in China, which commands over 90% of global notebook production."
With every new operating system update, there are complaints about battery life and rapid battery drain, and iOS 15 is no exception. Since iOS 15 was released, we've seen reports of issues with battery life, and an uptick in complaints with each new point release since then.
iOS 15 battery life problems can be caused by issues that Apple needs to address in the software, or when excessively using GPS, system-intensive apps and games, and more. A battery life issue caused by a bug can't be helped until Apple provides an update to address it, but there are steps you can take to maximize your battery life and cut down on hidden sources that might be causing excess drainage.
1. Limit When and How Often Apps Access Your Location
It's a good idea to check your location settings to limit apps accessing your location for privacy reasons, but it can also be beneficial to your battery life. Here's how to get to your Location Services settings:
Open up the Settings app.
Choose Privacy.
Tap Location Services.
Review the list and edit settings by tapping on the name of each app in the list.
You have four possible choices for location settings for each app, though not all four choices will always be available for every app depending on what it does. You can select the following: Never, Ask Next Time, While Using the App, and Always.
Never will prevent an app from ever accessing your location, and unless there's a specific need for an app to know where you are, such as a mapping app, setting location access to Never is the best choice.
Ask Next Time will prompt an app to ask you with a popup the next time that it wants your location, so you can temporarily approve it. With this setting, location access is off until expressly allowed via the popup.
While Using the App, as the name suggests, allows the app to detect your location only when the app is open and being actively used. If you close the app or switch over to another app, location access ends.
Always allows an app to have access to your location at all times, regardless of whether it's open or closed. This will result in the most battery drain and should be limited to only the apps that you need the most.
A lot of apps will ask for location information that don't really need it to function (for example, a banking app might want location access to show nearby ATMs, which is also available through entering a zip code), so clearing the cruft here will ensure no apps are accessing your location without express permission.
You can also turn off Location Services all together, but most people probably aren't going to want to do so because it can interfere with apps like Maps.
2. Limit Apps Using Bluetooth
iOS 13 introduced a feature that lets you know when apps have requested Bluetooth access, and there are a surprising number of apps that want to use Bluetooth for things like location tracking with Bluetooth beacons or scanning for Chromecast devices.
This is a good list to review to make sure you don't have a sneaky app in the background connecting to Bluetooth sources without your permission as that can drain battery. It's totally fine to allow Bluetooth access to apps that need it for Bluetooth-enabled accessories, but nixing access for retail stores is probably a good idea. Here's how to access Bluetooth settings:
Open the Settings app.
Tap Privacy.
Tap Bluetooth.
From this list, toggle off any app that doesn't need a Bluetooth connection to function. It's best to be liberal with the toggling off -- if you disable access and then a feature within an app stops functioning properly, you can just turn Bluetooth back on.
Bluetooth can also be turned off entirely, which can perhaps save a bit of battery life, but it's not a great idea for most people because Bluetooth is used for AirPods, Apple Watches, and other accessories.
3. Turn on Low Power Mode
Low Power Mode has been around for a few years now, and it's the number one best setting to enable if you're concerned about battery life. It cuts down on background activity like behind the scenes downloads and it lowers the brightness of your display after inactivity more quickly.
A popup to enable Low Power Mode will come up when battery life on the iPhone is at 20 percent, but you can enable it at any time through Control Center by tapping on the battery icon or ask Siri to turn it on. Alternatively, it's available in the Settings app:
Open Settings.
Scroll down and tap Battery.
Tap the Low Power Mode toggle.
With Low Power Mode turned on, your battery icon at the top of your iPhone will be yellow, which lets you know when it's active. Some people like to keep Low Power Mode on at all times, but know that it does need to be enabled regularly because it automatically turns off when the iPhone is charged.
4. Use WiFi Whenever Possible
WiFi uses less power than a cellular connection, so to maximize battery life, Apple recommends connecting to WiFi whenever possible. At home or work, for example, WiFi should be activated, saving cellular data and battery life.
5. Activate Airplane Mode in Low Signal Areas
When you're in an area with no cellular coverage or a low signal, your iPhone is draining battery looking for a signal or trying to connect. If you're experiencing poor cellular coverage, it's best to activate Airplane Mode since you probably can't do much with low signal anyway.
Airplane Mode will prevent your iPhone from endlessly searching for a signal, saving the battery until you can get to a place with a better connection.
6. Make Sure Your Battery is Healthy
Battery drain can be due to a battery that's old and no longer functioning in optimal condition. You can check the health of your battery by following these steps:
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap Battery.
Tap on Battery Health.
In the Battery Health section, there's a listing for "Maximum Capacity," which is a measurement of battery capacity relative to when it was new.
If the capacity is under 80 percent, it may be worth seeking out a battery replacement. Apple will replace a battery that is below 80 percent capacity under the one-year warranty plan or under AppleCare+ for free.
Otherwise, replacing the battery will cost between $49 and $69 depending on which iPhone you have.
To make sure your iPhone battery stays healthy longer, you might want to turn on Optimized Battery Charging under the Battery Health section in the Settings app. Optimized Battery Charging allows the iPhone to learn your charging schedule so it can wait until you need it to charge past 80 percent.
For example, if you put your phone on the charger at night, the Optimized Battery Charging setting might hold the iPhone at an 80 percent charge, filling it up close to when you wake up to reduce battery aging.
Apple also recommends avoiding extreme temperatures to prevent permanent battery damage due to heat or cold, as well as removing certain cases when charging. If your iPhone gets warm while charging, it's best to take off the case to keep your battery healthy for a longer period of time.
7. Manage Apps That Are Draining Battery
The iPhone tells you which apps are eating up the most battery so you can make sure nothing is secretly draining your battery without your knowledge. You can check your battery usage statistics by opening up the Settings app and tapping on the Battery section.
There are charts here that let you see your battery level over the course of the last 24 hours or the last 10 days, as well as the apps that have used the most battery life. If there's any app that you don't need that seems to be draining an excessive amount of battery, you can delete it.
For apps you do need, you can moderate how often you're using the app to cut down on battery drain.
This section will also tell you how much time apps spend using Background App Refresh.
8. Limit Background Activity
Apps, both first and third-party, use background app refreshing features to update even when they're not open to do things like load mail messages and download updates so they're ready to use at all times.
Background App Refresh can impact battery life, so turning it off can help make your battery last longer. You can turn off Background App Refresh all together or choose which apps can refresh in the background.
Open the Settings app.
Select General.
Choose Background App Refresh.
From here, you can tap the Background App Refresh option again to turn Background App Refresh off all together or choose to have it activate only when connected to WiFi, which doesn't drain battery as much as downloading over cellular.
You can also choose to turn Background App Refresh on just for your most used apps by tapping on the toggle next to each app in the list.
9. Adjust Mail Fetch Settings
In addition to turning off Background Refresh, adjusting when and how often the Mail app checks for new emails can save some battery life.
Open up the Settings app.
Tap Mail
Tap Accounts
Tap "Fetch New Data" at the bottom.
From here, you can turn off Push (which lets you know right away when a new email message is available) and adjust Fetch settings on a per account basis for accounts that don't support Push (like Gmail accounts).
Adjusting the Fetch settings to have longer intervals before checking for new messages can help save battery life, as can turning off Fetch all together in favor of manual checks that will download new messages only when the Mail app is opened.
You can choose the following settings: Automatically, Manually, Hourly, Every 30 Minutes, and Every 15 Minutes.
10. Limit Notifications
Cutting down on the number of notifications that apps are sending is a good way to save a little bit of battery life. If you have apps inundating you with notifications, it's going to drain battery every time your screen lights up and your phone makes a connection, plus a glut of notifications is just plain annoying.
Adjust your notification settings in the Settings app by following these instructions:
Open the Settings app.
Tap Notifications.
Go through each app and adjust whether or not an app can send you notifications by tapping on the toggle.
If you do allow notifications, you can choose to allow apps to show on the Lock screen, in the Notification Center, as banners, or all three.
Apple also has this handy feature that lets you modify your notification settings right from the notification itself on the Lock screen. Just long press on a notification and then tap the three dots (...) to get to options that include Deliver Quietly or Turn Off.
Deliver Quietly allows notifications to appear in Notification Center but not the Lock screen, while Turn Off lets you turn off notifications for that app entirely.
You can also opt to turn on a Focus Mode to prevent notifications from alerting you for most of the day, and the Notification Summary introduced in iOS 15 is super handy for cutting down on notification spam. It aggregates all of your notifications and delivers them at a set time of the day. It's still best to turn off as many notifications as you can, but for those you need to keep, Notification Summary can make sure they're provided all at once.
11. Disable Automatic Downloads and App Updates
If you're often low on battery, you may not want your iPhone doing things that you're not explicitly initiating, such as automatically downloading apps downloaded on other devices and downloading software and app updates.
Apple has a feature that is designed to sync apps between all of your devices by downloading apps that were downloaded on one device on the other devices as well. So if you download an app on an iPad, for example, Automatic Download will also download the app on your iPhone.
If that's a feature you want, leave that enabled, but if it's not, you can turn it off by following these steps:
Open the Settings app.
Tap on your profile picture.
Tap on iTunes & App Store.
Toggle off Music, Apps, and Books & Audiobooks.
If you also don't want apps to update on their own, make sure to toggle off App Updates as well. Leaving this on allows iPhone apps to update automatically when new updates are released in the App Store.
You can also turn off automatic iOS updates if desired by following these steps:
Open the Settings app.
Tap General.
Tap Software Update.
Tap Automatic Updates.
Tap the toggle to turn updates off.
12. Activate Dark Mode
Since iOS 13, Apple has included a Dark Mode feature, which is available across the operating system, including Apple's built-in apps and third-party apps as most have implemented support.
On devices with an OLED display like the iPhone X, XS, XS Max, iPhone 11, and iPhone 12 series, Dark Mode can save a bit of battery life, so it's worth enabling. Here's how:
Open the Settings app.
Choose Display & Brightness.
Tap the "Dark" option.
If you tap on the toggle for "Automatic," Dark Mode will turn on or off with the sunset and the sunrise each day, allowing you to toggle between dark and light mode.
Dark Mode can be toggled on through the Control Center too, which is a convenient way to activate it if your device isn't in automatic mode.
13. Turn Down Device Brightness
If you're in a bright room or direct sun, you probably can't help but have screen brightness turned all the way up, but if you don't need a super bright display, dimming it down can save battery life.
Brightness can be controlled through the Control Center on the iPhone using the brightness toggle or through the Display & Brightness section of the Settings app. It's a good idea to turn on the auto-brightness setting to make sure your screen isn't overly bright in darker rooms by default, but some manual adjustment may be necessary in brighter rooms and in the sun.
14. Adjust Auto-Lock and Turn Off Raise to Wake
It's a good idea to set the Auto-Lock on the display as low as you can tolerate, which will cause the iPhone's display to turn off after a short period of inactivity.
You can choose ranges from 30 seconds to never, but the lower end of the spectrum will help preserve battery life by cutting the display when it's not needed.
If you really want to save battery, turning off Raise to Wake can help, though it may make features like Face ID less convenient. Raise to Wake is a rather convenient option, so this should be a last resort.
15. Make Sure Everything's Up to Date
If you're running iOS 15, make sure you have the latest version installed because Apple has been making improvements and refinements to the operating system since it was released. Here's how to check:
Open Settings.
Tap General.
Tap Software Update.
From here, the iPhone will let you know if your software is up to date or if there's a new version available.
You should also make sure all of your apps are up to date, which you can do in the App Store.
Open up the App Store.
Tap on your profile in the upper right.
Swipe downwards to refresh everything.
Tap on Update All.
The update section of the App Store is also a great way to cull apps. If you see an update for an app you don't use often, swipe to the left on it and you can delete it right then and there.
16. Don't Close Apps
Many battery life guides will suggest manually closing apps by using the App Switcher to prevent them from running in the background, but this doesn't save battery life and can in fact drain more battery.
Apps in the background are paused when not in active use and aren't using battery life. Closing out an app purges it from the iPhone's RAM, requiring a reload when it reopens, which can have a bigger impact on battery.
17. Limit Use of Widgets
If you have a lot of widgets on your Home Screen or in the Today View, they could well be a battery drain culprit. Widgets that need to regularly update to be useful – weather or geo-location widgets, for example – then you might want to consider deleting them.
To delete a widget from your Home screen or the Today view, long press on it, then choose Remove Widget or Remove Stack from the dropdown menu. You can also long press on any space on the screen to enter jiggle mode, and then tap the minus button that appears in the top-left corner of the widget.
18. Avoid Google Chrome
Google Chrome has a reputation among some circles for a being a battery hog, and depending on who you talk to, not much has changed in iOS 15. If you tend to do a lot of browsing in Google Chrome and you're having battery drain issues, it's worth giving Safari a shot instead. The latest version of Apple's browser has been streamlined for better performance, so you may find you're able to browse faster and spend less time doing so in the process.
It's better to stick with native Apple apps over third-party alternatives as a general rule. Typically Apple's code will be optimized to run more efficiency on its own hardware, although exceptions are possible if there's a specific conflict or issue at fault.
19. Reset Your Apple Watch
If you have an Apple Watch paired to your iPhone, it could be the cause of your battery drain problems. Some watch apps or services may be communicating with your iPhone more often than usual, either for a legitimate reason or due to a bug. The easiest way to reduce this possibility is to remove any Apple Watch apps you don't use. The nuclear option is to reset your Apple Watch to its factory default settings.
To do this on your Apple Watch, open Settings and select General -> Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings. (The same option lies at the bottom of the iOS Watch app's General menu.)
This action erases everything off your watch, including any media, data, settings, messages, and so on. You'll also need to re-pair the watch with your iPhone after the process is complete, so treat it as a last resort.
Note that after a new pairing or update, your watch may take a few days to learn and adapt to your usage, before smoothing out into a more consistent balance between battery life and performance, which will hopefully transfer to your iPhone.
20. Erase Network Settings
Some users have reported that resetting their iPhone's network settings can clear up battery drain issues, so this may be worth a try. Go to network settings under Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset Network Settings. No data will be lost, but you'll be asked to re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords.
21. Place iPhone Face Down
When you receive a message or any kind of notification on your iPhone, its display illuminates for a moment to alert you. This uses unnecessary energy, but there's an easy way to prevent it.
When you're not using your iPhone, place the handset face down. The device automatically detects this placement, and won't light up the display when alerts are received, saving you some extra battery life.
22. Disable Vibrations and Haptic Feedback
When your iPhone vibrates or provides haptic feedback to an interaction, Apple's Taptic Engine chip engages its physical motor. This uses additional energy, so it might be worth disabling these features if you can live without them.
There are two main vibration settings in Settings -> Sound & Haptics. Try turning off Vibrate on Ring, Vibrate on Silent, or both to save power.
Scroll down to the bottom of this menu and you'll see System Haptics. Disabling this will eliminate system-wide haptic feedback.
23. Turn Off Screen Time
Some users have reported success saving battery by turning off Screen Time, Apple's personal usage monitoring feature. It's not clear why this appears to affect battery life for some people, but if you don't use Screen Time then there's no harm in disabling it.
To do so, go into Settings -> Screen Time, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, then select Turn Off Screen Time.
24. Turn Off Fitness Tracking
Your iPhone includes a motion coprocessor that detects changes in the accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and compass, and uses theses changes to measure and track your movement, elevation change, or other fitness activity.
Despite the motion coprocessor's energy efficiency, it still uses additional battery whenever you're on the move. To disable it, go to Settings -> Privacy -> Motion & Fitness, then toggle the switch off next to Fitness Tracking.
25. Remove Case During Charging
Charging your iPhone when it's inside certain styles of cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity. If you notice your device getting hot when you charge it, take it out of its case first.
26. Restart
Sometimes an app can act up or a background process can go wonky, and the best solution is to simply restart your iPhone. If you have an iPhone 8 or later, follow these steps:
Press and release the Volume Up button.
Press and release the Volume Down button.
Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears, and then release the Side button.
If you have an iPhone 7 or earlier, follow these steps to restart:
Hold down the Volume Down button and the Sleep/Wake button at the same time.
Keep holding until until the screen goes dark and the Apple logo appears on the display.
Release the button.
After the Apple logo appears, it will take a minute or so for the iPhone to start back up.
27. Restore as New
If you're at your wits' end and nothing is helping to improve significant battery drain, you can try restoring your iPhone and setting it up as new to eliminate any potential behind-the-scenes problems. This should be a last resort, as starting from scratch can be a hassle.
First and foremost, make sure you have an iCloud backup.
On a Mac with Catalina or later, open Finder. On a Mac with Mojave or earlier, open iTunes. On a Windows machine, open iTunes.
Plug your iPhone into your computer.
If you're prompted to enter a device passcode or to click a Trust This Computer prompt, do so.
Select your device from the side bar in Finder or the side bar in iTunes.
Click on the Restore open. If you're signed into Find My, you'll be prompted to sign out.
Click Restore again to confirm.
After restoring, you can set your device up as if it was a new device. You can restore from the iCloud backup that you created prior to the restore, but you might want to try starting fresh to prevent any possible problems.
28. Turn Off Significant Locations
Significant locations is a feature that tracks your location and marks where you often go, keeping a list of the places that you've visited. This data is collected in the background and there's a chance that it has some small impact on battery life, so disabling it might be worthwhile. Note that significant locations is a feature that powers personalized location services features in Maps, Do Not Disturb While Driving, CarPlay, Siri, Calendar, Photos, and more.
Open up the Settings app.
Select Privacy.
Tap on Location Services.
Scroll down to the bottom and tap on System Services.
Tap on Significant Locations in the list and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID.
Tap on the toggle to turn it off.
29. Disable Analytics
If you're sharing your device analytics with Apple or with third-party developers, there's a possibility that your battery life is being impacted when this data is uploaded, though activating low power mode and restricting background usage should take care of this. If you want to disable it anyway, here's how:
Open the Settings app.
Tap on Privacy.
Scroll down to Analytics & Improvements.
Disable all of the analytics sharing options.
Other Tips
There are a lot of battery saving tips and guides on the internet, and there were some other questionable tips that people recommended that may or may not save much battery life. It's difficult to tell, but it's not terrible idea to consider some of these options if they're features you don't use.
These tips should be employed judiciously and after the tips above because turning off every feature on the iPhone may not be the most desirable way to save battery.
Disable "Hey Siri" so the iPhone isn't listening for the wake word.
Turn off Siri entirely.
Turn off Siri Suggestions.
Turn off motion effects.
Turn off AirDrop.
Use Safari content blockers.
Don't use Live or Dynamic wallpapers.
Turn down volume.
Turn down the brightness level of the Flashlight feature in Control Center.
Disable Location Services all together (not recommended).
Guide Feedback
Know of a great battery saving tip that we left or, have questions about battery life, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
It was a fairly interesting week for rumors this week, with reports claiming new 5G iPad models will be coming around the same time as 5G iPhones, likely in the September–October timeframe, while a mysterious "AirPod Pro Lite" has been mentioned as being in the works.
The HomePod turned two years old this week, and Apple is still dealing with the fallout of the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic, which aside from the human toll has impacted both Apple's retail sales and product manufacturing. Read on for details on these stories and more that topped the news this week.
5G iPad Pro Models With A14 Series Chip Said to Launch in Fall 2020
The new iPhone and iPad models are expected to be equipped with 5nm-based A14 chips — likely A14X for the iPad Pro — and support a combination of mmWave and sub-6GHz variants of 5G. Qualcomm is expected to supply its Snapdragon X55 modem for the iPhones, but the report does not specify which modem the iPads will use. Apple is also said to be hoping to use an in-house antenna design for its upcoming 5G iPhones, having been unhappy with the designs offered by Qualcomm.
Upcoming Low-Cost iPhone Again Rumored to Start at $399
The device is expected to resemble the iPhone 8 with a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button, but with a faster A13 chip and 3GB of RAM. It will be available with 64GB or 128GB of storage in Space Gray, Silver, and (PRODUCT)RED, according to oft-reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Rumors have suggested the new lower-cost iPhone will be unveiled around March, and ahead of time, suppliers are reportedly gearing up for production of the device. With manufacturing delays stemming from the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in China, however, there is some uncertainty about launch timing.
Apple Reportedly Working on 'AirPod Pro Lite' Earphones
"AirPod Pro Lite" is a bit of an oxymoron, as "Pro Lite" sounds like the regular AirPods that Apple sells for $159. Without any further details provided, it is unclear if the report is referring to third-generation AirPods or something else.
Hands-On With Samsung's New S20 and Galaxy Z Flip Smartphones
Given that Macs currently use Intel processors, the references are naturally prompting speculation that perhaps Apple plans to release Macs with AMD processors, but this is unconfirmed as of yet.
AMD does supply dedicated graphics in select MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro models.
HomePod Turns Two, Lower-Priced Model Might Launch Later This Year
At launch, the HomePod cost $349, but Apple reduced its price to $299 in April 2019. Apple has never disclosed HomePod sales, instead grouping the speaker under its "Wearables, Home, and Accessories" category, which set a quarterly record of $10 billion in revenue over the final three months of 2019.
Many Mac Models Facing Lengthy Delivery Estimates Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Apple continues to be impacted by the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in China, where many of its retail stores remain closed as a precaution. Apple has reopened its five stores in the Beijing area as of Friday, but with limited hours and temperature screening of customers until further notice.
Last week, we reported that many custom iMac, iMac Pro, and MacBook Pro configurations are facing longer-than-usual delivery estimates on Apple's online store, and this now extends to orders of the new Mac Pro in many countries. This is likely the result of many Apple suppliers suspending production in China due to the coronavirus outbreak, and supplies should improve as operations begin to resume.
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.
Apple is designing the antenna module that will be used in its 5G iPhones in-house because it was unhappy with the version that Qualcomm designed, reports Fast Company, citing a source with knowledge of Apple's plans.
Apple reportedly "balked" at the design of the QTM 525 5G millimeter-wave antenna module offered by Qualcomm because it "doesn't fit into the sleek industrial design Apple wants for the new phone."
Qualcomm will still provide the 5G modem chip used in the new iPhones, but the antenna module will be developed by Apple.
Apple is, however, working on another design that uses both the Qualcomm modem and the Qualcomm antenna as a backup, so Apple does have the option to swap over to a version of the iPhone that uses both Qualcomm components, but if forced to do so, Apple will need to release a slightly thicker iPhone.
As Fast Company points out, Apple has run into problems with antennas designed in-house before. The iPhone 4, for example, had an antenna design that resulted in dropped calls and other problems when the iPhone was held in a way that covered the antennas. Fast Company's source says that another recent Apple antenna design "required twice as much power as comparable antennas to produce the same amount of radio signal."
Creating 5G antennas for mmWave networks is harder than creating other kinds of antennas because they send and receive higher frequency signals, leaving less room for error. 5G performance is also reliant on the antenna design.
The 2020 iPhones equipped with 5G will use a "phased array" antenna with two parts that work together to form a beam of radio signal, as described by Fast Company, which could lead to issues if the antenna and modem module are made by different companies.
The beam can be electronically steered in different directions without the antenna moving. The modem chip and the antenna module work closely together to make this work properly, our source said. Having the two parts made by different companies may introduce some uncertainty and bump up the difficulty level of the overall design.
Apple reportedly wants to use its own antennas both because of design reasons and because Apple wants as few Qualcomm parts in the iPhone as possible. Fast Company's source suggests that Apple continues to feel it is "getting screwed on royalties" by Qualcomm.
Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on developing its own modem chips for use in future iPhones, but that technology is not ready yet, and until it is, Apple is reliant on Qualcomm's 5G modem chips. Apple purchased Intel's modem chip business after Intel exited the mobile modem chip development market, which could speed up Apple's work on developing its own chip technology.
Apple is expected to release multiple 5G capable iPhones in 2020 that are equipped with Qualcomm's X55 5G modem chip that offers 7Gb/s peak download speeds and 3Gb/s upload speeds. For more on what to expect in the 2020 iPhones, make sure to check out our roundup.
Lockdown, a popular open source firewall app that's designed to let users block any connection to any domain, is now available for Macs in addition to iOS devices.
Launched on the iPhone back in July, Lockdown blocks ad tracking services, analytics platforms that monitor device usage, ads, and more across all apps that you use (rather than just Safari like most ad blockers). Lockdown on iOS has blocked more than a billion trackers for Lockdown users, according to developer Rahul Dewan.
Lockdown for Mac is designed to be as simple and as customizable as the iOS version of the app. The app comes with a pre-installed list of recommended domains to block to prevent tracking, such as Facebook tracking and analytics tracking options from companies like Google and Mixpanel, but custom lists can be added as well.
The app is free to use, and since it operates on device, there is no user data collection. Lockdown is designed by the developers behind Duet Display, and it is monetized through an optional Secure Tunnel VPN service.
Apple touts that there are now over 500 car models supporting CarPlay, and Nissan's luxury brand Infiniti is one of the most recent (and perhaps the last significant brand in the U.S. other than Tesla) to add the feature with the 2020 Q50 and Q60 sedans, QX50 crossover, and QX80 SUV.
I've had an opportunity to spend some time with a 2020 Infiniti QX50 and check out how the updated InTouch infotainment system and CarPlay work with the dual screens dominating the center of the dashboard, and I've come away fairly impressed with the performance and ease of use.
The 2020 QX50 comes in five trim levels starting at $37,250 for the base Pure trim and topping out at a little over $60,000 for a fully loaded Autograph trim. All trims are available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with the latter costing an extra $2,000. CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all trims, and dual center touchscreens with an 8-inch display on top and a 7-inch display on the bottom are uniform throughout the lineup.
My test vehicle was an all-wheel drive Essential trim, which is the middle of the five available trims, and it came with a $1,200 "Edition 30" appearance package that also bundles in the ProASSIST features such as distance control, intelligent control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure prevention, and adaptive front lighting. Toss in upgraded Majestic White paint and some welcome lighting and cargo packages, and my tester checked in at just under $50,000.
InTouch Hardware and Software
Infiniti is certainly not the only manufacturer to pursue a dual-display infotainment solution, and I've had some previous experience with such a system in the Audi A7. Part of what sets Infiniti apart here, however, is that hardware buttons were thankfully not sacrificed in favor of all-screen controls. The lower screen of the InTouch system is surrounded by hardware controls, including climate controls along the left and right sides and some hardware audio buttons and a knob along the bottom just below the CD drive.
Infiniti's dual-screen InTouch infotainment system
There are also some quick-access hardware buttons for jumping between the main InTouch home screen, the audio screen, and the climate screen where only a few digital adjustments like manual fan speed can be made, but almost all of these are also accessible through the hardware buttons on either side of the screen. Add in the usual bevy of steering wheel controls, and you can accomplish a heck of a lot just by feel, which is fantastic.
Settings screen typical of high-level menus
The upper screen is largely dedicated to the built-in navigation that's standard on Essential and higher trims and optional on the second-level Luxe trim, and this is also where CarPlay shows up. Even here, Infiniti provides options for interacting with the content, supporting both touch directly on the screen and indirect control via a knob and a few buttons on the center console. I generally prefer using touch or voice for interacting with CarPlay and built-in navigation systems, but it's nice to have another indirect method available for quick adjustment or for those who prefer it on a more regular basis.
Infotainment control knob next to gearshift offers quick access buttons for map, camera, and back functions, plus twist-to-scroll and select for navigating the system
Infiniti's InTouch software bears some distinct similarities to the NissanConnect infotainment system of the brand's parent company, which I previously looked at in the Leaf and Altima, but it's been augmented with some higher-end features and of course optimized for the dual-display setup.
InTouch audio app shares a lot of similarities with NissanConnect
The audio setup is very similar to the NissanConnect system I've used in other vehicles, with a relatively straightforward layout and a customizable bottom menu bar to set up and quickly access your preferred audio sources. SiriusXM content in particular looks good with colorful channel logos and album art visible on the screen. The interface for terrestrial radio stations is a bit simpler, but still offers a clean look with station and song information when available and support for HD radio.
Embedded navigation route guidance
The onboard navigation works well with 3D city views, lane guidance, exit signs, and a variety of available views to customize the navigation experience, although the overall look could stand to see some modernization. There's support for street and satellite views, real-time traffic, and Destinations by Google, which offers an improved POI search experience compared to the embedded system's database. Over-the-air map updates are also available. The overall look of the maps isn't as modern as what you see with Apple or Google Maps, for example, but functionally it's a pretty solid system. Of course, with CarPlay and Android Auto, you may not even want to use the onboard navigation, but it's there if you want or need it.
Embedded navigation route selection and overview showing the two displays working together
In addition to the dual displays in the center stack, there's also a digital display for the driver between a pair of analog gauges. The display offers a number of different views including speed, audio information, navigation, ProPILOT Assist driver assistance features, and more, so that can serve to augment the at-a-glance availability of information from the various vehicle systems. A head-up display is also available standard on the top-end Autograph trim and as part of a package option on the step-down Sensory trim.
Customizable digital driver display in center, and dedicated Siri/voice control button at bottom of left steering wheel button cluster
The QX50 includes the usual array of steering wheel controls for accessing functions like volume, cruise control, phone calls, and more, and the dedicated voice control button serves dual duty with a short press activating the InTouch voice system and a long press bringing up Siri for either Siri Eyes Free or CarPlay.
CarPlay
CarPlay on the 2020 QX50 does require a wired connection, which is a little unfortunate at a time when more and more luxury brands including Audi, BMW, and Porsche are supporting wireless CarPlay and it's on the verge of rolling out to more mainstream brands from the likes of Ford, GM, and Fiat Chrysler. Infiniti does tell me that wireless CarPlay is coming in the "near future," but it would have been nice to see it from the very start.
CarPlay home screen
Setting the lack of wireless support aside, CarPlay works quite well on the dual-screen InTouch system, and it's great being able to dedicate the top display to CarPlay while native functions like audio and other features remain fully visible and accessible on the lower display. The 8-inch top screen provides ample room for the CarPlay interface, and everything looks big and bright sitting fairly high on the dashboard so it's not too far out of the driver's line of sight.
Dual-screen setup gives full access to CarPlay maps on top and native audio on bottom
I had no problems reaching all parts of the screen to manipulate CarPlay by touch, or you can use the control knob on the center console to scroll through the various interface elements and select the one you want.
CarPlay "Now Playing" on top, main InTouch home screen on bottom
The flexibility of having dual displays and the redundancy of many of the native system functions between them really lets CarPlay shine, as you really don't have to worry about switching away from it to access the Infiniti system. Some adjustments will trigger a brief overlay on the CarPlay screen, but other than that you're free to tweak audio, climate, and vehicle settings without disrupting the CarPlay experience.
Ports and Connectivity
All QX50 trims come equipped with four USB ports, highlighted by one USB-C and one USB-A at the front of the center console next to the cupholders, and both ports support data connections for CarPlay. The other two ports are charge-only USB-A ports, with one located inside the center console compartment and one on the rear of the console to provide power for backseat passengers.
Center console with USB-C/USB-A ports up front, infotainment control knob, and console compartment with charge-only USB-A
One downside is the lack of a good place for phone storage, as there is little space near the front USB ports other than a pair of cupholders and a small storage tray that isn't big enough to fit a phone without obstructing at least one of the cupholders. Storing your phone in the center console compartment is also an option, but it requires more effort to get in and out of the compartment and involves running the USB cable into the compartment, so it at least would have been nice if the USB port inside that compartment supported data transfer so everything could be tucked away inside. Wireless phone charging is not available on any QX50 trims.
One charge-only USB-A port and a 12V power port for rear passengers
Vehicles equipped with onboard navigation do include Wi-Fi hotspot functionality for up to seven devices, letting your passengers connect to the Internet with a data plan from AT&T.
Wrap-up
Infiniti may have been late to the CarPlay game, but it's come through in a solid way in the 2020 QX50, and also the Q50, Q60, and QX80, which all have nearly identical layouts with dual displays and a host of hardware controls. Infiniti has done a good job of building on the bones of the NissanConnect infotainment to take it to the next level, and iPhone users will be pleased at the prominence CarPlay receives on the dashboard.
The flexibility of the new InTouch system that lets you interact with the system in the way you prefer is fantastic, giving you the choice of touchscreen, hardware buttons, voice, and even a control knob. I also like that there's a bit of future-proofing for the primary USB ports up front, with one USB-C and one USB-A.
There are always a few nits to pick, however, and phone storage in the QX50 is one for me. There's no great place to put your phone while it's plugged in, and the USB port inside the center console compartment can't be used for CarPlay. And with wireless CarPlay quickly becoming more common, particularly on luxury brands, it would have been nice to see that included here, but hopefully Infiniti will follow through and make that upgrade soon.
The QX50 is of course a luxury brand, so it has a bit of price tag starting in the mid to high $30K range, roughly on par with the Acura RDX that I took a look at a little over a year ago, but a decent amount less than other small luxury crossovers it aims to compete against like the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3. With five available trims, there's a range of price points that can push things to nearly $50,000, but the good news for iPhone users is that CarPlay is standard on all trims, so you won't need to jump up a level or two or add an option package to get it.
Apple has been in an ongoing legal fight with Gerard Williams III, who worked at Apple until February 2019 when he left to start up a new company called Nuvia with other Apple developers.
Williams was Apple's lead chip designer, working on the A7 to A12X chips that Apple used in its mobile devices, and his new company develops processors for use in data centers. Apple first sued Williams in August 2019, claiming that his contracts with Apple prevented him from engaging in business activities that are directly related to Apple's business.
Since then, Williams has claimed that Apple invaded his privacy and monitored his texts, while Apple complained that Williams had been planning and developing Nuvia while still at Apple, and also soliciting Apple employees.
In January, Williams tried to get the lawsuit brought against him by Apple rejected by the court, but he was unsuccessful, and now he's back with a new claim that Apple has been recruiting engineers from Nuvia.
According to Bloomberg, Williams says that Apple is aiming to lure his staff away and is also preventing its own employees from leaving to pursue their own ventures. He claims that Apple's lawsuit against him for breach of contract aims to "suffocate the creation of new technologies and solutions by a new business, and to diminish the freedom of entrepreneurs to seek out more fulfilling work."
He goes on to accuse Apple of improperly deterring employees "from making even preliminary and legally protected preparations to form a new business - whether competitive or otherwise."
There has been no final word on whether the case will progress to trial yet, though a judge has already dismissed Apple's bid for punitive damages against Williams as Apple failed to show how Williams intentionally tried to harm the company by being disloyal.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with WaterField Designs to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a pocket-laden Air Duffel Carry-On Bag for carrying your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and other related accessories.
WaterField Designs created the Air Duffel as the perfect bag to use for air travel. It was designed in collaboration with more than 1,200 WaterField Designs customers and seasoned travelers with the aim of optimizing for space and convenience.
Priced starting at $399, the Air Duffel is available in brown waxed canvas or black ballistic nylon with a full-grain leather flap and detailing.
The Air Duffel is equipped with a padded laptop compartment that can fit Mac notebooks ranging in size from the 12-inch MacBook to the 16-inch MacBook Pro, plus there's a main compartment that was designed for maximum carry-on capacity.
The main compartment can hold one to two days of clothing, headphones, toiletries, and other items. Two mesh pockets inside the compartment are available for organizing small items, a key fob makes it easy to keep track of keys, and three open-top pockets offer up additional organizational space.
The laptop compartment also includes a wide pocket with soft foam for papers or a tablet, two open-top pockets for chargers and cords, three pen slots, and a central slot for files or magazines. A front pocket has interior organizational pockets secured with a leather flap equipped with magnets.
At the sides, there are two arced zippers for the expandable end pockets. The end pockets are designed to remain flat to utilize interior bag space when available and are positioned for quick access to travel documents, a water bottle, and other necessities when the bag is positioned under a seat or on top of luggage.
Inside, a gold liner makes it easy to find what you're looking for, and there are four D-rings for attaching a comfortable shoulder strap or a carabiner to hold pouches and accessories. It can also be fitted over the handle of a suitcase.
WaterField Designs also sells an optional Air Caddy, which is custom fitted for the front pocket of the Air Duffel and is sized to fit devices like the iPad Pro. The Air Duffel measures in at 10.25 x 16 x 8.25 inches and is sized to fit perfectly under an airplane seat.
We have one of the Air Duffels to give away to a MacRumors reader. To enter to win the giveaway, 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 (February 14) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 21. The winner will be chosen randomly on February 21 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
This Presidents' Day weekend you can save on a few iOS and macOS apps at StackSocial, offering you an extra 15 percent off apps that have already been discounted. These include a VPN, website creation software, a reading app, data management software, and a language proficiency app.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with StackSocial. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In this sale, you can enter the promo code PRESIDENT15 at checkout to get an additional 15 percent off these apps. The code will last through Monday, February 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT, and you can find every app on sale below.
StackSocial Sale - use code "PRESIDENT15"
KeepSolid VPN Unlimited - $33.15, down from $39.00: Protect your data on any Wi-Fi network with your own VPN, with no speed or bandwidth limits.
Blocs 3 - $34.00, down from $39.99: Website creation tool with easy-to-use software that lets you create fully customizable webpage layouts without writing code.
As expected, Apple reopened its five retail stores in the Beijing area today as the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in China continues.
In a video shared by CNBC senior correspondent Eunice Yoon, Apple employees can be seen checking the body temperatures of customers as they enter the store for signs of fever. Yoon says Apple is also limiting the number of customers allowed in the store at once, resulting in smaller crowds than normally seen.
The stores in Beijing have reduced hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Apple's other stores in China remain closed until further notice.
There remains a lot of uncertainty regarding the coronavirus outbreak, which has resulted in extended shipping estimates for some Apple products and could impact the company's overall revenue this quarter. Apple operates over 40 stores in China, which represents less than 10 percent of its retail locations worldwide.
Business attempts to normalize in #China despite #coronavirus. @Apple reopens its 5 Beijing stores today. Limited hours (11a-6p v. usual 10a-10p). One entrance only with temperature checks. $AAPL restricts # customers in stores. Busy but not thecrowds would see on #ValentinesDay. pic.twitter.com/FoKUrKKkc9
— Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 14, 2020
Apple recently provided its retail stores, authorized service providers, and carrier partners with an enhanced cleaning guide that recommends that demo Apple products be cleaned at least twice per day. The document, shared with MacRumors, contains best practices for using microfiber cloths as well as hand washing tips for employees.
Enter the chaotic world of Lincoln Loud and his sisters in "Loud House: Outta Control," this week's addition to Apple Arcade across the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Based on the Nickelodeon series "The Loud House," the family-friendly strategy game tasks players with completing various tasks before time runs out.
The game's description on the App Store:
Welcome to the Loud House! Are you ready to get OUTTA CONTROL?! Enter the chaotic world of Lincoln Loud and his sisters from the hit Nickelodeon series.
COMPLETE TASKS
Guide your favorite Loud characters to complete their objectives. Get Lincoln to his comic books and Lana to her mud pies before the clock runs out! Manage multiple paths for characters while enjoying exciting character interactions. Earn bonus points by completing objectives as quickly as you can!
CONTAIN THE CHAOS
When characters collide...hilarity ensues. From flying pies to loaded diapers, do your best to avoid the chaos big enough to ignite any sibling rivalry! Avoid collisions or risk losing the level...and watch out for those pesky fight clouds!
EXPLORE THE LOUD HOUSE
Experience the Loud House in all seasons. Manage the chaos from the front yard to the kitchen! From the attic to the best seat on the couch! Each level features a unique scene and fun new challenges.
COLLECT ITEMS
Earn medals and unlock Collectibles! Play to win special items from the Loud House universe: Lisa’s Gloweos, Lucy’s crystal ball and more. Discover new levels and watch your collection grow!
"Loud House: Outta Control" can be downloaded from the App Store with an Apple Arcade subscription. Apple's gaming service launched in September, providing iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac users with access to over 100 games with no in-app purchases or ads for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year in the United States.
Best Buy today kicked off a new weekend sale, this one timed to end on Monday at 11:59 p.m. CT, which is Presidents' Day in the United States. There are a few Apple products and accessories discounted during the sale, with solid prices on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPads, Apple Watch, Beats headphones, and more. For some of the sales listed below, you will need to be a My Best Buy member, which is free to join.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Although Best Buy's Presidents' Day sale includes $50 off the HomePod, our readers should remember that OWC is still beating this price. You can get the White HomePod for $204.99 and the Space Gray HomePod for $207.99 with OWC's one-year limited warranty. OWC's HomePods also come in non-retail packaging, but they are guaranteed to be brand-new HomePods, so this remains the current-best deal on Apple's smart speaker.
MacBook
MacBook Air - Save up to $200 with current best prices / Starting at $899.99
Pandora this week introduced a standalone Apple Watch app that allows you to stream music and podcasts from your wrist with no iPhone required.
Starting with watchOS 6, developers are able to distribute apps built specifically for the Apple Watch, without a companion app on iOS. These apps can be downloaded from the new App Store app on watchOS 6.
Acquired by SiriusXM in 2018, Pandora is a streaming music service in the United States that features free, ad-supported radio. The service also offers two paid tiers, including Pandora Plus with personalized, ad-free radio for $4.99 per month and Pandora Premium with on-demand music and podcasts for $12.99 per month.
Amazon and Adorama have introduced new sales on the 2019 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, with deals taking as much as $300 off select models.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can get the 13-inch MacBook Pro (1.4GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) for $1,099.99, down from $1,299.00 ($199 off) on Amazon. This is the lowest price we've ever tracked for the model, and it's also being matched at Best Buy.
For the larger MacBook Pro, the 16-inch model (2.3GHz 8-Core, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) is on sale for $2,499.00, down from $2,799.00 ($300 off) on Adorama. This is another lowest-ever price, and it's currently beating prices for the same model seen at Amazon and Best Buy.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.
Linksys is planning to release a firmware update for its Linksys Velop routers that will enable HomeKit functionality, according to a notice from Linksys spotted by HomeKit News.
The notice says that Linksys is rolling out a HomeKit firmware update for the Velop system "in the next several days."
After the firmware update is installed, the next time the Linksys app is opened, it will invite users to link with the Apple Home app. All Velop nodes must be tri-band for the integration to work. Tri-band model numbers that work with HomeKit include A03, WHW0301, WHW0301B, WHW0302, WHW0302B, WHW0303, and WHW0303B.
Apple introduced HomeKit support for routers with the launch of iOS 13. According to Apple, HomeKit for routers firewalls off each HomeKit device, so if one happens to be compromised, the others remain safe.
Linksys' tri-band Velop routers are priced starting at $199 and can be purchased from the Linksys website or at a discounted price from Amazon.
Update: Linksys says that the information shared on its website was inaccurate and the launch of HomeKit support is not imminent, though HomeKit support is in the works and will be coming in the future.
From Linksys: "Inaccurate verbiage on timing and availability of Linksys HomeKit-enabled routers was shared on our website today. We are excited to bring these features to market soon, and will reach out when we’re ready to announce availability."
Apple broke California law when it failed to pay employees for time spent waiting for mandatory bag searches at the end of their shifts, the California Supreme Court ruled today. [PDF]
Employees at the time alleged that Apple subjected them to mandatory bag checks that were conducted off the clock, leaving them uncompensated for their time. At the trial level, Apple actually won the lawsuit when the court ruled that Apple employees chose to bring personal bags to work and dismissed the case, but the decision was appealed and brought to a higher court.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is now handling the case, asked the California Supreme Court to clarify whether California state law requires compensation, and the California Supreme Court ruled that the law does indeed dictate that employees be compensated while waiting for bag checks.
"Hours worked is defined as the time during which an employee is subject to the control of an employer and includes all the time the employee is suffered or permitted to work, whether or not required to do so," reads the court's opinion.
Based on the language of the control clause, Apple employees are entitled to compensation for the time during which they are subject to Apple's control. (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, Sn. 11070, subd. 2(G).) Applying a strictly textual analysis, Apple employees are clearly under Apple's control while awaiting, and during, the exit searches. Apple controls its employees during this time in several ways. First, Apple requires its employees to comply with the bag-search policy under threat of discipline, up to and including termination. Second, Apple confines its employees to the premises as they wait for and undergo an exit search. Third, Apple compels its employees to perform specific and supervised tasks while awaiting and during the search. This includes locating a manager or security guard and waiting for that person to become available, unzipping and opening all bags and packages, moving around items within a bag or package, removing any personal Apple technology devices for inspection, and providing a personal technology card for device verification.
Apple requires all personal packages, bags, and Apple devices that belong to retail employees to be checked by a manager or security before an employee is allowed to leave the store for any reason, including breaks, lunch, and the end of shifts.
Employees are also required to clock out before submitting to an exit search, and have estimated that the time spent waiting and undergoing searches ranges from five to 20 minutes. On busy days, some employees have waited for up to 45 minutes waiting for a bag check.
Apple has argued that allowing employees to bring bags and devices to work is a convenience and has positioned the searches as a "benefit" because employees could prevent searches by not bringing personal items or could be banned from bringing personal items all together. The California Supreme Court says that such a ban would be "draconian" and that Apple's arguments that employee iPhones are a convenience are "at odds" with how the iPhone is described in marketing materials.
"Its characterization of the iPhone as unnecessary for its own employees is directly at odds with its description of the iPhone as an 'integrated and integral' part of the lives of everyone else," reads the ruling.
The decision made today is retroactive, and the case will now return to the court of appeals where federal judges will apply the California Supreme Court's interpretation of the law. Prior evaluation of the case suggested that Apple could have to pay as much as $60 million should it be required to offer employees back compensation for the time spent undergoing bag checks.
Samsung at its Unpacked Event in San Francisco this week unveiled the new Galaxy Z Flip and the S20 smartphone lineup, and accompanying its new flagship devices, Samsung also launched its next-generation wire-free earbuds, the Galaxy Buds+.
In our latest YouTube video, we took a look at the new Galaxy Buds+ to test them out, and we did a quick comparison with the AirPods and the AirPods Pro.
Design wise, the Galaxy Buds+ look pretty much identical to the original Galaxy Buds, but there's an extra microphone that's been added and the charging case now has a glossy finish instead of a matte finish. The size, fit, and comfort are unchanged.
The Galaxy Buds+ are closer in design to the AirPods Pro than the AirPods because of the soft silicone tips that fit into the ear canal to provide a tighter seal, but there is no noise canceling technology included in the Galaxy Buds+.
With the second-generation version of the Galaxy Buds, Samsung aimed to improve audio quality for music and phone calls along with battery life, both of which do seem to be better. The Galaxy Buds+ now last for 11 hours before needing to be recharged with the case, and the sound seems to be improved.
Though closer in design to the AirPods Pro, the price point and the functionality of the Galaxy Buds+ better matches the standard AirPods. The Galaxy Buds+ are $149, so $10 cheaper than the standard AirPods without charging case and $100 cheaper than the AirPods Pro.
There are touch controls on each Galaxy Bud+ earbud, which can be used to play/pause, skip tracks, and activate voice assistants. Those are the only three functions available when connecting the Galaxy Buds+ to the iPhone, but with an Android device, the long press function can be customized to auto-launch Spotify.
Samsung also offers tools for controlling ambient sound levels (though we didn't notice much of a difference with this enabled), and adjusting the sound profile. There are a few preset options for increasing bass or treble and there's an option for making audio more dynamic or soft. There's no true equalizer function, but it's better than what's available for AirPods, which is nothing.
Galaxy Buds+ on Android can read notifications to you, a function not available when using them with the iPhone. AirPods offer a similar function in iOS 13, allowing Siri to announce incoming messages.
Galaxy Buds+ can also be connected to multiple devices at the same time such as a TV and an Android phone so you can hear incoming notifications, but this is not a feature that works when using them with an iPhone.
Overall, the Galaxy Buds+ audio seems to be improved and they sound better than the AirPods, but there's not a huge difference. There is a major difference in sound quality compared to the AirPods Pro in favor of the AirPods Pro, but that's probably not a fair comparison given the Galaxy Buds+ are $100 cheaper and not meant to compete with Apple's noise canceling headphones.
Android users who have considered getting AirPods for their smartphones might want to consider the Galaxy Buds+ instead, but those who use both iOS and Android may still want to go for the regular AirPods because of the H1 chip functionality. The H1 chip in the AirPods and AirPods Pro powers hands-free "Hey Siri" requests, improves connectivity and improves range, and also enables fast switching between Apple devices connected to the same iCloud account.
What do you think of Samsung's improved Galaxy Buds+? Let us know in the comments.
Apple shipped an estimated 2.6 million HomePods during the fourth quarter of 2019, earning it 4.7 percent of the smart speaker market, according to new estimates shared today by Strategy Analytics.
Apple was the number six worldwide smart speaker market vendor, shipping fewer speakers than Amazon, Google, Baidu, Alibaba, and Xiaomi.
Amazon was the number one smart speaker vendor in the world during Q4 2019, shipping an estimated 15.8 million speakers for 28.3 percent market share. Google came in second with 13.9 million speakers shipped and 24.9 percent market share, followed by Chinese brands Baidu, Alibaba, and Xiaomi.
Apple shipped one million more HomePods in Q4 2019 than it did in Q4 2018 when it shipped 1.6 million, marking a 65 percent increase in growth. That didn't translate to a major increase in market share though as Apple ships so many fewer speakers than other brands.
The overall smart speaker market was up 44.7 percent with 55.7 million total shipments, up from the 38.5 million shipped in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Strategy Analytics says that it expects 2020 to be another record year for smart speaker sales despite the disruption to supply and demand caused by the coronavirus.
There's no word on whether Apple will be able to increase speaker shipments in 2020, as Strategy Analytics says consumers are drawn to low prices.
"Consumer appetite for smart speakers remained undimmed during the all-important Q4 period as newly launched devices with improved feature sets and audio performance helped drive record quarterly shipments. Consumers across the world were once again enticed by scarcely believable deals from leading brands such as Google, Amazon, Baidu and Alibaba, while Google in particular stepped up its giveaway promotional activity in partnership with brands such as YouTube and Spotify."
Apple's HomePod is priced at $299 in the United States and is available in a limited number of countries. Apple is rumored to be working on a lower-cost version of the HomePod that will be released at some point in 2020, so that could potentially boost sales depending on whether its price point can match some of the much cheaper speakers offered by other vendors.
Another smart speaker sales report recently suggested that Amazon will hold on to its position as the number one smart speaker vendor through at least 2021.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with StackSocial. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
