Apple's "Gather round" event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where it is widely expected to unveil three new iPhones (XS, XS Max, and XR) as well as new, slightly larger Apple Watch models.
We should also be hearing final details and the official release date for iOS 12, and likely macOS Mojave, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12 as well. And, of course, there may be other announcements and surprises in the cards.
Apple itself leaked a number of details this morning by prematurely updating its store site maps, and we have a summary of what's been revealed right here.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, via the Apple Events app on Apple TV, and on Twitter. We've shared instructions on how to watch along with a list of when the keynote starts in time zones around the world.
In addition to Apple's video stream, we will be updating this article with live blog coverage—no need to refresh—and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds.
Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
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Apple's online store is currently down in advance of the event. It should be accessible again shortly after the keynote.
Live blog in chronological order is after the jump.
In the early hours of the morning, a product sitemap XML file hosted on Apple's website was shared by AllThingsHow, including URL links that confirmed a handful of previous rumors surrounding the trio of 2018 iPhones and upcoming Apple Watch. Since the leaks came at a fast pace, we've rounded up all of the news in one post, so read on for all of the important details about the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, and 2018 Apple Watch.
iPhone
The names "iPhone XS," "iPhone XS Max," and "iPhone XR" -- all previously rumored at some point -- were confirmed as the final product names in the sitemap data shared today. iPhone XS is the followup to last year's iPhone X, measuring in at 5.8 inches and launching in 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities. You'll be able to buy the iPhone XS in Space Gray and Silver, like last year's iPhone X, and also now in Gold.
Apple is also introducing a new "Plus" style iPhone this year, but it's ditching the Plus branding for the first time since 2014 and going with "Max" in the iPhone XS Max. This 6.5-inch iPhone will be Apple's biggest smartphone yet, and come in all of the same storage and color options as its smaller counterpart.
For customers looking to spend less money, the iPhone XR will be the cheaper alternative to the iPhone XS and XS Max. The 6.1-inch model also has the widest variety of color options offered this year: Black, White, Red, Yellow, Coral, and Blue. You'll be able to buy it in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage capacities.
Here's the full 2018 iPhone lineup:
iPhone XS/XS Max storage sizes: 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB
iPhone XS/XS Max colors: Space Gray, Silver, and Gold
iPhone XR storage sizes: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB
iPhone XR colors: Black, White, Red, Yellow, Coral, and Blue
With 18 iPhone XR models and 18 iPhone XS/XS Max models, the total iPhone count for 2018 will be 36 models.
Apple Watch
In one of the biggest surprises from today's leaks, the upcoming Apple Watch models will be gaining new 40mm and 44mm case sizes. This means that the current 38mm case will increase to 40mm and the 42mm will increase to 44mm, although some links in the sitemap reveal that a few models of the existing sizes will be sticking around.
Since Apple measures the Apple Watch cases vertically, it appears that the new models will be gaining a slight bit of height this year. Although this has caused some to worry about existing bands becoming incompatible with the new Apple Watch, no rumors have yet to suggest that Apple is discontinuing legacy bands for a new style. In fact, notable Apple reporter Mark Gurman has mentioned that the 2018 Apple Watch will be compatible with existing bands numerous times over the past few months.
You'll be able to buy the 44mm Apple Watch in GPS and GPS + Cellular configurations, with the usual Silver, Space Gray, and Gold aluminum case options. For stainless steel, the sitemap also mentions Silver, Space Black, and Gold options. Bands referenced include White Sport Band, Seashell Sport Loop, Black Sport Band, Black Sport Loop, Sand Sport Band, and Sand Sport Loop.
In 40mm, there's a few Nike and Hermès options. Hermès includes an Indigo Craie Orange Double Tour band with a Stainless Steel case, and Nike has Pure Platinum Black Sport Band, Summit White Sport Loop, Anthracite Black Sport Band, and Black Sport Loop paired with various aluminum cases.
Of course, these will not be the only Apple Watches available to buy at launch, as you can expect numerous stainless steel cases outside of the Hermès line, as well as some bundles with higher-cost bands. A separate leak today also revealed the front panel for the new Apple Watch, showing off the 15 percent larger display.
Lastly for Apple Watch, the sitemap does not designate the 2018 models as "Series 4," although it keeps the "Series 3" terminology for the existing models, which Apple will keep around at a lower price point. It's unclear if this means that Apple is ditching the "Series" branding altogether this year, and if so what the new Apple Watch will be called.
AppleCare
AppleCare is always a reliable announcement alongside the newest iPhones each year, and today's leaks confirm that you'll be able to purchase the usual AppleCare+ protection plans for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. This year, AppleCare+ plans also include coverage for "theft and loss," and will be available for $399.00, as per a Best Buy leak.
Accessories
The sitemap file confirmed a handful of traditional Apple colorways will be making it to this generation of silicone and leather cases for the 2018 iPhones. You'll be able to buy a silicone case for the iPhone XS and XS Max in Black, White, Midnight Blue, (PRODUCT)Red, and Stone. In leather, the iPhone XS cases will come in (PRODUCT)Red, Taupe, and Black.
The current iPhone X silicone case in Midnight Blue, Black, and (PRODUCT)Red
Given that the information shared was just a peek at the upcoming accessory lines, this is far from every accessory announcement that will be made later today. You can also expect leather cases for the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, as well as silicone cases for the cheaper iPhone. The sitemap also includes references to OtterBox cases for the iPhone XS and XS Max.
Missing from "Gather Round"
Amid all of the confirmed upcoming announcements from Apple sourced from the sitemap XML file, there are some notable omissions. It appears that Apple has no plans to announce a new iPad Pro at today's event. iPad Pro models with Face ID may still show up next month at an event that could also include refreshes to the MacBook Air, Mac mini, iMac, and potentially more.
Apple's long-awaited AirPower charging mat was also nowhere to be found in the sitemap data. It's been one year since Apple first revealed the AirPower at the iPhone X event in September 2017, with a promised 2018 launch date. AirPower will be able to charge all Qi-compatible iPhones, Apple Watch Series 3 and the new 2018 models, and AirPods.
If AirPower doesn't make it into the "Gather Round" event today, there's also less of a chance that Apple will introduce the revamped AirPods, which will come with a new wireless charging case aimed to be paired with AirPower.
We now have just under two hours to go until Apple finally (and officially) announces the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, new Apple Watch, and more at the "Gather Round" event in California. As usual, MacRumors has you covered if you're interested in following a live blog of the event, which will be posted on our front page ahead of time, with live tweets available on the @MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Today's leaks from Apple's XML sitemap have revealed a flurry of product announcements we can expect at the company's upcoming Gather Round event, including details of new iPhones and Apple Watch models.
On the flip side, the XML file also suggests which rumored products we shouldn't expect to be revealed later today. Most conspicuous is the absence of new iPad Pro and Mac models, which history suggests will now appear at a separate October event.
There's also the matter of Apple's long-awaited AirPower wireless charging mat, which likewise doesn't feature in Apple's sitemap, and that could be bad news for customers waiting on Apple to update its AirPods wireless earbuds.
With AirPower, Apple was supposed to be introducing a new AirPods Charging Case that adds wireless charging to the earbuds. But because the AirPower has taken so long to launch, the new case is now expected to feature in the next-generation model of AirPods – although Apple is also expected to sell that case on a standalone basis so customers who have already purchased AirPods can upgrade to it.
The new case looks similar to the current version, which charges via Lightning cable, but it has a built-in induction coil that also enables wireless charging.
In addition, rumors suggest that the new AirPods will have an upgraded wireless chip that supports hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality. With "Hey Siri" support, AirPod owners will be able to activate Siri without needing to double tap on the AirPods with a finger.
No other major changes are expected for the new AirPods, but there have been some hints that Apple is working on a set of Apple-branded high-end over-ear headphones that could launch in late 2018 at the earliest, although today's leaks suggest only a brief mention of them today at best.
Apple's event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, Cupertino, California. Apple plans to live stream proceeding on its website and through the Events app on the Apple TV, while MacRumors will have live coverage both here on MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Ahead of the 2018 International Broadcasting Convention that kicks off later this week, Adobe today shared details on updates that are coming to Premiere Pro, After Effects, Character Animator, and Audition.
Premiere Pro, Adobe's video editing software for professionals, is gaining new Motion Graphics templates and support for infographics created by dragging and dropping spreadsheet files into the Motion Graphics interface.
New Reduce Noise and Reduce Reverb sliders have been added to the Essential Sound panel, the Lumetri color panel features Selective Color Grading tools for more precise color editing, and there's a new Timecode shortcut entry.
Other new features include support for Google VR 180, Spatial Markers for easier editing of VR content, and a Theatre Mode for working within the Adobe Immersive Environment. Performance improvements have also been included, with hardware-based encoding and decoding for H.264 and HEVC along with improved image processing.
After Effects, used by designers to create motion graphics, is gaining simplified authoring for streamlined content editing, font controls for quickly changing fonts, new selective color grading tools for Lumetri Color, and new in-app learning tools for those who are new to After Effects.
Advanced Puppet pins for the Mesh Sculpting feature let users define position, scale, and rotation for a pin, offering better control for more organic movements, while a new Javascript engine enables faster expressions and Depth Passes allows for 3D objects to be positioned in space to add dimensional elements to videos.
There's a new native Mocha plug-in for After Effects, along with end-to-end support for VR 180, H.264 and HEVC video support on macOS, and performance and GPU optimizations to improve effects like Fill, Curves, Exposure, and Noise.
Audition includes new DeReverb and DeNoise effects for removing background noise and reverb with support for real-time adjustments, a revamped multitrack feature, one-click session management, and more.
Character Animator is gaining the Characterizer, a feature first unveiled at Adobe Max. Characterizer lets users import art and then record words and facial expressions to generate a new, unique character, automatically creating a puppet in just a few seconds.
Character Animator is also getting Replays for reusing facial expressions and signature moves, Magnets for letting puppets interact with objects, improved walk behavior, and a squashiness parameter for the physics behaviors.
Full details on all of the new features coming to Adobe's Premiere Pro, After Effects, Character Animator, and Audition software can be found on Adobe's website.
Adobe plans to roll out these Creative Cloud updates later in 2018.
The current iPhone X Silicone Case in Midnight Blue, Black, and (PRODUCT)RED
The sitemap includes links to iPhone XS silicone cases in Black, White, Midnight Blue, (PRODUCT)Red, and Stone, as well as XS leather cases in (PRODUCT)Red, Taupe, and Black. There are also mentions of OtterBox cases for both the iPhone XS and XS Max in the sitemap.
For the iPhone XS Max, Apple will also offer silicone cases in the same colors, including Black, White, Midnight Blue, (PRODUCT)Red, and Stone. Leather cases for the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max were not glimpsed in the data shared today, but are still expected options for the larger device.
Lastly, AllThingsHow discovered the iPhone XR name within a section of the sitemap that mentions AppleCare for all models of the new smartphone, which is an expected inclusion in every year's new iPhone announcement, although this year's version includes coverage for theft and loss.
We'll be covering the full "Gather Round" event when Apple goes live at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time later today, so be sure to follow @MacRumorsLive and our own live blog for all the latest details as the event happens.
Apple has suffered an embarrassing leak of its major product announcements today, just hours ahead of its much-publicized "Gather Round" event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park.
An XML sitemap file briefly available on Apple.com included intended URL links for Apple's entire iPhone lineup as well as the company's redesigned Apple Watch Series 4, but one product line noticeably absent from the list of links was the iPad Pro.
Apple has been working on updated iPad Pro models that adopt an iPhone X-style design with slimmer bezels and no Home button, with the iPads instead set to gain a TrueDepth Camera System that will allow Face ID to be used for biometric authentication purposes.
Rumors have suggested the new iPad Pro models will be available in screen sizes that are approximately 11 and 12.9 inches, with Apple using chamfered edges that are similar in design to the iPhone SE. The antenna lines on the device may also be located at the top and bottom, similar to the iPhone 7.
Based on today's leak, there's a good chance Apple has decided to hold over its new iPad Pro announcement for a separate October launch event. If that's the plan, Apple will likely also use next month's event to announce a raft of new Macs, including refreshed iMacs, a new Mac mini, and a new low-cost MacBook Air.
Additionally, a question mark remains over the fate of the Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat. Apple introduced the AirPower in September 2017 and promised to launch it in 2018, but development issues have delayed its release.
The AirPower is designed to charge the Apple Watch (Series 3 and 4), glass-backed iPhones, and AirPods all at the same time, with a wireless charging case required to enable wireless charging for the AirPods.
In July, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed Apple aims to release its multi-device AirPower charging mat "before or in September", however there's no mention of the AirPower in today's aforementioned leaked XML sitemap.
On the other hand, Apple could be planning to host the device on its website under a generic "Accessories" listing, which could theoretically give it a non-identifying URL link. But given the clear listing of the company's other upcoming products, that possibility seems unlikely at this stage.
Of course, Apple could still surprise us later today by unveiling both its new iPad Pro lineup and the AirPower, but we'll just have to wait and see.
The keynote begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors will be covering the event live from Steve Jobs Theater, with a live blog, hands-on photos, news stories, videos, and live tweets via @MacRumorsLive on Twitter.
Amid numerous leaks sourced from Apple's sitemap for the upcoming iPhone and Apple Watch models, now we know specifically what colors and sizes the new iPhone models will be available in following their reveal at the event later today.
As shared by Steve Troughton-Smith on Twitter, the iPhone XR will come in Black, White, Red, Yellow, Coral, and Blue color options, and be available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage capacities.
Not only do we know the product names from that sitemap, but all the available variants, sizes and colors. That's a lot of iPhone Xr's! pic.twitter.com/hnYpyObMAw
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) September 12, 2018
Additionally, the leak reveals all colors and storage sizes for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will come in 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, and in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold colorways.
Here's a full breakdown of the 2018 iPhone lineup:
iPhone XS/XS Max storage sizes: 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB
iPhone XS/XS Max colors: Space Gray, Silver, and Gold
iPhone XR storage sizes: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB
iPhone XR colors: Black, White, Red, Yellow, Coral, and Blue
Earlier this morning, AllThingsHow shared a sitemap that confirmed the "iPhone XS," "iPhone XS Max," and "iPhone XR" will be the names for the 5.8-inch, 6.5-inch, and 6.1-inch models, respectively.
The iPhone XR is Apple's low-cost iPhone this year, with an LCD display and a single-lens camera to keep costs down in comparison to the higher-end OLED models.
With anticipation mounting ahead of Apple's imminent product announcements later today, Slashleaks has shared an image of an alleged front panel belonging to the upcoming Apple Watch Series 4, which a leak this morning revealed will come in 40mm and 44mm sizes.
Although it's hard to verify from the image alone, we do expect the new model to feature a display that's 15 percent larger than the one on the Apple Watch Series 3, a change implemented through a reduction in the size of the bezels of the device.
The larger display sizes will provide more room on the screen for apps and allow more space for watch faces. Apple is expected to introduce at least one new watch face with support for up to nine complications.
The resolution of the new 40mm Apple Watch is still unknown, but data found within a beta version of watchOS 5 suggests the 44mm version will feature a resolution of 384x480, up from 312x390 in the current 42mm Apple Watch models.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes all Series 4 models will feature rear case ceramic, and potentially come with electrocardiography (ECG/EKG) functionality.
A leaked marketing image suggests the Apple Watch Series 4 will look similar to the Series 3, with no major design changes. As far as we know, that should ensure Apple Watch Series 4 models will continue to be compatible with existing Apple Watch bands.
Apple's "Gather Round" event will kick off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with Apple planning to live stream the product unveiling on its event website and through the Events app on the Apple TV.
For those unable to watch, MacRumors will have live coverage both here on MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account, along with continuing coverage throughout the rest of September.
Apple is facing a series of leaks in the hours ahead of its "Gather Round" event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, and this time information about the new version of Apple Watch has been revealed. According to AllThingsHow, Apple udpated its sitemap files ahead of the event, which included links to Apple Watch in new 40mm and 44mm sizes.
These are believed to be the new Apple Watch models about to be announced later today, although they don't carry a "Series 4" designation in the sitemap and are simply called "Apple Watch." The sizes include both GPS and GPS + Cellular configurations, and include the colors Silver, Space Gray, and Gold.
In 40mm, there's also a few Nike and Hermès options. Hermès includes an Indigo Craie Orange Double Tour band with a Stainless Steel case, and Nike has Pure Platinum Black Sport Band, Summit White Sport Loop, Anthracite Black Sport Band, and Black Sport Loop paired with various aluminum cases.
These new sizes appear to be upgrades from the previous generation of case sizes, with Apple increasing the cases from 38mm to 40mm for the small size and from 42mm to 44mm for the large size. Apple measures these cases vertically. In terms of width, the current 38mm Apple Watch is 33.3mm wide and the 42mm Apple Watch is 35.9mm wide.
The 40mm and 44mm sizes roughly align with a prediction made by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in July, who stated Apple would reveal two models measuring in at around 39.9mm and 45.2mm.
The upcoming Apple Watch's big new feature will be a display that's 15 percent larger, thanks to reduced bezels and likely the slightly increased case size. In a leak a few weeks back, we got a glimpse at a new watch face for Apple Watch, including one that had space for as many as eight complications.
Apple appears to have leaked the names of its new iPhone lineup on its website, just hours before the company is due to officially announce them at its "Gather Round" event later today.
The names "iPhone XS," "XS Max," and "XR" were first spotted by ATH in a product sitemap XML file hosted on Apple.com. The names are linked to new products that come with AppleCare support and are associated with phone cases, seemingly confirming Apple's official nomenclature for its 2018 iPhone lineup.
The XML file also reveals new Apple cases for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max devices that come in both silicon and leather, with midnight blue, white, black, stone, and Product RED colors set to be available.
Two days ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple would introduce the three widely rumored new iPhones using the now-leaked names: a 5.8-inch model named "iPhone Xs," a larger 6.5-inch model named "iPhone Xs Max," and a lower-priced 6.1-inch model that Apple would call "iPhone Xr".
Other rumored names for the less expensive 6.1-inch LCD had included "iPhone 9" and "iPhone Xc," harkening back to the iPhone 5c that came in multiple colors. Apple's 6.1-inch iPhone XR is expected to feature an LCD display and a single-lens camera to keep costs lower than the two OLED devices.
Apple is set to unveil the new 6.1-inch iPhone XR alongside the 5.8-inch OLED iPhone Xs and the 6.5-inch OLED iPhone Xs Max at an event that will take place later today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. For full details on what to expect when the new iPhones debut, make sure to check out our roundup.
Update: Apple has since pulled the XML site map from its servers.
Apple's online store is down ahead of the company's "Gather Round" media event today at Steve Jobs Theater, at its Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California. The keynote begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
The iconic "we'll be back" message on Apple's website often foreshadows the launch of new products. At today's event, rumors suggest Apple will be introducing a trio of new iPhone models, Apple Watch Series 4 models, and new AirPods, along with detailing availability of its AirPower wireless charging mat.
Apple will also likely confirm availability of the final, publicly released versions of iOS 12, tvOS 12, watchOS 5, and macOS Mojave during today's event, or shortly after the event on Apple.com, once it returns online.
Rumors suggest Apple has a number of other products in the pipeline this year, including iPad Pro models with Face ID, a lower-priced MacBook of some kind, refreshed iMac models, and a new pro-focused Mac mini, but it's unclear if any will be announced today, at a potential October event, or via press releases.
Look for today's event to run for around two hours, although if Apple plans on fitting all of its rumored products into its September keynote, then we could be in store for more of a marathon showing. Apple will provide a live stream of the event on the web and through its Apple Events app for the Apple TV.
MacRumors will be covering the event live from Steve Jobs Theater, with a live blog, hands-on photos, news stories, videos, and live tweets via @MacRumorsLive on Twitter. Mac users can get MacRumors headlines delivered to their desktops instantly by enabling Safari push notifications.
MacRumors readers can follow along in our forums, which are a great place to discuss the announcements before, during, and after the event. Be sure to keep tabs on the iPhone and Apple Watch sections in particular.
Looking ahead to next year, Ming-Chi Kuo believes that contrary to some analysts' expectations, Apple is unlikely to integrate a time-of-flight (ToF) depth sensing system in the rear camera of its 2019 iPhones.
Reports of Apple including rear-facing 3D sensing capabilities in its 2019 iPhone lineup first began appearing last year. At the time, Apple was said to be evaluating a ToF approach, which is different from the one it currently uses in the TrueDepth sensor system on the front of the iPhone X.
TrueDepth relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user's face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. By contrast, ToF calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a 3D image of the environment.
However, in a note to investors this morning, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said that the company would not use a rear-side application of ToF technology in next year's smartphone lineup for two reasons.
First, the distance and depth information provided by rear-side ToF is currently insufficient for creating the "revolutionary AR experience" that Apple ultimately wants to develop. Kuo believes that in addition to camera distance/depth data, the complete AR ecosystem Apple is aiming for requires 5G connectivity, augmented-reality glasses, and a "more powerful Apple Map database," which is presumably a reference to Apple's efforts to enhance Maps with augmented reality features.
Second, the addition of rear-side ToF would do little to improve the iPhone's photo-taking capabilities, because the current dual-camera setup is already capable of capturing or simulating enough distance/depth information to make photo-features like Portrait Mode a reality.
"We believe that iPhone's dual-camera can simulate and offer enough distance/depth information necessary for photo-taking; it is therefore unnecessary for the 2H19 new iPhone models to be equipped with a rear-side ToF," Kuo concludes.
Last October, Kuo similarly pushed back against reports that Apple would expand its front-facing TrueDepth system to the rear camera on this year's iPhone lineup, which is due to be announced later today. Given Kuo's latest remarks on Apple's smartphone roadmap, rumors of rear-camera 3D sensing capabilities for next year's lineup seem just as unlikely.
Verizon's 5G home broadband service is set to launch in parts of Indianapolis, Houston, Los Angeles, and Sacramento on October 1, Verizon announced today.
Customers who live in areas where the service is rolling out can place an online order for Verizon 5G Home starting on Thursday, September 13 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time using the FirstOn5G website.
Verizon previously said that it would be offering customers who sign up for its internet service a free Apple TV 4K in lieu of a traditional cable box.
Verizon 5G Home is built on Verizon's Ultra Wideband 5G network, and it is the first commercial 5G service to launch in the United States. Verizon is also hoping to be the first mobile provider to offer 5G service, but that's still a ways off.
Verizon's 5G internet service will be priced at $50 per month for customers who are also Verizon Wireless customers, and $70 per month for those who are not already Verizon Wireless customers.
The monthly fee includes all taxes and other fees, and there are no hardware charges or annual contract. Customers who sign up early for the service will receive three free months of service, an Apple TV 4K or Google Chromecast, and three free months of YouTube TV.
Verizon says that 5G Home customers will see typical network speeds of around 300Mb/s and depending on location, peak speeds of nearly 1 Gig. There are no data caps.
After the initial rollout to Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, Verizon plans to rapidly expand its coverage area.
The United States Federal Communications Commission today informed T-Mobile and Sprint [PDF] that it needs more time to review the proposed merger between the two companies before making a final decision on approval.
According to the FCC, it is pausing the informal 180-day transaction clock to allow for "thorough staff and third-party review" of newly submitted and anticipated business documents.
Sprint and T-Mobile on September 5 submitted a revised network engineering model that's "significantly larger and more complex," which the FCC needs to look over. The two companies also did not provide the FCC with documentation on a "Build 9" business model until September 5, so that's also something the FCC needs to review, and T-Mobile is also planning to offer up additional economic modeling documents.
The FCC says that the 180-day clock will remain stopped until T-Mobile and Sprint have completed the record "on which they intend to rely" and a reasonable amount of time has passed to allow the FCC and third-parties to look over the documentation.
Sprint and T-Mobile officially reached a merger agreement back in late April, so the original 180-day review period was set to end in October. The FCC aims to complete applications for license transfers relating to complex mergers within an informal 180 day period, but warns that some application review periods can exceed 180 days.
If the T-Mobile and Sprint merger is ultimately approved by regulators, two of the four major carriers in the United States will combine into one single entity. T-Mobile and Sprint combined will have nearly 100 million customers, putting it second only to Verizon.
The combined company will be named T-Mobile and current T-Mobile CEO John Legere will serve as the Chief Executive Officer. Sprint and T-Mobile have previously said they're hoping to close the deal in the first half of 2019.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Ahead of the launch of the iPhone Xs and the iPhone Xs Max, luxury iPhone companies Brikk and Caviar have announced custom versions of the two new iPhones made from materials like carbon, ceramic, alligator, and other materials.
Russian site Caviar, for example, is offering ornate iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs designs with carbon bodies, snake skin, alligator skin, gold accents, and diamond accents.
One of the most expensive Caviar iPhones, a version that features gold plating, mother of pearl, and 20 diamonds, is priced starting at $5,420.
Brikk, meanwhile, is offering iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max models in carbon, ceramic, and gold. Pricing on the carbon models, which feature "an extremely rare form of carbon" that's also used by Lamborghini, are priced starting at $9,995. For that price, you also get solid gold logos and 24k yellow gold buttons.
Brikk's ceramic iPhones start at $12,995 and come in either black or white, also with a 24k gold main body and buttons. Brikk says its ceramic iPhones offer exceptional heat resistance and light weight.
For those with even more cash to spend, Brikk also plans to offer solid gold versions of the iPhone Xs and Xs Plus, which will cost upwards of $50,000. These devices are just announcements at this point, as Brikk and Caviar will need to wait for the official iPhone Xs and Xs Max launch to purchase iPhones for customization purposes.
Both Caviar and Brikk are known for selling ornately-designed luxury iPhone models for exorbitant prices, which are fun to look at but are out of the price range of most iPhone buyers.
Nevertheless, should someone be interested in one of these iPhones, Caviar is taking pre-orders now and Brikk is expected to begin accepting pre-orders soon.
Plex today announced on its forums that it is planning to shut down the Plex Cloud service as of November 30, 2018.
Plex introduced the Plex Cloud option back in the fall of 2016, providing Plex users with a way to store their media in the cloud to make it accessible from anywhere without the need for a local server.
Since its launch, Plex Cloud has suffered from issues, which led Plex to stop allowing new Plex Cloud servers in February to address performance, quality, and user experience problems.
According to Plex, it has not been able to solve its Plex Cloud problems in a cost effective manner.
We hold ourselves to a high standard, and unfortunately, after a lot of investigation and thought, we haven't found a solution capable of delivering a truly first class Plex experience to Plex Cloud users at a reasonable cost.
Starting on November 30, 2018, Plex Cloud users will no longer be able to access their Plex Cloud servers. Plex Cloud worked through a connection to services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, so all content will remain available to users through those services. Plex also plans to unlink all third-party cloud storage services from Plex Cloud on November 30.
With the discontinuation of Plex Cloud, Plex media content will be accessible only through local libraries, with the company recommending that people store former cloud content on a NAS. Plex says that the end of Plex Cloud will allow it to focus on improving core functionality and adding new features and content.
There's just a day to go until Apple holds its annual iPhone-centric event to introduce new iPhone models, with this year's event expected to see the debut of the 5.8-inch OLED iPhone Xs, the 6.5-inch OLED iPhone Xs Max, and the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, which could be called the iPhone Xr.
We're also expecting to see new Apple Watch Series 4 models with larger displays thanks to reduced bezels and more accurate ECG-based heart monitoring technology. Other surprises could be in the works too, such as the launch of new second-generation AirPods and the debut of the long-awaited AirPower.
Apple's event will kick off on September 12 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the Steve Jobs Theater on the new Apple Park campus, with Apple set to live stream the event on the Apple TV and on the events website. Check out the list below to see when the event takes place in your time zone, and read on to see just how to watch.
Honolulu, Hawaii -- 7:00 a.m. HAST
Anchorage, Alaska -- 9:00 a.m. AKDT
Cupertino, California -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
Phoenix, Arizona -- 10:00 a.m. MST
Vancouver, Canada -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
Denver, Colorado -- 11:00 a.m. MDT
Dallas, Texas -- 12:00 noon CDT
New York, New York -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Raleigh, North Carolina -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Toronto, Canada -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Halifax, Canada -- 2:00 p.m. ADT
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- 2:00 p.m. BRT
London, United Kingdom -- 6:00 p.m. BST
Berlin, Germany -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
Paris, France -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
Cape Town, South Africa -- 7:00 p.m. SAST
Moscow, Russia -- 8:00 p.m. MSK
Helsinki, Finland -- 8:00 p.m. EEST
Istanbul, Turkey -- 8:00 p.m. TRT
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- 9:00 p.m. GST
Delhi, India -- 10:30 p.m. IST
Jakarta, Indonesia -- 12:00 a.m. WIB (9/13)
Shanghai, China -- 1:00 a.m. CST (9/13)
Singapore -- 1:00 a.m. SGT (9/13)
Perth, Australia -- 1:00 a.m. AWST (9/13)
Hong Kong -- 1:00 a.m. HKT (9/13)
Seoul, South Korea -- 2:00 a.m. KST (9/13)
Tokyo, Japan -- 2:00 a.m. JST (9/13)
Adelaide, Australia -- 2:30 a.m. (9/13)
Sydney, Australia -- 3:00 a.m. (9/13)
Auckland, New Zealand -- 5:00 a.m. NZST (9/13)
How to Watch Live on Apple TV
On the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, Apple has an Events app that can be downloaded from the tvOS App Store.
Open the App Store.
Use Siri or the Search field to search for "Apple Events."
Select the "Get" button to download the app.
Choose the Events app from the Apple TV home screen.
Prior to 10:00 a.m. on September 12, the Events app will display instructions letting you know to come back at the proper time to watch the live stream. Once the event begins, the app will open right up into a live broadcast straight from Apple Park.
On the older Apple TV models, there's no need to install an Events app because it's a pre-existing channel. Simply select the "Events" option at the proper time to watch Apple's live stream on a second or third-generation Apple TV.
How to Watch Live on Mac, iPad, and iPhone
For those who do not have an Apple TV and would prefer to watch the event on a Mac or iOS device, all you need is the Safari web browser.
Apple has a dedicated Apple Special Event website where the live stream will be hosted. All you need to do is open the link using the Safari browser on a Mac, iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone to watch live when the event begins.
iOS 10 or later is required, as is macOS Sierra or later.
How to Watch on Windows
If you don't have an iOS device or a Mac handy to watch the event, you can do so on a Windows machine by visiting the Apple Special Event website using the Microsoft Edge browser.
Live Twitter Coverage
Apple is planning to provide a live stream of the event on Twitter as well as on the Apple TV and website, so those interested in viewing the stream via the social network can do so.
For MacRumors readers who are not able to watch the event live, we will be offering live coverage of everything Apple announces both here on MacRumors.com and on the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, so make sure to follow us on Twitter and tune in to the website in the morning if you don't want to miss anything.
We'll have extensive coverage of all of the new announcements throughout the week as well, so make sure to keep an eye on the site.
If you want to get a sneak peek at everything Apple plans to announce on Wednesday, make sure to check out our What to Expect article, and for full details on all of the new iPhone features we're expecting to see, visit our dedicated iPhone Xs roundup.
Apple's "Gather round" media event will be kicking off at 10:00 AM Pacific tomorrow, and as is tradition some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Apple has become quicker about making event videos available for replay over the past several years, and videos are now frequently available within an hour of an event's conclusion.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts in the thread about Apple's announcements.
Video Posted: A direct link to the video file is now available, with no spoilers.
