Vizio's SmartCast-compatible TVs are gaining AirPlay 2 and HomeKit integration later this year, and ahead of the official release, Vizio has launched a new beta that will allow Vizio customers to test the functionality with compatible Vizio television sets.
Vizio earlier this week updated its SmartCast app to add AirPlay 2 beta support, and today, the company began emailing customers who signed up for the beta test to let them know that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit are available in a beta capacity.
Signups for Vizio's beta test began back in January, but Vizio TV owners can still sign up to participate through Vizio's Apple webpage.
AirPlay 2 integration will allow iOS and Mac users to stream video content, music, photos, and more to SmartCast-enabled Vizio TVs, and with HomeKit integration, the Home app on iOS or Siri voice commands can be used to control the TV.
Official AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support will be coming to Vizio televisions in the summer. Vizio TVs from 2016 and later will support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit.
The two sets of earbuds have a lot in common, but there are some notable differences that are worth pointing out. Read on for a complete comparison of the second-generation AirPods and the Powerbeats Pro.
The AirPods are made for casual use and feature a one size fits all design with a rounded bulb-like earpiece and a microphone-equipped stem that extends out of the ears. There is no hook or additional mechanism to keep them in the user's ears.
Powerbeats Pro are designed for fitness and have a design similar to prior Powerbeats models with earhooks that fit over the ears to secure them in place along with four ear tips in various sizes for a customizable fit.
Powerbeats Pro are meant to stay in the ears during vigorous activity and Apple apparently tested more than 20 configurations before arriving at a design that fits most people.
Both the Powerbeats Pro and the AirPods come with charging cases, but while the AirPods charging case is small, compact, and around the size of a dental floss container, the Powerbeats Pro charging case is much larger, clamshell-like, and not as pocketable.
Sound Differences and Noise Isolation
Powerbeats Pro use rubber ear tips in four sizes similar to traditional earbuds, which means they are designed to create a tight fit in the ear to isolate ambient noises. There is no feature for allowing ambient noise in, which is something to be aware of if you plan to use these in situations where you need to hear what is going on around you.
AirPods have no similar ambient noise filtering because they are not designed to fit tightly in the ear canal.
Apple says sound was a focus when designing the Powerbeats Pro, with the new earbuds offering powerful, balanced audio with pure sound reproduction, enhanced clarity, and improved dynamic range.
Apple makes no similar claims about the AirPods and instead describes them as having "rich, high-quality sound."
Physical Buttons
You can tap on the AirPods to do things like activate Siri or skip a track, but there are no actual physical buttons.
The Powerbeats Pro are larger with more available surface area, and they feature physical buttons for adjusting the volume, changing the song track, and accepting or declining a call.
There is no off button on the AirPods and there is no off button on the Powerbeats Pro. The Powerbeats Pro come on when taken out of the charging case and turn off when put back in, and will also go into a sleep mode after a period of inactivity to preserve battery life. The AirPods work the same way.
Water Resistance
According to Apple, the Powerbeats Pro are sweat and water resistant with an IPX4 water resistance rating, which means they are certified to hold up to water splashing against the enclosure from any direction, but have the potential to fail when immersed or exposed to jets of water.
With an IPX4 rating, the Powerbeats Pro should be able to survive sweat exposure, but should not be exposed to rain, swimming pools, or other excessive moisture. The AirPods have no specific water resistance rating and should not be exposed to water or sweat, though anecdotal reports suggest they are able to hold up to some moisture.
We did a series of water resistance tests on the Powerbeats Pro and they held up well to both splashes of water and 20 minutes of submersion.
AirPods only come in white, but Powerbeats Pro come in Black, Ivory (an off white shade), Navy, and Moss (an olive green). AirPods also feature a white charging case while all Powerbeats Pro models ship with a black charging case.
Price Difference
Apple's AirPods are priced at $129, while Powerbeats Pro cost $250 – $121 more than the base model of the AirPods.
Processor, Sensors, and Siri Support
The Powerbeats Pro use the same H1 chip from the AirPods for faster connections to your devices, faster switching between devices, lower latency, and support for hands-free "Hey Siri" activation.
As with the AirPods, using "Hey Siri" requires the Powerbeats Pro to be paired with a compatible device like an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
Powerbeats Pro have all of the same sensors and features that are in the AirPods, including ear detection that plays/pauses music when they are removed or inserted.
As with the AirPods, you can use just one Powerbeats Pro earbud or use both at the same time.
Phone Calls
AirPods have a speech-detecting accelerometer and beamforming microphones that filter out external noise when you are making a phone call or a Siri request, and the Powerbeats Pro have the same feature.
The Powerbeats Pro actually have two beamforming microphones on each side to make up for the lack of a stem like the AirPods have. Phone calls on both the AirPods and the Powerbeats Pro are designed to sound crisp and clear. In our testing, the Powerbeats Pro worked well for calls. People had no issues hearing what we were saying, nor were there any issues with disconnects.
We have occasionally run into issues with poor sound quality on the AirPods, with people having a difficult time hearing us, but this is not a problem we have had with the Powerbeats Pro.
Battery Life
Each Powerbeats Pro earbud offers nine hours of listening time, which is a full four hours longer than the AirPods promise. AirPods offer five hours of battery life, but the battery life of both the AirPods and the Powerbeats Pro is extended to over 24 hours with their respective charging cases.
Live Listen
The Powerbeats Pro and the AirPods both support the Live Listen feature for using the earbuds as a directional microphone.
Charging
The AirPods and the AirPods Wireless Charging Case can be charged using either Lightning or Qi-based wireless charging. The Powerbeats Pro case does not feature support for Qi-based wireless charging and must be charged with a Lightning cable.
The Powerbeats Pro have a Fast Fuel feature that adds 1.5 hours of music playback after five minutes of charging and 4.5 hours of playback after 15 minutes of charging.
Apple's AirPods have a similar fast charging feature but it's not quite as good due to the smaller battery, offering three hours of listening time with a 15 minute charge.
Comparison Chart
Here's an at-a-glance comparison chart that gives a quick overview of the differences between the second-generation AirPods and the Powerbeats Pro.
Bottom Line
Apple's second-generation AirPods and Powerbeats Pro earbuds are clearly aimed at different target markets. While the second-generation AirPods are designed for casual listening on a day to day basis, the more costly Powerbeats Pro are designed for vigorous physical activity including sports, workouts, and more.
The AirPods are smaller and more convenient to carry and offer more convenient wireless charging methods, while the Powerbeats Pro offer longer battery life, superior sweat resistance, more color options, sound isolation, and potentially a different sound profile.
Choosing between the second-generation AirPods and Powerbeats Pro will depend on how the AirPods fit in your ears – some people can't get a good fit with the one size fits all design – and your budget. The Powerbeats Pro's earhooks and ear tips in multiple sizes will potentially offer a better fit and will certainly be the better option for people who need earbuds for physical activity.
The new $99.95 battery and charger from Anker is available from the online Apple Store and will be in Apple retail locations at the end of the week.
The PowerCore Fusion is designed to serve as both a power adapter and a battery pack for the iPhone, iPad, and MacBooks. There's a 30W USB-C charger for charging an iPad Pro or a MacBook with a standard USB-C cable, or fast charging an iPhone with a USB-C to Lightning cable.
There's also a 12W USB-A port that can be used to charge iPhones, iPads, and other accessories with traditional USB-A cables.
A plug at the back of the PowerCore Fusion lets it plug into the wall like any traditional power adapter, but there's also an included 5,000mAh battery so it can be used to provide additional power for your iPhone when you're on the go.
According to Apple, the PowerCore Fusion's 5000mAh battery adds approximately 23 extra hours of battery life to the iPhone. When used in battery mode, the plug on the PowerCore Fusion collapses down so its similar in size to a standard USB-C power brick.
You can get the PowerCore Fusion in either black or white, and both versions have Anker's standard battery level ring on the front. If you press it, you'll see LED dots corresponding to the available charge level.
Anker sells other PowerCore Fusion devices on Amazon, but the version Apple is offering is the company's only model that has a USB-C port.
The National Hockey League this week updated its iPhone app with support for CarPlay, providing convenient access to live radio broadcasts of games from a vehicle's dashboard just in time for the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The app has a very simple interface that displays a list of the day's scheduled games and start times. When a game begins, options will become visible to tune in live to the home or away radio broadcasts, with no subscription or account required. The score and time remaining are also shown for games in progress.
This mirrors the experience of the NHL app on iPhone, which has a headphone icon in the top-right corner for accessing radio broadcasts.
That's it, really. At least for now, the CarPlay app does not feature standings, stats, news, or video, which is in the best interest of driver safety. Just like the MLB At Bat app for CarPlay, this is all about the listening experience. The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin next Thursday, April 10.
Thanks to MacRumors reader and New Jersey Devils fan Matt Donders for providing us with the screenshots above.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced three years ago in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 79 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Authentication, Accessibility, Service Workers, Browser Changes, CSS, Web API, and Web Inspector.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was released to the public in September 2018.
Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Apple has offered to spend $9.7 million on new bike and pedestrian-oriented transportation projects in the city of Cupertino, where it has two campuses, reports The Mercury News.
Apple made the offer to city officials last year after hearing of a proposed change to the city's business license tax that would require Apple and other businesses in Cupertino to pay taxes based on the number of people employed.
The city last July agreed to postpone the changes, which would have cost Apple approximately $9 million per year for its 24,000 workers.
Changes to the business tax have been postponed until 2020 to give the city time to work with Apple on providing private funding to cut down on commuter traffic in Cupertino. Apple has been attending regular meetings with Cupertino city staff to come to an agreement.
Five projects are planned: - $4.63 million to fund bikeways along McClellan Road near Lincoln Elementary, Kennedy Middle and Mona Vista High schools. The money would also fund design and construction of two sidewalk improvements and a new signal light at the intersection of McClellan and DeAnza. - $1.2 million for traffic and pedestrian safety improvements near local schools - $1.98 million for planning, design and construction of new bike lanes and pedestrian improvements along Bubb Road - $1.8 million for design and development of the Junipero Serra Trail - $165,000 toward proposed bikeways on Mary Avenue
Cupertino Vice Mayor Liang Chao said that he's disappointed by the funding level proposed by Apple. "When we were considering the tax, the city would have gotten $10 million in ongoing income," he said. He's also concerned that the money is going towards bike and pedestrian projects rather than efforts to relieve vehicle traffic.
On a March 27 letter to the city council, Apple's VP of real estate and facilities Kristina Raspe said that Apple is looking forward to moving forward on construction. "After much work with the City, we have identified several Phase 1 projects that we are happy to financially support and move forward on as quickly as possible," she wrote.
Apple is said to have approached the council with suggestions for bike and pedestrian improvements as the company had a specific interest in funding alternative transportation projects.
The city council will be voting on whether to accept the funding from Apple at a later date. Apple may also be asked to fund a shuttle project that would connect local transportation hubs and major destinations citywide.
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.
Millions of Facebook records were found on publicly accessible Amazon's cloud servers by researchers at UpGuard, a cybersecurity firm, reports Bloomberg. The data was uploaded by third-party companies that work with Facebook.
Mexico City-based media company Cultura Colectiva, for example, was storing 540 million records on Facebook users on Amazon's servers, offering up information that included identification numbers, comments, reactions, and account names.
A now-defunct app called At the Pool shared sensitive data like names and email addresses for 22,000 Facebook users.
Facebook did not leak this data, but it did provide the data to the third-party companies that went on to improperly store it with no oversight from Facebook. For years, Facebook provided extensive customer information to advertisers and partners, and while the company has since cracked down on the amount of data it shares, the previously obtained information is still widely available.
"The public doesn't realize yet that these high-level systems administrators and developers, the people that are custodians of this data, they are being either risky or lazy or cutting corners," said Chris Vickery, director of cyber risk research at UpGuard. "Not enough care is being put into the security side of big data."
Facebook's prior data sharing habits allowed any app on the site to obtain information from the people using the app and their friends in many cases, which led to the scandal that saw Cambridge Analytica illicitly using personal data acquired from Facebook to create targeted political advertisements in the 2016 election.
Facebook has since modified its privacy policies and has cut down on the access that apps have. Facebook has also suspended hundreds of apps and began audits to make sure data isn't being mishandled.
In response to the public Facebook data found by UpGuard, a Facebook spokesperson told Bloomberg that its policies prohibit the storing of Facebook information in a public database, though there is apparently little oversight from Facebook. Facebook did work with Amazon to take down the databases that were sharing data publicly after UpGuard's discovery.
Apple's Beats brand in April 2019 unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds. Like the AirPods, Powerbeats Pro come with a dedicated charging case that offers 24 hour battery life and an H1 chip for fast connectivity to your devices and Hey Siri support.
Our Powerbeats Pro guide has all of the details you need to know about Apple's newest earbuds, which are a highly appealing alternative to the AirPods.
Design and Fit
The Powerbeats Pro feature a design that's similar to prior Powerbeats models, but Apple says they've been entirely overhauled for an ideal wireless fit.
Apple aimed for the best possible fit for most people, testing more than 20 configurations before arriving at the final design. Apple says the Powerbeats Pro use a new "ergonomically angled acoustic housing" that fits comfortably in the concha bowl of the ear.
Apple designed the Powerbeats Pro to be 23 percent smaller and 17 percent lighter than the previous-generation Powerbeats 3 earbuds.
Like prior Powerbeats models, the Powerbeats Pro feature earhooks that fit over the ears to keep them in place. Apple says the earhook is adjustable, and the Powerbeats themselves can be customized with four sizes of ear tips.
The Powerbeats Pro are designed to create a tight fit in the ear to isolate sound, and there's no ambient noise mode, which is something to keep in mind.
Powerbeats Pro come with a clamshell-style charging case that's available in black. Like the AirPods charging case, it uses a magnetic closure to keep your Powerbeats Pro safe when not in use.
Sound
According to Apple, sound was its "highest priority" when developing the Powerbeats Pro. The earbuds were reengineered "from the inside out" to add an upgraded linear piston driver that leverages pressurized airflow to create a "powerful acoustic response" in a small package.
Apple says Powerbeats Pro users will get "incredibly low sound distortion" and "great dynamic range" across the entire frequency curve.
Water Resistance
Apple says the Powerbeats Pro are sweat and water resistant, making them ideal for working out and other fitness activities. Apple told The Verge that the Powerbeats Pro have been engineered to handle "all of your sweat without fail."
Powerbeats Pro have an IPX4 water resistance rating, which means they're certified to hold up to water splashing against the enclosure from any direction, but have the potential to fail when immersed or exposed to jets of water. With an IPX4 rating, the Powerbeats Pro should be able to survive sweat exposure, though heavy rain and immersion should be avoided.
We did a series of water resistance tests and the Powerbeats Pro held up well to splashes of water and 20 minutes of submersion.
Each Powerbeats Pro earbud features nine hours of listening time, which can be extended to more than 24 hours with the included charging case. At nine hours of listening time, the Powerbeats Pro offer a longer battery life than the AirPods 2. Powerbeats Pro provide six hours of talk time, compared to the three hours available via the AirPods.
A Fast Fuel feature lets you get 1.5 hours of music playback after five minutes of charging, and 4.5 hours of playback after 15 minutes of charging.
The Powerbeats Pro come on when taken out of the charging case and power off when they're placed inside. A motion accelerometer is included to detect when the earbuds are idle, putting them into sleep mode to conserve battery life.
The charging case itself does not support wireless charging so you will need to charge it up with a Lightning cable through the included Lightning port.
Physical Buttons
There are physical volume and track controls on each of the Powerbeats Pro earbuds, so you can control volume and skip tracks on the earbuds themselves.
There's also a button for answering and declining incoming phone calls.
Live Listen
The Powerbeats Pro, like the AirPods, support Live Listen feature for using the earbuds as a directional microphone.
Sensors and H1 Chip
The same H1 chip that's in the second-generation AirPods is in the Powerbeats Pro, allowing for fast connections to your devices and faster switching. The H1 chip also enables "Hey Siri" functionality, allowing for hands-free access to Apple's personal assistant.
There are optical sensors in the Powerbeats Pro that allow the earbuds to detect when they're in your ears, playing and pausing music appropriately.
Phone Calls
There's a speech-detecting accelerometer in the Powerbeats Pro, along with two beam-forming microphones on each side that are designed to filter out external sound so incoming phone calls sound crisp and clear. In our testing, the Powerbeats Pro sounded great on calls and people had no issues hearing what we were saying, nor were there disconnects or other issues that we ran into.
Connectivity
Along with an H1 chip for "Hey Siri" support and quick connections to your devices, the Powerbeats Pro use Class 1 Bluetooth technology for extended range and "exceptional cross-body performance."
As with the AirPods, you can use both Powerbeats Pro earbuds at once or choose to use just one.
Powerbeats Pro connect to your iPhone or Mac just like AirPods. Simply open the case to prompt a pairing mode, and Powerbeats Pro will pair automatically with any supported devices signed into your iCloud account. This feature requires an iCloud account and macOS 10.14.4, iOS 12.2, and watchOS 5.2 or later.
Compatibility
Full functionality, such as quick device connections and Hey Siri support will require an iOS device, but Apple says the Powerbeats Pro will also work fine with Android devices.
Colors
The AirPods are only available in white, but Apple made the Powerbeats Pro available in Black, Ivory, Moss, and Navy.
Apple in June 2020 released the Powerbeats Pro in four new colors: Spring Yellow, Cloud Pink, Lava Red, and Glacier Blue. The new Powerbeats Pro are identical to the prior version that came only in Black, Ivory, Moss, and Navy, with the exception of the brighter colors.
Reviews and First Impressions
First impressions and reviews of the Powerbeats Pro have been largely positive, and the new earbuds are getting high praise for their comfort, stability, battery life, and other features.
We tested out the Powerbeats Pro were impressed with the design. The earhooks are light weight and comfortable, and are going to keep the Powerbeats Pro firmly in the ear even during vigorous activity. Multiple tips ensure a good fit, and the sound quality is great for earbuds this size. Even glasses wearers should find the Powerbeats Pro to be comfortable.
All of the AirPods features are here, so these function just like AirPods 2, and while the battery life is excellent, there's a downside - the Powerbeats Pro case is large, bulky, and not as pocketable as the AirPods case, nor does it have wireless charging. On the whole, we think the Powerbeats Pro are worth it for anyone looking for the perfect earbuds for an active lifestyle or those who prefer a more traditional earbud fit.
Reviews from other sites have also been overwhelmingly positive, which is no surprise given how well the AirPods have been received and the fact that these match the feature set of the AirPods.
Pocket-lint highlighted the slimmed down size and weight compared to the previous-generation Powerbeats, and said they're much more comfortable to wear because of the softer angles and contours. The earhook grips the ear but doesn't tug or dig.
As for audio, Pocket-lint found it to be "genuinely great" for an earphone in the $250 price range. "At the low end, very low bass notes like the kick of a bass drum - or low bass guitar notes - were tight and controlled. Similarly, both treble and baritone vocals were clear and dynamic, while songs with plenty of reverb were given space to expand, without ever feeling like one aspect was giving way to the other."
Digital Trends wasn't a fan of the larger charging case, but loved the fit of the Powerbeats Pro. Songs were "clear and potent" with bass that "doesn't cloud the upper registers."
iMore said the Powerbeats Pro are "way more comfortable than AirPods," even after wearing them for five hours straight. Compared to AirPods, the Powerbeats Pro are "massive in size" and while the earhooks are comfortable, they can get caught in longer hair. Sound was clear and "not bass heavy at all," with an overall EQ balance that's impressive.
The fit is strong, zero movement. The standard tips fit me well and provide way better sound isolation than AirPods. Testing them on a long flight today and a bike later. Works fine with sunglasses as well, fwiw. pic.twitter.com/51YfLqxXYm
— Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) May 6, 2019
Very impressed with the Powerbeats Pro so far. Fit is terrific, the sound is an upgrade over the AirPods. People who felt AirPods would fall won’t feel that way. But $80 more. On earbud volume control is helpful. Only dislikes: the physical button vs tapping for controls/no Qi. https://t.co/RrxikIGKhA
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) May 7, 2019
Powerbeats Pro can be purchased from the Apple online store, Apple retail stores, or third-party retailers like Amazon.
Powerbeats Pro 2?
Apple in April 2020 seemed to have quietly refreshed the Powerbeats Pro with a new model, as regulatory documents for a new model with no design changes were shared with the FCC and various regulatory bodies in different countries.
There were rumors suggesting that Apple would launch a second-generation set of Powerbeats Pro based on this documentation, but it instead appears that Apple made a minor internal tweak to the existing design rather than releasing a new model. The new Powerbeats Pro colors released in June 2020 carry the updated model numbers, which explains the Powerbeats Pro 2 rumors.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about the Powerbeats Pro or know of details we've left out? Let us know in the comments or Send us an email here.
Apple's Beats brand today officially announced the new Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones, which, like the AirPods, are wire-free and come with a charging case, but feature up to nine hours of listening time.
The Powerbeats Pro are going to cost $250, and Apple says they are coming in May. According to Apple, the Powerbeats Pro deliver "powerful, balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation for a premium listening experience."
The Powerbeats Pro, like the current Powerbeats, are sweat and water resistant and include the Powerbeats earhooks along with tips in four sizes for keeping them securely in place during workouts.
"Powerbeats Pro is a harmonious blend of premium sound, fit and functionality. Powerbeats are already the #1 fitness headphones in the world and they are now untethered, with all the benefits of the Apple H1 chip," said Luke Wood, president of Beats. "No longer do you have to choose between performance and practicality--it delivers the best on both fronts."
To get an ideal fit for most people, Apple tested more than 20 configurations to arrive at an "ergonomically angled housing" designed to nest "comfortably in the concha bowl of the ear with an off-axis nozzle." Apple says Powerbeats Pro are 23 percent smaller and 17 percent lighter than the Powerbeats 3.
There are physical controls on each earbud, with a dedicated volume buttons for adjusting the volume, and a button for answering and declining phone calls and changing the track that's currently playing. Like the AirPods, the Powerbeats Pro automatically detect when they're in your ears and can play/pause music accordingly.
The Powerbeats Pro come in their own clamshell-style charging case, which adds over 24 hours of combined playback with the nine hours of listening time that you get from each earbud. There's a 5-minute Fast Fuel feature that provides up to 1.5 hours of playback in five minutes.
Apple says the Powerbeats Pro use "Class 1 Bluetooth technology" for extended range and fewer dropouts, and the H1 chip that's in the second-generation AirPods is also in the Powerbeats Pro.
Apple is making the Powerbeats Pro available in four colors: Black, Ivory, Moss, and Navy. The Powerbeats Pro launch in May in US and more than 20 additional countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
Apple has started marketing its Powerbeats Pro earphones ahead of their upcoming release with a pair of ads in Hollywood.
A banner ad and nearby billboard reveal that the Powerbeats Pro will be "totally wireless," as expected, making them the first cord-free Beats earphones like AirPods. A photo of the ad was tipped to 9to5Mac, which earlier uncovered an image of the Powerbeats Pro and their charging case hidden in iOS 12.2 code.
Image Credit: 9to5Mac
CNET was first to report on Apple's plans to release cord-free Powerbeats, which will essentially be fitness-oriented AirPods, ideal for the gym, sports, running, and so forth. The website said the new Powerbeats will launch in April, and Apple's ads in Hollywood apparently confirm they are "coming soon."
It appears the Powerbeats Pro will be available in both black and white, but pricing remains to be seen. AirPods start at $159, while Powerbeats3 Wireless with a cord between each earbud are regularly $199.95 in the United States.
T-Mobile has inked a deal with Viacom that will bring the latter company's stable of TV channels to T-Mobile's upcoming over-the-top streaming service (via TechCrunch). Viacom owns a large variety of popular channels, including Comedy Central, BET, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, CMT, and Paramount Network.
An early mock-up of the T-Mobile live TV streaming service
Under the agreement, T-Mobile will be able to offer live feeds of these channels to its subscribers, as well as on-demand viewing for certain channels. Viacom has deals with a few other live TV streaming services, including DirecTV Now, Philo, and coming soon FuboTV. Viacom also purchased the streaming TV service PlutoTV earlier this year.
This makes Viacom a "cornerstone launch partner" for the upcoming T-Mobile streaming service, according to the company and CEO John Legere.
“Viacom represents the best of the best, most-popular brands on cable, so they are an amazing partner for us,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, in a statement.
“TV programming has never been better, but consumers are fed up with rising costs, hidden fees, lousy customer service, non-stop BS. And Macgyvering together a bunch of subscriptions, apps and dongles isn’t much better. That’s why T-Mobile is on a mission to give consumers a better way to watch what they want, when they want."
T-Mobile first announced its OTT TV service in December 2017, at the time stating that the plan was to launch in 2018 and create a product that would be a "disruptive" solution to rival services. Not much was heard about the service throughout 2018, and then in December the company confirmed that it would delay the service until 2019 because "the project proved much more complex than expected."
There are still very few details about the service, including a specific launch date or the price of its subscription packages. During the original announcement, T-Mobile said that its service will offer solutions to issues like increasing monthly bill costs, confusing bundles, and outdated user interfaces, which are seen on many current live TV streaming platforms.
When it launches, T-Mobile's service will enter a busy streaming TV market, which currently includes DirecTV Now, Hulu with Live TV, PlayStation Vue, Sling TV, YouTube TV, and many more. Companies are even beginning to offer internet streaming bundles that focus on catering to specific audiences, like Philo, which is aimed at viewers not interested in sports channels and offers much cheaper monthly costs.
The price of these services has also begun to go up over the past few months, most notably with DirecTV Now raising the prices of every plan by $10 and making the cheapest entry level plan $50/month (which was $35/month just one year ago). Likewise, FuboTV raised prices last month and hiked its entry level plan to $54.99/month, one of the most expensive entry prices among the major live TV streaming services.
Verizon today announced it has turned on its commercial 5G network, starting in select areas of Minneapolis and Chicago. Verizon had originally targeted an April 11 launch, so the rollout is a week ahead of schedule.
Verizon customers can access the 5G network with the Moto Z3 smartphone paired with the 5G-enabled Moto Mod accessory, providing the "world's first commercial 5G mobile service with a 5G-enabled smartphone." The carrier plans to expand the network to more than 30 cities across the U.S. by the end of 2019.
Verizon says customers in Chicago and Minneapolis should expect typical download speeds of 450 Mbps, with peak speeds of nearly 1 Gbps and latency less than 30 milliseconds. Of course, speeds should improve with future upgrades.
In Chicago, 5G coverage is concentrated in areas of the West Loop and the South Loop, around landmarks like Union Station, Willis Tower, The Art Institute of Chicago, Millennium Park, and The Chicago Theatre, according to Verizon. 5G service is also available at select Verizon stores in the city.
In Minneapolis, service is concentrated in the downtown area, as well as inside and around U.S. Bank Stadium. 5G service is also available around landmarks like the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Minneapolis Central Library, the Mill City Museum, Target Center, The Commons, and areas of Elliot Park.
The Moto Z3 retails for $240, or 24 monthly payments of $10, while the 5G Moto Mod is available for $199.99 for a limited time. Verizon postpaid customers with any unlimited plan, including Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, or Above Unlimited, can get unlimited 5G data for an additional $10 per month.
As for the first 5G-enabled iPhone, UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri recently said there is "increasing potential that Apple may not be able to ship a 5G iPhone for 2020" due to the company's legal battle with chipmaker Qualcomm and the growing possibility that Intel may not have a 5G modem ready to ship by next year.
This week, B&H Photo introduced a new sale focusing on the older models of Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2017. This is the iPad Pro with a Home Button and bezels, prior to the major design update seen on the lineup in 2018.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Now, these 2017 models have hit their lowest-ever prices thanks to B&H Photo's new sale, which discounts the iPad Pros by as much as $480 in both Wi-Fi Only and Wi-Fi + 4G LTE configurations. There are multiple colors and storage capacities discounted as well, so be sure to check out every iPad Pro on sale today in the list below.
If you're looking for a smaller screen iPad, also remember that Amazon has the Wi-Fi 9.7-inch iPad from 2018 for just $329.00 this week, down from $429.00 ($100 off). Cellular models are also on sale for $80 off, and you can get all three colors in either configuration: Gold, Silver, or Space Gray.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to check out more information on the latest sales happening this week.
Ahead of the annual NAB media show, which kicks off on April 6, Adobe is launching its traditional spring update with new updates for Creative Cloud apps including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Character Animator.
As always, Adobe's updates bring performance improvements, new features, and improved efficiency for its video and audio tools.
In After Effects, there's a new Content-Aware Fill feature for video, which is a neat option that works just like Content-Aware Fill in Photoshop. You can select an object that you want to remove in a video and use Content-Aware Fill, powered by Adobe Sensei, to remove it.
Using Content-Aware Fill, you can remove logos, shadows, mics, and other objects from videos.
There's a new Freeform Project panel in Premiere Pro that's designed to allow you to arrange your video clips into select shots so you can build out and visualize a project to come up with new ideas.
Aligning text and graphics in Premiere Pro is easier through Rulers and Guides, and Guide Templates can be shared between After Effects and Premiere Pro.
Premiere Pro is also gaining Faster Mark Tracking, which Adobe says will bring more efficient color and effects workflows. Encoding for H.264 and HEVC has been improved for smoother playback in both Premiere Pro and After Effects.
For advanced users, After Effects has a new Expressions Editor for navigating through code visually with features that include syntax highlighting, line numbers, matching brace highlighting, and code folding.
Audition includes new Punch and Roll recording to punch in replacement audio while continuing to record a performance and Auto Ducking detects speech automatically to adjust the volume of ambient sounds below dialog, music, and sound effects.
Character Animator features better puppet rigging to give more personality to characters and there are new Twitch live-streaming triggers for Character Animator to let streamers enhance livestream performances by allowing viewers to engage with characters using real-time costume changes, dance moves, gestures, and poses.
There are additional features available in Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Character Animator, which are outlined on the Adobe website.
All of Adobe's Creative Cloud updates will be available starting today, with additional information on what's new available on Adobe's site. Adobe's full Creative Cloud plans, which cover the complete range of Adobe CC software, start at $52.99 per month.
iFixit today shared a teardown of the resurrected iPad Air, confirming specs and providing some additional details about the component parts of Apple's new middle-tier tablet, which is compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil.
The iPad Air is identical in size and thickness to the 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and just a bit lighter weight. iFixit notes that outwardly, the only design differences include a new, darker Space Gray color, the absence of a camera bump, and two speakers compared to the iPad Pro's four. The new model number is A2152.
Opening the iPad Air up reveals an internal layout and central logic board similar to Apple's 2017 iPad Pro range. The dual-celled 30.8 Wh battery is a little bigger than the 30.2 Wh Apple advertises on its site, and a provides a step up from the 27.6 Wh battery in the 2014 iPad Air 2. Battery life is advertised as up to 10 hours.
Meanwhile, Apple's A12 Bionic processor is layered over 3GB of RAM, and iFixit confirms the rear camera remains at 8 megapixels.
Otherwise, as iFixit notes, the size is similar, the Pencil support is similar, and the chips are similar to the old 10.5-inch iPad Pro. However, the Air lacks the latter's ProMotion 120 Hz technology that's now exclusive to the 2018 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. ProMotion automatically adjusts the display to the movement of the content, for fluid scrolling, greater responsiveness and smoother motion.
The new iPad Air is harder to take apart than the late 10.5-inch iPad Pro, since it lacks the latter's stretch-release adhesive pull tabs and includes extra adhesive near the top of the screen. As such, iFixit gives the new iPad Air a 2/10 for repairability, the same score the new iPad mini earned in yesterday's teardown.
Japan Display will supply the OLED screens for this year's new Apple Watch model, according to a new Reuters report out today.
Japan Display Inc will begin to supply organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens for the Apple Watch later this year, two sources said, a breakthrough for the cash-strapped company whose late shift to OLED has cost it orders from Apple.
The supply deal would mark Japan Display’s foray into the OLED display market, the two sources familiar with the matter said, declining to be identified because they are not authorized to speak to the media.
The development comes as particularly good news for the liquid crystal display panel supplier, which relied on Apple for more than half of its revenue in the year ended March 2018, and whose mainstay LCD business has been hit heavily by Apple's recent shift away from LCD.
There have been reports of less-than-stellar sales of iPhone XR, which uses LCD. It's also rumored that Apple could drop LCD displays for its 2020 iPhones in favor of an all-OLED line-up. As a result, Japan Display has been seeking investor help that will put it on firmer ground before the switch takes place.
Reuters reported on Monday that Japan Display aims to raise as much as $990 million in new financing as early as this week.
Apple has been working to bolster its OLED display supply chain cut down its reliance on Samsung, which supplies displays for the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. It has reportedly pushed LG Display to build out its OLED display production facilities, and has even purchased equipment to build an OLED panel research and development site in Taiwan.
Today's report offers little clue as to what the switch to Japan Display OLED screens could mean for the next Apple Watch, save for a note that newer OLED technology is generally thinner and allows more flexibility than LCD screens. For the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple upgraded the display panel to a larger LTPO (Low Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) OLED Retina Display, which means it is more efficient and consumes less power for better battery life.
According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple Watch Series 5, coming in September 2019, will feature a new ceramic casing design, suggesting a possible return of the Apple Watch Edition.
Other rumors suggest a future version of the Apple Watch will adopt solid state buttons that don't physically click but instead provide haptic feedback to users when the buttons are touched. Apple introduced haptic feedback for the Digital Crown in the Series 4, and haptic feedback could potentially extend to the side button.
Apple this afternoon shared a humorous new video on its YouTube channel focusing on using Apple products at work.
The spot kicks off with a design team that has just a few days to come up with a round pizza box prototype for an important meeting, which they manage to pull off using Apple's iPhones, iPads, and laptops. The round pizza box in the video is the actual pizza box patented by Apple and used at the Caffé Macs cafeteria for Apple employees in Cupertino.
Features shown off include Continuity Camera for scanning a document from an iPhone right to a Mac, Group FaceTime, Hey Siri, AirDrop, iPad multitasking, and more.
The Apple Pencil is used for design purposes, as are the iWork apps on Macs and Microsoft's suite of apps. The video ends with the tagline "This is Apple at work," and the description links to Apple's business site with more information on the apps and services in the video.
Apple products help employees work more simply and productively, solve problems creatively, and collaborate with a shared purpose. And they're all designed to work together beautifully. When people have the power to work the way they want, with the tools they love, they can do their best work and change the future of their business.
Apple has shared multiple iPad Pro videos in the past, but this is the first iPad and Mac focused video that's been aimed at Apple's enterprise customers.
Upwards of 200,000 iPhone, iPad, and Mac users signed up for an Apple News+ subscription following the service's March 25 launch, reports The New York Times.
The number comes from two unnamed sources who provided the figures to The New York Times and asked not to be named.
That's more than Texture, the service Apple News+ was based on, had during its peak. Apple purchased Texture in 2018 and is shutting it down at the end of May now that Apple News+ has launched.
Apple News+ provides access to more than 200 magazines as well as paywalled news from The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and a few other news publications.
Apple is going to be charging $9.99 per month for Apple News+, but those who subscribed following the event have a 30-day free trial. There are still more than three weeks before customers will be charged, and many may be planning to cancel ahead of when the trial expires.
It's still not clear how popular Apple News+ will be once that trial period runs out, but many magazines are hoping for the best. Pamela Wassserstein, CEO of New York Media, said that she felt Apple News+ would allow New York magazine, The Cut, and Vulture to reach a "new audience" in an environment that "feels right."
Apple takes 50 percent of the subscription price from Apple News+, and will be providing the rest to its publishing partners. Media companies will receive an amount based on the amount of time readers are devoting to their content.
This revenue split has been controversial and while many magazines have signed up because Texture worked in a similar way, Apple has been unable to woo major newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Apple today 
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