MacRumors

As noted by customers on Reddit and Twitter, and on the blog iPhone in Canada, Apple has begun charging sales tax on the purchases of TV shows, movies, music, and audiobooks in iTunes and Apple Music subscriptions in Canada.

itunes affiliates
The change went into effect January 1, 2019, with GST, HST, PST, and/or QST collected depending on the province or territory.

In a statement issued to MacRumors, Apple said the tax collection is due to "recent changes in Canadian legislation" and the growth of Apple's business around the world, including Canada, where it has operated for nearly four decades:

As the world's largest taxpayer, we respect the important role taxes play in society. Due to recent changes in Canadian legislation and the growth of our business, sales tax will now be charged on purchases of TV, movies, music and audiobooks. Apple has been operating in Canada for 38 years and we are proud to deliver the best products and services in the world to our customers here.

Apple was already charging sales tax on the purchase of apps and select other digital items in Canada prior to January 1.

Tags: Canada, iTunes
Related Forum: Mac Apps

The annual Consumer Electronics Show starts this week, with thousands of companies overtaking Las Vegas, Nevada to show off their latest technology products. The Show officially starts on Tuesday, January 8, but as usual, there was a CES Unveiled event on Sunday to allow members of the media a little preview of what's to come.

MacRumors attended CES Unveiled, and we rounded up some of the most interesting things that we came across at the event, along with a little bit of bonus coverage from Samsung's First Look event.


As usual, there were plenty of kooky, futuristic tech devices being shown off at the event, and while not all are Apple-related, it's definitely interesting to see what's new in the tech industry.

The Artemis Mirror, for example, runs a unique health-based CareOS platform that delivers a whole range of wellness and beauty features. It offers up eye tests, stretching exercises, virtual try-on for beauty products, AR tutorials for hair styles and makeup techniques, teleconferencing options, an air quality tracker, 360 degree video capture, support for voice commands, and more.

An Ovis suitcase, meanwhile, is a suitcase that's designed to follow you through the airport so you don't need to drag it along. It looks like a normal suitcase, but it's outfitted with a host of sensors and cameras to allow it to avoid obstacles and people.

LG was on hand to show off a new microbrew machine that offers up capsules for beer on demand, sort of like a Keurig for beer. Of more interest to Apple users might be LG's ultralight $1700 17-inch Gram laptop, which offers a 17-inch display in an ultralight package. Apple used to offer a 17-inch notebook option, but has phased it out in favor of smaller 15-inch displays. LG's Gram weighs just 2.9 pounds despite that huge display.

Also of interest was a huge bread machine that can churn out loaves by the dozen. It's not for home use, of course, being aimed at restaurants, but it's neat to see in action.

Sphero was on hand too, showing off its new Sphero Specdrums, which you can purchase right now starting at $64.99. You put a Specdrum on your finger and then you can use it to tap on colors to turn them into music. Specdrums work with an included color board from Sphero, but you can also use them with any kind of colored object to make different sounds.

At its Sunday event, Samsung was showing off some of what it plans to debut at CES 2019, with a full media event scheduled for Monday afternoon. Samsung had its 4K 75-inch modular microLED TV on display, which was amazing, along with the full Samsung Wall that we saw last year.

Samsung Wall is a display that, as the name suggests, takes up an entire wall, but this year it features new functionality like customization options and a mode that emulates an entertainment system.

We also got to see Samsung's new Space Monitor in action, which is really quite neat. The Space Monitor, which is available in 4K, uses an arm clamp to attach to the back of a desk, freeing up valuable working space. When not in use, the display folds back against a wall. It comes in 27 and 32 inches, with the 32 inch model offering a 4K resolution.

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors this week for all of our ongoing CES coverage, because there's a lot more to come. We'll be highlighting all of the new products and accessories relevant to Apple users, and we'll also have more videos from each of the major shows. To check out our coverage so far, take a look at our CES 2019 hub.

Resideo today at CES 2019 introduced its latest Honeywell Home smart thermostats, the T9 and T10 Pro.

honeywell homekit t9 t10 pro
The latest T-series thermostats feature wireless sensors that measure temperature and humidity on a room-by-room basis. The thermostats will be compatible with HomeKit later this year, according to an Apple spokesperson, allowing them to be controlled in the Home app on iOS and macOS and with Siri.

The smart room sensors offer a few other features, including people detection that ensures occupied rooms are at a desirable temperature, and a 200-foot range to help deliver whole-home comfort, according to Resideo.

honeywell t9 t10 pro homekit
The T9 and T10 Pro offer simple scheduling, geofencing, and compatibility with demand response programs that may qualify for utility rebates in select regions. With the companion Honeywell Home app on iOS, homeowners can set temperatures per room, switch which room is prioritized, receive temperature alerts, and more.

The T9 can "configure itself with its wire-sensing technology and includes a C-wire adapter, making do-it-yourself installation very simple," while the T10 Pro requires professional installation due to its humidity and ventilation controls.


Resideo says the new T-series thermostats will be available in North America "this spring." At launch, the thermostats will integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Resideo's press release does not mention HomeKit support, but an Apple spokesperson confirmed the platform will be supported "later this year."

The T9 with one sensor will be available at major U.S. retailers nationwide and at HoneywellHome.com for a suggested price of $199.99. The T10 Pro will be available via professional heating and cooling contractors. Additional smart room sensors can be purchased in a package of two for $79.99.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.3 update to developers and public beta testers, three weeks after releasing the second beta and a month after the launch of macOS Mojave 10.14.2.

The new macOS Mojave 10.14.3 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center or through the public beta testing program.

macbookairmojave
We don't yet know what improvements the next update to macOS Mojave will bring, but it is likely to include bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the macOS 10.14.2 update.

No new features were found in the first two betas of macOS 10.14.3, but if we find anything new in the third beta, we'll update this post.

Related Forum: macOS Mojave

Kwikset today at CES 2019 announced that its HomeKit-enabled Premis smart door lock will be available in a new contemporary style with sleek, square lines later this year in the United States. While pricing was not disclosed, the current Premis is available for $229 regularly in the United States.

kwikset mighton homekit locks

Kwikset Premis in new contemporary style on left, Mighton Avia on right

Premis enables homeowners to unlock and lock a door in four different ways: using the Home app on iOS, using Siri voice commands, entering a passcode on the touchpad, or the old fashioned route of using a key. And with a HomePod, Apple TV, or iPad set up as a home hub, the lock can be controlled away from home too.

Premis can also be added to HomeKit scenes. When you arrive home, for example, you could say "I'm home" to Siri and the deadbolt will unlock, perhaps alongside your lights turning on and your bedroom blinds lowering for the evening.

Homeowners can assign up to 30 customizable user codes to guests for use when the homeowner isn't present using the companion Kwikset Premis app for iOS, which also lets users manage those user codes, view lock activity, track lock status, receive lock notifications, and more. The app is free on the App Store.

In related news, Mighton has introduced Avia, a HomeKit-enabled smart lock that works on multipoint locking doors. The lock will be available in May 2019, according to Apple, which provided MacRumors with a summary of recently announced HomeKit-compatible accessories timed for CES 2019. Pricing was not disclosed.

A variety of other HomeKit-enabled door locks are available, including the Schlage Sense, August Smart Lock Pro, and Yale Assure.

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