TBWA\MAL, Apple’s longtime advertising agency partner, has made two major leadership changes, reports Adweek.
Geoff Edwards and Chuck Monn are both now creative directors at MAL's LA headquarters, working under chief creative officer Brent Anderson.
Edwards is going to be overseeing ad creation for Apple's services, such as Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple Pay, while Monn will work on iPhone-related content. In a statement, Edwards, who is new to TBWA, called Apple the "best brand in the world."
"When you get a call from Brent Anderson to work on the best brand in the world, in the house that Lee Clow and Steve Jobs built, the decision is easy."
Edwards previously worked at R/GA on advertisements for companies like Nike, Disney, and Pepsi, while Monn has spent the past 20 years at TBWA working on campaigns promoting Mac, iPhone, and iPad, including the recent "Behind the Mac" series.
Throwboy makes a variety of Apple-themed pillows, including the Iconic Pillow Collection, which started out as a Kickstarter but is now available from the Throwboy website.
There are five pillows in the Iconic Pillow Collection, which have been designed to look like some of the most important products Apple has released over the years, including the Apple II, the original Macintosh, the iMac G3, the iPod, and the iPhone.
All of the pillows are made from a soft plush material with a short pile, though displays and other accents are often made of felt or are embroidered on. The fabric is fuzzy and fun to touch and hold, and the stuffing inside is pliable with just the right amount of plushy give when squeezed.
The pillows are all priced at $39.99, but come in different sizes. The Macs, for example, are a good deal larger in volume than the iPhone and the iPad and take up more space. Given the size differences I'm surprised the pillows all have the same price point, especially because some of the Macs are also more detailed just due to the greater number of components that needed to be replicated.
Throwboy's iPhone pillow is modeled after the original iPhone, which was released in 2007. That iPhone featured a silver body, and so the body of the pillow is made from a silver-gray material. The top and the bottom bezels are constructed from the same plush material in black, while the screen is a slightly different material with a different shade of black to make it stand out.
I think the iPhone pillow would stand out more with icons on the display, but obviously that's a lot more embroidery, so this simpler version works, though it's less visually impressive than some of the others just because of all the black. There's an embroidered Home button, the volume button rocker on the side, power button, a mute switch, speaker and microphone, and a round camera cutout at the back.
It's faithful to the design of the original iPhone and it's going to be recognizable as an iPhone. The iPhone is the smallest of all the pillows (13 x 7 x 3 inches), so if you're aiming for an Apple pillow that doesn't take up a lot of space, this is the one to get.
Apple shipped an estimated 12.8 million wearable devices globally in the first calendar quarter of 2019, according to new data shared today by IDC. The wearables category includes Apple Watch, AirPods, and select Beats headphones.
Apple earned 25.8 percent market share during the quarter, making it the top wearables company, and growth was way up. In Q1 2018, Apple shipped an estimated 8.6 million devices, marking 49.5 percent growth year-over-year.
Chinese companies Xiaomi and Huawei were Apple's closest competitors with 6.6 and 5 million devices shipped, respectively, while Samsung and Fitbit took the fourth and fifth places with 4.3 and 2.9 million devices shipped, respectively.
In total, there were 49.6 million wearable devices shipped during the first quarter of 2019, up 55.2 percent from the first quarter of 2018.
Splitting the data up by wrist-worn devices only, IDC believes Apple shipped an estimated 4.6 million devices, up from 4 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple was not the top company when it comes to wrist-worn wearables, with that spot going to Xiaomi.
Xiaomi shipped an estimated 5.3 million wrist-worn wearable devices for 10.7 percent market share, slightly higher than Apple's 9.3 percent market share.
Huawei, Fitbit, and Samsung all trailed after Xiaomi and Apple, shipping 3.9, 2.9, and 2 million devices respectively during the first quarter of 2019. According to IDC, Apple's ASP for the Apple Watch jumped from $426 in Q1 2018 to $455 in Q1 2019.
Apple maintained the leading position as the company offers three product lines; Apple Watch, AirPods, and select Beats headphones. The Apple Watch in particular has proven to be highly successful at capturing unit share, but more importantly dollar share as the average selling price (ASP) of these watches has increased from $426 in 1Q18 to $455 in the latest quarter. Apple also seems to be employing a similar strategy in its wireless headphone lineup as the latest AirPods are now available with wireless charging and an increased ASP.
Apple has refreshed its Apple Watch every year since the device was introduced in 2015. In 2018, the Apple Watch Series 4 brought new ECG health features and an updated design with slimmer bezels. In 2019, rumors suggest we could see new casing materials and perhaps new display technology.
Amazon is discounting Apple's Smart Keyboard for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air by 50 percent. This means you can get the accessory for $79.50, a new all-time low price for the 10.5-inch version of the Smart Keyboard.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The Smart Keyboard connects to the iPad's Smart Connector port, providing a physical QWERTY keyboard to the touchscreen tablet and making it easier to type in apps like Notes and Messages. When folded, the accessory also acts as a protection for the iPad's display.
Although this accessory is aimed at the old 10.5-inch iPad Pro, it also fits the newer 10.5-inch iPad Air that Apple launched in March 2019. If you're looking for more sales and discounts going on this week, check out our Deals Roundup.
Sprint today announced the initial launch of its mobile 5G network, bringing 5G connectivity to Sprint customers in areas of Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Kansas City.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Sprint expects to expand 5G availability to areas of Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington D.C.
At the foundation of Sprint 5G is Massive MIMO, a breakthrough technology that dramatically improves network capacity. Sprint is using 64T64R (64 transmitters 64 receivers) 5G Massive MIMO radios from Ericsson in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City. These radios support split-mode, enabling Sprint to simultaneously deliver LTE Advanced and 5G NR service. Sprint's 5G Massive MIMO radios run on its 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum, and they are deployed on Sprint's existing 4G cell sites, providing a nearly identical footprint for both 2.5 GHz LTE and 5G NR coverage.
Early 5G networks are limited in scope and are available in small areas in the above listed cities, with residents of those areas able to check out the Sprint press release for specific data on where 5G will be available.
The type of 5G network that Sprint is rolling out uses millimeter wave spectrum, which offers blazing fast data transfer speeds but is sensitive to interference and limited in range, making it best suited to use in urban areas because it can't cover wide swathes of land.
In rural and suburban areas, U.S. carriers, including Sprint, will roll out 5G networks on mid-bands and low-bands, aka sub-6GHz 5G. T-Mobile, the company Sprint is hoping to merge with, is focusing heavily on this more widespread connectivity.
Non mmWave 5G technology won't be as fast as the speeds possible with mmWave, but it will bring improvements over current 4G LTE networks. Sprint says its mmWave 5G technology is 10 times faster than LTE.
Sprint is, in the future, aiming to expand its 5G network through its merger with T-Mobile, though there are concerns that it won't be approved. A recent report suggests the United States Justice Department wants to require T-Mobile and Sprint to "lay the groundwork" for a new wireless carrier (to create a fourth competitor) as a condition for the government allowing the merger to proceed.
Connecting to a 5G network requires a smartphone that supports 5G, and there are few on the market at the current time. Options include the LG ThinQ 5G and the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G.
There are no iPhones that are able to connect to 5G networks at the current time, and Apple is not expected to release a 5G device until 2020. Rumors suggest 2020 iPhones will feature 5G chips from Qualcomm, following the resolution of the legal woes between Qualcomm and Apple along with Intel's decision to drop out of the 5G chip market.
Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off next week at the San Jose Convention Center, and ahead of the festivities, Apple has shared a press release that highlights two of the over 5,000 people who will be attending this year.
Erika Hairston, left, at Apple Entrepreneur Camp
The first is Erika Hairston, a 23-year-old Yale grad working in San Francisco who recently launched her first app named Zimela to promote diversity in tech. The second is David Niemeijer, a 50-year-old from Amsterdam who founded AssistiveWare, a company that designs communication aids for people with disabilities.
Hairston designed Zimela to help underrepresented groups enter tech by establishing mentorships and making users aware of career placement opportunities, like internships, according to Apple. She also recently completed the Apple Entrepreneur Camp for app-driven businesses that are owned or led by women.
Niemeijer designed a virtual keyboard that could be controlled using a mouse alternative that eventually became the program KeyStrokes. In 2001, a KeyStrokes user emailed Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs to ask if KeyStrokes could be integrated into macOS, kicking off a nearly two-decade relationship with Apple.
David Niemeijer
Apple is set to host WWDC 2019's opening keynote on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where it is widely expected to unveil iOS 13, macOS 10.15, watchOS 6, tvOS 13, and more. MacRumors will have full coverage of the event as it unfolds.
A video of a smoking MacBook Pro is gaining attention on Twitter and Reddit after being shared by a DJ known as White Panda, who claims that the notebook suddenly "exploded and burst into flames" on Tuesday during normal use. The cause is unconfirmed, but a failed lithium-ion battery is likely to blame.
The backstory:
Yesterday afternoon my MacBook Pro exploded during normal use. It was on my lap, plugged in, and suddenly started to spew smoke out both sides. I quickly placed it on the floor where it popped, the smoke increased, and it caught fire. Toxic smelling smoke filled my house triggering smoke and CO alarms. No one was injured, thankfully, but there was some damage to my home.
The MacBook Pro is a 2015 model with a 15-inch Retina display, according to White Panda. Two repairs to the MacBook Pro's display and trackpad were completed by Apple under warranty during its lifetime, but the notebook has never had any third-party repairs and has no aftermarket parts, he says.
While the MacBook Pro was allegedly charging when the incident occurred, it is unclear if an Apple power adapter or aftermarket charger was used. (Update: White Panda has since said he was using an Apple power adapter.)
After allowing the MacBook Pro to cool down for roughly an hour, White Panda says he took the notebook to an Apple Store, where employees allegedly placed it in a fireproof safe for 24 hours as a mandatory safety precaution.
Apple has since "escalated" the matter and said it would be in touch within five days, according to the DJ. Apple has yet to respond to our request for comment, but the MacBook Pro will likely be sent to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino to be investigated by its product engineers, as is typical in these situations.
While unfortunate and dangerous, this is an isolated incident. The reality is that Apple produces millions of lithium-ion batteries, and while they are typically safe, a very small percentage may experience failure.
We'll update this article if we hear back from Apple or learn any additional details.
Lexus today announced that CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard features in its new 2020 Lexus RX in the United States, marking the first time that either software platform is available in the luxury crossover SUV.
CarPlay and Android Auto will be accessible through an 8-inch touchscreen display that is standard in all models of the 2020 Lexus RX. A larger 12.3-inch split-screen touchscreen is available as an upgrade option. CarPlay appears to be wired, so the iPhone will have to be connected with a Lightning to USB cable.
The new RX will enter production in the third quarter of 2019, according to Lexus. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.
CarPlay provides convenient access to frequently used iPhone apps such as Phone, Messages, Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, Apple Music, and Spotify directly from the dashboard. The platform was introduced in 2014 and is now available in over 500 vehicle models in the United States, according to Apple.
Apple is working closely with London's transport network (TfL) to enable Apple Pay Express Transit, a feature which allows riders to pay their fare without needing to wake or unlock their device, or authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
"We are having positive discussions with Apple about enabling express transit on Apple devices on the TfL network," a TfL spokesperson said in a statement given to The Verge. "More information about timing and plans will be available at a future date."
TfL's Twitter account also noted that the company is "working closely with Apple to allow the benefits of this update to be introduced on London’s transport network in the coming months."
Users of London's transport network can already use Apple Pay for ride purchases at Oyster terminals and gates, but they must first authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode. Express Transit would change all that with its tap-and-go system, speeding up entry into subway and train stations in the process.
Apple Pay's Express Transit mode can be used on iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, or iPhone 6s Plus or later, and Apple Watch Series 1 and 2 or later. Owners of iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR can also use Express Transit in power reserve mode, which is available for up to five hours when an iPhone needs to be charged.
Apple introduced Express Transit in iOS 12.3, which was released earlier this month. London would join a handful of cities with transit systems that support the express Apple Pay feature, including Beijing, Shanghai, Portland, and New York City (from Friday). Express Transit also works for Suica cards in Japan.
Apple and other tech giants have joined civil society groups and security experts in condemning proposals from Britain's cybersecurity agency that would enable law enforcement to access end-to-end encrypted messages (via CNBC).
British Government's Communications HQ in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
In an open letter to the U.K.'s GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters), 47 signatories including Apple, Google and WhatsApp urged the U.K. eavesdropping agency to ditch plans for its so-called "ghost protocol," which would require encrypted messaging services to direct a message to a third recipient, at the same time as sending it to its intended user.
Ian Levy, the technical director of Britain's National Cyber Security Centre, and Crispin Robinson, GCHQ's head of cryptanalysis, published details of the proposal in November 2018. In the essay, Levy and Robinson claimed the system would enable law enforcement to access the content of encrypted messages without breaking the encryption.
The officials argued it would be "relatively easy for a service provider to silently add a law enforcement participant to a group chat or call," and claimed this would be "no more intrusive than the virtual crocodile clips," which are currently used in wiretaps of non-encrypted chat and call apps.
Signatories of the letter opposing the plan argued that the proposal required two changes to existing communications systems that were a "serious threat" to digital security and fundamental human rights, and would undermine user trust.
"First, it would require service providers to surreptitiously inject a new public key into a conversation in response to a government demand. This would turn a two-way conversation into a group chat where the government is the additional participant, or add a secret government participant to an existing group chat.
"Second, in order to ensure the government is added to the conversation in secret, GCHQ's proposal would require messaging apps, service providers, and operating systems to change their software so that it would 1) change the encryption schemes used, and/or 2) mislead users by suppressing the notifications that routinely appear when a new communicant joins a chat.
"The overwhelming majority of users rely on their confidence in reputable providers to perform authentication functions and verify that the participants in a conversation are the people they think they are, and only those people. The GCHQ's ghost proposal completely undermines this trust relationship and the authentication process."
Apple's strong stance against weakened device protections for the sake of law enforcement access was highlighted in the 2016 Apple vs. FBI conflict that saw Apple refuse to create a backdoor access solution to allow the FBI to crack the iPhone 5c owned by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook.
Responding to the open letter, which was first sent to GCHQ on May 22, the National Cyber Security Centre's Ian Levy told CNBC: "We welcome this response to our request for thoughts on exceptional access to data — for example to stop terrorists. The hypothetical proposal was always intended as a starting point for discussion."
"We will continue to engage with interested parties and look forward to having an open discussion to reach the best solutions possible," Levy said.
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.
Brydge, known for its line of keyboards for the iPad, recently debuted its newest keyboard, an updated model designed for Apple's 2018 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models. The new Brydge Pro has been highly anticipated by iPad owners who have used Brydge keyboards in the past and prefer the bulk-free Brydge keyboard style.
I've teamed up with MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera to review the Brydge Pro, so make sure to check out his hands-on video below to get a visual overview of the keyboard and read on for my own review.
If you're familiar with Brydge keyboards, the Bluetooth-enabled Brydge Pro features the same general design as past Brydge options. It is the least bulky of the third-party keyboards for the new iPad Pro models that I've used, and it's my favorite third-party keyboard design by far.
There are two rubber-lined hinged clips on the keyboard that your iPad Pro fits into, which hold it securely in place and mimic a MacBook setup. The clips move forwards and backwards so you can fold it up just like you would a laptop (and when you close it, there are little rubber nubs to prevent the keys from touching the display). Because of the rubber lining, the iPad Pro is secure and stable in the Brydge Pro, but I have noticed that the weight of the iPad Pro can cause to it flip backwards a bit when I pick it up using the keyboard portion.
The hinges are tighter than a MacBook hinge, but it's still easy to open and close the keyboard and the iPad, and when you close it up, the iPad's screen turns off. With the clips, there's an adjustable 180 degree viewing angle, which is nice because it lets you position the iPad at whatever angle works best for you regardless of whether you're typing on a flat surface like a desk or in your lap. On a desk, there are rubber feet at the bottom to keep it in place, which is a nice addition.
You can only rotate the clips a limited amount, so if you want to use your iPad in portrait mode, you're going to need to take it out of the keyboard, which is a bit of a hassle. There's no option to just fold it back, though I guess you could use it book style. You can pull the iPad out and stick it back in backwards to use the keyboard in tablet mode (folded back) or movie mode (no keyboard visible but iPad propped up) but it's a hassle to have to take it out and put it in the clips.
Brydge Pro tablet view
This isn't a traditional folio style case, but there is a magnetic back cover that's similar to a Smart Cover in both thickness and design. It's meant to protect the back of the iPad when the keyboard is attached, and there are cutouts for the portion of the Brydge Pro that holds the iPad in place. Since this cover isn't blocking the side of the iPad Pro, you can still attach and charge your Apple Pencil 2.
Flipboard today emailed Flipboard users to let them know about a security breach that saw usernames, email addresses, and protected passwords accessed by hackers.
Between June 2, 2018 and April 22, 2019, there was "unauthorized access" to Flipboard databases that leaked account information. Flipboard says the hackers "potentially obtained copies" of some databases, and has not yet shared details on how many accounts were compromised.
Databases included Flipboard usernames, names, email addresses, and passwords, but the passwords were salted and hashed, which means they weren't stored in plaintext and would be difficult to crack.
Also included were digital tokens used to connect Flipboard to third party services like Twitter or Facebook, if users had indeed connected their Flipboard accounts to their social media networks.
Flipboard is resetting all user passwords and replacing or deleting all digital tokens. If you connected Flipboard to Facebook or Twitter, you will need to reconnect your accounts.
Flipboard says that to prevent something like this from happening again, it has implemented "enhanced security measures." Law enforcement officials have also been notified.
The company recommends that users who use the same username and password for Flipboard that they use for other accounts change their passwords for other services as a precautionary measure.
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 83 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Storage Access API, Rendering, Service Workers, CSS, WebRTC, WebDriver, 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.
Accessory maker Mophie today announced a new line of Powerstation battery packs with multiple charging ports, including a USB-C port with both input and output functionality, meaning that it can be used to both charge the battery pack itself and charge connected devices like an iPhone or iPad.
In addition to USB-C, the battery packs have either one or two USB-A ports depending on the model for charging multiple devices simultaneously. Each has a fabric design with an LED indicator for charging status and battery life.
The new 2019 line is available in multiple capacities and colors as follows:
Powerstation mini: 5,000mAh. One USB-C and one USB-A port. Available for $39.95 in Black, Gray, Navy, Hot Pink, and Light Blue.
Powerstation: 10,000mAh. One USB-C and one USB-A port. Available for $49.95 in Black, Gray, Navy, and Pink.
Powerstation XL: 15,000mAh. One USB-C and two USB-A ports. Available for $59.95 in Black and Gray.
Powerstation XXL: 20,000mAh. One USB-C and two USB-A ports. Available for $69.95 in Black.
The battery packs are available now on Mophie.com and will be available at Best Buy, Verizon, and T-Mobile retail stores across the United States.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Mophie. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Microsoft today announced that the Excel app for iOS is gaining the Insert Data from Picture feature that was previously made available on Android devices.
Insert Data from Picture lets you take a photo of data in a table format and convert it to a digital format in Excel. You can capture financial spreadsheets, work schedules, task lists, time tables, and more, so long as it's in a table format to begin with.
According to Microsoft, Insert Data from Picture combines optical character recognition technology, layout understanding techniques, and machine learning to convert information written on paper into digital data.
As of today, the Insert Data from Picture feature also supports 21 languages on both iOS and Android.
The Excel iOS app from Microsoft can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple is widely expected to unveil the next major version of macOS at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week, and rumors suggest that the update will introduce standalone apps for Music and Podcasts. Apple also confirmed that its TV app will be expanding to the Mac in the fall.
Now, we have our first glimpse at what the Music and TV apps should look like courtesy of 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo, who has leaked screenshots of each app. Rambo says the screenshots are legitimate, rather than mockups or concepts, although parts have been redacted to protect his sources.
The report claims the new Music app is based on iTunes, as evident by the similar design language. Apple Music sections including For You, Browse, and Radio are listed in the sidebar with playback controls up top.
Music app via 9to5Mac
The new TV app is shown with a toolbar for switching between Watch Now, Movies, TV Shows, Kids, and Library sections. The sidebar contains the Library subsections of Recently Added, Movies, TV Shows, and Downloaded along with genres such as Action and Adventure, Comedy, Drama, and Kids.
TV app via 9to5Mac
The screenshots are not particularly revealing since some information has been redacted, but they provide a good glimpse of the overall look and feel of Music and TV on Mac. No screenshots of the rumored Podcasts app were shared.
Apple should unveil macOS 10.15 at its WWDC 2019 keynote on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Recent trademark activity uncovered by MacRumors suggests that macOS 10.15 could be named macOS Mammoth, with other potential options including macOS Monterey, macOS Rincon, and macOS Skyline.
MacRumors will have full coverage of WWDC 2019 on our website and on Twitter at @MacRumorsLive.
Unfortunately, while Apple's notice in the Texture app says "don't worry, you can continue to read your favorite magazines" on Apple News+, the service is only available on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. Texture supported multiple platforms, including iOS, macOS, Android, and previously Windows.
With all due respect to Apple News+, I am going to miss Texture, which no longer works as of today. pic.twitter.com/yelanbPEsz
— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) May 29, 2019
Apple News+ costs $9.99 per month in the United States, the same price as Texture charged, and $12.99 per month in Canada.
Amazon today announced the Echo Show 5, the latest Echo device with a 5.5-inch display, more compact design, and privacy-focused voice controls for Alexa. Echo Show 5 is priced at $89.99 and is set to launch on June 26, 2019.
Amazon's Echo Show devices have speakers and a touchscreen, aimed at letting customers watch the news via apps like NBC and Reuters, look at the weather, or make video calls. Echo Show 5 continues this idea, and Amazon even pointed out that you can use the device to listen to music via Apple Music, thanks to recent integration.
Like other Echo devices, Echo Show 5 can also act as a smart home hub so that you can say things like "Alexa, turn on the lights," or use on-screen display controls to adjust brightness levels. Smart camera feeds can be viewed on the display, as well as thermostat levels and more. Echo Show 5 also supports two-way talk functionality with Ring doorbell cameras.
If you use the Echo Show 5 as an alarm clock, the device's display will naturally brighten and show a sunrise animation before the alarm goes off. At that time, you can set a routine that displays the weather forecast for the day, the morning news, and more on the Echo Show 5 screen.
“Since we launched the first Echo Show device, customers have told us they love asking Alexa to show them things—whether it’s a recipe for banana bread, their shopping list, or music lyrics. With Echo Show 5, we’ve made it even easier and affordable for customers to add a smart display to every room of their house,” said Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President, Amazon Alexa.
“The compact form factor is perfect for a bedside table or desk, plus it has a camera shutter for added peace of mind, and new Alexa privacy features for even more control.”
When not in use, you can set personal photos to act as a home screen on the Echo Show 5, or connect to Facebook to play a slideshow of photos as a screensaver. Echo Show 5 can connect to family members who own an Echo Spot or Echo Show, have the Alexa mobile app, or use Skype. Within the same house, if you own multiple Alexa devices you can also use the drop-in feature to quickly speak to other Alexa speakers.
In terms of privacy, Amazon touched on a variety of security options in its announcement today. First, the company pointed out that Echo Show 5 includes a microphone/camera off button that electronically disconnects both the microphone and camera, along with a visual indicator that shows when audio or video is streaming to the cloud. The device also has a camera shutter so you can easily cover the camera.
Second, Amazon has introduced an easy way to delete your voice recordings on all of your Alexa devices: you can say, "Alexa, delete everything I said today." Afterwards, the company will delete the respective recordings. In the near future, you'll be able to delete your last request by saying, "Alexa, delete what I just said."
The Echo Show 5 is available to pre-order today in Charcoal and Sandstone for $89.99. The device will then launch in June in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. India will see a launch in July, and Mexico will come at a later date.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple today 
