MacRumors


Apple today shared an in-depth preview of the all-new Books app for iPhone and iPad coming in iOS 12 later this year.

apple books preview 1
As shown on stage at WWDC 2018 last week, the Books app has been completely redesigned with the following tabs:

  • Reading Now displays all of the books you are currently reading or listening to. A new "Want to Read" section allows you to keep a wishlist of books you are interested in. "Complete the Series" or "You Might Like" present books based on those you have recently finished.

  • Library displays your full collection of books with large cover art, including the books downloaded to your device. There is also a "Finished" timeline of books you have read in the past with the dates you finished them.

  • Book Store allows you to browse all titles available on Apple Books, with categories such as Top Charts, Staff Picks, Editorial Collections, and Special Offers & Free. You will receive personalized recommendations based on your purchases in "For You."

  • Audiobooks allows you to browse all audiobook titles available on Apple Books.

  • Search

apple books preview 2
Apple's services chief Eddy Cue:

Apple Books will inspire a love of reading — it puts a world of books and audiobooks right at your fingertips, whether you want to dive into your favorite story for a couple of minutes or a few hours. This is our biggest books redesign ever, and we hope this beautiful app inspires both customers and authors alike.

The new Books app launches this fall, with the Book Store available in 51 countries, and free books available in 155 countries.

Tag: iBooks

Apple has identified a limited hardware issue affecting the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro models with function keys, according to an internal memo distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers late last week.

macbook pro function keys
Namely, when either the MacBook Pro's solid state drive or main logic board experiences failure, both need to be replaced simultaneously. Apple's memo doesn't specify an underlying reason as to why both components may fail in tandem, or what percentage of units may be at risk of being affected.

An excerpt from the document, obtained by MacRumors from a reliable source:

Apple has identified a specific population of MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) units requiring both solid state drives and the main logic board to be replaced when either has a functional failure.

A message will appear when either the solid state drive or the main logic board part number is added to the repair of an identified MacBook Pro system. The message will indicate both the SSD and MLB must be replaced when either component has a functional failure.

For clarity, this refers to the 2017 model year 13-inch MacBook Pro with a standard row of physical function keys rather than a Touch Bar. Apple says the issue does not affect any other MacBook Pro models with or without the Touch Bar, including those released in 2016, according to the memo.

Apple says the dual SSD-logic board replacement is not required for unrelated issues, such as a cracked display or an unresponsive trackpad.

Apple appears to have authorized free repairs for this issue, in or out of warranty. If there is liquid damage or accidental damage, however, out-of-warranty fees may apply. Apple quotes a turnaround time of roughly five to seven days.

To initiate a repair, visit the Get Support page on Apple's website and select "Mac" → "Mac notebooks" → "Hardware Issues" → "The topic is not listed," explain the issue, and select continue. Then, select "Bring in for Repair" to schedule an appointment with an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Genius Bar.

There are also options to contact Apple's support advisors by phone or online chat to initiate a mail-in repair in select countries.

This issue could explain why the 13-inch MacBook Pro with function keys temporarily faced extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store last month, as Apple may have implemented a fix, although the brief shortage could have been purely coincidental. We've reached out to Apple for comment on the matter.

12:30 p.m. Pacific Time: Updated with corrected information about out-of-warranty fees.

Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Wi-Fi router startup Plume today announced an upgraded version of its mesh networking devices and a new subscription model for its customers. Plume first began selling its "Plume Pod" routers in late 2016, and today revealed a new tri-band router called the "SuperPod" (via The Verge).

Plume's SuperPod works like any other mesh system, requiring users to connect the first Pod to their modem with an included ethernet cable. The rest serve as wall plugs that users permanently place in an outlet to enhance the Wi-Fi signal throughout their home. In comparison to the original dual band, four-channel model, SuperPod has a tri-band Wi-Fi radio with eight channels and two ethernet ports.

plume superpod 2
When connected and running, the SuperPod system learns the user's home usage patterns "in a matter of days." This means that the SuperPods will learn when you use Wi-Fi the most (getting news from a smart speaker in the morning or watching 4K films at night) and implement "Adaptive Wi-Fi" to actively optimize the network for more consistent speed and performance.

For users to take advantage of these features, they'll have to subscribe to Plume. The company previously sold the Plume Pod without a subscription, but today is changing that by requiring customers to subscribe to its Adaptive Wi-Fi service before they can purchase a SuperPod, The Verge notes.

The service costs $60 per year and if users opt out of the subscription in a year's time "the routers may not fully work," although Plume CEO Fahri Diner said the company wouldn't outright "brick" the devices if users decide not to pay down the line.

Diner says Plume wants to provide so many additional services as part of its subscription that customers will happily remain subscribed. “Our intent, our hope, is to make the decision a no-brainer,” Diner said in a phone call. “If the customer doesn’t want to renew, it won't be because of the price. They will be unhappy for us for one reason or another.”

Plume is offering price discounts for it subscribers, however, selling a three-pack of its routers for $39, down from $179. Three packs come with two dual-band routers (the older models) and one tri-band router (the new model). In terms of adding supplemental Pods onto the system, the company will still sell its Plume Pod for $39 and the individual price for the new SuperPod is $99.

plume superpod
Potential customers can also choose to pay a flat $200 fee for a lifetime membership to the service, while existing Plume owners will be grandfathered in to the new features for free. Other features include parental controls, speed tests, service management, and "Plume HomePass." This service creates unique Wi-Fi passwords personalized to guests when they visit. The iOS app can also detail Wi-Fi connections, freeze device connections to prevent kids from accessing the internet, data consumption charts, and more.

Wi-Fi mesh systems have become a popular solution for in-home Wi-Fi over the years, with options from companies like Linksys, Orbi, Eero, Google, and others. The technology is looking to expand as well, with the Wi-Fi Alliance in May announcing a new certification program called "EasyMesh," which aims to allow users to build mesh networks in their homes across different brands.

For Plume, orders on the SuperPod will open June 15 and the device will begin shipping June 21.

Apple's persistent quest for better performance, longer battery life, and slimmer form factors appears to be driving its research into advanced chip packaging technologies. So-called "2.5D" and "3D" packaging methods stand to offer significant gains in all of these areas by increasing memory bandwidth, reducing power consumption, and freeing up space for higher-capacity batteries.

Apple has been an aggressive adopter of new device packaging methods, mostly thanks to integrated fan-out (InFO) innovations provided by foundry partner TSMC. TSMC's success has spurred it into further developing and diversifying its packaging offerings, and TSMC has emerged as an industry leader in packaging techniques.

tsmc chip packaging
While versions of TSMC's InFO packaging have brought performance improvements to Apple devices, such as better thermal management and improved package height, it has largely not been a direct enabler of improved electrical performance. This is set to change with future packaging techniques and is already seen in some products that utilize interposers for higher density interconnects to on-package memory, such as High Bandwidth Memory (HBM).

The primary memory candidate for inclusion in such a package would be conforming to the Wide I/O set of standards described by JEDEC, and mentioned by name in several of the patents. This memory improves on LPDDR4 by increasing the number of channels and reducing the transfer speed per channel, thus increasing the overall bandwidth but lowering the energy required per bit.

Interposers do, however, pose several issues for mobile devices. Significantly, they introduce another vertical element to the package, increasing total height. Interposers must also be fabricated on silicon wafers just like active ICs, with their dimensions driven by the footprint of all devices that need to be included in the package. These solutions are typically termed as "2.5D" due to some components being placed laterally with respect to one another rather a true stacking of chips.

Rather than adopt interposers for its products as a next step in advanced packaging, the direction of Apple's focus, according to several patent applications [1][2][3][4], appears to be on true "3D" techniques, with logic die such as memory being placed directly on top of an active SoC. Additionally, a patent application from TSMC seems to suggest a level of coordination between Apple and TSMC in these efforts.

3D process

3D stacking process flow

The process has similarities to the existing InFO techniques in that they both involve a redistribution layer (RDL) where contacts on a logic die are routed inside a molding compound with the help of vias directly in the molding compound. Where the 3D process diverts from this is that there is now RDL content on both sides of the die, necessitating the use of through-silicon vias (TSV) directly in the logic die so that interconnections can be made with the top of the die. A key feature of these RDL layers is that interconnect pitches finer than available substrate or interposer types is possible.

Subsequent dies could then be attached to the molding compound, mating with the vias and RDL placed in the previous step. This step could be done multiple times, provided each stacked component has TSVs for the next level of integration, and this is already seen in HBM, which allows for the stacking of up to eight DRAM dies.

3D assembly

Side view of memory die (110) attached to SoC (150) in 3D package

Still, this approach has many technical challenges that have prevented its commercialization. TSVs are expensive to implement and are a serious yield detractor to ICs. Electrical isolation from nearby components' radiated energy can also be a concern, particularly when integrating RF and analog components in a package with other components that would have been separated by space and EMI shielding before. Apple describes techniques to incorporate shielding directly in the package to mitigate this.

Integrated EMI Shield

Package with integrated EMI shield

This approach also presents thermal challenges since active dies become so closely coupled in mediums that have poor thermal conductivity and shared thermal paths. These concerns extend not only to normal device usage, but also the package integration and any solder reflow steps. Thermal stresses can induce warpage of the packaging components due to differing coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) amongst the materials utilized in the package. This warpage can lead to broken or separated contacts, resulting in device failure.

The use of a carrier substrate in the process flow mitigates some of the thermal concerns. The direct integration of heatsinks into device packaging is also addressed at various levels of the package assembly, such that higher dissipating die, such as a SoC featuring CPU and GPU cores, could be placed on the bottom of the stack or at a higher level of integration, providing stackup flexibility not seen in previous PoP arrangements.

Integrated heatsink

Package with integrated heatsink component (310)

Embodiments may be applied in applications such as, and not limited to, low power and/or high I/O width memory architecture. Embodiments can enable a short double data rate (DDR) channel to neighboring function units (e.g. SOC, chipsets, etc.) by using RDL and direct chip attach. Embodiments may be particularly applicable for mobile applications that require low power DDR at target performance including high speed and I/O width.

The benefits of the methods described are many. The use of higher bandwidth memory will yield performance improvements. The flexibility of component placement shortens the distance between connected active and passive devices, either lowering the energy required to communicate between them, or reducing parasitic effects that can cause unwanted power loss or dynamic performance degradation. The most notable tasks that stand to benefit are gaming and image processing tasks, which often require large amounts of bandwidth over short time intervals.

Apple Watch Implications

These enhancements would be applicable to all of Apple's mobile devices, but multiple patent applications specifically mention methods of multiple components married together in a System in Package (SiP), as seen in the current Apple Watch. The methods described below are an enhancement on the existing SiP solutions found in Apple Watch in that they introduce true 3D stacking elements enabled by both TSV and Through Oxide Vias (TOV).

TOV array

Array of TOVs for connecting stacked die to package pins

In one aspect, embodiments describe system on chip (SoC) die portioning and/or die splitting within an SiP structure (e.g. 3D memory package) in which IP cores such as CPU, GPU, IO, DRAM, SRAM, cache, ESD, power management, and integrated passives may be freely segregated throughout the package, while also mitigating total z-height of the package.

Additionally, the patent describes TSV and TOV pitch in explicit detail, suggesting that keeping package heights down allows them to create very small width vias, with the TOV forming interconnect rows at sizes smaller than even the TSVs. The effect of TSVs stressing active parts of the die, including hurting transistor performance, is also discussed, and the reduced pitches help to mitigate this.

KOZ

Active die keepout zones around TSVs

Inclusion of RF transceivers and active devices on substrate types not currently used in Apple mobile devices are covered, indicating all types of active and passive components found in Apple Watch products could be housed in the SiP proposed.

TLV hetero die

Bottom level view of an SiP with stacked heterogenous die interconnected with TSV and TOV

Timeline

Packages featuring 2.5D and 3D connected components have been in consumer devices for several years, but most of the methods described above have yet to debut in mobile devices. The steps described are set to increase manufacturing complexity, and cost and throughput will likely suffer as a result.

Due to cost and yield concerns, a primary candidate for first inclusion of these methods would be a high-margin, low-quantity device. While the iPhone is the highest margin of Apple's mobile products, it is also the largest volume category, with a huge initial demand for each generation. The iPad Pro is a good candidate because of its low volume nature and its classification as a high-performance device. The inclusion of 120Hz refresh rate is something that will benefit from increased memory bandwidth, specifically.

The focus of many of these patents seems to be specifically on SiP methods seen in Apple Watch internals. The Apple Watch is a lower-volume device, and it stands to benefit because its internals are extremely sensitive to package size given the importance of its form factor and battery size. It seems reasonable to expect some of the methods described to be incorporated as soon as the next revision of the Apple Watch, and more progressively in future revisions.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tag: TSMC
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

facebookappIn its ongoing efforts to recover from the Cambridge Analytica scandal this spring, Facebook has detailed its collaboration with a design lab focused entirely on privacy and located in Dublin, Ireland.

News of the lab comes from Facebook's responses to questions from the United States Senate that were released this week by the Senate commerce committee, and follow CEO Mark Zuckerberg's congressional hearings in April (via Bloomberg).

The lab is called TTC labs -- "Trust, Transparency, and Control" -- and is a cross-industry program that aims to improve privacy controls for services like Facebook and many others. Facebook said that the lab was started "in recognition of the need for improved approaches to data transparency across all digital services." According to the lab's website it's been around for a while, so Facebook likely chose to highlight its partnership with the initiative to earn some favor during the congressional hearings.

TTC labs was "initiated and supported by Facebook," and has more than 60 other organizations involved, although names are not given. The ultimate goal is said to be the creation of "people-centric" privacy practices that are user friendly and "easy to understand and control."

In the latest blog post on the lab's site the group discusses how design can educate users about how their data is used, using "clear illustrations" to "effectively educate people about data flow and data connections in a step-by-step way." Other articles talk about "Building people's trust over time" and "Making cookies transparent."
data story facebook ttc labs In another article, TTC labs details how data controls and transparency can be explained to users in ways that are less technical and more familiar to them. Using the example of an app called "Friendlee," the group built customizable data controls into an ephemeral story format like Snapchat "to educate teens" about privacy and allow them to easily update their privacy settings without needing to navigate confusing menus.

Friendlee uses an 'ephemeral story format', an experience already embedded in the app, to educate teens to understand and make choices about their data without having to actively look for data settings or deletion. Once they have used Friendlee for a while, it prompts them with a 'data story.' This story is about an interest that Friendlee identified, such as football, with the story showing content and actions that have made Friendlee believe they like football. At the end of the story, they are asked whether this is actually true using simple, conversational language.

The language around the actions is purposely kept human and is based on self-reflection, not on a technical process like 'delete this data'. The teen is able to take control of their data without having any knowledge of activity logs or data settings. Instead, they can reflect on it in the context of their own self-identity.

It's important to note that TTC labs' blog posts are concepts at this point, so it's unclear if Facebook itself will implement similar features into its own apps and website.

In the most recent report regarding Facebook's data malpractices, the company was said to have forged an agreement with at least 60 device makers like Apple and Samsung to provide access to large amounts of user data without explicit consent. Facebook immediately denied that report from The New York Times, stating that it created specific APIs for device makers so that they could provide Facebook features on operating systems before apps or app stores where available, not to harvest user details.

Concerns about Facebook's data misuse increased in March following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the data of 50 million users was misused in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Cambridge Analytica eventually shut down in May, remaining adamant that many of the accusations against the data firm were "unfounded."

In the weeks following the news of the data controversy, Facebook shared numerous blog posts about policy changes and updates that launched on the social network to enhance its users' privacy. It appears that TTC labs is the latest initiative in that ongoing privacy effort and should see even more updates to the Facebook mobile apps for iOS and Android in the future.

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.

Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes has published a report today claiming that 2019 iPhones will come with USB-C support, but the vague wording makes it hard to decipher what they are referring to exactly.

lightning usb c iphone
Cage Chao and Jessie Shen, citing sources within Apple's supply chain:

Apple is redesigning chargers and related interface for its next-generation iPhone and iPad devices, and will likely have its 2019 series of iPhones come with USB Type-C support, according to sources at analog IC vendors.

The flashiest take would be that Apple is planning to remove its Lightning connector from iPhones, in favor of a more universally adopted USB-C port, but that perennial rumor has been proven incorrect time and time again.

A similarly vague report from The Wall Street Journal last year ignited speculation that the iPhone X would have a USB-C port, for example, but oft-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo accurately said 2017 iPhones would retain Lightning connectors, with added support for fast charging via USB-C Power Delivery.

Given the unlikely possibility of a wholesale switch from Lightning to USB-C, and that the latest iPhones already support USB-C fast charging, the report could be referring to the type of power adapter included in the box.

The report adds:

Speculation circulated previously in the smartphone market that Apple would adopt Type-C interface in its next-generation iPhone series slated for launch later in 2018. Apple is still in its redesign phase and will not be able to equip the technology in its upcoming iPhones, the sources claimed.

The speculation mentioned in the report likely refers to a pair of rumors that have suggested 2018 iPhones will include an 18W USB-C charger and a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box, enabling much faster charging speeds than the tiny square-shaped 5W power adapter included with current iPhones.

In the end, this report could merely be suggesting that Apple will not bundle an 18W power adapter and Lightning to USB-C cable with iPhones until 2019, rather than this year. But, without further details, it is open to interpretation.

A transition to USB-C could make sense if Apple wants to use one standard across its MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads, but with Apple pushing towards a wireless future, it's unclear if the controversy of switching to USB-C would be worthwhile considering the Lightning connector might be removed entirely down the road.

It's worth noting that DigiTimes has a rather mixed track record at reporting on Apple's roadmap. The website claimed that Apple's AirPower charging mat would be available in March, and said a second-generation iPhone SE would launch in May or June, but neither release date proved to be accurate.

At this point, this report should be treated with some skepticism until DigiTimes provides more specific details, or the information is backed up by a more reliable source such as Kuo, who recently returned to the scene.

Related Forum: iPhone

Verizon Wireless was awarded the title of the fastest nationwide mobile network in PCMag's annual mobile network comparison, the results of which were released this morning.

For its test, PCMag analysts drove within and between 30 cities in the United States to test mobile network speeds using four Samsung Galaxy S9 phones. More than a dozen locations in each city were tested, with the site gathering more than 124,000 data points to reach its conclusion. Scores were calculated taking into account metrics like download speed, upload speed, latency, reliability, and consistency.

pcmagfastestnetworks
Verizon was named the overall fastest network after it won or tied in 19 of the 36 cities that were tested across the United States, marking Verizon's 5th annual victory.

Verizon won out in almost every region (Northeast, North Central, South Central, Northwest, and Southwest), with the exception of the Southeast, where T-Mobile was determined to be the fastest network. T-Mobile was also named the second fastest network overall, followed by AT&T and then Sprint.

PCMag says that compared to its 2017 results, it saw faster, more consistent LTE connections across all four major U.S. carriers in the 2018 test. In the future, we should see some interesting results as mobile networks are upgraded to 5G. AT&T and Verizon are both aiming for higher speeds in smaller areas, while T-Mobile is aiming for nationwide 5G coverage but at slower speeds.

In addition to determining the fastest mobile carrier in 2018, PCMag also took a look at Speedtest Intelligence results pulled from Ookla to determine the fastest download speeds on modern Samsung and Apple devices.

applevsamsungspeedtestpcmag
Samsung's flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S9, equipped with Gigabit LTE and 4x4 MIMO, beat out the iPhone X, which does not have 4x4 MIMO. Of Apple's iPhones, though, the iPhone X saw the fastest upload and download speeds thanks to its adoption of 256QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), which boosts signal to allow for more data to be transferred at one time.

iphonespeedcomparisontestpcmag
The full results of PCMag's 2018 mobile carrier speed testing can be found over on the PCMag website.

Nomad today announced the launch of an updated Battery Cable, which comes equipped with a slim 2,800 mAh battery to add a bit of extra juice to Apple's iPhones and iPads.

The Battery Cable looks like a standard braided Nomad Lightning cable for the iPhone, but with the addition of a battery pack at one end that can be used for extra charging power when necessary.

nomadbatterycable
Nomad's 1.5M Battery Cable includes an integrated Nomad cable tie and support for passthrough charging, so you can charge up the battery while you charge your iPhone. Having the battery pack integrated into the cable is convenient because it ensures the battery is always full when you need it.

Compared to the original version of the Battery Cable, the new model has a higher capacity and a sturdier aluminum build.

Nomad's Battery Cable can be purchased from the Nomad website for $49.95 starting today.

Tag: Nomad

Facebook today announced the launch of a dedicated "Memories" section on its social network, which the company says is designed to be a single place on Facebook to reflect on "the moments you've shared with family and friends."

Memories, which is an expanded version of the current "On This Day" feature, provides a look back at posts and photos, friends you've made, and major life events.

facebookmemories
Facebook says the Memories page will integrate several sections, including "On This Day," which will continue to show posts and photos and "Friends Made On This Day," highlighting when you added a person as a friend.

Recaps of Memories will also be included, featuring monthly recaps of memories that have been bundled into a message or a short video, and finally, the section will house "Memories You May Have Missed," highlighting new content if you haven't checked your memories lately.

Facebook says that Memories will be customizable using built-in controls to hide content if desired.

We know that memories are deeply personal -- and they're not all positive. We try to listen to feedback and design these features so that they're thoughtful and offer people the right controls that are easy to access. We work hard to ensure that we treat the content as part of each individual's personal experience, and are thankful for the input people have shared with us over the past three years.

The new Memories section, which is rolling out, can be accessed through a Memories link, to the left of the News Feed when on a computer, and in the "More" tab on mobile devices.

Last month, a jury ruled that Samsung must pay Apple $539 million for violating Apple design patents as part of a legal battle that has spanned years, but the jury's ruling apparently won't be the end of the dispute between the two companies.

Samsung last week filed an appeal (via CNET) asking the U.S. District Court in San Jose to either reduce the judgment against it to $28 million or hold a new trial. Samsung filed the motion on the grounds that "no reasonable jury could have found that any of Apple's asserted design patents was applied to Samsung's entire accused smartphones."

applevsamsung
The jury's ruling, says Samsung, is "excessive" and the evidence "supports a verdict of no more than $28.085 million," which was the amount Samsung advocated for during the trial.

The latest Samsung v. Apple trial was held to redetermine the amount of damages Apple had to pay after Samsung appealed to the Supreme Court and said that the original damages award, set at $399 million after several appeals, was a disproportionate sum for the design violation.

During the trial, the jury was tasked with deciding whether the damages should be based on the total value of the iPhone or if Samsung's penalty should be based on just the elements of the iPhone that it copied.

apple v samsung 2011
Apple argued for $1 billion in damages based on the total design of the iPhone, while Samsung argued that it should pay a far lesser amount, the aforementioned $28 million. The jury split the difference and awarded Apple $539 million, which happened to be a far larger penalty than the original $399 million damages ruling from 2015.

When the jury's ruling was announced in May, Samsung promised to appeal in a statement: "Today's decision flies in the face of a unanimous Supreme Court ruling in favor of Samsung on the scope of design patent damages. We will consider all options to obtain an outcome that does not hinder creativity."

Samsung also filed a separate motion at the same time asking the court to order Apple to reimburse it for a $145 million payment that Samsung submitted for a now-invalidated multi-touch patent.

Apple has 10 days to respond to Samsung's new filing, with a hearing scheduled for July 26.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.4.1 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the first tvOS 11.4.1 beta and two weeks after releasing tvOS 11.4, an update that introduced support for AirPlay 2.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 11.4.1 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

appletv4k2
No new features or changes were discovered in the first tvOS 11.4.1 beta, suggesting it focus on fixes for bugs that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 11.4.

Apple's tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what's new. We'll update this post should anything be found in the second beta.

Apple's work on tvOS 11 is winding down as the company is now focusing on tvOS 12, which was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference last week.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeing the first 10.13.6 beta.

The new macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.

macos hs beta
We don't yet know what improvements the sixth update to macOS High Sierra will bring, but it likely focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that were not able to be addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.5.

No feature changes were discovered in the first macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 beta, but we'll update this post if new features or notable bug fixes are discovered in the second.

Work on macOS High Sierra is wrapping up, with Apple now shifting focus to the next-generation version of macOS, macOS 10.14, which was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference last week.

Related Forum: macOS High Sierra

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming iOS 11.4.1 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the first beta and a little over two weeks after releasing iOS 11.4, an update that introduced AirPlay 2 and Messages in iCloud.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 11.4.1 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

ios1141beta
No new features were discovered in the first iOS 11.4.1 beta, suggesting it focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements to address issues discovered since the release of iOS 11.4.

We'll update this post should we discover any new features in the second iOS 11.4.1 beta, but we're not expecting major changes now that Apple has shifted its focus to iOS 12, which is also available to developers for beta testing purposes.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Apple this morning seeded an updated beta of an upcoming watchOS 5 update, one week after releasing the first beta after the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference Keynote. watchOS 5 is the newest version of the software that runs on the Apple Watch.

To install the beta, you'll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 5 beta can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update.

watchos5roundup
To update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. It would be wise to install the beta on a secondary device instead of a primary device given that this is an early version of the watchOS 5 software that still has bugs to be worked out.

The first version of the initial watchOS 5 beta was pulled by Apple shortly after it was released due to reports that the beta had been bricking some Series 2 Apple Watches, rendering them unusable. This new beta fixes that issue and makes the watchOS 5 update available to developers once again.

watchOS 5 is a significant update to watchOS, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete on workouts with friends, Walkie-Talkie with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection to make it easier than ever to start and stop workouts.

Other new features include an improved Siri watch face with support for third-party apps, a dedicated Apple Podcasts app, new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, and enhanced notifications, which will make notifications on the Apple Watch interactive.

watchOS 5 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers (because there's no way to downgrade Apple Watch software), so non-developers will need to wait until the software is officially released in the fall to try it out.

The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models. It is not available for the first-generation "Series 0" Apple Watch models, likely due to performance and battery issues.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Apple this morning shared a trailer for what appears to be the inaugural episode of the second season of "Carpool Karaoke: The Series," which kicks off on Friday, June 15 with an episode starring Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, and Jon Hamm singing songs like Bohemian Rhapsody.

Renner, Helms, and Hamm are all starring in the movie "TAG," which comes out on the same day the new Carpool Karaoke episode debuts.


"Carpool Karaoke: The Series" was renewed for a second season back in February after a successful first season that wrapped up last year. While this could be the first episode of a new season, the fact that it coincides with a movie release also means it might be a one-off episode.

For those unfamiliar with the show, "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" is based on the Carpool Karaoke segment that was made popular on "The Late Late Show With James Corden." The series pairs up different celebrities, musicians, and athletes, putting them in a car to sing popular songs.

The first season of "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" premiered in August of 2017 exclusively to Apple Music subscribers. A month ago, Apple made the first season of "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" available for free to everyone through its TV app. Apple says that this new episode of Carpool Karaoke will be available "only on the Apple TV app."

"Carpool Karaoke: The Series" season one featured celebrity pairings included Will Smith and James Corden; Miley, Noah, Billy Ray and the entire Cyrus family; Shakira and Trevor Noah; Game of Thrones stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams; Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith; John Legend, Alicia Keys and Taraji P. Henson; LeBron James and James Corden; and more.

Best Buy today has Apple's HomePod on sale for $299.99 in both White and Space Gray, representing $50 in savings for the smart home speaker. While it's been possible to get HomePod for even cheaper thanks to offers like eBay's occasional 20 percent off coupons, straight discounts on brand new models have been a bit more rare, making this a good opportunity to add HomePod to your home if you've been on the fence.

homepod duoNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Best Buy also has $50 off Apple Watch Series 3 today, with 38mm Aluminum down to $279.00 and 42mm Aluminum down to $309.00. A few other Best Buy deals on Apple products are listed below:

  • Verizon iPhone - Buy a select iPhone and get one free with qualifying Verizon activation
  • iPad mini - Save $100 / as low as $299.99 for 128GB
  • MacBook Pro - Save up to $250 / as low as $1,499.99 with Student Deals
  • 21.5-inch iMac - Latest model, 3.4 GHz, 8GB, 1TB for $1,299.99, down from $1,499.99
  • 27-inch iMac - Latest model, 3.8 GHz, 8GB, 2TB for $2,099.99, down from $2,299.99
  • iTunes gift cards - Buy one, save 20 percent on another

Although PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay store had a better deal on App Store and iTunes Cards this weekend, it's now expired, leaving Best Buy and Target's BOGO 20 percent offers as the best around for iTunes credit savings. With deals like this, the more you spend the more you can save, so buying two $100 cards will cost $180, two $50 cards will cost $90, and two $25 cards will cost $45.

Those beginning to buy gifts before Father's Day this weekend also have a few options to choose from today. Notable accessory companies like Twelve South and Pad & Quill have debuted sales for Father's Day, which we've listed below:

  • Twelve South - Save on iPhone cases, iPad cases, charging docks, and more in Twelve South's Father's Day Gift Guide 2018

  • Pad & Quill - Save 15 percent on all wallets

  • Braven - Get 20 percent off sitewide with code LOVEDAD

  • B&H Photo - Save on a variety of Apple products like the 2018 iPad ($30 off), Late 2016 MacBook Pro ($800 off), Cellular Stainless Steel Apple Watch Series 3 ($50 off), and more

Head to our full Deals Roundup for more sales and savings going on as we get closer to Father's Day on Sunday, June 17.

Related Roundups: Apple Deals, HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)

Snapchat today announced a new feature called "Clear Chats," which lets you delete any message you've sent to another person on Snapchat, whether in individual or group chat. This encompasses text chats, stickers, audio and voice notes, and any photo and video snaps sent from Memories.

To delete a chat message you can press and hold on the message or media in question and select the new "Delete" option. Snapchat warns that after this the recipient will be alerted in the conversation that a message was deleted. Anyone can still screenshot message contents as well.

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Clear Chat will not be affected by direct snaps, however, so if you open Snapchat, take a picture with the camera, and send it to someone, the snap will not be deletable. Instead, any photo or video snap sent from Memories (swiping up on the camera screen) can now be deleted after it's been sent, in addition to basic text deleting options.

Additionally, the social media company is today launching the second generation Spectacles on Amazon in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, after first being available only on Snapchat.com. In the coming weeks, Amazon storefronts in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain will also gain Spectacles 2.0.

On Amazon, Spectacles will be available in Onyx Moonlight, Sapphire Twilight, and Ruby Daybreak, and the glasses will run for $150 in the United States. Snapchat chose to launch the new Spectacles only on its own website at first in a bid to ensure that supply and demand was more balanced this time around, and now the company is prepared for a wider rollout.

Message deleting will roll out to Snapchat users across the world over the next few weeks.

Net neutrality regulations officially expired in the United States earlier this morning, making today the first day of a post-net neutrality internet (via The New York Times). The expiration of the laws comes six months after the Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 in favor of repealing net neutrality, a vote that has since faced intense backlash including multi-state lawsuits and a recent move by Democrats to block the repeal.

Although supporters and opponents of net neutrality greatly disagree on how the internet will look following the repeal, without the rules internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T now have the legal ability to throttle any traffic on their networks, and block access to sites and services completely, as long as they inform their customers of their actions. In essence, many have theorized that this could lead to ISPs bundling "packages" of internet sites and selling them like cable companies, as well as putting high-paying customers in "fast lanes" and everyone else in "slow lanes."

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Of course, all of these changes won't happen at once, and some states won't see any affect from the disappearance of net neutrality today due to local legislation. Washington state governor Jay Inslee signed a law in March that effectively reinstated the federal net neutrality rules for its residents, and other state governors in Montana and New York are said to have used executive orders "to force net neutrality." A total of 29 state legislatures had introduced bills to ensure net neutrality as of May, but many failed or are still pending today as the national repeal takes place.

Democrats took to the Senate last month and won a vote to restore net neutrality rules across the country, which is now facing a major hurdle in the House of Representatives. According to Bloomberg, Democrats are now "less than 50 votes" from advancing their resolution in the House that would reinstate net neutrality protections, with a petition to force a vote at 170 of 218 signatures needed. If the measure ultimately makes it to President Trump's desk, it's believed that it would likely still be struck down as the President wouldn't go against a regulation created by his own FCC chairman Ajit Pai.

The pro-net neutrality petition's sponsor, Representative Mike Doyle, noted that many see the measure gaining momentum as customers become aware of how things could change in the future.

“If certain services are blocked or throttled, they get it,” Doyle said. "People start to understand, these are protections for consumers that no longer exist.”

In contrast, USTelecom president Jonathan Spalter said the outcry is unfounded and pointed out that "it's business as usual on the internet today."

“It’s business as usual on the internet today -- movies are streaming, e-commerce is thriving, and advocates are using the internet to make their voices heard,” said Jonathan Spalter, president of broadband trade group USTelecom with members including AT&T and Verizon. “These positive and profound benefits of a free and open internet -- among many others -- are here to stay.”

FCC chairman Ajit Pai said in a press conference on Friday that today's repeal will lead to "better, faster, cheaper internet access for consumers, and more competition." Supporters of the repeal cite the return to an "open" and less regulated internet, seen prior to the 2015 induction of net neutrality. Multiple groups taking the FCC's side in the debate and in numerous legal battles include wireless communications trade association CTIA, which represents AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile, and NCTA, an association representing cable carriers like Comcast and Charter.

As Democrats gather votes in the House, many of the big technology companies have voiced support of net neutrality, including Netflix, Google, Amazon, and Apple. Although the company and its executives have not discussed the topic in a few months, Apple's comment last year stated that the net neutrality repeal could "fundamentally alter the internet as we know it," and if it passed it would be put in place to the detriment of consumers, competition, and innovation.

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.