Samsung has leaked its upcoming wearables lineup through its Galaxy Wearable app for Android ahead of its February 20 event.
Image credit: SamCentralTech
As spotted by Twitter account SamCentralTech, and reported by The Verge, the initial "pick your device" screen of the app reveals the names and marketing images for a new Galaxy Watch Active, Galaxy Fit fitness trackers, and Galaxy Buds.
Galaxy Buds are the least known of the three products, serving as Samsung's latest AirPods competitor. They won't be Samsung's first pair of truly wireless earphones, succeeding the Gear IconX in 2016, but rumors suggest they'll be able to charge wirelessly on the back of the upcoming Galaxy S10.
Image credit: The Verge
As for the Galaxy Watch Active, the app reveals the bezel-less smartwatch will be available in a 40mm size in at least two colors.
Samsung will be hosting a media event on Wednesday, February 20 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, where it is widely expected to unveil a trio of new Galaxy S10 smartphonesalongside these wearables.
Apple said it remains "deeply committed" to upholding human rights across its global network of suppliers and "works to safeguard the well-being of people involved in its supply chain and to protect the places where materials are sourced."
Apple commits to use minerals in its products that do not directly or indirectly finance armed conflict or benefit armed groups.
As of December 31, 2018—for the fourth straight year—100 percent of identified smelters and refiners in Apple's supply chain for all applicable products manufactured during calendar year 2018 participated in an independent third-party conflict minerals audit ("Third Party Audit") program for columbite-tantalite (coltan), cassiterite, gold, wolframite, or their derivatives, which presently are limited to tantalum, tin, and tungsten (collectively, "3TG").
In 2018, Apple directed its suppliers to remove from its supply chain five smelters and refiners not willing to participate in, or complete, a Third Party Audit or that did not otherwise meet Apple's requirements on the responsible sourcing of minerals. Of the 253 smelters and refiners of 3TG determined to be in Apple's supply chain as of December 31, 2018, Apple found no reasonable basis for concluding that any such smelter or refiner sourced 3TG that directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups.
In 2017, The Enough Project said Apple was the "clear leader" among companies around the world at developing efforts to source conflict-free minerals from suppliers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A red variant of the iPhone XS and XS Max could be launching in China sooner rather than later, if a social media rumor proves to be accurate.
A Weibo post spotted by iPhoneHacks.com claims Apple will launch the red color models by the end of this month, in a bid to boost struggling iPhone sales in the region.
The leaker, who claims to have received the tip from sources in Apple's supply chain, says that Apple will call the model "China Red," and not the PRODUCT(RED) branding that the company typically associates with the color.
Apple globally launched a mid-cycle (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in March 2017 and a similar edition for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in April 2018, so the timing wouldn't be completely off. Apple already sells a (PRODUCT)RED variant of the iPhone XR.
There's also precedent for Apple using a different name in China – the company dropped the PRODUCT(RED) branding in the country for both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models, instead promoting them simply as additional colorways.
Apple has partnered with the (RED) Global Fund for nearly 13 years to sell a variety of red-colored devices and accessories. For each product sold, Apple makes an unspecified contribution to HIV/AIDS charity. However sex remains a controversial issue in China, where AIDS and HIV have been characterized in the past as a consequence of contact with the West.
Despite the lack of any PRODUCT(RED) mention in China, Apple CEO Tim Cook assured MacRumors in a March 2017 email that the company upholds its charitable Global Fund donations commitment for every special edition red iPhone sold in every country in the world, with or without said branding.
If there's any weight to today's rumor of a red iPhone XS and XS coming to China, it could potentially signal the early launch of PRODUCT(RED) versions for the rest of the world, although nothing is certain. Rumors last year of a mid-cycle PRODUCT(RED) edition of the iPhone X never transpired, for example.
It's also worth noting that several Chinese mobile makers will be launching their 2019 flagship phones over the next couple of months, so Apple may be using new red iPhone models as a counterweight to new rival devices on the market.
Apple's Beats by Dre brand today unveiled a new NBA collection, with Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones available in six colorways representing the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, and Boston Celtics.
Each pair of headphones is a different color with subtle same-color logo branding for each NBA team.
Get closer to your music and show love for the team you rep with the Beats NBA Collection. These Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones, worn by some of your favorite players, feature your team's authentic colors and iconic logos. The final result is a collection designed just for the fans, honoring the spirit and emotion that makes up each of the six available team options.
The NBA Collection Studio 3 Wireless Headphones are priced at $349 and offer the same features as all other Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones such as a W1 chip for pairing, 22 hours of battery life, Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling, and more.
Apple announced a Beats by Dre partnership with the NBA back in September, which makes Beats by Dre the official headphone, wireless speaker, and audio partner of the NBA and sister associations WNBA, NBA G League, and USA Basketball.
In addition to offering NBA-themed headphones for fans, Beats will also provide headphones for players and advertise during major events like the NBA All-Star, NBA Draft, international games, WNBA games, and more.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey today commented on the possibility of an edit button for tweets, suggesting Twitter is considering a feature that might let people go back and add clarifications or annotations to older tweets.
As shared by Recode, Dorsey said that right now, there's "no credible way" for people to "go back and clarify" their older tweets, a problem that Twitter wants to solve.
"How do we enable people to quickly go back or to any tweet, whether it be years back or today, and show that original tweet -- kind of like a quote retweet, a retweet with comment -- and to add some context and some color on what they might have tweeted or what they might have meant. By doing so you might imagine that the original tweet then would not have the sort of engagement around it. Like you wouldn't be able to retweet the original tweet, for instance. You would just show the clarification, you would be able to retweet the clarification, so it always carries around with it that context. That's one approach. Not saying that we are going to launch that but those are the sorts of questions we are going to ask."
Dorsey has been talking about adding some kind of edit feature to Twitter, something that most users on Twitter want, for months now, but no editing feature has materialized.
The clarification feature mentioned here isn't the type of editing option for typos and errors that people are hoping for, but it could let users add clarifications to tweets that will be seen by everyone, unlike a quoted tweet.
In a statement, a Twitter spokesperson said that if the feature is created -- and it's not guaranteed -- that it would be tested with journalists and newsmakers, giving them a way to clear things up if something inaccurate or incomplete is tweeted.
Right around the time that Apple debuted new Smart Battery cases designed for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, Mophie, a popular accessory maker, also introduced its Juice Pack Access battery cases for the new iPhones.
In our latest YouTube video, we went hands-on with the Juice Pack Access to compare it to Apple's Smart Battery Case to see if it's a better option for those looking to extend their iPhone batteries.
The cases are similar in weight and thickness, and both cases have a hump design with an area where the battery inside the case protrudes. The Juice Pack Access is also made from a smooth plastic while the Smart Battery Case is silicone, so those who don't like silicone may prefer the plastic.
Like the Smart Battery Case, the Juice Pack Access allows Lightning accessories to be used because it leaves the Lightning port unobstructed. Prior cases used the Lightning port to supply power to the iPhone, but the new model uses Qi wireless charging exclusively.
The Juice Pack Access charges the iPhone at the 5W wireless charging speed, which is a bit slow. Apple's solution, meanwhile, builds an extra Lightning port into the Smart Battery Case because Apple has access to tighter integrations.
The benefit there is Lightning support with faster charging, though with a battery case, charging speed isn't a huge factor since it's meant to be used throughout the day, but it can be important if you're putting the battery case on in a situation where your battery is already nearly drained.
You can charge the Juice Pack Access wirelessly on a Qi charger or through an included USB-C port, though those who don't already have USB-C devices and cables may find that cumbersome. Apple's Smart Battery Case charges either wirelessly or through the Lightning port, which is more convenient.
There's a 2,200mAh battery in the Juice Pack Access for iPhone XS Max and a 2,000mAh battery in the cases for the XR and XS, while Apple's Smart Battery Case offers more power thanks to two 1,369mAh batteries in the device.
For example, Mophie says the iPhone XS Max paired with the Juice Pack offers 31 hours of talk time, 16 hours of internet use, and 18 hours of video playback.
The iPhone XS Max with the Smart Battery Case offers a total of 37 hours of talk time, 20 hours of internet use, and 25 hours of video playback.
In our testing, the Smart Battery Case lasted for a longer period of time than the Juice Pack, which is not surprising given that it offers a bit more power.
The Smart Battery Case has the edge over Mophie's version when it comes to checking battery level. Because of the tight iOS integration, you can see your Smart Battery Case battery level on the Lock screen and in the Notification Center, with Apple offering exact charge numbers.
There are four LEDs to indicate charge on the Juice Pack, but it's not nearly as granular. You also don't need to turn the Smart Battery Case on - it just works and is constantly supplying power to the iPhone when it's on the iPhone. You will need to make sure turn on the Juice Pack Access, which could be a benefit or a hassle depending on your perspective.
Apple sells its Smart Battery Cases for the 2018 iPhones for $129 in Apple retail stores, third-party stores, and online. Mophie's Juice Pack Access, available from the Mophie website, is more affordable at $99, but it loses out on some bells and whistles you get with Apple's case.
What do you think of the Juice Pack Access? Is the $29 savings worth it over Apple's Smart Battery Case? Let us know in the comments.
Apple recently purchased Data Tiger, a UK startup focused on digital marketing, reports Bloomberg. The acquisition, says Bloomberg, could improve Apple's digital marketing and make it "more relevant to customers."
DataTiger's website is blank, but a LinkedIn page for the company says that it offers a set of tools that enable customers to build marketing software that "puts data to work."
Using DataTiger is the fastest and easiest way to increase retention & monetisation. With our platform you can individually optimize the marketing flows for your customers in real-time across all channels.
DataTiger can be used as an online tool, importing your data and set up user flows in minutes, with all of your data living in the cloud - or it can be fully customized in-house, building your own marketing solution via our APIs + open-source front-end components.
Specifically, the site more accurately takes advantage of customer data to send relevant materials and advertisements to them.
Apple appears to have made the purchase in December, and based on a regulatory filing discovered by Bloomberg, now controls Operatedata, DataTiger's legal name. A spokesperson has yet to confirm the acquisition, however.
While Apple is planning to preview its rumored streaming TV service at an event that's set to be held on March 25, a launch may not happen for several months.
According to sources that spoke to Variety, Apple will announce the service in March, but it may not be available to customers until the summer, or as late as fall.
Sources familiar with the plans say Apple's video service will be targeted for a launch in summer or fall rather than the April timing that has been the subject of media speculation. Apple has vowed to its high-caliber producing partners to mount marketing blitzes on behalf of the shows in addition to the service itself.
Apple has more than two dozen original television shows in the works, many of which have already been cast. It's not clear if filming has started, but holding the launch of the service until at least some of the shows are available would make sense.
Apple has not yet announced its March 25 event, but multiple rumors from well-respected sites have indicated that's the date when it will be held.
The March 25 event will be focused on services, and Apple is not expected to debut new hardware even though there are multiple rumors of products getting a spring refresh.
We could instead see devices like the AirPower, iPad mini 5, new AirPods, a seventh-generation iPad, and a seventh-generation iPod touch announced via press release given that these are all minor updates.
Major stars that include Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, all of whom have roles in Apple shows, have been invited to attend the March event, which will also include an announcement of a new Apple News service.
Variety's sources caution that specific plans for the event and how the video service will be introduced may be "in flux until the minutes Cook steps on the stage."
Google is planning to unveil a cheaper smartphone as part of an aggressive effort to draw more users into the Google ecosystem and to better compete with Apple, according to a recent report from Nikkei.
Google is said to be planning to exploit Apple's current pricing issues. Apple suffered poorer iPhone sales than expected during the holiday quarter, and one major factor was the high cost of iPhones around the world.
Google's upcoming smartphone will be priced similarly to Apple's iPhone XR, which costs $749 for the entry-level model in the United States. Google is targeting customers looking for a more affordable smartphone option and customers in emerging markets where higher-priced smartphones don't sell well.
Prior Google smartphones, such as the latest Pixel, have started at higher prices. The 2018 Pixel 3 released in October was priced starting at $799.
Along with a new lower-cost smartphone, Google is planning on hardware that includes new smart speakers, wearables, and web cameras. Google has been planning its hardware push for years and has scooped up hundreds of hardware engineers and supply chain specialists from Apple.
Google wants to use Google-branded hardware to push various Google services, a tactic that has been successful for Apple.
Alleged photos of Google's lower-cost Pixel smartphone surfaced earlier this year, depicting a device that looks a lot like the Pixel 3 but with a plastic shell.
Rumors have suggested the smartphone will feature 1 5.56-inch 2,220 x 1,080 LCD display instead of an OLED panel, along with a Snapdragon 670 processor, 32GB of storage, a headphone jack, 4GB of RAM, the same high-quality 12-megapixel camera that's in the Pixel 3, and a 2,915mAh battery.
It's not entirely clear when Google will debut the new lower cost smartphone, but one solid guess is Google I/O, which will take place in May.
In the wake of Apple's decision to end its AirPort line of routers, many users continue to hunt for the best possible Wi-Fi networking solution. Ubiquiti Networks' AmpliFi routers have been some of the more popular mesh systems on the market in recent years, and this month the company is offering a notable $100 discount on its AmpliFi HD Mesh Wi-Fi System, as long as you're willing to go through a bit of a process to get it.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with AmpliFi. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To take part in AmpliFi's new upgrade program, you'll have to take a picture of an existing, non-AmpliFi mesh Wi-Fi system and send it into the company with an explanation as to why you want to upgrade to AmpliFi. Once you do so, you can get the AmpliFi HD Mesh Wi-Fi System for $240.00, down from $340.00. There are four total ways you can do this, which we've outlined with specifics below:
Email
Send a message to social@ubnt.com
Attach a picture of your current, non-AmpliFi mesh Wi-Fi system unplugged
In the email, explain why you want to upgrade to AmpliFi
Along with the photo, explain why you want to upgrade to AmpliFi
After you complete one of these tasks, AmpliFi will get in touch with you through DM or email and provide you with an exclusive $100 discount code that you can use to buy the AmpliFi HD Mesh Wi-Fi System on AmpliFi.com. Note that this upgrade program discount code is only for the AmpliFi HD, and can not be used to purchase the AmpliFi HD Gamer's Edition, AmpliFi Instant System, or another product on AmpliFi's website.
The AmpliFi HD Mesh Wi-Fi System comes with a router base station and two wireless super mesh points, which provide maximum Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. AmpliFi does sell the HD Mesh Router on its own for $149.99 (without the mesh points), but that is not available in the upgrade program.
In total, the AmpliFi HD System will be priced at $240.00 with the discount code, down from $340.00. As of writing, the AmpliFi HD is full-priced at all of the major retailers online, so this is currently the best discount on the router and definitely worth taking part in if you've been eyeing AmpliFi's products.
AmpliFi could also be of interest to eero users who are reconsidering their purchases following Amazon's acquisition of the mesh company. We've had the chance to test out all three of AmpliFi's main consumer routers and came away impressed across the board, so be sure to check out our full review right here, and then find out more about AmpliFi on the company's website.
Those interested should note that the AmpliFi upgrade program will close on February 28, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
For those who have been unable to take advantage of the $249 iPhone SE deal on Apple's U.S. clearance site, Apple again has a limited supply of the discounted 4-inch devices.
Apple has been offering iPhone SE models on clearance since mid-January, but available stock often sells out quickly. Apple has done several restocks, however, giving those who prefer smaller devices one last chance to purchase a 4-inch iPhone on the cheap.
Apple originally discontinued the iPhone SE in September 2018 when the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR were announced. Apple's iPhone lineup now starts with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus as its entry level devices.
The iPhone SE, first announced in March 2016, was the last 4-inch smartphone that Apple offered, with the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models now the smallest that Apple officially sells in retail stores.
With these clearance sales, Apple seems to be getting rid of remaining iPhone SE stock, and it's clear that available supply is dwindling. There are just three iPhone SE models that can be purchased on the site now, while earlier stock updates had more options.
Those who want to get an iPhone SE should do so soon because it's not clear how many more restocks Apple will be offering.
Today is Valentine's Day, and as it happens on holidays, many online retailers are using the event to share Valentine-themed discounts and offers to their customers. In this post we've highlighted some of the best sales around today.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
These include sales from Twelve South, Incipio, Best Buy, and Anker, offering discounts on MacBooks, iPhone cases, wireless chargers, Lightning cables, speakers, and more. Some sales will end later tonight, so be sure to browse the discounts and place your order soon if you find anything that you're interested in.
Anker
Popular accessory company Anker introduced a Valentine's Day event in late January, and it's set to end later today. In the sale, you can save up to 40 percent on Anker's most useful devices, like the PowerWave Pad, Powerline II Lightning Cable, SoundCore Mini 2, and much more.
Below we've listed a few of these deals, but you can browse the full list of discounts on Anker's website, and then head to Amazon to check out.
Twelve South's Valentine's Day Sale is offering 20 percent off a group of the company's most popular products and free ground shipping on all orders in the United States. You can check out the items discounted in the sale below.
AT&T has a limited-time promo today, offering a buy one, get one on iPhones in select locations. To gain access to the sale, you'll have to buy a brand new iPhone 8, 8 Plus, XR, X, XS, or XS Max on an AT&T Next or AT&T Next Every Year installment plan.
Afterwards, AT&T will give you up to $750 in credits to get an iPhone 8, 64GB iPhone 8 Plus, or 64GB iPhone XR for free. You can also opt for a 256GB iPhone 8 Plus, 128GB/512GB iPhone XR, iPhone X, XS, or XS Max at up to $750 off. Head to ATT.com to read up on the offer and browse other sales.
Incipio
Incipio is offering 30 percent off all charging accessories with the promo code IHEART30. You can find the accessories in question by heading to this landing page, adding any of the items to your cart, and entering the promo code during the checkout process.
Products in the sale include wireless chargers, battery packs, battery cases, USB cables, Lightning cables, car chargers, and more. This sale ends tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Aukey
Aukey's latest round of discount codes offer sales on portable chargers, USB-C and Lightning cables, and wireless chargers. These codes will be live through February 18, so be sure to check them all out below and place your order soon on Amazon.
MacRumors has partnered with accessory company Mujjo to offer our readers an exclusive promo code this February. If you enter the code #lovemujjo during checkout on Mujjo.com, you can save 15 percent on your order.
Mujjo offers high-quality leather accessories, including cases for the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, 8, 8 Plus, and many more. The company also sells sleeves for the MacBook and iPad. Head to Mujjo.com to browse everything on the retailer's site and place your order before the exclusive code expires later tonight.
Best Buy's Early Access President's Day Sale
While not Valentine's Day themed, Best Buy today did kick off a new sale ahead of President's Day on Monday, February 18. Today the sale is in early access, meaning that only My Best Buy members can gain access to its discounts, which include savings on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Beats headphones, JBL speakers, 4K TVs, and more.
Today Tile has a Valentine's Day sale on its Bluetooth trackers, including the Tile Mate for $20 ($5 off), Tile Mate 4-pack for $50 ($50 off), and Tile Mate + Slim Combo pack for $50 ($60 off).
These are Tile's new trackers with replaceable batteries, ensuring that the device will last for longer than the previous generation.
iTunes Movies
This Valentine's Day, iTunes Movies has a "Great Love Stories" sale that's discounting romantic comedies and dramas to under $10. Movies in the sale include Silver Linings Playbook, Titanic, The Big Sick, Atonement, Call Me By Your Name, and more. You can see every film in the Great Love Stories sale below.
This February Costco has been discounting the $100 and $25 iTunes gift cards to notable low prices, and the deals are still around this Valentine's Day.
The creative mastermind behind some of Apple's most iconic advertising campaigns announced his retirement today.
Lee Clow
Lee Clow, the Global Director of Media Arts at Apple's advertising agency partner TBWA, will move into an advisory role as Chairman Emeritus of TBWA\Media Arts Lab, a division of the agency he founded in 2006 to exclusively serve Apple. His iconic, award-winning career spanned five decades.
Over a 30-plus-year partnership with Apple, Clow worked on some of the company's most famous campaigns, including its "1984" ad for the original Macintosh, "Get a Mac" series of Mac vs. PC ads, "Think Different" slogan after Steve Jobs returned in 1997, and colorful silhouette ads for the iPod and iTunes.
Apple CEO Tim Cook reflected on Clow's legendary career:
During his long partnership with Steve and Apple, Lee told powerful visual stories that elevated new technologies with the passion, creativity and ingenuity that define our own humanity. He helped Apple carry itself through times of challenge, and his work inspired audiences to look beyond the horizon as an exciting future came into view. Lee's body of work over five decades hums with cleverness, warmth and enthusiasm—and there is no doubt that it will inspire and motivate generations of 'Crazy Ones' still to come.
A look back at some of those ads:
TBWA\Media Arts Lab will continue to serve Apple around the world, led by executives Katrien De Bauw and Brent Anderson.
Apple today confirmed rumors that it will start selling modified iPhone models in its German stores to comply with a patent infringement lawsuit Qualcomm won against the company in December.
The California-based company said it had "no choice" but to replace Intel chips in the iPhone models with chips from Qualcomm in order to allow them to be sold again in the country.
"Qualcomm is attempting to use injunctions against our products to try to get Apple to succumb to their extortionist demands. In many cases they are using patents they purchased or that have nothing to do with their cellular technology to harass Apple and other industry players," an Apple spokesperson said.
"To ensure all iPhone models can again be available to customers in Germany, we have no choice but to stop using Intel chips and ship our phones with Qualcomm chips in Germany. Qualcomm is working to eliminate competition by any means they can, harming consumers and stifling industry innovation along the way."
Sources in German retail hinted last week that Apple was working on new versions of the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, and 8 Plus with updated modem hardware that does not violate the injunction levied against it in Germany that resulted in a sales ban on the devices.
Mobile chip supplier Qualcomm sued Apple in Germany alleging that some older iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models violated Qualcomm patents related to so-called "envelope tracking," which helps mobile phones save battery power while sending and receiving wireless signals. The German court sided with Qualcomm and demanded Apple stop selling the offending iPhones in the country.
In its ongoing legal dispute with Qualcomm, Apple has also had some iPhone models banned in China. However, Apple was able to get around that ban with a software update and has continued selling iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models in that country.
Misuse of Apple's enterprise developer program certificates continues to make news, with a new report from Reuters outlining how software pirates have been using the program to distribute hacked versions of popular apps like Minecraft, Pokemon Go, Spotify, Angry Birds, and more.
Using so-called enterprise developer certificates, these pirate operations are providing modified versions of popular apps to consumers, enabling them to stream music without ads and to circumvent fees and rules in games, depriving Apple and legitimate app makers of revenue.
The software pirates in turn make money by charging some users annual subscription fees for "VIP" versions of their hacked apps that are "more stable than the free versions."
After being alerted by Reuters to these developer accounts being used to distribute hacked apps, Apple removed a number of them, but more have since sprung up to take their place.
Revelations regarding abuse of Apple's enterprise developer program surfaced late last month, led by word that Facebook and Google were using the program to distribute market research apps to users that were capable of tracking all of their online activity in exchange for rewards.
Apple briefly revoked enterprise certificates for both companies, which had the side effect of temporarily disabling Facebook's and Google's internal apps including custom testing versions of their own public apps as well as private internal apps for corporate use such as transportation and food.
And just yesterday, additional abuse of Apple's enterprise program came to light in the form of apps featuring adult content and gambling that can not be distributed through the traditional App Store due to Apple's rules prohibiting or limiting those types of content.
Apple today announced that as of February 27, all developer accounts will require two-factor authentication to be turned on, a move that will help secure these accounts and limit their ability to be traded or sold amongst those seeking to skirt Apple's rules.
Apple is set to launch an Apple News service that will provide access to paywalled news content and magazines for one $9.99 monthly fee in March, but the company is still working to establish deals with newspapers.
Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal said that Apple was having trouble convincing some major news publications like the Washington Post and The New York Times to sign up for the service, due to Apple wanting a 50 percent revenue split.
Apple would keep 50 percent of all subscription revenue and the other half of the revenue would be split among publishers "according to the amount of time users spend engaged with their articles."
Compared to Apple's 70/30 App Store split and the more than 70 percent of revenue that goes to Apple Music artists, the 50/50 split sounds stingy, but Recode today spoke with industry insiders and provided some insight into why Apple settled on that number.
As it turns out, there are many magazine publishers already on board with the 50/50 revenue agreement, with most convinced that Apple will get millions of people to subscribe to the new service, providing a lot of revenue to publishers despite the dramatic split. From Re/code:
And some publishers are happy to do it, because they think Apple will sign up many millions of people to the new service. And they'd rather have a smaller percentage of a bigger number than a bigger chunk of a smaller number.
In the words of a publishing executive who is optimistic about Apple's plans: "It's the absolute dollars paid out that matters, not the percentage."
Magazine publishers, though, have little to no online monetization of their content, which is not true of major newspapers. The New York Times and the Washington Post, for example, have existing digital subscription businesses that allow them to collect 100 percent of the revenue brought in by subscribers.
According to Recode, magazine publishers that have been participating in Texture, the magazine service Apple purchased, are already familiar with that kind of revenue split. Texture will form the base for the Apple News subscription service Apple is creating, with Apple planning to charge one fee for access to news and magazines.
Since Apple's Texture purchase, magazines have been receiving approximately half of the revenue the service generates, along with 100 percent of ad revenue. It's not clear if major newspapers will ultimately agree to a similar terms given that doing so could cannibalize more profitable subscription options available outside of Apple News.
Apple is telling publishers that the new Apple News service will be heavily promoted and that it has the potential to generate millions of subscribers, which, as Recode points out, is not impossible given the success of the Apple Music service. Apple Music, which launched in 2015, now has more than 50 million paid subscribers.
Starting on February 27, Apple will be requiring all developers to have two-factor authentication enabled for their Apple IDs, with two-factor necessary for signing into Developer accounts after that date.
Apple today told developers via email that the requirement is being implemented to help keep developer accounts more secure and to make sure that no third-parties can access a developer account.
Developers who do not have two-factor authentication enabled for their Apple IDs will need to turn it on by February 27.
Two-factor authentication can be enabled on an iPhone or Mac by following Apple's instructions. Once enabled, a verification code from a trusted device will be required when logging in to a developer account.
Popular grocery store chain Kroger has launched a new mobile payments service called Kroger Pay, which it will be using in lieu of Apple Pay.
According to a WCPO, a local Cincinnati news site, Kroger Pay launched in Columbus and Colorado today, but will be expanding to all Kroger stores by the end of the year.
Kroger Pay is QR-based, so to pay, users need to open up the app and generate a single-use QR code that's scanned at checkout when making a purchase.
Kroger customers can link any major debit or credit card to the Kroger Pay app, and it also includes a Kroger Rewards debit card for earning fuel points and other rewards with purchases.
"Kroger Pay is one of the few mobile wallets that pairs loyalty and payment," said Mary Ellen Adcock, group vice president of operations. "The application of this exciting technology is another step in our front-end experience transformation."
With Kroger embracing its own payment solution, it looks like the grocery store chain has no plans to introduce support for Apple Pay. Kroger did test support for Apple Pay in stores that support contactless payments, but reportedly discontinued the program "due to little interest by customers."
Kroger in 2018 told a Reddit user that it did not have plans to implement Apple Pay in any of its stores.
Kroger has been working on its payments service for more than two years, and has been accepting the Chase Pay digital wallet since 2017.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey today commented on the possibility of an edit button for tweets, suggesting Twitter is considering a feature that might let people go back and add clarifications or annotations to older tweets.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with AmpliFi. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
