Apple and Qualcomm this week wrapped up a patent trial where Apple was accused of infringing on three of Qualcomm's patents, and the verdict from the jury is in -- Apple violated Qualcomm's patents in its iPhones.
According to CNET, the jury today sided with Qualcomm and said that Apple needs to pay Qualcomm upwards of $31 million, which is the total that Qualcomm had asked for in damages.
The patents in question cover a method for allowing a smartphone to quickly connect to the internet once turned on, graphics processing and battery life, and a method for allowing apps to download data more easily by directing traffic between the processor and modem.
During the trial, Apple argued that one of its engineers, Arjuna Siva, had a hand in inventing the technology included in the first patent mentioned above in an attempt to get the patent invalidated, but the jury did not buy Apple's argument.
Apple will undoubtedly appeal the jury's ruling, and the legal battle between Qualcomm and Apple is far from over. Next month, the two companies will be back in court over a lawsuit that Apple levied against Qualcomm after Qualcomm refused to pay $1 billion in rebate payments.
Yesterday, a preliminary ruling went in Apple's favor, with a U.S. District Judge deciding that Qualcomm is obligated to make the rebate payments to Apple under the terms of the cooperation agreement between the two companies.
Update: In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that Qualcomm is trying to distract from "larger issues" with patent infringement claims: "Qualcomm's ongoing campaign of patent infringement claims is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the larger issues they face with investigations into their business practices in US federal court, and around the world."
Priced at $89.99, Satechi's USB-C iMac Hub raises the foot of the iMac to what Satechi says is an optimal viewing angle and adds an array of useful easy-access ports. It includes three 5Gb/s USB-A ports, a 5Gb/s USB-C data port, an SD card slot, an audio jack, and a micro SD card slot.
iMacs don't suffer from the same lack of ports as Apple's notebooks, but all iMac ports are located on the back of the machine, which is not always convenient. The iMac Hub puts them right within reach and adds additional ports for you to use.
It's quite a bit easier to use an SD card slot on the front of the iMac than on the back, which will make this hub worth it for photographers, drone operators, and others who often need to access SD and micro SD cards. Make sure to check out the review we did on Satechi's USB-C iMac Hub for a closer look at the ports and how it performs in day to day use.
Available in either silver or space gray aluminum, the iMac Hub has been designed to match well with Apple's iMac lineup. The Hub is designed to plug in to one of the four available USB-C ports on modern Macs, though it is also compatible with older Macs using an included USB-A to USB-C adapter. It has a short cable, which prevents cord mess.
The iMac Hub raises the iMac up 1.63 inches, and while it's not adjustable, Satechi says that this cuts down on neck strain and encourages better posture.
We have five of the USB-C iMac Stand Hubs to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
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The contest will run from today (March 15) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 22. The winners will be chosen randomly on March 22 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
If you're a fan of classic Mac designs, you may be interested in the iBot G3, a figurine that's modeled after Apple's iconic iMac G3, first released in 1998.
The iBot G3 was designed by Philip Lee, who previously released another Mac-related figurine called the Classicbot. The iBot G3 is Lee's latest project, and like the Classic bot, it's a fun take on one of Apple's original Mac designs.
There are two variants of the iBot G3, one in Bondi Blue and one in Tangerine, both of which are two classic iMac G3 colors. The figures are made from plastic and are injection molded with details that closely mimic the design of the original iMac G3.
Injection molding allows for the smallest of components to be included, which means you get the classic iMac G3 design with translucent teardrop-shaped enclosure, carrying handle at the top, side hatch that gives a peek into the internal components, and even a tiny round mouse and matching keyboard.
It's so accurate to the original design that the inside components have also been separately created so you can see the machine's hardware through the translucent outer shell.
You can see the CRT tubes, the speakers on the front, the vents, the CD drive, the power button (and the power button on the tiny keyboard), all of the ports (hidden by an access panel complete with mouse cord cutout), and the spot where the power cable plugs in. The only thing missing is an Apple logo, as not including one prevents Lee from running into trademark issues. The Apple logos traditionally at the top and the back of the iMac G3 have been replaced with little bot logos.
The display of the iBot G3 features two little eyes, because it is, as the name suggests, an iMac that's been transformed into a robot. It has detachable legs and magnetic arms, and it is able to stand (or sit) on its own. You can remove the arms and the legs if desired, add an included stand, and set it up as a more traditional looking iMac with the keyboard and the mouse as accessories.
I like that the iBot G3 converts because it allows those who prefer the iMac robot look to use it their way, while others who would rather have a little iMac that looks more similar to the traditional design can disassemble it and display it that way. You can also combine the two, with a sitting or standing iBot G3 that also has the keyboard and mouse nearby.
Speaking of the keyboard and mouse, these two accessories are quite cute. The mouse is about the size of my fingernail and is an accurate miniature replica of the original round mouse that came with the iMac G3, while the keyboard features a translucent plastic housing with black keys.
The arms and legs of the iBot G3 are made from the same translucent plastic of the enclosure, so everything matches up well. The display is printed on, which is worth noting. I think it would have been neat if it had an actual electronic display, but that would have driven the cost up and been a lot more difficult to implement.
It would, however, be nice to be able to purchase an iBot with different eye expressions, and I would have preferred a lighter film because the the face of the iBot can be a bit hard to see sometimes depending on the lighting conditions of the room.
I don't have an iMac G3 to compare the iBot to, but I do have an iBook G3 that used the same design elements. It's in Blueberry, which is pretty similar to Bondi Blue (though a touch lighter) so it looks like the color of the Bondi Blue iBot G3 is close to accurate. The Tangerine color also looks quite similar to pictures of the Tangerine iMac G3.
The iBot G3 is not a toy and it is meant for displaying. It is not made of the sturdiest of plastics, and I would not be too rough with it. I did snap off the little hatch that lets you look inside on accident on one of the models, but it snapped right back in place. Still, I was worried about breaking it when trying to put it back together.
The magnetic connection between the arms is not particularly strong and there are a lot of small components, so this is not an ideal toy for a child. It would be easy to lose the pieces since many of the components are so tiny, and there is a warning on the website that the laminated cover of the display is prone to scratching. I didn't have any issues, but I was also careful with it.
$39 is a little expensive for an inanimate toy, but that's not unusual for figurines with this level of detail and it seems like a fair price given the attention put in to making the iBot G3 look like an iMac G3.
Bottom Line
If you're an Apple fan looking for interesting Apple-related desk or shelf decor, I don't think you're going to be disappointed by the iBot G3. It's adorable, fits in well with Apple products, and looks good in any home or office environment.
Similarly, if you're looking for a gift for an Apple enthusiast, the iBot G3 is a great choice that will delight everyone who sees it. Hopefully the artist, Philip Lee, will continue to make additional figurines like the iBot G3 based on classic Mac designs because I'm sure Apple fans would love to have a collection of Apple device bots.
LG today announced that its first 2019 OLED TVs with AI ThinQ will be debuting in April. These models, like other TVs in the 2019 lineup, will support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit later this year.
The 65-inch E9 and C9 models will be the first to launch, with additional models and screen sizes coming in May or June. Other LG OLED models will be announced later in the year.
LG's 2019 lineup, first revealed at CES, will be available in screen sizes ranging from 55 inches to 77 inches.
Along with TVs from Samsung, Sony, and Vizio, LG's newest TVs will include AirPlay 2 support. With AirPlay 2 support, LG TV users will be able to beam photos, videos, and music from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to the LG TV, similar to how the Apple TV works today.
HomeKit support will let users control their television sets using Siri voice commands or the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Siri will be able to be used to do things like play a specific TV show or movie to be AirPlayed to your smart TV.
All of the LG OLED, NanoCell SM9X, NanoCell SM8X, and UHD UM7X television sets from 2019 will work with Apple's services according to Apple's HomeKit website.
Neither TV manufacturers nor Apple have provided a specific timeline for when AirPlay 2 and HomeKit will be made available on smart television sets, but LG recently said that it expects to enable the features through a mid-year upgrade.
The next iPhone XS Max and possibly iPhone XS will feature a triple-lens rear camera system within a square bump like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, according to Japanese blog Mac Otakara, citing information from Chinese suppliers. The report includes a few renders of what the new design could look like.
The renders are largely consistent with earlier ones shared by OnLeaks, who also expects at least one 2019 iPhone to have a triple-lens rear camera. One difference is that the camera lenses are more symmetrically aligned in the renders above, whereas the lenses are asymmetrical in the OnLeaks render below.
Render via OnLeaks/Digit
The Wall Street Journal in January reported that the next iPhone XS Max will feature a triple-lens camera, with the next iPhone XS and iPhone XR featuring dual-lens rear cameras. However, Mac Otakara says there is a high probability of a triple-lens camera on both the next iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
Mac Otakara's sources claim Apple is readying official iPhone cases with "large holes" on the back, presumably for the square bump.
Many other sources have backed up the triple-lens camera rumor, including the well-connected Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman. Apple would be following in the footsteps of Android smartphone makers like Samsung and Huawei by adding a third lens, which should result in improved 3D sensing and other benefits.
Google this week updated its Gboard app for iOS devices with a new ability to translate text into any language supported by Google Translate (via All Things How). This means that users can now send iMessages in different languages right from their keyboard, without visiting an external app.
To see the translation feature, make sure that your Gboard app is updated to version 1.42.0 and then navigate to the Messages app. Open the keyboard, and then tap the globe icon in the bottom left corner to cycle to Gboard. In Gboard, the new translation feature is represented by an icon immediately to the right of the white G button in the top left corner.
From here, you can choose which language you want to translate your text into, and when you tap the translate button it will automatically be applied to the iMessage entry field so you can send it to your contact. The translation feature in Gboard first launched on Android smartphones back in 2017.
Besides translating text, in Gboard you can send GIFs, emoji, stickers, and access features like glide typing and performing a Google search. The keyboard app also connects to other Google services like YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Contacts.
Ahead of its widely expected video service unveil on March 25, Apple is hiring strategists to arrange screenings and other publicity events for Hollywood insiders and others who vote on which movies and TV shows win prestigious awards like Oscars and Emmys, according to Bloomberg's Anousha Sakoui and Mark Gurman.
From the report:
Apple is forming a team of people with awards strategy experience. In January, it hired one such person from Walt Disney Co.'s television group. The iPhone maker is also seeking a high-level candidate to oversee the process, one of the people familiar with the situation said. The company could be in the running for Emmy awards as early as 2020, according to people familiar with the process.
Apple already has dozens of original TV shows and movies lined up for the service, including an unnamed morning show drama starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell.
Apple would be following in the footsteps of other streaming video services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, which have all had original content nominated for awards like Oscars and Emmys in the past few years. As the report notes, winning awards could attract higher-profile directors and actors to Apple.
The report also claims that Apple will charge for some content, while other video will be free for Apple device users, backing up a CNBC report.
We believe that technology achieves its true potential when we infuse it with human creativity and ingenuity. From our earliest days, we've built our devices, software and services to help artists, musicians, creators and visionaries do what they do best.
Sixteen years ago, we launched the iTunes Store with the idea that there should be a trusted place where users discover and purchase great music and every creator is treated fairly. The result revolutionized the music industry, and our love of music and the people who make it are deeply engrained in Apple.
Eleven years ago, the App Store brought that same passion for creativity to mobile apps. In the decade since, the App Store has helped create many millions of jobs, generated more than $120 billion for developers and created new industries through businesses started and grown entirely in the App Store ecosystem.
At its core, the App Store is a safe, secure platform where users can have faith in the apps they discover and the transactions they make. And developers, from first-time engineers to larger companies, can rest assured that everyone is playing by the same set of rules.
That's how it should be. We want more app businesses to thrive — including the ones that compete with some aspect of our business, because they drive us to be better.
What Spotify is demanding is something very different. After using the App Store for years to dramatically grow their business, Spotify seeks to keep all the benefits of the App Store ecosystem — including the substantial revenue that they draw from the App Store's customers — without making any contributions to that marketplace. At the same time, they distribute the music you love while making ever-smaller contributions to the artists, musicians and songwriters who create it — even going so far as to take these creators to court.
Spotify has every right to determine their own business model, but we feel an obligation to respond when Spotify wraps its financial motivations in misleading rhetoric about who we are, what we've built and what we do to support independent developers, musicians, songwriters and creators of all stripes.
Apple goes on to rebut each of Spotify's accusations listed on its Time to Play Fair website on a point-by-point basis.
Apple says the only time it has rejected Spotify app updates is when Spotify has tried to sidestep the App Store rules. Apple also says it has reached out to Spotify about Siri and AirPlay 2 support on several occasions and approved the Spotify app on Apple Watch with the same process and speed as any other app.
Apple adds that "Spotify wants all the benefits of a free app without being free," noting that the "majority of customers use their free, ad-supported product, which makes no contribution to the App Store."
Spotify wouldn't be the business they are today without the App Store ecosystem, but now they're leveraging their scale to avoid contributing to maintaining that ecosystem for the next generation of app entrepreneurs. We think that's wrong.
Apple says the only requirement for developers is that any digital goods and services be purchased inside the app using Apple's in-app purchase system. Apple takes a 30 percent cut of revenue for the first year of an annual subscription, but says Spotify left out that it drops to 15 percent in the years after.
Apple concludes by saying it shares Spotify's goal of sharing music but has a different view of how to achieve that goal. Apple takes aim at Spotify "suing music creators" after a decision by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board requiring increased royalty payments, calling it "just wrong," although Spotify already disputed that allegation.
Qualcomm owes Apple close to $1 billion in rebate payments a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California said in a preliminary ruling today, siding with Apple in the ongoing Apple vs. Qualcomm legal battle.
Qualcomm, ruled the judge, is obligated to make the rebate payments to Apple as they were part of a business agreement between the two companies.
Today's ruling is unrelated to the patent trial that wrapped up this week and instead pertains to Apple's rebate lawsuit against Qualcomm. Two years ago, Apple sued Qualcomm and said that the chip company had been refusing to pay patent royalty rebates mandated by the agreement.
As explained by Reuters, Apple's suppliers would pay Qualcomm royalties to use Qualcomm's patented technology in iPhones, which Apple would reimburse. Qualcomm and Apple had an agreement that said Qualcomm would pay Apple a rebate on these iPhone patent payments if Apple did not attack it in court or with regulators.
Qualcomm said that it stopped making the required royalty payments to Apple because Apple broke the agreement by urging smartphone makers to complain to regulators and by making "false" statements to the Korean Fair Trade Commission, which was, at the time, investigating Qualcomm for antitrust allegations. Apple in turn said that it was providing lawful responses to Korean regulators as part of the ongoing investigation.
Apple was in the right according to the preliminary ruling, and Qualcomm should have continued to make the royalty payments. In a statement to Reuters, Qualcomm commented on the judge's decision.
"Although the Court today did not view Apple's conduct as a breach of Apple's promises to Qualcomm in the 2013 Business Cooperation and Patent Agreement, the exposure of Apple's role in these events is a welcome development."
Today's ruling was preliminary, and it won't be finalized until the two companies meet in court for the rebate lawsuit, which is set to begin next month. Reuters says that it is unlikely Qualcomm will make a new payment to Apple as Apple's contract factories have already withheld nearly $1 billion in payments to Qualcomm as a way for Apple to recoup its money.
Apple and Qualcomm have been embroiled in an increasingly bitter legal battle for more than two years now, with the fighting spanning multiple countries and covering everything from royalty payments to patent infringement. Right now, Apple and Qualcomm are awaiting the U.S. trial for the rebate dispute and the results of the recent patent infringement trial.
Apple has given a formal series order for "Pachinko," a drama based on the bestselling novel of the same name, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Pachinko," written by Min Jin Lee, chronicles the lives of four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family as they migrate to and establish a life in Japan. Apple first acquired the rights to a TV show based on the book in August 2018.
The novel begins in 1911 with the birth of Sunja, who becomes involved with a married yakuza, falling pregnant and facing ruin in her small village. The town's minister offers her a new life in Japan as his wife, where she is alone, lost, and unable to speak the language. The book then follows the Sunja's family through eight decades and four generations.
The TV adaptation of "Pachinko" will be written and produced by Soo Hugh, who will also serve as showrunner. Hugh has previously worked on "The Terror," "The Whispers," "Under the Dome," and "The Killing." Eight episodes are planned so far.
Apple has more than a dozen original TV shows in the works, which will be distributed through an upcoming streaming service that will be made available in the TV app.
Apple is hosting a March 25 event at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, where it is expected to unveil details on the TV service.
Apple today shared a new privacy-focused iPhone ad on its YouTube channel. The ad will premiere tonight and air through March Madness in the United States before expanding to select other markets globally.
The 45-second video starts with the tagline "privacy matters" and then shows a variety of humorous if not slightly awkward situations where people would want their privacy protected in everyday life. In one scene, for example, two men briefly pause their conversation while a waitress is at their table.
"If privacy matters in your life, it should matter to the phone your life is on," the ad concludes. "Privacy. That's iPhone."
The ad arrives around six weeks after a major FaceTime bug was uncovered that allowed one person to call another person over FaceTime and listen to that other person's audio without the call being answered. Apple fixed the bug in iOS 12.1.4 and apologized, but it certainly wasn't good for its reputation.
Apple similarly promoted its privacy stance with a billboard near CES 2019 in Las Vegas that read "what happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone."
Bugs aside, Apple really does place an emphasis on privacy, especially compared to some other tech giants like Facebook. Apple has long said it believes privacy is a "fundamental human right," and as part of that, it aims to minimize its collection of customer data and disassociate it from an individual user when it does.
Apple is warning customers who receive unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from the Apple Store at The Americana at Brand shopping complex in Glendale, California, as fraudsters appear to be posing as representatives of the store as part of a phishing scheme aimed at stealing customer information.
The following automated message plays when calling Apple The Americana:
Apple is aware that some customers are receiving unsolicited calls claiming to be from this Apple Store. If you receive an unsolicited call, you should not provide any information to the callers. For more information on cybercrime and ways to protect your computer, visit www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber. Also, if you feel you have been a victim of fraud, please contact your local police. If you would like help changing your Apple ID password, please visit support.apple.com.
Apple did not immediately respond to our question asking if any customer information has been compromised, but it did point us to a previous instance of this warning at its River Park Square store in Spokane, Washington in October 2017.
In that case, the local CBS affiliate KREM 2 reported that customers in Spokane received phone calls from a number that appeared to be the local Apple Store, advising they talk to a "support advisor" who informed customers about a false "breach in cloud security" in an attempt to steal their information.
Our understanding is that Apple temporarily adds this automated message to stores associated with an increase in fraudulent behavior in an effort to protect customers. Apple is far from the only company affected by phishing schemes and offers several tips on how to avoid being victimized.
Apple advises customers who receive an unsolicited call from someone claiming to be from Apple to hang up and contact Apple directly.
This is an opportune moment to remind everyone that phishing attacks can also be in the form of emails, so be very careful when you receive an email that claims to be from Apple, especially if prompted to provide your password or other information. Be sure to contact Apple if you are uncertain about any email.
Valve today announced an expansion of its game-streaming app Steam Link, now named Steam Link Anywhere (via The Verge).
The original Steam Link app let users stream PC games on Steam to a mobile device within their home, but Steam Link Anywhere lets users stream games from their PC to any compatible device with internet service, excluding Apple devices.
Apple rejected the original Steam Link app due to "business conflicts," while the app went on to see a release on Android.
The upgraded Steam Link Anywhere will now only be available on Android, Raspberry Pi, and Steam Link hardware, starting today as an early beta. Valve says that players will need a good upload connection for the host computer and a good network connection for the mobile device.
Following Apple's rejection last year, Valve pointed out that there are many other remote access-style apps that are allowed in the App Store, so it was unclear why Apple was blocking Valve's app. Since that time, Sony has released its own game streaming app, allowing PS4 owners to stream and control games on their iPhone or iPad, from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection.
Similarly, Microsoft this week has detailed work on its Project xCloud game streaming initiative. The service aims to provide Xbox owners a chance to stream their favorite games from the console to a mobile device, although iOS devices haven't been mentioned yet. "True console-quality gaming will become available on mobile devices," Microsoft CVP of Gaming Cloud, Kareem Choudhry, said. "Providing the 2 billion-plus gamers around the world a new gateway to previously console- and PC-exclusive content."
Apple's online refurbished store is now offering discounted versions of the 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Radeon Pro Vega graphics, allowing the higher-end machines to be purchased at a discount.
Apple announced plans to add AMD's Radeon Pro Vega graphics to its MacBook Pro lineup in October when the new MacBook Air models were announced. MacBook Pro models with the new options were able to be purchased in November.
Only the higher-end 15-inch MacBook Pro can be upgraded with the Radeon Pro Vega 16 (+$250) or Radeon Pro Vega 20 (+$350), so purchased new, machines with the new graphics options are priced starting at $3,049.
Apple has a wide selection of MacBook Pro models with Radeon Pro Vega 16 and 20 graphics available. One of the most affordable options, which is a Core i9 model with the Radeon Pro Vega 16, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD, is priced at $2,849, a $500 discount.
A base level Core i7 model with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and the Radeon Pro Vega 20 is even cheaper at $2,679, a $470 discount.
There are a number of MacBook Pro configurations available with different RAM, SSD, and processor upgrades, all of which are equipped with the new graphics cards. With the wide range of configurations available, people looking for a discounted MacBook Pro with the Radeon Pro Vega should be able to find what they're seeking with today's update.
Apple even has a maxed out MacBook Pro with Core i9 processor, 32GB RAM, Radeon Pro Vega 20, and 4TB SSD for $5,989, a discount of $1,060.
Apple's refurbished stock does fluctuate, however, so available stock of refurbished MacBook Pro models could sell out quickly. Apple refreshes the refurbished store on a regular basis, and it can be handy to keep an eye on a tool like Refurb Tracker to find specific configurations.
Purchasing a refurbished MacBook Pro from Apple is a good way to get a like-new device at a lower price point. All of Apple's refurbished products are tested, certified, cleaned, and guaranteed with a one-year warranty that can be extended with AppleCare+.
IKEA today confirmed its plans to announce the Symfonisk line of speakers during the Milan Furniture Fair, which takes place next month. The Symfonisk speakers come out of a long-term partnership between IKEA and Sonos, resulting in unique products like a speaker that doubles as a bookshelf.
Neither company has released information about what the final version of the speakers will look like, but customers can expect the entire Symfonisk line to provide music playback with an extra purpose in your home's furnishing. IKEA put out a short video highlighting the Symfonisk speakers, but it appears the company has blurred out the actual speakers in the home set-up seen in the video, wanting to save the hardware reveal for next month's announcement.
The press release today also emphasizes the unity of sound and light, suggesting there could be more announcements from IKEA's smart lighting branch, or a product that combines the two.
There’s sound, and there’s light. What if we combined them both? Two hugely important elements for creating the right mood around the home. This was the starting point for making the playful exhibition FEEL HOME in Tortona in Milan. The results? It is best experienced on site, the ambition has been to share knowledge through fun interactive installations based on everyday life activities.
“Together with Sonos we wanted to combine our home furnishing knowledge with their expertise in creating great sound experiences for every room of the home, and in Milan we want you to experience the real difference that sound and light makes in your life”, says Björn Block, Business Leader for IKEA Home Smart at IKEA of Sweden.
During IKEA's Democratic Design Day in Sweden last summer, the furniture company said that the Symfonisk system will fully integrate with other Sonos products as well as IKEA's Trådfris smart home line of lights and switches. Other prototype ideas suggested that a Symfonisk speaker will be compatible with many of IKEA's furniture products thanks to a bracket system, turning the speaker into a free-standing wall shelf or allowing customers to place it under a Metod kitchen cabinet.
In other IKEA-related news, the company today announced that it's delaying the release of its smart blinds until later in 2019. The smart blinds were originally set to launch in the United States on April 1, but IKEA decided to push back the release because it found "an opportunity for improved functionality," and the blinds need to have their firmware updated before the launch.
For the Symfonisk speakers, users can expect to hear more details about the IKEA and Sonos partnership sometime during the Milan Furniture Fair, which takes place April 9 through April 14 this year.
Find MyiPhone, iCloud Backup, iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, iCloud Mail, iCloud Notes, iWork for iCloud, Photos, News, and more are all unavailable for an unspecified number of users.
The outage has been going on since approximately 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, so if you've been experiencing problems with iCloud services, this is why.
It's not clear when the issue will be resolved, but Apple often addresses these problems quickly. We'll update this post when all of the iCloud services have been restored to working order.
Update: According to Apple's System Status page, the iCloud outage has been fixed.
Dropbox users who have a free Dropbox account are now limited to using that account on a total of three devices, according to new information added to the Dropbox website and spotted on Twitter (via The Verge).
Dropbox says that as of March 2019, "Basic" users, which is the free tier, can add their account to three devices. Dropbox users who already have their account attached to more than three devices can keep them linked, but there will be no way to link additional devices when over the three device limit.
There has long been a free tier for Dropbox users, with no restrictions other than available storage space. The new three device limit will make Dropbox's free service less appealing to users, though it could spur upgrades.
To get unlimited device syncing, Dropbox users will now have to upgrade to a "Plus" or "Professional" Dropbox account. Plus is priced at $9.99 per month for 1TB of storage, while Professional costs $19.99 per month for 2TB of storage. There are discounts available when purchasing a yearly plan, however.
Shazam this week updated to version 12.10, introducing a new feature that adds time and date information for every Shazam you take in the My Shazam section of the app. With this small change, you can scroll back through your history of Shazams and see when exactly you listened to each song, as far back as the release of iOS 7 in 2013.
To see the new feature, make sure your Shazam app is updated, open it, and swipe left-to-right to go to My Shazam. This section shows your most recent Shazam and the new discovery date. If you scroll down to the "Recently Shazamed" section and tap "See All," the app provides the date and timestamp for every song that you found through it over the past few years.
If you scrub on the right side of the screen, you can quickly jump to any specific month over the past few years to see what you were listening to at that time. Tapping on these songs brings up their main page, which have links so you can jump into Apple Music and add them to your library.
Apple completed its acquisition of Shazam last year, turning the app ad-free afterwards and aligning user account data with Apple's privacy policy. It's expected that Apple will incorporate Shazam more directly into Apple Music in the future, but as of now the company has not changed the music recognition app in any way, besides small tweaks and updates as seen this week.
Apple has given a formal series order for "Pachinko," a drama based on the bestselling novel of the same name, according to 
Valve today announced an expansion of its game-streaming app Steam Link, now named Steam Link Anywhere (via 
