MacRumors

Misfit today unveiled the new products that it is planning to show off at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, announcing both the Ray activity tracker and the Specter "Smart Hearable" in-ear wireless headphones. Like most of Misfit's products, both are designed to track activity and sleep.

Misfit's Ray Fitness and Sleep Monitor is its latest wrist or neck-worn wearable device, which moves away from the iconic circular shape of its previous Shine and Flash line of products. The Ray instead more closely resembles a Jawbone UP2, featuring an adjustable rubber band with a cylindrical aluminum body. At 12mm in diameter and 38mm long, Misfit says Ray's form factor makes it "uniquely wearable."

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Inside the Ray activity tracker, there's a 3-axis accelerometer for tracking sleep and activity, along with a vibration motor for user feedback and alerts. It includes a multicolor LED "eye," which combines with the motor to nudge users during periods of inactivity, alert them to incoming text and calls, or serve as a silent alarm. Ray is water resistant to 50 meters and does not need to be charged as it uses watch batteries that are replaced on a six-month basis.

Specter is Misfit's other new product, positioned as the company's first smart wireless headphones. Specter was created in partnership with 1MORE and features dual driver technology for wide dynamic range and rich sound quality. According to Misfit, the Specter's design allows it to be worn comfortably all day, during exercise, and during sleep. Specter's unique feature is a built-in accelerometer, which allows the earphones to be used to track activity and sleep when used, much like Misfit's other products.

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Both Ray and Specter are compatible with Misfit Link, Misfit's software platform that lets the company's line of wearable devices be used as a remote control for functions like changing music, taking a selfie, activating iPhone-connected lights, and more.

Ray is available in Rose Gold and Carbon Black. Priced at $99, it's set to ship in the spring and can be pre-ordered today from the Misfit website.

Information on the Specter headphones is still limited, so pricing and a release date have not yet been shared. Misfit says additional details on Specter will be available in the spring of 2016.

Appstore-HolidaysApple today announced the 2015 holiday season was the "biggest ever" for the App Store, with customers spending a record-breaking $1.1 billion on apps and in-app purchases over a two-week period ending January 3, 2016.

Christmas Day and New Year's Day both set single-day records, with customers spending over $144 million on January 1, 2016. Apple has now paid out nearly $40 billion to developers worldwide since the App Store launched in 2008.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller said App Store sales topped $20 billion in 2015:

“The App Store had a holiday season for the record books. We are excited that our customers downloaded and enjoyed so many incredible apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV, spending over $20 billion on the App Store last year alone,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We're grateful to all the developers who have created the most innovative and exciting apps in the world for our customers. We can't wait for what's to come in 2016.”

Apple said it has now created 1.9 million jobs in the U.S., with over 1.4 million of those jobs attributable to app development and non-IT jobs supported by the app ecosystem. Apple's spend and investment with US-based suppliers also supports 361,000 jobs, and the company directly employs more than 76,000 people in the U.S., representing nearly two‑thirds of its worldwide team.

Apple created two new app ecosystems this year with the new Apple TV and Apple Watch, building upon its iOS and Mac storefronts. The company keeps 30% of App Store revenue, meaning it earned over $6 billion in 2015 after paying developers. There are now over 1.6 million apps on the App Store, according to MacRumors sister website AppShopper.

A new Space Black Milanese Loop band for the Apple Watch has been spotted on the Czech Republic Apple Store website today, hinting towards an incoming announcement for the new Milanese Loop band (via 9to5Mac). The new accessory appears to match the Space Black Stainless Steel Apple Watch case, similar to that of the Space Black Link Bracelet.

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The Czech Republic Apple Store listing parrots much of the same information as the traditional Milanese Loop, pointing to a possible launch date in about a week. Besides a handful of new color options for the Sport Band lineup earlier in 2015, Apple has yet to expand its higher-end Apple Watch accessory market with as many options for customers.

The Space Black Milanese Loop's Czech Republic listing only mentions a 42mm option, although if made official it seems that Apple would also include a 38mm alternative, akin to that of the original Milanese Loop band. The new band was also spotted on the Portugal and Hungary Apple Store sites, but all of them lack any official buy button at the time of writing. As usual, today's spotting could be some kind of mix-up and there is a possibility that the Space Black Milanese Loop band won't make it to consumer markets.

Update: Links to the Space Black Milanese Loop's online store page have been removed, and now redirect to the existing stainless steel option.

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

LifeProof today announced the expansion of its FRĒ Power case line to the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus, marking the debut of the company's first waterproof battery case for Apple's larger-screened iPhones.

The IP-68 rated FRĒ Power is a fully waterproof iPhone case that's submersible to 2 meters for up to an hour. In addition to being waterproof, it's able to keep the iPhone safe from dirt, snow, dust, and damage from accidental drops. It's able to survive a drop from as high as 2 meters, or 6.6 feet, and the screen protector will keep the display free from scratches.

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Inside the FRĒ Power, there's a 3,200 mAh battery that should give the iPhone 6s Plus approximately one full charge. It includes auto-stop charge and rapid recharge technology to maximize extra battery life. Available in "Blacktop Black" and "Base Jump Blue," the FRĒ Power's design keeps the iPhone protected but leaves the cameras, buttons, and Touch ID fingerprint scanner available for use.

"LifeProof continues to defy the limits of possibility with smartphones," said LifeProof President and CEO Pete Lindgren. "FRĒ Power for iPhone 6s Plus takes Apple's large form-factor device on bigger, better adventures with double the battery capacity and our award-winning four-proof protection against the elements."

According to LifeProof, the FRĒ Power for iPhone 6s Plus will soon be available for purchase from the LifeProof website. It will retail for $149.99.

Speck has announced (via PhoneArena) a new accessory called the Pocket VR, which is a collapsible virtual reality headset that's compatible with the company's Candyshell Grip cases. The headset can be used to display content created for Google's Cardboard VR headsets, allowing iPhone users who use Speck cases another avenue to experience virtual reality on their devices.

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The Pocket VR attaches to the Candyshell Grip when in use. When not in use, users can easily fold it up and slip it into their pockets if they choose. The Pocket VR comes with a matching Candyshell Grip case and is available for both the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

The Pocket VR launches in Spring and will be priced at $70.

Withings today unveiled the Withings Go, an affordable, versatile activity tracker that's equipped with an always-on E Ink display. Available in five bright colors, the Withings Go is a clip-on or wrist-worn tracker that's able to monitor steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and sleep quality, along with automatically tracking activities like running and swimming.

The circle-shaped Withings Go has an E Ink display designed to depict "at a glance" information with a main screen that shows a user's activity progress towards their individualized activity goal. Once the goal is reached, the screen offers up a star as a reward, and there's also a time mode that will display an analog watch face.

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"We are delighted to introduce Withings Go which rounds out our portfolio of stylish, advanced activity and sleep trackers that meet the needs of people from all walks of life," says Cédric Hutchings, CEO of Withings. "Sporting a number of industry firsts, from always-on multiple displays to dynamic activity recognition, we have once again released a product that will make activity tracking accessible for everyone."

Withings Go is water resistant so it can be used for swimming, and it has features that allow it to automatically detect certain types of activity. At night, the Go is able to analyze sleep to offer a closer look at sleep patterns, distinguishing between light and deep sleep cycles.

Like all of Withings' wearable products, the Go does not require charging because it uses a standard watch battery that only needs replacing approximately every eight months. It also connects to the same Health Mate app used by all Withings products, so data from multiple devices can be viewed in the same central location.

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Withings plans to offer the Go in black, blue, red, green, and yellow. It can be worn on the wrist, clipped to a belt, carried on a keychain, or stuck in a pocket. The Withings Go will be available for purchase during the first quarter of 2016 for $69.95.

SanDisk today announced that its Connect Wireless line of flash drives is getting a capacity boost to 200GB, giving users who want portable wireless storage even more space for their files.

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“With the explosion of content, people need more advanced storage solutions to keep up with the volume and quality of the photos, videos and files they’re creating on their mobile devices,” said Dinesh Bahal, vice president, product marketing, SanDisk. “Our goal is to deliver innovative, intuitive offerings that help them capture life’s great moments without worrying about storage limitations.”

The Connect Wireless line of flash drives uses the SanDisk Connect app and a password-protected Wi-Fi connection to allow users to transfer data between the flash drive and their iOS and Android devices as well as PCs and Macs. The free app [Direct Link] has also recently been updated with the ability to AirPlay content to an Apple TV and the ability to save Live Photos to the flash drive.

The 200GB SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick is available now at Amazon and SanDisk's website for $119.99.

Samsung today held a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where the company announced new rose gold and platinum variants of its Samsung Gear S2 smart watch and pledged future iOS support for the device.

First introduced in August, the Gear S2 is Samsung's newest smart watch and its first with a round display. The Gear S2 was originally available in black or silver with matching leather or rubber bands, but later this year, Samsung will also introduce high-end 18-karat rose gold and platinum plated versions, made from real precious metals much like the Apple Watch Edition.

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At the current time, the Gear S2, which runs Samsung's Tizen operating system, is compatible only with Samsung smartphones, but that's set to change. Samsung says that later in the year, it will "bring the Gear S2 to iOS," allowing it to compete with the Apple Watch on Apple's own platform. Samsung didn't share additional details on when iOS compatibility might be implemented.

Samsung announced several other products at CES, including a Surface Pro-style 12-inch Galaxy Tab Pro S tablet that runs Windows 10 and two very thin Notebook 9 ultrabooks. The Tab Pro S, which weighs 1.5 pounds, features a 2160 x 1440 Super AMOLED display, an Intel Core M processor, 4GB RAM, and up to 256GB storage.

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Samsung's Notebook 9 laptops are available in 13.3 and 15-inch sizes, with the smaller of the two weighing in at 1.85 pounds, which is lighter than the Retina MacBook. The larger version weighs 2.84 pounds, and both feature a 1080p display. Max specs for the Notebook 9 laptop includes a Core i7 CPU, 256GB flash storage, and 8GB RAM. Pricing and release info on Samsung's NoteBook 9 laptops and the Galaxy Tab Pro S is not yet available.

Apple is planning to further expand at its Reno, Nevada data center site, reports the Reno Gazette-Journal, citing a recent permit Apple filed with Washoe County. Apple has requested permission to build a new data center adjacent to its exiting data center.

Over the past several years, Apple has expanded at the site of its original data center several times to add on new buildings, but its most recent permit suggests it is seeking to build a second data center nearby under the codename "Project Huckleberry."

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Image via the Reno Gazette-Journal

Project Huckleberry's plans call for several new data center clusters and a support building, similar to the current "Project Mills" data center on the site.

"It's a whole different set of buildings but it looks like it is going to be essentially the same design as Project Mills, only turned perpendicularly to the east," said Trevor Lloyd, senior planner for Washoe County Planning and Development's Community Services.

Apple's existing data center on its Reno campus is operational, but still under development. When finished, it is expected to encompass 14 buildings and 412,000 square feet. Apple's second data center will be similar in size, with the site also eventually including an accompanying solar farm.

Braven has announced a pair of new Bluetooth speakers and a portable backup battery for iPhone and iPad at CES 2016. The trio of rugged accessories are designed to withstand drops, sand, snow, dirt, dust and water, making them ideal for outdoor activities ranging from camping and hiking to rafting and rock climbing.

The Braven BRV-BLADE LE is a rugged portable Bluetooth speaker that features an IPX7 waterproof rating, aircraft-grade aluminum casing, shockproof ABS construction, built-in 4,000mAh power bank, microphone for hands-free calls and more. The speaker will be available for $199.99 in Q2 of 2016.

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The Braven BRV-XXL is another rugged portable Bluetooth speaker with an IPX 5 waterproof rating and a tank-like design crafted from aircraft grade aluminum and shockproof ABS. The speaker delivers 14 hours of music playback and has a large 15,600mAh built-in battery for charging smartphones and tablets.

The BRV-XXL also has NFC, on-board volume and audio controls and a 3.5mm microphone input, and is similarly designed for the outdoors with drop, sand, dirt and dust protection, tie-down loops and a carry strap with a built-in bottle opener. The Braven BRV-XXL will be available for purchase for $349.99 in Q1 of 2016.

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Braven claims its BRV-BANK PRO LE is the world's first ultra-rugged, smart modular backup battery. The portable charging accessory has an IPX7 waterproof rating and features a built-in 300-lumen LED flashlight, aircraft-grade aluminum housing and Bluetooth SMART support for controlling the battery with Braven's iOS app.

The BRV-BANK PRO LE has a 6,000mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery, enough to fully charge most smartphones two or three times, with two USB charging ports (1A and 2.4A). The portable battery will be available for purchase for $129.99 in Q1 of 2016 and comes with a nylon-braided USB cable and a lanyard in the box.

kwiksetpremisKwikset, the company behind the Kevo Smart Lock, today announced the launch of its first HomeKit-compatible product, the Kwikset Premis. Joining the Schlage Sense, the Premis is one of two smart locks available that work with Apple's HomeKit platform.

With HomeKit compatibility, the Premis can be used in Scenes and Triggers alongside other HomeKit products, and it's able to respond to Siri voice commands to allow for voice control over a home's front door lock.

"Kwikset closely listens to feedback and monitors new technologies to develop products that meet consumer needs," said Keith Brandon, Vice President of Residential Access Solutions, Kwikset. "Premis was specifically developed to work with Apple HomeKit, a simple and secure smart home technology we truly believe in and are excited to support."

When paired with a third-generation Apple TV or later, the Premis can be used remotely to lock or unlock the door to let guests inside. Home owners can also assign up to 30 unique user codes to guests for use when the home owner isn't present.

The app that accompanies the Premis can be used to schedule the aforementioned codes for specific times, and it also lets users keep an eye on lock status, check battery life, and receive notifications whenever the lock is used.

Design wise, the Premis features an LED display and capacitive touchscreen that's used to input guest codes, plus there's a standard keyhole for manual operation. The Premis runs on four AA batteries and Kwikset says installation can be done with a screwdriver and a ruler.

Kwikset's Premis will be available for purchase later in 2016. Pricing information is not yet available.

Starting today, Apple customers in Malaysia are now able to purchase the Apple Watch, which launched in the country this morning. All models of the Apple Watch, including the Apple Watch Sport, stainless Steel Apple Watch, and Apple Watch Edition are available.

Pricing for the Apple Watch Sport starts at RM 1,599, while pricing for the stainless steel Apple Watch starts at RM 2,499. The Apple Watch Edition is available at prices that start at RM 47,000.

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Apple's limited edition (PRODUCT)RED Apple Watch Sport models introduced for the Chinese New Year are also available in Malaysia. Exclusive models include the silver and gold Apple Watch Sport, which ship with a (PRODUCT)RED Sport Band with matching hardware.

The Apple Watch originally launched on April 24 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, and the United States, but availability has since expanded to more than 30 countries. Apple has plans to continue expanding Apple Watch availability in 2016, with the next launch coming on January 29 to Portugal, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

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

iPhone-6s-ColorsApple will cut production on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus by approximately 30 percent in the first calendar quarter of 2016, reports Nikkei. Citing lackluster sales, Nikkei says iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus inventory has "piled up" at retailers across the world, leading Apple to scale back production from January through March to get rid of excess stock.

Apple is said to have originally told its suppliers to continue Q1 2016 production of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus at the same rate as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus a year prior, but waning sales led the company to change its plans.

It is not unusual for Apple to scale down device production as an iPhone matures, but the rumored 30 percent cut from January to March is being positioned as an abnormally large production drop.

But inventories of the two models launched last September have piled up at retailers in markets ranging from China and Japan to Europe and the U.S. amid lackluster sales. Customers saw little improvement in performance over the previous generation, while dollar appreciation led to sharp price hikes in emerging markets.

Downscaled production is only expected to last through March as dealers sell through their current stock, with orders returning to normal during the April-June quarter after Apple's inventory adjustment has been completed.

Apple's production cut will impact parts suppliers in Japan and South Korea, including Japan Display, Sharp, LG Display, Sony, TDK, Alps Electric, and Kyocera. Following Nikkei's report, Apple stock has fallen two percent and hit a low of $102.41 earlier today.

Related Forum: iPhone

iHome was one of the first companies to come out with a HomeKit-compatible product, debuting its iSP5 SmartPlug in the summer of 2015. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, iHome is announcing the successor to the iSP5 SmartPlug, the iSP8 SmartPlug.

While the Wi-Fi-connected iSP5 simply turned a dumb appliance into a smart appliance and allowed it to be turned on and off with Siri, the iSP8 is a more advanced product that adds power consumption monitoring. In addition to functioning as a smart outlet like the original iSP5, the iSP8 SmartPlug will collect data on how much power an appliance is using, aggregating the information in the accompanying iHome Control app.

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The iSP8 also ships with a remote control that's able to control the SmartPlug without requiring access to an iPhone or iPad. The iSP8 SmartPlug will be available later in the year for $49.99.

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Grid Connect is debuting two HomeKit-enabled products, the ConnectSense Temperature & Humidity Sensor and the ConnectSense Smart Water Sensor. The two new products join Grid Connect's existing ConnectSense Smart Outlet, which came out in late 2015.

The ConnectSense Temperature & Humidity Sensor can be placed anywhere in the home to deliver accurate information on a room's temperature and humidity level. Grid Connect suggests its sensor will be useful in temperature-sensitive areas like wine cellars, greenhouses, collection rooms, cold storage, and more.

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As the name suggests, the ConnectSense Smart Water Sensor is able to detect the first signs of a water leak, staving off significant water damage. It's useful for people who own fish tanks or for use in areas where water leaks are common, such as basements and laundry rooms.

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Both of the new ConnectSense sensors operate using Bluetooth 4.0 and incorporate AAA batteries. They're able to connect to a user's HomeKit setup to interact with other HomeKit-enabled devices in Triggers and Scenes.

Passive sensors aren't as immediately useful as active HomeKit products like lights and smart plugs, but they can be useful as triggers. The Temperature & Humidity sensor, for example, could be set to turn a HomeKit-connected thermostat to a lower or higher temperature when a specific temperature threshold is reached, and a water sensor could perform a similar function.

The ConnectSense Smart Temperature & Humidity and Smart Water sensors will be available in the first half of 2016. Details on pricing are not yet available.

A wide range of notebooks and two-in-one laptops have been announced at CES 2016, including new Lenovo, LG and HP models that closely resemble the look, feel and size of Apple's 12-inch Retina MacBook, which starts at $1,299.

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Lenovo's 12-inch Yoga 900S convertible laptop

Lenovo's new 12-inch YOGA 900S, for example, which it claims is the world's thinnest convertible laptop, has an ultra-thin 0.5-inch carbon fiber design that weighs around 2.2 lbs -- slightly heavier than the 2.03-lb Retina MacBook.

The two-in-one Windows 10 laptop is powered by an Intel Core m7 processor and features a 360-degree watchband hinge, Dolby Audio Premium, up to 10.5 hours of video playback on a single charge and an optional QHD screen resolution (2,560x1,440 pixels). The laptop ships in March 2016, starting at $1,099.

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LG's 15-inch Gram 15 notebook is the lightest 15-inch notebook ever

A closer match to the Retina MacBook is LG's new Gram 15 laptop, which essentially looks like a 15-inch version of Apple's 12-inch notebook -- it is even available in a strikingly familiar gold color. Weighing just 2.16 lbs, the Gram 15 is the lightest 15-inch laptop ever, and it is also just 0.6 inches thick.

LG's Gram 15 runs Windows 10 and features a sixth-generation Core i5 or i7 processor, 1080p IPS display, USB-C, HDMI, USB 3.0, microUSB and microSD slots and battery life up to 7 hours on a single charge, according to The Verge. LG has not confirmed the notebook's price or availability.

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HP's 12.5-inch EliteBook Folio features a bezel-free 4K display

Rounding off the trio is HP's new EliteBook Folio, a 12.5-inch Windows 10 laptop that is 0.49 inches thick and weighs less than 1 kg (2.2 lbs). The business-class notebook has a tapered metallic design, akin to the Retina MacBook, and features an Intel Core M processor and 4K bezel-free display at 352 PPI.

HP's EliteBook Folio will be released in March, priced from $999, according to Engadget.

Tags: CES 2016, HP, Lenovo, LG

ASUS today announced the first single-cable USB display that comes equipped with a USB Type-C port, allowing it to work with Apple's Retina MacBook and other USB-C machines. The MB196C+ portable display includes a 15.6-inch screen with a 1080p resolution.

The new monitor is the successor to the USB-powered ASUS' MB168B+, which came out two years ago. It features the same metallic finish and two-way adjustable stand, but according to Engadget, the display panel in the new model has been upgraded to IPS for improved colors and viewing angles.

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With the monitor's single USB-C cable, a Retina MacBook can power the display without the need for a second power cord. ASUS' MB169C+ is just 8.5mm thick and it weighs approximately 1.8 pounds, making it a good companion monitor for the ultra thin Retina MacBook.

ASUS hasn't shared details on availability or pricing, but its retail cost may be similar to the prior MB168B+, which retails for $200 to $300.

Tags: Asus, CES 2016

Lumos Labs, the company behind the Lumosity app that promises to "challenge your brain" using a daily training program of cognitive games, will pay out $2 million to settle deceptive advertising charges brought against it by the United States Federal Trade Commission.

According to the FTC, Lumos Labs deceived consumers by telling them the games in Lumosity would help them perform better at work, get better scores on standardized tests, and stave off the decline of cognitive impairment related to age or disease. It also claimed its games could help with conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's disease, as well as improving cognitive impairment associated with conditions like stroke, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, ADHD, chemotherapy, and more.

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"Lumosity preyed on consumers' fears about age-related cognitive decline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer's disease," said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "But Lumosity simply did not have the science to back up its ads."

Available in the iOS App Store, Lumosity offers a selection of more than 50 cognitive games it claims were developed by scientists and game designers to train the brain. While a basic membership to access a limited number of games is free, a membership costs from $6.70 to $11.95 per month or up to $299.95 for a lifetime pass.

Lumosity TV, Internet, radio, and social media advertisements suggested customers could play the games for 10 to 15 minutes three or four times per week to achieve "full potential in every aspect of life," and falsely claimed its health related benefits were backed by scientific studies.

Lumos Labs is facing a $50 million judgement, but the FTC has agreed to suspend the full amount due to Lumos Labs' financial position. Instead, the company will pay $2 million and will agree not to make future health and performance claims without "competent and reliable scientific evidence." Lumos Labs is also ordered to notify subscribers about the FTC action and provide them with a way to cancel their subscriptions.

Lumosity is just one of many "brain training" apps available in the App Store. Elevate, another highly popular brain training app that's been highlighted by Apple, claims its app will help improve "critical cognitive skills" to "boost productivity," but it shies away from making the deceptive health-related claims that got Lumosity in hot water.