Apple today started selling a new Lightning connector dock compatible with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod touch. The dock retails for $39 on the Apple Online Store in the United States, with an estimated shipping date of 1-3 business days as of publication time. The dock is also available in other countries, although prices vary depending on the local currency.
The long-anticipated Lightning dock arrives nearly three years after the Lightning connector made its debut on the iPhone 5 in September 2012, and succeeds the original 30-pin dock that Apple previously sold. Of course, given that Apple's official Lightning dock is long overdue, a number of accessory makers have already released third-party docks over the past several months and years.
The new Lightning dock has a smaller form factor that no longer cradles the device, making it compatible with both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and likely other iOS devices with Lightning connectors in the future. The dock also features a 3.5mm headphone port on the rear for audio out, enabling music and podcasts from an iPhone to be played on powered speakers and stereo systems.
Apple today announced updates to its 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display lineup and a new $1,999 configuration of the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K Display, confirming a recent rumor that said new models of the computers would be released as early as Wednesday. The refreshed MacBook Pro and iMac models are available through the Apple Store, Apple Online Store and authorized resellers beginning today.
The new 15-inch MacBook Pro gained all the expected updates similar to its 13-inch sibling: a Force Touch trackpad, faster flash storage, longer battery life, and better graphics. The new MacBook Pro comes in 2.2GHz and 2.5GHz configurations for $1,999 and $2,499 respectively. Both configurations come with a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB memory, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics cards, with the higher-end 2.5GHz model gaining expected boosts in flash storage and memory.
Given that the necessary Broadwell chips are not yet available, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac still have Intel's fourth-generation Haswell processors. Based on the average product cycle for the MacBook Pro and iMac, Apple may choose to skip Broadwell processors and use next-generation Skylake processors for the next versions of the notebook and all-in-one desktop computer respectively. Those models are unlikely to be released until late 2015 at the earliest.
“The response to the new MacBook and updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has been amazing, and today we are thrilled to bring the new Force Touch trackpad, faster flash storage and longer battery life to the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Customers love the groundbreaking iMac with Retina 5K display, and now with a new lower starting price, even more people can experience the best desktop we’ve ever made.”
The iMac line that received an update today was a new $1,999 configuration of the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display. The new model is a 3.3GHz configuration with a quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, and 1TB hard drive. Both the 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac are available to purchase right now from Apple's online store, with most of the models sitting at an estimated shipping time of between 1 and 3 business days as of announcement time.
Apple updated its Apple Pay participating issuers list today with 35 additional banks, credit unions and financial institutions supporting the contactless payment service in the United States. Apple Pay now has close to 300 participating issuers nationwide, and several hundred more plan to support the NFC-based mobile payment service in the future.
The full list of new Apple Pay participating issuers is reflected below, although it's worth noting that some banks, credit unions and financial institutions listed may have already had support for the contactless payments service and are only now being reflected on Apple's website.
The full list of new Apple Pay participating issuers:
1st Financial Federal Credit Union
Affinity Bank
Bank of Springfield
Berkshire Bank
Box Elder Credit Union
C&F Bank
Capitol Federal Savings
Christian Community Credit Union
Community First Credit Union of Florida
Credit Union of Denver
Denver Community Credit Union
Education First Credit Union
Educators Credit Union
Financial Partners Credit Union
First City Credit Union
First Premier Bank
Freedom Credit Union
NASA Federal Credit Union
Numerica Credit Union
PremierOne Credit Union
Purdue Federal Credit Union
Rivermark Community Credit Union
San Francisco Federal Credit Union
Simmons First National Bank
Summit Credit Union
Synchrony Bank
The Citizen Bank of Clovis
UMe Federal Credit Union
University Federal Credit Union
Utah Power Credit Union
Valor Credit Union
Vermont Federal Credit Union
WSECU
WECU (Whatcom Educational Credit Union)
Apple Pay remains available in the United States only, although Apple is committed to an international rollout of the mobile payments service in additional countries such as Canada, China and the United Kingdom. Canada, a well-prepared candidate for Apple Pay, could be the first country to embrace the service outside of the United States as early as November.
Longtime iTunes partner Starbucks today announced a brand new music partnership with music streaming service Spotify. Starbucks members will have access to in-store music within the Starbucks app powered by Spotify, and Spotify users will have opportunities to gain Starbucks rewards points.
“We plan on building one of the most robust digital ecosystems of any retailer in the world. Given the evolution of the music industry and the proliferation of streaming technology, it was natural that we would partner with Spotify in offering our customers a new way to engage with their favorite music,” added Kevin Johnson, president and coo of Starbucks.
The coffee company's 150,000 U.S.-based employees will receive a free Spotify Premium subscription and will be able to use Spotify to influence in-store playlists. Those playlists will then be available to stream within the Starbucks app. Spotify users will also be able to gain rewards points for the Starbucks app and will be able to listen to the in-store playlists within the Spotify apps.
It's unclear whether Starbucks will continue its music partnership with Apple's iTunes. The two companies first established a partnership in 2007, allowing iPod users to figure out what was playing in Starbucks stores. Later, the coffee company began giving away free iTunes songs, which can still be accessed within the Starbucks mobile app. In 2011, Starbucks and Apple extended their partnership to the App Store. More recently, the two companies began teaming up for (Product) Red iTunes / Starbucks gift card combinations.
The new partnership will roll out to the U.S. later this year, with Canada and the United Kingdom to follow thereafter.
Apple shelved plans to introduce a full-blown television set more than a year ago reports The Wall Street Journal, citing sources with knowledge of Apple's plans. The company reportedly spent more than a decade researching the possibility of releasing an ultra high-definition television set before deciding to nix the project because it couldn't find untapped features that would give it an edge in the television market.
Apple had searched for breakthrough features to justify building an Apple-branded television set, those people said. In addition to an ultra-high-definition display, Apple considered adding sensor-equipped cameras so viewers could make video calls through the set, they said.
Ultimately, though, Apple executives didn't consider any of those features compelling enough to enter the highly competitive television market, led by Samsung Electronics Co.
One of the technologies Apple investigated in the mid-2000s was a transparent display that used lasers to display an image, but it used too much power and resulted in poor image quality. Another potential feature Apple explored was video calling similar to FaceTime, but it ultimately "didn't seem compelling enough" for Apple to enter the television market.
The Wall Street Journal's report comes following comments from investor Carl Icahn, who today shared a letter covering on products he believes Apple will introduce over the course of the next several years. Icahn suggested Apple will dominate both the television and automobile markets, introducing 55 and 65-inch television sets in 2016 and a car in 2020.
Rumors about an Apple-branded television set have circulated for many years, but picked up in 2011 after the launch of Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography where Jobs' interest in the television industry was highlighted. "I finally cracked it," Jobs was quoted as saying.
Rumors continued through 2012 and 2013, pointing towards television prototypes in Jony Ive's studio and work on television designs, but rumors died down in late 2013 as a product failed to materialize. Focus turned instead to Apple's ongoing content struggles and its efforts to release a new set-top box, with the television team being disbanded and sent off to work on other projects. The television set project was not, however, officially "killed."
Apple is expected to unveil a new Apple TV and a new streaming television service at its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, set to begin on June 8, but according to The Wall Street Journal, the status of the announcement hinges on the completion of Apple's deals with media companies.
The new Apple TV is said to include a full App Store, Siri support, additional storage, and a redesigned form factor. The television service may feature a bundle of approximately 25 channels priced at $30 to $40 per month, with programming beginning in the fall following the prospective June announcement.
Siri is a workhorse of a virtual assistant for iOS, but I rarely see anyone actually using the feature on the iPhone. Maybe it is because most people don't know all of the amazing things she (or he) can do. Siri's improved a lot over the past several years and there's now a long list of tasks she can accomplish, so if you haven't been using Siri it might be time to give it another look.
Siri can schedule appointments, call your friends, read your text messages to you, play back your music, and much more. Apple recently updated Siri's webpage with more details on the different commands. Today, we've got a quick set up guide for using Siri, plus a list of features that Apple's virtual assistant can perform if you already know how to use it.
Set up Siri
Open the Settings app.
Select Siri & Search from the menu.
Turn on the toggle switch alongside Press Side Button for Siri.
Optionally, turn on the toggle switch for Listen for "Hey Siri" to use the feature hands-free.
Select "My Information" to add your contact details to Siri's database.
Once activated, to use Siri, simply hold the Home button or the Side button on the iPhone (or iPad) until the microphone icon appears, or simply say, "Hey Siri" (note that this handsfree activation only works on iPhone 8 and earlier when the device is connected to power). On the Apple Watch, you can hold the Digital Crown to bring up Siri, or just say "Hey Siri" immediately after raising your wrist or tapping the screen to wake up the watch.
Siri can perform a variety of tasks to make your life easier. Below is a list of phrases that you can use to make the most of your virtual assistant
Pronto is a small hub that's able to turn your iPhone into a universal remote, allowing it to control a range of electronics and devices within your home using 360 degree infrared. The Pronto connects to your iPhone via Bluetooth and works with an accompanying Peel Smart Remote app, which provides the remote interface and lets you see what's on television through an included guide.
As you can see in our video review below, the Peel app and the Pronto work together well, and with the included IR extension cable, you can put devices out of sight without losing the infrared connection.
Pronto is compatible with a huge number of televisions, Blu-ray players, DVD players, and set top boxes. It can connect to and control almost any television set, and it works with the Apple TV, Roku players, and more. Compatibility information is available on the company's website.
The Peel app includes simple controls for all devices and it makes it easy to switch between each one. There are also profiles available for different rooms, so the iPhone and Pronto pairing can essentially replace all of the remotes in the house.
Smart remotes have been around for ages, and many technology companies already offer apps allowing the iPhone to control things like televisions and media players, but the Pronto goes one step further and lets you control all of your devices with one app. It's quite similar to Logitech's line of Harmony smart remotes, but without some of the bells and whistles and with a lower price.
Popular audiobooks service Audible today announced CarPlay support for its iOS app, allowing iPhone users who have CarPlay to listen to their Audible audiobooks in their vehicles. Audiobooks for Audible is the second audiobook app available for CarPlay, following in the footsteps of Audiobooks.com, which added CarPlay support to its iOS app back in March. Apple will also be introducing its own Audiobooks app for CarPlay with the debut of iOS 8.4.
With the addition of CarPlay support, Audible becomes one of a handful of third-party apps to work with Apple's in-car infotainment system. Apple has maintained strict control over CarPlay apps due to safety concerns, allowing only certain audio-based apps to work with the feature. Other available CarPlay apps include iHeartRadio, Rdio, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, AtBat, CBS Radio, and Umano.
CarPlay availability remains limited as many automobile manufacturers have yet to introduce the system into their vehicles, though many have pledged to debut support in 2015/2016 models. CarPlay is mainly accessible through third-party infotainment systems from companies like Alpine and Pioneer.
Along with CarPlay support, today's Audible update also brings design changes and feature improvements to the iPhone and iPad apps.
- Lock Screen/Control Center – Previously, the Lock Screen/Control Center buttons were always chapter forward/back, even if your settings were for 30-second forward/back. Now, your lock screen/Control Center will feature the correct icons. - Sleep Timer – There is now a “Reset Timer” option after the sleep timer ends, reducing the number of taps from 4 to 2. - Sleep Timer – The fade-out returns. - Discover – On iPhone, we’ve updated the visual design by removing the dark overlay and going to a grid. - Discover – On iPad, we’ve replaced “Discover” with a true browse experience (it used to just be search). It should now mirror the iPhone version. - When you sample a book from a book detail page in “Discover” or search, it now plays in the player. This allows you to leave the detail page and still listen to the sample. - New Tab Bar – We moved Settings into the main navigation and created an overflow menu (on iPhone) for the items that no longer fit on the main tab.
Ahead of next month's Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple is laying the groundwork for future software and hardware updates for both the Apple Watch and Apple TV, according to a new report from 9to5Mac.
Timing for some of the new features remains unclear, but the report claims Apple is working on a "Find My Watch" implementation that could be paired with a "Smart Leashing" feature that would remind Apple Watch users if they appear to have accidentally left their iPhones behind.
First, Apple has been working on a feature dubbed “Find my Watch” for the Apple Watch, which as the name implies will allow a user to track a Watch’s location, as well as lock or remotely wipe it if it is lost or stolen. [...]
Given the Apple Watch’s reliance on an iPhone, Apple plans to implement Find my Watch via what’s currently known inside the company as “Smart Leashing.” According to a source, the Watch will use its wireless signal to establish its location relative to the iPhone, and will optionally be able to notify a user if the iPhone is accidentally left behind.
The news comes following concerns over the lack of any sort of Activation Lock functionality for the Apple Watch, but the new features may require new hardware to support them, pushing their launch off until the release of the second-generation Apple Watch.
Apple is also reportedly working on support for third-party watch face complications for the Apple Watch, which would, for example, allow users to see at a glance if they have unread Twitter mentions. Additional software and hardware work is focused on filling out health and fitness functionality for the Apple Watch, including additional sensors that were rumored but did not make it into the first version of the device.
On the Apple TV front, sources claim Apple's developer tools that will allow developers to build third-party apps for the next-generation Apple TV will be known as "TVKit", with the new hardware and tools expected to debut at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference. The Apple Watch appears set to serve as a key method for controlling the new box, which will also support Apple's rumored live streaming television service, although recent rumors have suggested that piece of the overall package may debut several months later than the hardware.
Apple's WWDC keynote is expected to see a significant number of announcements, including the new developer tools for Apple TV apps and native Apple Watch apps, as well as iOS 9 and OS X 10.11. As was the case last year, hardware announcements may be slim or absent entirely, particularly with updated 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac models expected this week.
Begun in 2012 over a concern that Samsung's products willfully infringed on Apple's patents for the iPhone, a jury eventually ruled largely in Apple's favor and the Cupertino company was awarded over $1 billion in damages. The award was later slightly reduced after it was determined the original jury had erred in one portion of its decision, but Samsung was still owing roughly $900 million to Apple.
Today, however, a U.S. appeals court is ruling to reverse another significant portion of the judgment, finding Samsung wasn't in violation of "trade dress" and therefore doesn't owe as much as was previously awarded by the courts (via Bloomberg Business).
The exact portion of the case being reassessed amounts to about $382 million according to Samsung, leaving the Korean company still owing Apple $548 million in damages if the lower courts looking at the case decide to reject this part of the award. The actual award amount will be recalculated by the lower court following today's decision.
The term "trade dress" refers directly to the ways in which a product is packaged and presented, and was originally one of the bigger points of win for Apple when the jury ruled in its favor back in 2012. After Samsung appealed, the appeals court on the case found the iPhone's overall look "can't be protected," thus requiring a recalculation of Apple's estimated $920 million damage award.
The part of the original decision upheld in today's ruling was Samsung's general patent infringement when in comparison with Apple products, including features like pinch and zoom, double tap to zoom, and other basic features patented by Apple. So while Samsung may yet escape without penalty over its phones having a similar look to the iPhone, the company will still be required to pay for violating Apple's patents.
The next part of the case is in limbo as a lower court recalculates the $930 million in damages owed by Samsung. The $382 million of that $920 million awarded to Apple, regarding the trade dress, is what will be addressed specifically by the lower court, with the amount being either lowered or removed altogether from the overall sum.
Tim Cook this weekend gave a commencement speech to the 2015 graduating class of George Washington University, sharing a number of reflections and his perspective on life for graduating students and their families. As announced in February, Cook was asked to speak at the event in Washington, DC following a nomination process by students earlier in the year.
Cook started off the 20-minute speech by reflecting on a few moments from his teenage years in which he met both President Jimmy Carter, one of his personal heroes, and Alabama Governor George Wallace, a man he disagreed with vehemently even at the young age of 16. The two men's similar backgrounds - they were both from the South and Democrats - helped teach Cook about how his internal journey in life was just as important as his external passage through schools, universities, and jobs.
Crowd on National Mall for commencement ceremonies (Source: Andras Szep)
My own journey in life was just beginning. I hadn't even applied to college yet at that point. For you graduates, the process of discovering yourself, of inventing yourself, of reinventing yourself is about to begin in earnest. It's about finding your values and committing to live by them. You have to find your North Star. And that means choices. Some are easy. Some are hard. And some will make you question everything.
Twenty years after my visit to Washington, I met someone who made me question everything. Who upended all my assumptions in the very best way. That was Steve Jobs.
Cook mentioned that just like Apple in the late nineties he was also "rudderless" and looked to Jobs' invitation to join the company and "change the world" not as a skeptic but as a believer. As expected, Cook looked back on the decision as one of his best and encouraged the graduates of George Washington to "find your North Star." The Apple CEO concluded his address at the university by taking a picture of the amassed crowd of graduates, claiming his position at the podium was "the best view in the world."
Cook and MacRumors reader Andras Szep following Cook's speech
MacRumors reader Andras Szep was on hand for the event, sharing a few photos and noting he was lucky enough to find a seat up front for Cook's speech and get a few moments afterwards to speak briefly with the Apple CEO, congratulating him on his speech and shaking his hand.
Apple fans waiting for updates to the 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac may get good news sooner than expected, with MacG.co [Google Translate] reporting on Monday that updates to both models are expected as soon as this Wednesday.
The website cites an unnamed source who has provided accurate information on a number of occasions in the past, but provides no further details regarding the exact specs and upgrades that could go into the two new computers. Given that the 13-inch MacBook Pro was updated back in March with the expected processing and graphics boosts, as well as a new Force Touch trackpad, it's safe to say the new 15-inch model should receive similar upgrades.
As MacG.co points out and we have discussed in recent days, shipping times for the 15-inch MacBook Pro have been slipping, sparking speculation of a WWDC reveal for updated models.
It is unclear exactly what processors will be included in the new MacBook Pro, as Intel's timeline for Broadwell chips had previously estimated a July-August release for chips appropriate for the machine. Intel did, however, quietly launch a few higher-end chips in the Broadwell family two weeks ago, suggesting production may in fact be ahead of schedule.
The site doesn't touch much on the iMac update, beyond pointing out that the only model with a delayed shipping estimate is the higher-end non-retina 27-inch iMac with a 3.4 GHz processor. We noted slipping shipping estimates on iMacs a month ago, but while most of the models returned to "in stock" status shortly after, it now appears Apple has indeed been drawing down stock ahead of this week's update.
Delayed shipping times in the weeks ahead of a major event like WWDC generally appear as good indicators of what product categories may be getting an update, but given recent updates to the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, the release of the new MacBook, and the pending 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac updates, Apple could once again have a software-focused WWDC keynote similar to last year unless it decides to show off an update to the Mac Pro.
After filming began earlier in January, and a few photo leaks soon thereafter, not much had been heard surrounding Universal Picture's Steve Jobs movie. Today, however, the studio released the first official trailer for the new movie.
The trailer is mostly a single shot of Michael Fassbender as Jobs, with cast voice overs providing snippets and teases of conversations regarding Jobs' true legacy at Apple. While it doesn't reveal much that wasn't already known, the one minute teaser provides a handful of closer looks as Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen, Kate Winslet, and Jeff Daniels as Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Joanna Hoffman, and John Sculley, respectively.
The movie has faced turmoil over the years as it began development, with multipleactors up for the titular role and even a change of studios due to scheduling conflicts between Danny Boyle, the film's director, and Sony. This year, as the film's October 9 release date grew nearer, casting calls and set photos began popping up online, even going so far as to offer fans the first glimpse of Fassbender in full costume as Jobs.
In one of its latest efforts to bolster its mapping capabilities, Apple appears to have acquired Coherent Navigation, a Bay Area GPS-related firm founded in 2008 by engineers from Stanford and Cornell.
One of Coherent Navigation's areas of focus was High Integrity GPS ("iGPS"), a system that combines signals from the traditional mid-earth orbit GPS satellites with those from the low-earth satellites of voice and data provider Iridium to offer greater accuracy and precision, higher signal integrity, and greater jam resistance. Iridium touts iGPS as having the potential to provide location information accurate to within centimeters.
A number of Coherent's key employees recently began working for Apple, including tech veteran and CEO Paul Lego in January and co-founders William Bencze and Brent Ledvina as of last month. Coherent's website has also been taken offline, but on April 30 the name servers for the domain were updated to point to Apple's servers.
It is unclear exactly what the Coherent Navigation team is working on at Apple and whether there was a specific technology Apple was interested in or if it simply wanted to apply the expertise of Coherent's employees to its own projects. Lego simply notes that he is now a member of Apple's Maps team, while Ledvina and Bencze are working in similar location engineering roles.
Coherent Navigation would be just the latest in a long string of mapping-related acquisitions Apple has made over the last several years, including the developers behind Pin Drop, Locationary, WifiSLAM, Hopstop, Embark, and Broadmap. Apple has continued to improve its mapping services since a rough transition away from Google Maps with the release of iOS 6 in 2012, with the company working to add features like transit information and perhaps Street View-like imagery to its services.
Popular grocery store chain Trader Joe's has installed new NFC-compatible VeriFone touchscreen checkout terminals in some of its stores, allowing for contactless payments. First noticed by AppleInsider, some of these stores with the new payment terminals are accepting Apple Pay, which works at any location that allows for contactless payments.
Image via AppleInsider
MacRumors has verified that Apple Pay works in some Trader Joe's stores. In the Raleigh, North Carolina area, we were able to make a purchase at Trader Joe's with the Apple Watch using Apple Pay.
Not all Trader Joe's stores have the new payment terminals at this time, and not all stores with the new terminals are accepting Apple Pay via NFC. The Apple Pay logo is present on the checkout terminal, however, suggesting Trader Joe's is perhaps considering becoming an official Apple Pay partner.
Trader Joe's is known for its high-quality low-priced products, and it has more than 400 locations across the United States. If Trader Joe's becomes an official Apple Pay partner, it will join other grocery store chains like Whole Foods, Dick's Fresh Market, Winn-Dixie, Bi-Lo, Food Maxx, Lucky, Meijer, Sprouts, and more.
With the Worldwide Developers Conference coming up in early June, there's been some question about whether we might see a new 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro at the event. Shipping estimates for the high-end 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro have recently increased to two to three weeks, perhaps suggesting Apple is tapering down production on the existing model.
Supply shortages can sometimes signal an imminent update, but there's uncertainty when it comes to a potential 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro refresh due to a distinct lack of Broadwell chips appropriate for the machine. For several months, we've had no updates on the release date of Broadwell chips that would be used in the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, making it difficult to pin down an upgrade timeline.
Along with slipping shipping estimates, however, we have another potential piece of evidence pointing towards the possibility of a June refresh -- a MacRumors reader who ordered a 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro has received a delayed delivery date ranging from June 9 to June 15. June 9 is one day after the kick off of the Worldwide Developers Conference and the day after the event keynote where any new product would be introduced.
The Retina MacBook Pro in question is a custom configured 15-inch model with a 2.8Ghz processor and 512GB of storage, originally ordered on April 23. At the time, it had a two to three week delivery estimate, suggesting it should have arrived in May, but Apple's pushed it back to seven weeks.
A single customer's order set to arrive on June 9 just after the WWDC keynote is curious and may suggest Apple's waiting until a refresh to ship his order, but there's also a chance that it's a mere coincidence. It's entirely possible we won't see updated 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models for several more months.
We last heard Broadwell chips for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro were coming in July or August, making a WWDC refresh unlikely, but a handful of desktop-class chips in the same family began shipping two weeks ago, suggesting Intel might be ahead of schedule.
If Intel is ready to ship the chips or if Apple has already quietly received shipments ahead of a wider release, there's a chance we'll see a Retina MacBook Pro update at WWDC. If the chips are not shipping out until July or August, a WWDC refresh or update announcement is not likely.
As we said in a deeper post covering potential chip upgrades for the Retina MacBook Pro and the iMac, Intel's Broadwell chip delays and Broadwell's convergence with Skylake chip release dates have made it difficult to divine accurate update timelines for these machines.
Now that Mother's Day has come to an end and we're heading into June, deals have died down a bit. You can still get a decent discount on an iMac, older iPad, older MacBook Air, or Retina MacBook Pro, but when it comes to newer iPads and Macs, you might want to wait a week or two in case there are good Memorial Day discounts. The exception is the Retina iMac, which is available for the lowest price we've seen.
Best Buy's offering solid discounts on some iPad mini 3 models this week, so it's a good time to pick up one of Apple's smaller tablets. As usual, we've rounded up the best deals on must-have Apple accessories, and we've highlighted the best app sales of the week.
Best Buy is discounting Wi-Fi only 16GB and 128GB iPad mini 3 models by $50 to $100, resulting in some of the lowest prices we've seen for the higher-capacity models. With the discount, the 128GB Wi-Fi only iPad mini 3 is priced at $499 and the 16GB version is priced at $349.99. Only the Space Gray and Silver models are on sale.
Discounts for each model and and color vary, but most models are being offered at a lower price than you'll find at the Apple Store, and buying from B&H, you won't have to pay sales tax unless you're in New York.
iPad mini 2
Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Amazon have remaining stock of now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad mini 2 models, which are a good deal if you're looking for an iPad mini. Compared to the iPad mini 3, the iPad mini 2 only lacks Touch ID.
There are quite a few apps that are on sale at discounted prices or available for free for a limited time. We'll highlight a few here, but make sure to check out our sister site AppShopper for a complete list.
Mac ID for iOS, an app that lets you unlock your Mac with your iPhone using Touch ID or your Apple Watch, is available for $0.99, down from $2.99. Fighting game Combo Crew is available for free, down from $1.99. Strategy games Squids and Squids Wild West are also available for free, down from $1.99.
Cut the Rope 2 is available for $0.99, down from $2.99. Duet Display, the app that turns your iPad into a second screen for your Mac, is available for $9.99, down from $15.99. AmpliTube and Amplitube for iPad are both available for free this week, down from $19.99.
Puzzle game Quetzalcoatl was named Apple's App of the Week, so it will be free to download until next Thursday when a new app is picked.
Apple Accessories
LivingSocial has two Apple Lightning cables available for $14.99, regularly $38. Groupon is selling a single set of Apple EarPods for $12.99 or a set of two for $24.99, a decent discount off the regular price of $29, and it has an Apple 5W USB power adapter for $9.99, down from $19.99.
Groupon has Star Wars iPhone cases for the iPhone 4/4s/5/5s for $7.99, regularly $19.99 to $39.99, and it's offering a custom Printerpix case for iPhone 5/5s/6/6 Plus with optional screen protector for $7.99, down from $39.99.
Groupon has the OtterBox Defender Case and Holster for the iPhone 6 available for $29.99, down from $59.95. The Otterbox Defender Case for the iPhone 6 Plus is available for $34.99, down from $70. The Apple iPad mini Smart Cover is available for $17.99, down from $39.
StackSocial is offering the Satechi Aluminum 4-port USB Clamp Hub for $19.99, down from $29.99. The MOTA Smartphone Air Vent Car Mount is available from Groupon for $14.99, down from $55. Best Buy has the Pebble Steel smartwatch in black or silver for $144.99, $50 off the regular price.
Best Buy has Incase laptop sleeves available at a 30 percent discount. Groupon is selling an inexpensive Apple Watch Charging Stand for $14.99, valued at $30, and it has the Jawbone BIG Jambox for $189.99, down from $299.
The iWalk Extreme Trip battery 10,000 mAh pack is available for $49.99 from StackSocial, discounted from $85. Woot has the Mophie Juice Pack Helium case for iPhone 5/5s for $29.99, down from $79.99. Woot's also discounting a range of Beats headphones by 17 to 45 percent, dropping prices as low as $60.
Groupon's still running a big Apple event and selling a range of Apple products and accessories at discounted prices, including the LifeProof Fre case for the iPad Air, Apple EarPods, Speck MacBook cases, MagSafe chargers, Mophie battery cases, and more.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Intrepid Bag Co to give MacRumors readers a chance to win one of the company's high-quality Journeyman Commuter Leather Messenger Bags. Priced at $379, the Journeyman is a cross-body messenger bag made from Latigo Saddle Leather in a rich brown color.
The bag has a minimalist design with a simple flap held by two buckles, but it's equipped with lots of pockets to hold all of your gear. There's a suspended laptop pocket that can hold a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (or smaller) and an iPad, plus there are additional pockets for the iPhone, chargers, documents, passports, pens, and more.
There's a herringbone lining on the inside, steel hardware, and a side-mounted padded strap to distribute weight comfortably.
The Journeyman's unique styling and fit makes it a true stand out with its 2" padded side-mounted strap that disperses weight evenly across your shoulders and stays in place perfectly. Think of this as your new lifelong traveling partner for all your EDC that only gets better with age.
Intrepid's Journeyman Messenger Bag, one of its first products, was the result of a Kickstarter campaign, and in the very near future, the company is expanding to offer several other bags and accessories.
Intrepid's latest collection, Explorer, recently debuted on Kickstarter. The Explorer collection includes the company's all new Wayfarer Messenger bag, which is its biggest yet and capable of holding a 15 to 17-inch MacBook, plus it includes a convertible backpack/messenger bag and a Tech Roll that holds cords, hard drives, and other loose accessories. Each piece in the collection, which ships in August, can be pre-ordered from Kickstarter.
To enter to win one of the Journeyman Messenger Bags, use the Rafflecopter widget below. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube Channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page. Due to the intricacies of international law regarding giveaways, this giveaway is open only to U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older.
The giveaway will run from today, Friday, May 15 at 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time through Friday May 22 at 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time. Winners will be chosen randomly on May 22 and will be contacted through email. A response to our email is required within 48 hours or the winner will forfeit the prize and we will pick a new winner.
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