Twitter this week confirmed that it is no longer permitting third-party developers to create Twitter clients, with the information quietly shared in an updated developer agreement that was spotted by Engadget. A new clause under Restrictions says that developers are not able to "create a substitute or similar service or product to the Twitter Applications."
This wording effectively bans all third-party apps such as Tweetbot, Twitterrific, Aviary, Echofon, Birdie, and others, and makes it clear that third-party Twitter apps are not going to come back at this time.
Last Thursday, Twitter stopped providing API access to major Twitter clients like Tweetbot, causing them to stop functioning, but at the time, provided no explanation as to why the APIs were suddenly unavailable. Twitter remained quiet until Tuesday, when it cryptically said that it was "enforcing its long-standing API rules," a change that could cause some apps not to work.
Third-party developers at no point received any communication from Twitter nor any warning about the shutdown, and Twitter never offered insight into what API rules might have been violated. As it turns out, Twitter is implementing a policy change that simply blocks third-party clients.
All popular Twitter clients such as Tweetbot and Twitterrific are no longer working, and the Twitter users that depended on these apps will now need to use the official Twitter app on iOS or Android or the Twitter experiences on the web. By cutting off third-party Twitter apps, Twitter will be able to serve ads to all users on its platforms.
Third-party Twitter apps have been around for more than a decade, and they were a popular choice for those who do not care for the default Twitter interface. There have long been complaints about Twitter's own app and the web experience, with third-party clients able to offer a much more palatable interface for many.
Developers had no notice that their revenue streams were going to be cut off, and they were not able to inform customers who paid for their apps about the shutdown. As Twitter has no communications team, little else is known about this situation.
The developers behind Twitterrific confirmed that the Twitterrific apps for iOS and Mac have been pulled from Apple's App Stores as of today. Until this afternoon, Twitterrific for Mac was still functional, as Twitter had not uniformly cut off third-party clients.
We are sorry to say that the app’s sudden and undignified demise is due to an unannounced and undocumented policy change by an increasingly capricious Twitter – a Twitter that we no longer recognize as trustworthy nor want to work with any longer.
Twitterrific subscriptions through iOS have been cancelled, and Twitterrific is asking subscribers not to request a refund from Apple as the loss of the Twitterrific revenue will have a notable impact on the business, and thousands of refunds could be devastating.
Update: Tweetbot has also shut down as a result of Twitter's ban. Tweetbot maker Tapbots will be transitioning to development on Mastodon client Ivory.
Say Goodbye to Tweetbot.
We've been proud to serve you over the last 12+ years, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we have to shut down Tweetbot.
Thank you so much for your patience and outpouring of support over these tough times at Tapbots. https://t.co/PjHePIkCpbpic.twitter.com/e45XXU7ugF
— Tapbots (@tapbots) January 20, 2023
When it comes to working on your Mac, there are so many handy time-saving tricks hidden away in macOS that there's a good chance you're missing at least one or two. Here are 10 quick tips, any of which could be key to turbo-charging your productivity.
This article assumes you're using a Mac running macOS Ventura, but most of these tips also work in earlier versions of Apple's Mac operating system.
1. Copy and Paste Text Excluding Formatting
When you select some text on a Mac, pressing Command-C copies it to the clipboard, and pressing Command-V pastes it along with any formatting.
If you'd rather paste the copied text elsewhere as purely plain text, use the key combination Command-Option-Shift-V and it will be stripped of any formatting.
2. View All Calendar Events as a List
Some calendar apps allow you to view all your upcoming events as a vertical list. Many users find this sort of viewing mode beats staring at the regular calendar interface, since it provides a quick at-a-glance summary of their entire schedule over the coming days and months.
On the face of it, Apple's Calendar app for macOS lacks an equivalent feature. However, there is one way to force a list view that includes all your events. Click the Search field in the upper right corner of the Calendar window and type two double quotes ("") to generate a list of all upcoming events. This makes it easier to copy multiple events and paste them into other apps in chronological order.
3. Perform a Quick Website Search in Safari
There are several ways to search the web in Apple's Safari browser. One of the lesser-known methods is called Quick Website Search. The option is designed to work with sites that have a built-in search field, like the one you can find at the top of the main page at MacRumors.com. Here's how it works.
Let's say you want to look up articles on MacRumors that mention "headset". Instead of typing "macrumors headset" into Safari's address bar to get results from your default search engine, you could navigate to MacRumors.com and use the search field provided at the top of the page.
If Quick Website Search is enabled, Safari will remember that you've used the MacRumors search field and offer to use it again in future searches that include the website's name. For example, if you type "macrumors" followed by "deals" directly into Safari's address bar, a Search macrumors.com for "deals" option will pop up in the suggestions box, as shown above. Selecting it returns instant results from MacRumors' own on-site search function.
To make sure the Quick Website Search is enabled, select Safari -> Settings... from the menu bar, choose the Search tab, and make sure the checkbox is ticked next to Enable Quick Website Search. If you click the Manage Websites... button next to the checkbox, you can also view Safari's list of website search shortcuts, remove individual websites, or clear the list completely.
4. Pause a Copying File to Resume Later
When you copy a large file or folder to another location in Finder using the Copy and Paste options, a pie chart progress indicator next to the copying item's name gives you an idea of how long the copy will take to complete. If it looks like it's going to take longer than you'd like, you can always pause the copy and resume it later. Here's how it works.
If you stop a copy midway through using the X button, a ghosted version of the file or folder will remain in the destination location. Just click it and you'll be given the option to Finish Copying it, or you can Keep the Resumable Copy and finish the transfer at another time that's more convenient.
5. Quickly Convert Images in Finder
There are many third-party apps available for Mac that will convert images for you, but if you're running macOS Monterey or later, you can convert an image or a selection of images from directly within Finder using a Quick Action.
If you're not familiar with them, Quick Actions help you perform certain tasks, such as creating a PDF or rotating an image, right from the Finder or your desktop, without opening an app. The "Convert Image" Quick Action can quickly convert an image file from one format to another. It also lets you batch convert selections, change the file size, and choose whether to keep the file's metadata in the converted image.
To use the Convert Image Quick Action, select an image file or drag a selection box over several files, then Ctrl-click and select Quick Actions -> Convert Image. In the dialog that appears, choose the desired format (JPEG, PNG, or HEIF) and the output file size (small, medium, large, or actual). Check the box to preserve the original image's metadata in the output image, then click Convert to [Format]. The converted image will be saved in the same folder as the original image, which will remain intact.
6. Open Files From the App Switcher
Most long-time macOS users will be aware of the Application Switcher. It's invoked using the Command-Tab keyboard shortcut, and lists all of the apps currently running on your Mac, enabling you to quickly switch between them.
An oft-overlooked function of the App Switcher is its ability to open files. Simply begin to drag a file from a Finder window, then invoke the App Switcher and drag the file onto the relevant app icon in the overlay. Let go of the file and it should open in the selected app.
Bonus tip: To quit an open app with the App Switcher, highlight the app and tap Q. To quickly quit multiple apps, try cycling through the overlay with the Tab key, tapping Q as you go.
7. Search and Replace Text in Filenames
When you highlight several files in Finder, you can use the Rename... option in the Ctrl-click menu to rename all of them. The Rename dialog also allows you to rename only specific files in a selection whose names include a certain piece of identifying text. This is really handy if you have tens or hundreds of files in a folder with different names and you only want to change those files that contain a particular word.
Select all the files in a folder (make sure they're all of the same kind, or this won't work), then Ctrl-click and select Rename.... Select Replace Text in the first dropdown. Now simply type the identifying text you want to replace into the "Find" field, and enter the text you want to replace it with in the "Replace With" field, then click Rename.
8. Use Text Clippings
In macOS, a Text Clipping is a selection of text that you've dragged from an application to another location on your Mac, where it becomes a unique kind of standalone file. The relatively little-known feature has been around since at least Mac OS 9, and it offers a convenient way to save out pieces of text from pretty much anywhere for later use in another app or document.
To create a Text Clipping, simply highlight any piece of text and drag it with your mouse to your Desktop or an open Finder window. This saves the highlighted text – including any rich text formatting – as a .textclipping file named after the first few words of text that you selected, but you can easily rename it to make it more identifiable.
To use the selected text in another file like a Pages document, drag the Text Clipping into the open document and the text will be automatically pasted wherever the cursor is located. You can paste the clipping in the same way into all sorts of open files and apps, including browser search engines, Mail compose windows, Xcode projects, and more.
9. Copy and Paste Photo Edits
In macOS Ventura, if you have multiple photos that you want to edit in the same way, or if you've made changes to one photo that you want to replicate in another photo, you can use the new copy and paste edits tools in the Photos app.
To use the new option, first open an image, click Edit, then make your changes. When you're done, choose Image -> Copy Edits from the menu bar, then select the image (or images) you want to paste them to. Finally, choose Image -> Paste Edits from the menu bar.
10. Show More Recent Applications in Dock
In macOS, a handy option called Show recent applications in Dock (found in System Settings -> Desktop & Dock) adds a divider to the right-hand side of your Dock and after it displays any apps you recently used that aren't permanently docked. This option only shows the three most recently used apps that have since been closed. What if your workflow would be more efficient if it could show more?
If you're comfortable pasting commands into Terminal, it's perfectly possible to increase or decrease the number of recently opened apps that show in your Dock. Open a Terminal window and paste the following at the command prompt, then press Enter:
Note that the -int argument defines the number of recently opened apps that you want to display in the Dock after the divider (10 in this case). You can change the number to suit.
We weigh up the significance and timing of the MacBook Pro's hardware refresh, the excitement around the Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip as a rival to the Mac Studio and a tool for creators, and our thoughts on Apple's strategy for reviving the HomePod.
If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for a discussion about some of the biggest rumors about Apple's upcoming products that have emerged since the start of the year.
The first graphics-focused benchmark results have surfaced for Apple's M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, offering a closer look at GPU performance improvements.
Metal scores on Geekbench reveal that the M2 Pro with a 19-core GPU and M2 Max with a 38-core GPU in the new MacBook Pros offer around 30% faster graphics performance over the M1 Pro and M1 Max, in line with Apple's advertised claims.
The high-end M1 Ultra chip released for the Mac Studio last year is still about 9% faster than the M2 Max based on Metal scores:
However, OpenCL scores for the M2 Max and M1 Ultra are roughly on par.
Geekbench results also reveal that the M2 Pro and M2 Max in the new MacBook Pros both have single-core and multi-core scores of around 1,900 and 15,000, respectively, meaning they offer up to 20% faster CPU performance compared to the M1 Pro and M1 Max, which is also in line with Apple's advertised claims.
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are available to pre-order now. The first deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Tuesday.
Today we're tracking discounts offered by Anker and Eufy on Amazon, with deals focused on wall chargers, portable chargers, USB-C cables, self-cleaning vacuums, video doorbells, and more. All of these deals can be found on Amazon today, and many require on-page coupons in order to see the full discount price.
Anker
Starting with Anker, the bulk of the savings can be found on wall chargers this time around. Amazon has a good collection of Anker's best chargers on sale, and most of these require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the discount at checkout. Otherwise, you'll find portable chargers, USB-C hubs, and USB-C cables on sale as well on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Anker's smart home brand Eufy has a big sale on robot vacuums this week, with as much as $169 off select devices for a limited time. You can also save on a few of Eufy's video doorbell accessories, and as with Anker's products all of these sales can be found on Amazon.
To use Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, all the devices logged into your Apple ID require a minimum software version. That includes HomePod speakers, which must be running at least HomePod software 16.2.
However, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, there is a bug in the Home app that prevents HomePods running older versions of the software from being updated if iCloud end-to-end encryption has been turned on.
This means anyone buying a HomePod that ships with an OS older than 16.2 won't be able to set it up, because doing so first requires an update.
Apple's support document explains what options are available to customers facing this predicament. If the speaker in question is a HomePod mini, users can connect it to a Mac via the USB-C cable and update it through Finder (or iTunes on a PC) by selecting the HomePod in the Finder sidebar and clicking the Restore HomePod option. This will update the speaker to the latest software, after which it can be properly set up.
The full-size first-generation HomePod and the new 2023 HomePod have no USB-C port, so unless Apple includes a fix in iOS 16.3, which is expected to be released next week, owners of these speakers will have to temporarily turn off Advanced Data Protection to update the HomePod software. Apple outlines how to do that in the following way:
Turn off Advanced Data Protection in iCloud settings on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac: In Settings or System Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud. Scroll to Advanced Data Protection and turn off Advanced Data Protection.
Update your HomePod to the latest software using the Home app.
Turn on Advanced Data Protection in iCloud settings on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac: In Settings or System Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud. Scroll to Advanced Data Protection and turn on Advanced Data Protection.
Apple advises anyone who temporarily turns off Advanced Data Protection to turn it back on immediately after their HomePod software is updated.
Spotify and eight companies and associations have written a letter to the EU Commission's executive vice president calling Apple a harmful, anti-competitive, and monopolistic company that must be regulated through "urgent action."
The letter, signed by the CEOs and heads of Basecamp, Deezer, Proton, Schibsted, Spotify, European Publishers Council (EPC), France Digitale, and News Media Europe, was sent to Margrethe Vestager of the EU. The letter urges the EU to take regulatory action and conclude an ongoing investigation triggered by Spotify against Apple's app distribution practices.
The group claims Apple's App Store has hindered their businesses and consistently makes it difficult for them to grow due to the platform's policies and its "capricious changes to terms and conditions."
For years, Apple has imposed unfair restrictions on our businesses. These restrictions hamper our development and harm European consumers. They include the tying of the App Store to Apple's proprietary payment system, with its excessive commissions for app developers; the creation of artificial obstacles that prevent our businesses from freely communicating with our customers; restrictions to developers' access to data of their own users; and capricious changes to terms and conditions. Apple benefits from a monopoly position over its mobile ecosystem and extracts exorbitant rents from app developers who have no choice but to remain on the App Store to reach European consumers.
"The time has come for urgent action from the EU to end Apple's abusive behaviors," the letter says, citing the newly passed Digital Markets Act (DMA) and calling for its swift enforcement. "The EU has the opportunity to take the lead, but it must act fast, as every day that passes is a loss for innovation and for the welfare of European consumers," it continues.
In April 2021, the EU published the Commission's Statement of Objections against Apple, outlining its findings after an investigation of unfair App Store practices. In the statement, the EU said Apple "abused its dominant position for the distribution of music streaming apps through its App Store" and that it takes issue with the "mandatory use of Apple's own in-app purchase mechanism imposed on music streaming app developers to distribute their apps." Now, the group of companies claims these alleged wrongdoings are experienced by "countless other app providers" and not just music streaming apps.
We therefore call for a rapid decision in the competition case against Apple for its illegal, anti-competitive behavior involving music streaming services. Many of the anti-competitive behaviors described in the Commission's Statement of Objections against Apple are felt not only by music streaming services but by countless other app providers who wish to offer goods and services via the iOS App Store. That Statement of Objections is nearly two years old and the abuses and consumer harm will continue until a remedy is enforced. Beyond the specific App Store case, the EU authorities urgently need to look at Apple's abusive behavior in other areas as well, such as publishing, web software, communications, and marketplaces.
Apple has been repeatedly accused of unfair and anti-competitive business practices in its App Store, with Spotify being one of the most vocal critics. In October, Spotify published a press release accusing Apple of damaging "Spotify's and other developers' abilities to provide a seamless user experience" and stated these restrictions "hurt both creators and consumers alike."
Although Spotify has been vocal about its disapproval of Apple's App Store, the music streaming service has neglected widespread requests to add HomePod support to its app, despite many of its competitors doing so. As a result, some Spotify customers have switched to other platforms, such as Apple Music. In an independent blog post on its website this week, Spotify said, "Apple has been enabled by the lack of decisive action by regulators, who continue to move hesitantly, even in the face of a groundswell of support."
Following the Mac mini's recent hardware refresh that added the M2 and M2 Pro chips, what exactly do the latest machines bring to the table and is it worth upgrading from the previous generation?
The current Mac mini with the M2 chip starts at $599 and model with the M2 Pro chip starts at $1,299. Upon the launch of the latest models, the M1 and Intel-based Mac minis were discontinued and are no longer available from Apple's main storefront. Units of these slightly older machines are likely to still be available via Apple's refurbished store and third-party retailers for reduced prices in the coming months. Buying an older model second-hand is also an option.
First-time Mac mini customers or those upgrading from a much older, Intel-based device may be wondering whether it is worth buying a previous-generation Mac mini, so it will be important to weigh up exactly what was added with the latest models. Likewise, existing users of the M1 Mac mini may be wondering if it is worth upgrading to the latest model or sticking with their current device.
See the detailed breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with each Apple silicon Mac mini compared to its direct predecessor:
2023: M2 and M2 Pro Mac Mini
M2 or M2 Pro chip
Eight-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores with M2 or up to 12-core CPU with eight performance cores and four efficiency cores with M2 Pro
10-core GPU with M2 or up to 19-core GPU with M2 Pro
Media engine with video decode engine, video encode engine, and ProRes encode and decode engine for hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW
100GB/s memory bandwidth with M2 or 200GB/s memory bandwidth with M2 Pro
8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory with M2 or 16GB or 32GB unified memory with M2 Pro
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD storage with M2 or 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD storage with M2 Pro
Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth 5.3
Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports with M2 or four Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports with M2 Pro
HDMI 2.1 port
3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones
With M2 models, support for one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz via HDMI with M2. With M2 Pro models, support for two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz via HDMI, one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz via HDMI, or one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz via HDMI.
2020: M1 Mac Mini
M1 chip
Eight-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores
Eight-core GPU
Media engine with video decode engine and video encode engine for hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC
66.67GB/s memory bandwidth
8GB or 16GB unified memory
256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB SSD storage with M1
802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6
Bluetooth 5.0
Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports
HDMI 2.0 port
3.5mm headphone jack
Support for one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz via HDMI
Final Thoughts
If you can get an M1 Mac mini for a sufficiently low price compared to the M2 model, it may still be worth buying, but given Apple's price drop for the new M2 version to just $599, significantly better prices may be difficult to find. In most cases, it will be better to get the M2 Mac mini over the M1 one, especially if you want a future-proof device to keep for the long term, where slightly better performance, more memory bandwidth, and specifications like Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and HDMI 2.1 are likely to be more beneficial through successive software updates and as connectivity needs with other devices evolve. That being said, existing M1 Mac mini users are unlikely to get much out of upgrading to an M2 model.
New to Apple silicon Mac mini with no need for "Pro" capabilities: Buy M2 model over discounted M1 model
New to Apple silicon Mac mini with need for "Pro" capabilities: Buy M2 Pro model over discounted M1 model
M1 Mac mini user with no need for "Pro" capabilities: Don't upgrade to M2 or M2 Pro models
M1 Mac mini user with need for "Pro" capabilities: Upgrade to M2 Pro model
M1 Mac mini users who definitely need a more advanced machine will get a major upgrade with M2 Pro configurations of the latest model. The M2 Pro Mac mini's added performance and markedly more powerful GPU, doubled memory bandwidth, 32GB memory option, up to 8TB of storage, and two extra Thunderbolt ports make for a sizeable difference. For similar reasons, those considering the M2 Pro Mac mini should not buy the M1 model, even if it can be found for a much lower price.
WhatsApp is completing the rollout of a new feature that lets you create a private chat thread with yourself within the app that can be used to store personal notes and media.
Literally called "Message Yourself," the feature is designed to be used as a convenient place to keep things like reminders, notes, links, audio clips, photos, and video. You can also talk to yourself, but bear in mind that you'll have to supply both sides of the conversation.
The feature utilizes the same end-to-end encryption that normal WhatsApp chats do, allowing the platform to securely synchronize your private notes between devices.
The new option works in a similar way to Signal's Note to Self feature. Facebook Messenger and Instagram also let you create messages to yourself, while Slack lets you send yourself direct messages to keep notes, to-dos, links, and files handy.
In another change rolled out with the latest 23.1.75 update, WhatsApp has added a "Search by date" option to chat searches. Users can now tap search from the contact or group info menu and select the calendar icon to access a date picker.
The latest version also brings support for drag and drop to share images, videos, and documents from other apps to WhatsApp chats. In addition, the update brings the recently rolled out Accidental Delete feature to even more users.
One of the first hands-on experiences with the new second-generation HomePod has offered new details on the latest smart speaker's quality and performance compared to the original HomePod launched in 2018.
TechRadar's Lance Ulanoff had the chance to listen to the new HomePod during a listening session by Apple for members of the media and shared his experience with the speaker.
According to Ulanoff, the new HomePod handles the separation of vocals, instruments, and tracks with "excellent" precision when listening to songs like "Everybody" by Ingrid Michaelson. "What I noticed immediately is, from a single HomePod 2, the excellent separation of acoustic instruments and her voice. I could clearly pick out a tambourine, guitar, and drum kit as distinct elements in the air," Ulanoff said.
One challenge often faced by typical speakers is that the louder the volume, the more distorted the audio can become. Ulanoff said that even with the volume at 90%, the new HomePod delivers "aural clarity" with no distortion. According to Ulanoff, the new HomePod has a sensor built into its design that can measure the internal temperature of the system and, if under ideal conditions, can "crank up the power even further."
Like the original HomePod, the new model has spatial awareness, but with better performance thanks to advanced computational audio and improved hardware, like the S7 chip. With spatial audio, the new HomePod, either alone or in a stereo pair, can offer an immersive 360-degree listening experience.
One of the interesting things about the new HomePod 2 is its spatial awareness. As I listened to music from a single and then stereo pair of HomePod 2 devices, I noticed how the sounds often didn't seem to be coming directly from the HomePods (thanks Spatial Audio!). Some were coming from the left, others from the right, and some (usually, but not always, vocals) from dead center. The most interesting sounds though, were the ones that almost seemed to wash over me; they were bouncing off the back wall (maybe a foot away from the HomePod 2) and then rising and, I'm guessing here, bouncing from the walls to the ceiling to my ears.
Ulanoff called a stereo pair of new HomePods "impressive," adding that certain songs felt as if they were "coming from behind and in front of me. The sound stage was so wide and deep that it didn't matter where I stood in the room." It's worth noting that first-generation HomePods can't be used in a stereo pair with the newer model, according to Apple.
Internals of the new second-generation HomePod
Visually, the new HomePod looks a lot like the original smart speaker, but with a larger backlit touch interface and a slightly shorter design. Internally, the new model has two fewer tweeters and microphones than the original HomePod, which was likely a cost-cutting decision. The tweeters and microphones are "tilted up to avoid any audio being distorted by reflections from whatever surface the speaker is sitting on," according to Ulanoff.
Like the original HomePod, the new speaker can quickly analyze its placement in a room to adjust the audio accordingly in just 20 seconds, thanks to a combination of the four microphones and the S7 chip. A built-in accelerometer also detects movement to allow the speaker to readjust its room analysis.
The new HomePod comes around two years after Apple discontinued its original smart speaker. The first-generation HomePod failed to be the market success Apple was hoping for, because of its high $349 price at launch and limited integration with third-party services. We'll get a closer look at the new HomePod when media reviews are published in the days leading up to its launch on Friday, February 3.
Apple is continuing development of OLED panels for new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models to be announced in 2024 and 2026, respectively, according to a report from Korea's ET News.
The report states that Apple and one of its Korean display suppliers, believed to be Samsung, have started working on OLED panels for an 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. In line with previous rumors, the report states that the first iPad with an OLED display will launch in 2024. From the report:
The specific types of panels are 10.86 inches and 12.9 inches for the iPad, and 14 inches and 16 inches for the MacBook. The domestic display companies and related parts and material companies began to develop the panels with the start of the official project. An insider familiar with the subject said, "Panel development from 10 inches to 16 inches is in progress."
According to display analyst Ross Young, who has accurately revealed details about several Apple devices ahead of launch, the first iPad Pro with OLED panels will have larger 11.1-inch and 13-inch displays compared to the current-generation models.
Apple currently uses a mini-LED display in its 12.9-inch iPad Pro, while the smaller 11-inch model keeps a traditional LCD panel. Following the iPad's transition to OLED, rumors suggest the first Mac with an OLED panel will arrive in the form of a 13-inch MacBook Air as soon as 2024.
Compared to traditional LCD panels, OLED displays require less power thanks to their self-emitting pixels, which do not require backlighting, ultimately extending battery life, providing darker blacks, and improving contrast ratio. Apple currently uses displays from display partners, including Samsung and LG, but it is reportedly looking to reduce its dependence on those suppliers.
A report from Bloomberg this month said Apple is working on custom-designed displays to use in the iPhone and Apple Watch starting next year. The report claimed the first device with a custom Apple-designed microLED display will be the Apple Watch Ultra at the end of 2024. Apple will reportedly expand its custom-made microLED display to other products in the following years, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
The Apple TV app, the Apple TV+ streaming service, and the Apple TV channels feature appear to be experiencing an outage at this time, with Apple's System Status page reflecting an issue that began at 5:13 p.m. Pacific Time.
The TV app on the Apple TV and on iOS devices is not functioning properly, and for some users, is showing no content except for TV shows and movies that have been purchased and are available in the Library.
Update: Apple's System Status page indicates the Apple TV+ outage has been resolved.
Netflix today said that it plans to roll out paid sharing "more broadly" in the first quarter of 2023, expanding a crackdown on Netflix accounts that are shared between multiple households.
In a Q4 shareholder letter explaining the changes [PDF], Netflix says that widespread account sharing undermines its ability to invest in and improve the service.
Today's widespread account sharing (100M+ households) undermines our long term ability to invest in and improve Netflix, as well as build our business. While our terms of use limit use of Netflix to a household, we recognize this is a change for members who share their account more broadly.
So we've worked hard to build additional new features that improve the Netflix experience, including the ability for members to review which devices are using their account and to transfer a profile to a new account. As we roll out paid sharing, members in many countries will also have the option to pay extra if they want to share Netflix with people they don't live with.
Based on testing in Latin America, Netflix says that it is anticipating "some cancel reaction" in each market where paid sharing is introduced, but an overall improvement in revenue is expected as "borrower households" activate standalone accounts and as extra member accounts are added. According to Netflix, an estimated 222 million paying households share passwords with an additional 100 million households that could be monetized.
Netflix will require people who share accounts with others outside of their household to pay to do so. Add-on payments have already rolled out in some Latin American countries, with Netflix charging around $3 extra for an additional non-household user. A report from The Wall Street Journalin December suggested Netflix could charge just under $6.99 for account sharing in the United States.
Netflix plans to enforce password sharing rules through IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity.
The terms of service for Netflix have never allowed for multi-household sharing, but Netflix has allowed the practice for so long that implementing fees for offering account access to friends and family could upset some subscribers.
Pricing on Netflix plans includes watching on multiple supported devices in addition to affecting streaming quality, but Netflix does not want multiple viewers using the same account unless they live together. Netflix's premium plan, for example, allows for Ultra HD 4K streaming and support for watching on four supported devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs at one time, but in the future, access will be limited to people in the same home.
The Computer History Museum located in Mountain View, California, today released the Apple Lisa source code, including its system and applications software. Today happens to be the 40th anniversary of the original January 19, 1983 release of the Apple Lisa.
Aimed at business users, the Apple Lisa was priced at close to $10,000 when it was introduced, and the high price tag combined with software issues and problems with floppy disks caused it to be something of a commercial failure. Though it was largely replaced with the much more affordable Apple Macintosh and Lisa 2 after just two years, The Apple Lisa is known for its innovative use of a graphical user interface (GUI).
The Apple Lisa included several apps, such as a word processor, spreadsheet, and charts, all of which were bundled with the system. The GUI was inspired by Xerox PARC's Smalltalk system, but had its own innovations that ultimately inspired Apple's future operating systems as well as Microsoft's Windows software.
The code is being released as part of the Computer History Museum's ongoing "Art of Code" series, which explores historical code releases that power significant developments in computing. There will be a hybrid in-person/online event on January 31 at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time that will commemorate Apple's PC journey and highlight what made the Lisa the company's "most important flop."
Apple made some rare January product announcements this week, introducing updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, an updated Mac mini, a second-generation full-size HomePod, and a new Unity band for the Apple Watch in celebration of Black History Month. Apple also revealed that iOS 16.3 will be released to the public next week.
A recap of Apple's announcements is available below for those looking for a quick overview of all the new products introduced this week.
MacBook Pro
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are available with Apple's latest M2 Pro and M2 Max chips for up to 20% faster performance and up to 30% faster graphics. The laptops can be configured with up to 96GB of RAM, compared to a max of 64GB previously. Other new features and improvements include Wi-Fi 6E, an upgraded HDMI 2.1 port with support for an 8K external display, and an extra hour of battery life.
The new MacBook Pros have the same design as the previous-generation models released in 2021. The laptops can be pre-ordered now on Apple's online store, with the first deliveries to customers and in-store availability to begin Tuesday, January 24. Pricing starts at $1,999 for the 14-inch model and at $2,499 for the 16-inch model.
Mac mini
Apple also updated the Mac mini with new M2 and M2 Pro chip options, resulting in the final Intel-based Mac mini being discontinued. There are no design changes, but the M2 Pro version of the Mac mini is equipped with four Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI 2.1 port, compared to two Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port on the M2 model.
The new Mac mini can be pre-ordered now on Apple's online store, with the M2 model starting at a lower $599 price and the M2 Pro model starting at $1,299. The first deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Tuesday, January 24.
HomePod
The second-generation HomePod features a virtually identical design as the full-size HomePod that was discontinued in March 2021, including a backlit touch surface and mesh fabric exterior. The speaker features a four-inch high-excursion woofer, five tweeters, four microphones, an S7 chip for computational audio, a U1 chip for handing off music from an iPhone, and support for Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. The speaker continues to revolve around Siri and has Matter support for controlling HomeKit and other smart home accessories.
The new HomePod has two fewer tweeters and two fewer microphones compared to the original model, and it weighs slightly less as a result. A new sensor in the HomePod can measure temperature and humidity in indoor environments, and this feature has also been enabled on the existing HomePod mini with HomePod software version 16.3.
The new HomePod can be pre-ordered now on Apple's online store for $299, with white and midnight color options available. In-store availability and deliveries to customers will begin Friday, February 3 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and 11 other countries.
Unity Band
Apple this week released a new, special-edition Black Unity Sport Loop for the Apple Watch Series 4 and later in celebration of Black History Month. Available in 41mm and 45mm sizes for $49, the band features the word "Unity" woven into the fabric with red, green, and black yarns that pay homage to the Pan-African flag, according to Apple.
The new band is available to order on Apple's online store, and will be available in select Apple Store locations beginning January 24. Apple is also releasing a companion Unity-themed iPhone wallpaper and watch face with iOS 16.3 and watchOS 9.3.
iOS 16.3 Release Timing
In its press release about the new Unity band, Apple said a matching Unity wallpaper for the iPhone will be available next week and requires iOS 16.3, which confirms that the software update will be released to the public next week.
In late January 2023, Apple released a HomePod 16.3 software update that adds humidity and temperature sensing to the second-generation HomePod and all HomePod mini models. This article explains how the features work and what you can do with them.
Apple's new second-generation HomePod features temperature and humidity sensors that can be used to measure the indoor climate. But that's not all. The new 16.3 HomePod software allows you to run automations based on these measurements.
What's more, the existing HomePod mini has a dormant temperature and humidity sensor that Apple activated with the 16.3 update, allowing the same temperature and humidity settings to be used for home automation and device activation purposes. (Sadly, that is not the case for the first-generation HomePod.)
Below, we show you how the temperature and humidity sensor information appears in the Home app, and how you can add automations. In our example, after having installed the 16.3 software on a HomePod mini, we run through the steps needed to activate a thermostat to heat a room whenever it falls below 66.2 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius).
Open the Home app and select the room where the HomePod mini or second-generation HomePod is located.
After a short calibration phase on first use, the readouts at the top of the room menu provide live climate measurements. We're going to tap the Temperature readout.
Tap the Temperature Sensor button in the pop-up menu to access the settings card.
Tap Add Automation.
Using the dial, choose a temperature level that activates the automation using the Rises Above and Drops Below options.
Use the Time setting to choose from Any time, During the day, At night, or Specific times.
Use the People setting to choose whether this automation should run based on When I am home or When I am not home. You can also turn this setting off.
Tap Next, then select the accessory that you want to use with this automation. Here we're selecting Thermostat.
Tap Next, then give your automation a name at the top of the menu and set your accessory to perform an action. Here, we're setting the thermostat to heat the kitchen to 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 22 degrees Celsius.
Tap Done, then tap the X to close the Temperature Sensor settings card.
Our automation is now ready to activate the thermostat to heat the room whenever the temperature drops below the specified measurement. To complement the automation, we could create an additional one that turns off the thermostat when the room reaches a certain temperature.
This is just one example of some of the new features available with the HomePod 16.3 software update. The update also brings users the ability to add remastered ambient sounds to scenes, automations, and alarms, as well as the ability to use Siri to set recurring automations and find people who are in your Find My contacts.
In the European Union, Apple has added €10 to the original €99 price in Austria, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The price increase was spotted in France by iGeneration.
The EU price rise now matches or approximately reflects the original price of the HomePod mini in other European countries where the speaker launched only last year, such as Belgium, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
In the UK, where the cost of a HomePod mini went up from £89 to £99, Apple also quietly increased the starting price of the iMac by £150, rising from £1,249 to £1,399.
Apple next week will push out an update for the HomePod mini that activates the dormant temperature and humidity sensors in the speakers. Given that it also applies to HomePod mini devices already purchased at the lower price, that is likely to be scant consolation for anyone thinking of buying a HomePod mini today.
Apple just announced new models of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with faster M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, and Amazon and Expercom are already offering savings on the new notebooks. At Amazon you can get a straight cash discount and at Expercom you can save on AppleCare+ bundles.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon
Amazon has three models at a discount, starting with the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro 512GB) in both Space Gray and Silver for $1,949.99, down from $1,999.00. The new MacBook Pros don't launch until January 24, so this is a pre-order sale and Amazon will ship the computer when it launches next week.
Although only $49 off, these are the first straight cash discounts we have tracked for the new line of MacBook Pros, so it's a great chance for early adopters to save a little bit of money. If you want to get AppleCare+ with your new MacBook Pro, however, read on below for Expercom's deals.
Expercom
All of the savings listed below require you to bundle the new MacBook Pros with AppleCare+. When doing so you can save up to $280 off these notebooks. Shoppers should also note that Expercom does not yet have stock yet so these are pre-orders for the new MacBook Pros, and they should ship within 7-14 days.
You'll see these bundle prices if you scroll a bit to the middle section of the Expercom MacBook Pro pages, and find the area under "Get a discount." Here you can add both the MacBook Pro and AppleCare+ for Mac to your cart with the similarly labeled button, and get the savings.
14-inch MacBook Pro
M2 Pro 512GB - $2,141.32 with AppleCare+, down from $2,278.00 ($137 off)
M2 Pro 1TB - $2,329.32 with AppleCare+, down from $2,478.00 ($149 off)
M2 Pro 2TB - $2,987.32 with AppleCare+, down from $3,178.00 ($191 off)
16-inch MacBook Pro
M2 Pro 512GB - $2,666.16 with AppleCare+, down from $2,898.00 ($232 off)
M2 Pro 1TB - $2,850.16 with AppleCare+, down from $3,098.00 ($248 off)
M2 Pro 2TB - $3,218.16 with AppleCare+, down from $3,498.00 ($280 off)
Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
