MacRumors

Apple today announced that kickboxing is coming to Apple Fitness+ as a new total-body cardio workout type alongside a brand-new Sleep meditation theme, new Artist Spotlights, the fifth season of Time to Walk, and more.

Apple Fitness Plus hero
Apple says that kickboxing workouts can help to build full-body fitness, strength, stamina, coordination, and balance. Each workout will involve a distinct round of moves followed by a final round that combines the previous moves. No equipment is required, and workouts will be 10, 20, or 30 minutes long. It will be led by Jamie-Ray Hartshorne and Nez Dally – a new trainer joining the Fitness+ team. Kickboxing will launch on the platform starting on Monday, January 9.

Fitness+ will also launch two new workout Collections, including "6 Weeks to Restart Your Fitness" and "Level Up Your Core Training," on January 9 and January 23. Other than Nez Dally, two other new trainers are also set to join the Fitness+ team, with Brian Cochrane for HIIT and Jenn Lau for Strength.

Sleep joins the nine other themes in the Apple Fitness+ Meditation library, helping users to wind down before bed and drift off to sleep. Users are encouraged to begin with the Introduction to Meditations for Sleep program. New sleep meditations will be added every week.

Artist Spotlight, which dedicates an entire workout playlist to a single artist, will offer seven new workouts featuring Beyoncé and songs from her latest album, "RENAISSANCE." Artist Spotlights on the Foo Fighters will be available from January 16, followed by a spotlight on Bad Bunny from January 23.

The fifth season of Time to Walk will feature guests including Golden Globe-nominated actor Jamie Lee Curtis, late-night talk show host Amber Ruffin, actor and MacRumors fan Jason Segel, Spanish chef and World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés, actor and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph, Olympic champion figure skater Nathan Chen, actor and writer Colman Domingo, and German actor Nina Hoss.

While the majority of iOS features are available internationally, there are some that remain exclusive to the United States, such as the Apple Card, Apple Cash, IDs in the Wallet app, Advanced Data Protection, and Clean Energy Charging.

iphone 14 purple 2
Below, we've provided more details about some iPhone features available in the U.S. only and Apple's future expansion plans if any for the features.

Apple Card

apple card 1 iPhone 13
Launched in 2019, the Apple Card remains available in the U.S. only. Apple's credit card can be managed completely through the Wallet app on the iPhone, with a physical version available for use at stores that do not accept contactless payments. The card has no fees beyond interest and offers up to 3% cashback known as Daily Cash.

While there have been clues that the Apple Card might expand to additional countries in the future, such as an Apple Card trademark filing in Canada, Apple has not confirmed any immediate plans to launch the card internationally.

Apple Cash

Apple Cash banner
Apple Cash is a Venmo-like payment feature that allows iPhone users in the U.S. to send, request, and receive money in the Wallet and Messages apps. Users can transfer their Apple Cash balance to a connected bank account.

Apple Cash remains available in the U.S. only and despite clues like a trademark filing in Canada, it is unclear if the feature will expand to other countries.

IDs in Wallet App

apple wallet drivers license feature
In early 2022, Apple started rolling out a feature allowing residents of participating U.S. states to add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age. The features requires iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.4 or later and is currently available in Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland only, with at least nine more states to follow.

Apple said it was working to offer the ID feature across the U.S. in the future, but the company has yet to announce any plans to expand the feature to other countries, so it's unclear if or when the feature will launch internationally.

Advanced Data Protection

Apple advanced security Advanced Data Protection screen Feature greenblue
Apple last month introduced an optional Advanced Data Protection feature that expands end-to-end encryption to many additional areas of iCloud when enabled, including iCloud Backups, Photos, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos, and more. On the iPhone, the feature was introduced with iOS 16.2 for users in the U.S. only and will start rolling out to the "rest of the world" in early 2023, according to Apple.

It's unclear exactly when Advanced Data Protection will be available in additional countries, but given Apple's early 2023 timeframe, it's possible that the feature will be expanded to more iPhone users with iOS 16.3 or iOS 16.4.

Clean Energy Charging

clean energy charging ios 16 1
iOS 16.1 introduced a Clean Energy Charging feature that "aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources," according to Apple. When the feature is toggled on, the iPhone will attempt to charge when "lower carbon emission electricity" is available.

Clean Energy Charging is available in the U.S. only, and Apple has not indicated if or when it will be expanded to additional countries.

Related Forum: iOS 16

OWC today announced the Thunderbolt Go Dock, which it claims is the world's first full-featured Thunderbolt dock with a built-in power supply. With support for Thunderbolt 4, the dock is suitable for use with the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock image
Thunderbolt docks typically have a separate power supply, while bus-powered docks that are powered by a Mac or other device they are connected to usually have fewer ports. OWC's new dock aims to solve this problem by offering both a built-in power supply and a plentiful 11 ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-C ports, three USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port (2.5 Gbps), an SD card reader, and an audio jack. The dock connects directly to a power outlet with a cord, with no external brick.

The dock is capable of providing up to 90W of pass-through charging to a connected MacBook Pro and is compatible with a wide range of other Apple devices with Thunderbolt or USB-C ports, including the MacBook Air, iPad Pro, iPad Air, and more. The dock can also be used with Chromebooks and other Windows PCs.

Priced at $399, the Thunderbolt Go dock will begin shipping in April. You can enter your email address on OWC's website to be notified when the product is available.

BMW today announced the i Vision Dee electric sport sedan at CES, a concept car seemingly positioned to rival Apple's long-rumored electric vehicle.

bmw i vision dee
The i Vision Dee uses some Amazon voice-recognition technology, but primarily showcases BMW's own software-first approach to next-generation vehicles with features designed to pre-emptively tackle tech companies like Apple that are seemingly on the brink of entering the auto industry. BMW has offered over-the-air software updates for millions of its vehicles since 2019, and going forward, it is says it is focused on data protection, guiding developers, and seamless digital integration.

In the i Vision Dee, drivers can choose from five different levels of information to display using a "Mixed Reality Slider" on the dashboard, including augmented reality directional cues and social media notifications. The entire windshield functions as a large projected display. BMW's next-generation voice assistant, called Dee, can provide driver assistance, recognise the identity of the driver, open the doors automatically, and more.

bmw i vision dee interior
It also features 240 invidiually-controlled e-ink paintwork segments that can change the car's entire color and display patterns. The i Vision Dee will be available as soon as 2025 as part of the launch of a wider software-led vehicle platform.

Following the announcement, Bloomberg noted how the i Vision Dee appears to be set to rival Apple's future electric vehicle and could offer tangible signs of the sort of features to expect from it when it is finally announced.

There have been hundreds of insightful reports about Apple's car plans, but the latest information from Bloomberg claims that the company recently scaled back its initial plans and dropped its proposed $120,000 price point, eliminating ambitions for a full self-driving vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals, and an interior design focused on communal seating.

Now, the car is expected to have a much more conventional design with limited self-driving capabilities, for a price under $100,000. This could position Apple's electric vehicle as a much more direct competitor to the likes of Tesla's Model S than previously thought.

The car is now expected to launch in 2026, but it could be announced sometime in 2025, especially as it will need to undergo regulatory approval and widespread testing for some time ahead of its public release to consumers.

Apple has now launched Apple Books digital narration, offering a new way for publishers to automatically generate high-quality AI-narrated audio from written text.

General Books Feature
The feature, first announced in December via the Apple Books for Authors webpage, allows publishers on the Apple Books platform to opt-in to have their written books converted into a narrated audio form using AI. Samples of the voices developed specifically for the feature are available on the same webpage.

More and more book lovers are listening to audiobooks, yet only a fraction of books are converted to audio — leaving millions of titles unheard. Many authors — especially independent authors and those associated with small publishers — aren't able to create audiobooks due to the cost and complexity of production. Apple Books digital narration makes the creation of audiobooks more accessible to all, helping you meet the growing demand by making more books available for listeners to enjoy.

Apple Books digital narration brings together advanced speech synthesis technology with important work by teams of linguists, quality control specialists, and audio engineers to produce high-quality audiobooks from an ebook file. Apple has long been on the forefront of innovative speech technology, and has now adapted it for long-form reading, working alongside publishers, authors, and narrators.

[...]

Digitally narrated titles are a valuable complement to professionally narrated audiobooks, and will help bring audio to as many books and as many people as possible. Apple Books remains committed to celebrating and showcasing the magic of human narration and will continue to grow the human-narrated audiobook catalog.

Apple is offering different AI voices for different genres and the feature is only available for some genres at this time, but more will be added in the future. Apple says that it can take up to one month for an AI-narrated audiobook to be created and approved, suggesting that there is an element of manual review in the process. Publishers are also free to offer a traditional, human-narrated audiobook alongside the AI-narrated version.

As highlighted by The Guardian, the first AI-narrated audiobooks are now available in Apple Books, highlighted by the tag "Narrated by Apple Books."

At CES this week, AMD announced a suite of new chips for notebooks and desktop computers, with one notable announcement being the company's new AMD Ryzen 7040 series of processors for ultrathin notebooks that will compete with Apple's M1 Pro and M2 chips.

m1 pro chip
The AMD Ryzen 7040 series of chips are "ultrathin" processors based on the 4nm process, and the highest-end chip part of the family is the Ryzen 9 7940HS. The Ryzen 9 7940HS has eight cores, 16 threads, and 5.2GHz boost speeds. Announcing the new chip, AMD CEO Lisa Su made bold claims about its performance, saying it's up to 30% faster than Apple's ‌M1 Pro‌ chip. In specific tasks, AMD claims the chip is 34% faster in multiprocessing workloads than the ‌M1 Pro‌ and 20% faster than the ‌M2‌ in AI tasks.

amd event m1 pro
One cornerstone of Apple silicon is energy efficiency, and in that area, AMD claims the new AMD Ryzen 7040 series will offer 30+ hours of video playback in ultrathin notebooks. Built directly into the series of chips is Ryzen AI, a dedicated AI engine embedded in the processor. AMD chips configured with Ryzen AI are 20% faster in AI tasks than Apple's ‌M2‌ chip while being 50% more energy efficient, according to the company.

To showcase the new chip's performance, AMD compared the performance of a high-end Intel chip, the ‌M1 Pro‌, and its new Ryzen 9 7940HS processor rendering an object in the popular application Blender. In the time-lapsed video shown on stage, the ‌M1 Pro‌ lags behind the Ryzen 9 7940HS in rendering the object.
amd event m1 pro 2
AMD says it made its performance claims against a MacBook Pro with ‌M1 Pro‌, 32GB of unified memory, and 1TB of SSD storage running macOS Monterey. The ‌M1 Pro‌ is not Apple's highest-end and most powerful chip for laptops, which is the M1 Max, and AMD did not compare its chip to the ‌M1 Max‌.

It's worth noting that the ‌M1 Pro‌ is over one year old, while AMD's Ryzen 7040 series will start becoming available in commercial laptops in March 2023. In the coming months, rumors suggest Apple will announce its next generation of high-end chips, the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max, which will build on the performance of the ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ for updated 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Smart home accessory maker Govee today announced the launch of a new two-meter LED Strip Light that is Matter-certified and able to work with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and other smart home platforms that support Matter.

matter iot standard
Govee is partnering with Google for the light strip, but because of the Matter support, it is compatible with ‌HomeKit‌ devices. Govee says that because Matter is a local connectivity protocol, connectivity will be more reliable with faster response times and improved data protection.

In the future, Govee plans to add more Matter-enabled lighting products including table lamps, floor lamps, and outdoor lights. More information is available on the Govee website.

Google is continuing on with its #GetTheMessage campaign attempting to convince Apple to adopt the RCS messaging protocol, this time taking out a large New Year's-themed ad at Harmon Corner in Las Vegas.

apple android rcs ad
The digital billboard urges Apple not to "drop the ball" on fixing its "pixelated photos and videos."

Hey Apple, it's Android

the ball may have dropped on 2022, but you don't have to drop the ball on fixing your pixelated photos and videos. Here's some code to get the ball rolling...

After the short message, the billboard scrolls through ‌RCS‌ code, ending with a plea to customers to "Help Apple #GetTheMessage," the hashtag that Google has been using for the campaign.

Google launched the "Get the Message" push back in August with a full website highlighting the benefits of ‌RCS‌, which include support for higher resolution photos and videos, audio messages, and bigger file sizes, along with improved encryption, cross-platform emoji reactions, and more reliable group chats across different devices.


Google has been pestering Apple to adopt ‌RCS‌ for well over a year through the website, pleas on Twitter, billboards, and more, but Apple has made no acknowledgement of Google's efforts. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said that ‌RCS‌ is not a priority. "I don't hear our users asking that we put a lot of energy in on that at this point," said Cook.

All major mobile carriers and manufacturers have implemented ‌RCS‌ support, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Motorola, Nokia, OnePlus, Samsung, Sony, and others, with Apple remaining the lone holdout.

Apple today updated its investor relations page to announce that earnings for the first fiscal quarter of 2023 (fourth calendar quarter) will be shared on Thursday, February 2.

Apple Logo Cash Feature Yellow
The first quarter earnings call will provide some insight into holiday sales of the iPhone 14 models, the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra, new iPad models, and the AirPods Pro 2. ‌iPhone‌ sales were constrained during the quarter because of issues with supply. Apple in November sent out a press release warning about COVID-19 impacts on ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and Pro Max shipments, letting customers know to expect longer than normal wait times.

Last week, Apple shares hit an 18-month low due to the ongoing ‌iPhone‌ shipment issues and a broader downturn in the stock market, and Apple's inability to meet demand during the holiday quarter will likely have a notable impact on sales.

Apple did not provide guidance on the first quarter of 2023, but in the first quarter of 2022, the company reported revenue of $123.9 billion and net quarterly profit of $34.6 billion.

The quarterly earnings statement will be released at 1:30 PM Pacific/4:30 PM Eastern, with a conference call to discuss the report taking place at 2:00 PM Pacific/5:00 PM Eastern. MacRumors will provide coverage of both the earnings release and conference call on February 2.

Philips Hue parent company Signify today announced that it is introducing a paid Philips Hue Sync TV app for Samsung TVs. The partnership will allow those with Samsung smart TVs to link their Hue bulbs and lighting products to their televisions, so the bulbs can change colors based on what's on the screen.

sync tv app philips hue
Syncing lights to media content typically requires the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, priced at $250, along with a streaming device like the Apple TV that connects to the Sync Box. The Samsung TV integration will let Samsung TVs interact with Hue lights directly for a lower $130 price tag, and it will work with all image formats and TV content, including native apps like Netflix.

The Philips Hue line is also gaining new PAR38 floodlight bulbs in white and color ambiance in the United States, allowing for white and color light in backyards and walkways.

philips hue par 38 bulbs
The Hue Tap dial switch is also available with a new round mini mount that is an alternative to the regular wall mount.

hue tap switch mini mount
The Philips Hue Sync TV app is available on 2022 and newer Samsung QLED TVs in the Q60 and higher range, and it can be purchased from the Samsung TV app store for $130 starting on January 5. The Philips Hue PAR38 White and color ambiance bulbs will be available starting on March 14 for $80, and the Philips Hue Tap dial switch with mini mount will be available on March 14 for $50.

French regulators today fined Apple €8 million for breaching France's data protection rules with targeted App Store ads. France's National Commission for Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) says that Apple did not get the consent of French iPhone users before using identifiers to present targeted ads in the iOS 14.6 update.

iOS App Store General Feature Desaturated
Apple was collecting information and using that data for ads by default, and CNIL says that users had to undertake a "large number of actions" to turn advertising off in the Privacy section of the Settings app. As a result, CNIL ruled that Apple breached Article 82 of the Data Protection Act, leading to a sanction of 8 million euros.

The CNIL services have found that under the old version 14.6 of the iPhone operating system, when a user went to the App Store, identifiers for several purposes, including purposes of customizing advertising ads displayed on the App Store, were by default automatically read on the terminal without collecting consent.

In a statement to Fortune's Patrick McGee, Apple said that it is "disappointed" with the decision and plans to appeal, noting that it only uses its own data for personalized ads.

We are disappointed with this decision given the CNIL has previously recognized that how we serve search ads in the App Store prioritizes user privacy, and we will appeal.

Apple Search Ads goes further than any other digital advertising platform we are aware of by providing users with a clear choice as to whether or not they would like personalized ads. Additionally, Apple Search Ads never tracks users across 3rd party apps and websites, and only uses first-party data to personalize ads. We believe privacy is a fundamental human right and a user should always get to decide whether to share their data and with whom.

Today's fine dates back to a 2021 investigation that CNIL launched after a complaint from the France Digitale association. France Digitale, a lobbying group that represents startups and venture capital firms, said that the iOS 14 update did not comply with European protections for personal data. Apple has since changed how targeted advertising works, and the opt-in and opt-out procedures.

The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show is taking place this week, and MacRumors sent videographer Dan Barbera to capture the action and check out new products on the show floor. Our day 1 roundup features everything from connected toilet products to massive monitors to fun lighting products.


Hyper showed off a backpack with Find My and a 25,000 mAh battery, Nanoleaf introduced a 4D TV Smarter Kit for matching your smart lights to the content on your TV, and Nuwa demoed a pen that converts notes into digital text, with no limitations on the paper that you can use.

Withings had a sensor that goes in your toilet to monitor your urine, and Samsung had a 5K Viewfinity S9 display, its first 5K monitor to compete with the Apple Studio Display. Samsung also had a Bespoke fridge with a customizable front panel, and the company demoed the Philips Hue Sync integration coming to some TVs.

Make sure to watch Dan's video to see all of the products that he came across, and if you want to know more, we have a dedicated CES 2023 hub with all of our CES coverage.

Scosche today introduced a second-generation version of its BaseLynx Modular Charging System, which is able to charge multiple Apple devices at once. The updated BaseLynx 2.0 is more compact than its predecessor, and it uses magnetic connectors to snap together.

scosche baselynx 2
Available modules include a 2-in-1 Charging Stand with MagSafe for the iPhone and the AirPods, a Magnetic Charger for the Apple Watch, a Vertical Multi-Device Charging Station that can be used with smartphones or tablets, and a Powered End Cap that is equipped with a USB-C port and a 120V outlet.

Multiple modules can be connected together and powered with a single cord, so Apple users can build the setup that works best for them. Scosche plans to sell kits that combine multiple modules as well as individual modules, with prices ranging from $50 to $100 for each module.

Scosche also debuted a range of 7.5W magnetic chargers and mounts, the most interesting of which is the MagicMount MS Hydro, a 24-ounce water bottle that has a built-in ‌MagSafe‌ mount that can hold the ‌iPhone‌ 12 or later. The cap with mount is designed to fit popular water bottle brands and it includes a carrying handle.

scosche hydro mount
Scosche's white BaseLynx 2.0 will be available from Apple starting in Spring 2023, with individual modules available for $50 to $70, and a Pro Kit priced at $250. The Pro Kit will feature the ‌MagSafe‌ 2-in-1 Charging Stand, Apple Watch Charger, Vertical Multi- Device Charger, Powered End Cap with 6 foot power cable, and three braided charging cables.

A black version of the BaseLynx will be available in Summer 2023 from Scosche's website. The MagicMount Hydro will be available in Spring 2023 and it will be priced at $40.

Today we're tracking the best New Year's deals on Apple's iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models from carriers including AT&T, Visible, and Verizon. This also covers a few side offers from these companies, like free AirPods Pro 2 at Visible when purchasing a brand new iPhone 14.

Visible

Starting with Verizon-owned Visible, you can save $15/month for your entire first year of service with the company thanks to their New Year's offer. You'll need to join Visible and bring your own smartphone (via eSIM or pSIM) with an existing number.

iphone green snowflakesNote: 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.

When placing your order for the new Visible plan, you'll also need to enter the code 15OFF12 at the checkout screen. With this discount, you can get the Visible plan for $15/month (regular $30/month) or Visible+ for $30/month (regular $45/month).

This promotion will last for twelve months, after which your service will return to its regular price. You can find more information about the sale on Visible's website, including the type of plans and details of each.

There are a few other offers from Visible going on in the new year, including a gift card worth up to $200 plus free AirPods Pro 2 with select iPhone models. You'll need to join Visible and transfer your number from an eligible carrier to get this deal.

After three full months of service payments, you'll get an email with a code to redeem your free AirPods Pro 2 and virtual gift card. You can browse the list of compatible smartphones on Visible, including the iPhone 14 Pro, Pro Max, Plus, and more.

AT&T

Holiday deals have carried over into 2023 at other carriers as well, with AT&T still offering up to $1,000 off the iPhone 14 Pro with eligible trade-in on select installment plans. This also works for the iPhone 14 Pro Max; you can get the iPhone 14 at no cost or the iPhone 14 Plus for $5/month as well.

iphone 14 pro hands snowflakes 1

In terms of trade-ins, you can get up to $1,000 bill credits with smartphone trade-in value of $230 or higher, up to $800 bill credits with smartphone trade-in value of $130 to $229, and up to $350 bill credits with smartphone trade-in value of $34 to $129. These credits start within three bill cycles after trade-in is completed.

Verizon

Similarly, Verizon is still hosting its "Welcome Unlimited" holiday deal, where you can get $25/line per month for four lines when signing up for Verizon Unlimited, with this price guaranteed to be locked in for three years. You'll need to add four new smartphone lines and a $180 credit will be applied per smartphone over 36 months.

iphone 14 hands snowflakes

Otherwise, you'll find Verizon matching AT&T's iPhone 14 deals. You can save up to $1,000 when you trade in an older smartphone and purchase any iPhone 14 device on a Verizon Unlimited plan. If you're buying two, you can buy one iPhone and get another at up to $800 off as well.

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.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Plugable today unveiled a new Thunderbolt 4 dock that is ideal for use with the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. The dock features 16 ports and will be available to purchase for $299 on Amazon starting January 17.

Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Dock
The dock is equipped with six USB-A ports (three 10 Gbps, two 5 Gbps, and one 480 Mbps), two USB-C ports (one 10 Gbps and one that provides up to 100W of charging to a MacBook Pro or other device connected), two HDMI ports, two DisplayPorts, an Ethernet port (2.5 Gbps), SD and microSD card readers (UHS-II), and an audio in/out jack. The dock has a separate power supply and connects to a MacBook Pro with a Thunderbolt 4 cable.

The dock can be used to connect up to two 4K displays at 60Hz to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

A variety of brands have released Thunderbolt 4 docks for the Mac over the past few years, including OWC, CalDigit, Belkin, Satechi, and others. The selection of ports and pricing varies for each dock, so it may be worth shopping around.

Plugable 11 in 1 USB C Hub
Plugable also introduced an 11-in-1 USB-C hub, available now for $79 on Amazon. The hub can be used with the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Pro, iPad Air, and other Apple devices equipped with USB-C ports. Plugable will showcase both the Thunderbolt 4 dock and USB-C hub at the CES 2023 event Pepcom in Las Vegas later today.

Eve Systems today announced that Eve Door and Window, Eve Energy, and Eve Motion accessories with built-in Matter certification will be available for purchase in March 2023. The accessories will work with Matter out of the box, with no firmware updates required.

eve matter accessories 2023 ces
To be clear, Eve Systems has already rolled out Matter support for these devices, but if the accessories are purchased now, an update is required to add the Matter integration. Starting in March, Matter will be available out of the box.

Matter-compatible smart home products are able to work with HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings thanks to the unified Matter technology.

Eve today also announced that it is adding Eve MotionBlinds for Honeycomb and Venetian blinds from Coulisse, allowing for more HomeKit-enabled design options. Eve MotionBlinds are also set to get Matter integration later in the quarter.

The new Matter-certified Eve Door and Window, Eve Energy, and Eve Motion will be available from the Eve website and from Amazon on March 28.

Belkin, known for its accessories created for Apple devices, today announced plans to revamp its product lineup with more environmentally friendly materials. Several power banks, wireless chargers, and wall chargers will be updated with plastic-free packaging and will be constructed from 73 to 75 percent post-consumer recycled plastics (PCR).

belkin pcr update
The change will save approximately 7,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and will reduce CO2-eq emissions for included products by up to 67 percent. Belkin plans to update some of its most popular products first, including a selection of wall chargers.

  • BOOST↑CHARGE Magnetic Wireless Car Charger 10W
  • BOOST↑CHARGE USB-C PD 3.0 PPS Wall Charger 25W
  • BOOST↑CHARGE Dual USB-C PD Wall Charger 40W
  • BOOST↑CHARGE PRO 4-Port GaN Charger 108W
  • BOOST↑CHARGE PRO Dual USB-C(R) GaN Wall Charger with PPS 45W
  • BOOST↑CHARGE PRO Dual USB-C(R) GaN Wall Charger with PPS 65W

Belkin is making this change as it celebrates its 40th anniversary. The company is already set to become 100 percent carbon neutral in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025, with today's update to PCR materials aimed at reducing scope 3 emissions.

The PCR that Belkin is using will remove plastic waste from landfills, and it will reduce Belkin's dependence on virgin plastics.

"When we think about the difference a company of our size and influence can make on the planet, moving away from using virgin plastics in our products is an obvious decision," said Steve Malony, CEO, Belkin. "I am proud to work alongside the teams that made this shared vision a reality. Their dedication to doing the right thing inspires me and together, we will continue to work towards a more sustainable future."

MacRumors was able to see Belkin's new PCR products and there is virtually no difference between the updated accessories and the existing accessories, so consumers will not be able to tell what's changed by looking at the products themselves. Belkin will denote new PCR products with callouts on the packaging and product pages online.

belkin pcr comparison
Belkin will ship the new accessories throughout 2023, and the company has plans to expand the PCR material to additional devices going forward.

Dell is looking to take head-on Apple's $4,999 Pro Display XDR with a new 32-inch 6K UltraSharp display that has a built-in 4K webcam, a variety of ports, and an included stand that rotates, swivels, tilts, and more.

dell 6k inch display
The new "game changer" display was announced this week as part of CES and is the world's first 6K display with IPS Black panel technology, according to Dell. With the new IPS panel, the 32-inch 6K UltraSharp delivers "high contrast and deeper blacks." In actual specs, the display is 6,133 by 3,456 pixels with 223 PPI (pixels-per-inch), slightly higher than Apple's Pro Display XDR. The Pro Display XDR is 6,016 by 3,384 pixels with 218 PPI (pixels-per-inch).

On the back of Dell's 32-inch 6K UltraSharp display, there are a variety of ports, including Thunderbolt 4 with up to 140W of power delivery, USB-A, ethernet, HDMI, and DP 2.1. On the front of the display, there is also access to two USB-C and one USB-A port through a pop-out compartment, providing quicker access to connect accessories and peripherals.

Unlike the Pro Display XDR which does not come with a stand, Dell's display has a built-in stand that can swivel, tilt, rotate, and move the display higher or lower depending on user preference. The display also has a built-in 4K webcam that uses AI to improve image quality and keep users in the frame during video calls.

Dell says the display will be available later this year and has not provided any pricing details for the display. Apple's Pro Display XDR costs $4,999 for the standard texture version and $5,999 for the nano-texture version. The Pro Display XDR's stand must be purchased separately for $999.

At CES this week, Samsung also revealed a 27-inch 5K display that will compete with Apple's Studio Display.

Tags: CES 2023, LG
Related Forum: Mac Accessories