Amazon today is discounting a collection of Apple's first-party Magic Keyboards for the iPad Pro lineup. Many of the accessories listed below are in stock today and sold directly by Amazon.
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.
Starting with the 11-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, this model is on sale for $249.00 in White and Black, down from $299.00. Compared to previous 2022 sales, this is about $10 higher than sales we tracked a few months ago, but it's still a solid second-best price for the year so far.
Secondly, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard has dropped to $299.00, down from $349.00. This sale is also available in both White and Black, although the Black option is seeing a shipping delay of about five days at the time of writing.
In the context of other Magic Keyboard deals from 2022, this is about $7 higher than the all-time low price that we've seen so far this year. So, if you've been shopping for Apple's Magic Keyboard and waiting for a good sale, Amazon's prices today are still the best we've seen in months.
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.
Firefox today announced the launch of Firefox 100, the newest version of the popular browser that serves as an alternative to Safari and Chrome. Firefox 100 brings new features for both mobile devices and the desktop to enhance the browsing experience.
On Macs, Firefox 100 supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) video for higher-fidelity video content. The feature requires a Mac with an HDR-compatible display that's running macOS 11 or later. Also new to the desktop, there are subtitles and captions when using Picture-in-Picture mode. Subtitles and captions are available on websites that support the WebVTT format, such as YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video.
A new language switching feature allows Firefox to detect a device's language preference and ask whether a user would like to switch to their preferred language, and credit card autofill functionality has now expanded to the UK, France, and Germany.
As for iOS devices, the update brings clutter-free history and clutter-free tabs for better organization, plus it includes new browser wallpapers for personalization. The history feature groups history items by the original item, so you can, for example, find all the websites you visited under a specific search term. History is also now searchable.
To cut down on tab clutter, Firefox for iOS will now focus on recent tabs in the tab tray to make it easier to swap between what's current. When a tab hasn't been visited in 14 days, it is moved to an "inactive state" in the tab tray. In that situation, the tab is available, but out of the way until you need it.
The UK is set to abandon plans to heavily regulate Apple and other big tech companies using a new competition authority, the Financial Times reports.
In a paywalled report, the Financial Times claims that the British government's new legislative agenda, due to be set out in the Queen's Speech next week, will not include a bill to empower the Digital Markets Unit (DMU). The government announced plans to set up the DMU in 2020, stating that it would grant powers to the body to create a code of conduct that big tech companies have to abide by in the UK or face fines of up to 10 percent of annual turnover. An interim report published by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) earlier this year was intended to focus the DMU's attention, and it was met with an aggressive response from Apple.
Julian Knight, Conservative chair of the House of Commons' Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said if legislation to empower the tech regulator was not included in the Queen's Speech, it would "damage the credibility of the whole enterprise... It would be a hammer blow to the capability of the UK to regulate these sectors."
The government's decision to step back from further regulating big tech is reportedly due to the decision to drop corporate reforms and Prime Minister Boris Johnson's desire to step away from state intervention in the economy.
A statement from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to the Financial Times suggested that powers to "change the conduct of the most powerful tech firms and protect businesses and consumers" are still on the way, but it "could not comment on timelines for potential future legislation."
Apple's ecosystem is increasingly coming under intense scrutiny by governments around the world, including in the United States, Japan, South Korea, the European Union, and more, with a clear appetite from global regulators to explore requirements around app store policies, app sideloading, and interoperability.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Today you can get Apple's AirTag 4-Pack for $84.55 on Amazon, down from $99.00. Only the 4-Pack option is being discounted, and only Amazon is offering this sale on the AirTag.
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.
Discounts on the AirTag 4-Pack have been somewhat rare in 2022, with the last notable sale happening nearly two months ago now. Today's deal is a new all-time low price, but there is a shipping delay of about 10 days at the time of writing.
AirTag provides a way to keep track of your items in the iOS Find My app, with a way to play a sound on the built-in speaker to find something locally or with precision finding when it's farther away. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Update: This article has been updated to reflect the new discount price of $84.55 for the AirTag 4-Pack.
Microsoft Edge has overtaken Apple's Safari to become the world's second most popular desktop browser, based on data provided by web analytics service StatCounter.
According to the data, Microsoft Edge is now used on 10.07 percent of desktop computers worldwide, 0.46 percent ahead of Safari, which stands at 9.61 percent. Google Chrome remains in first place with a dominant 66.64 percent share, and Mozilla's Firefox stands in fourth with 7.86 percent.
As the default Windows 11 browser, the popularity of Edge has crept up in recent months, with the first concrete signs that it would surpass Safari to take second place coming in February, when it was used on 9.54 percent of desktops globally. Back in January 2021, Safari held a 10.38 percent market share, indicating a gradual slippage in popularity over the last 14 months.
Meanwhile, first-placed Chrome has seen its user base increase incrementally over that time, but perhaps surprisingly, Firefox has leaked users since the beginning of the year, despite regular updates and improvements. That suggests Safari's hold on third place isn't in immediate danger, having lost only 0.23 percent share since February, but things could always change fast if Apple decides to introduce sweeping changes to the way Safari works in macOS 13 later this year.
When it comes to mobile platforms, it's a different story, reflecting Microsoft's lack of a mobile operating system since the demise of Windows Mobile. In StatCounter's analysis, Edge doesn't even make it into the top six browsers on mobile, but first-placed Chrome commands 62.87 of usage share, with Safari on iPhones and iPads taking a comfortable 25.35 percent in second place, 20.65 percent ahead of third-placed Samsung Internet, with 4.9 percent.
Looking at the overall statistics for desktop and mobile, Chrome leads with 64.36 percent, Safari lies in second with 19.13 percent, and Edge stands in third with 4.07 percent of the total market share. Trailing the top three are Firefox, Samsung Internet, and Opera with 3.41 percent, 2.84 percent, and 2.07 percent, respectively, in that order of position.
Safari for desktop has faced complaints from some users in recent years because of bugs, user experience, and website compatibility, causing Apple's Safari team to ask for feedback about how it can improve. At WWDC last year, Apple introduced a radical redesign of its browser, but the changes were met with derision, and Apple eventually rolled many of them back before releasing the final version to the public in September.
With the likes of Brave, Vivaldi, and DuckDuckGo in its rearview mirror, Apple is likely to be wary of making such substantial changes in future versions of its native browser, leading to a focus on bug fixes and performance improvements instead.
The iPad Air 2 was first released in October 2014, and was the first iPad Air to feature a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It also used Apple's A8X processor and had a laminated gapless display, which made it significantly thinner than the original iPad Air.
Launched in November 2013, the iPad mini 2 was colloquially known as the Retina iPad mini, due to its Retina display with 2048 x 1536 resolution. Otherwise, visually it was identical with its predecessor, though it was slightly heavier and thicker. The tablet used an A7 processor and the M7 coprocessor originally introduced in the iPhone 5s.
The vintage products list features devices that Apple stopped distributing for sale more than five years ago and less than seven years ago. Apple provides service and parts for vintage devices for up to 7 years, or as required by law, but repairs are subject to parts availability.
On a side note, Apple was expected to move 2014's 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models and the mid-2014 13-inch MacBook Pro from vintage to obsolete at the beginning of May, but the latest update shows that only the two MacBook Airs have currently made the transition.
Apple supplier Quanta is gradually resuming its production of MacBooks at its Chinese plant following the easing of lockdowns in Shanghai, reports DigiTimes.
Order pull-ins are also said to be slowly turning strong at the production facility, according to supply chain sources, which should boost the availability of MacBook Pro models and shorten the extended delivery times that Apple customers have been experiencing in recent weeks.
Several MacRumors readers waiting on MacBook Pro models ordered in March and April had their shipments significantly delayed due to Apple's supply issues. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Quanta is the sole supplier of high-end MacBook Pros, which have seen delivery times increase by three to five weeks since the China lockdowns. Some MacBook Pro configurations currently are not available for delivery until late June running into early July.
Despite the gradual resumption of MacBook Pro production, supply issues are expected to impact product sales in the third quarter of 2022. Apple last week said that lockdown disruptions in China and silicon shortages will continue to make it difficult to make enough product to satisfy strong consumer demand, and this will ultimately affect Apple's June quarter revenue.
According to Frontier, customers who opt for the 2 Gig plan will be provided with an Apple TV 4K to enjoy 4K television content. Priced at $150 per month, this is Frontier's highest-priced internet tier, but it also comes with a WiFi 6E-compatible router and extender.
Along with offering customers who sign up for the 2 Gig plan a free Apple TV+, Frontier is also providing three months of Apple TV+, a promotion that is available to all new and existing Frontier customers regardless of their internet plan.
Frontier's website says that the promotion is available for both new and returning Apple TV+ subscribers, so even those who have already tried the service should be able to get three additional months of Apple TV+ access.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 144 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Inspector, CSS, Web Animations, JavaScript, WebAuthn, Web API, Accessibility, Media, Security Policy, and Web Extensions.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is built on the Safari 15.4 update and it includes Safari 15 features introduced in macOS Monterey.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Pricing on the Series 7 starts at $339 for a 41mm aluminum model, with the 45mm aluminum models priced slightly higher at $359. At this time, Apple is only offering aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 models, though there are several color options available with matching Sport Bands.
The 41mm aluminum Apple Watch is normally priced at $399, and the 45mm version is priced at $399, so Apple is offering discounts of $60 and $70, respectively. All of the refurbished Apple Watch Series 7 devices that are available right now are GPS only, and in the future, if Apple adds cellular versions or models in other materials, prices will be more expensive.
Refurbished Apple Watches are inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a new box, new manuals, and a new Apple Watch charging puck. Apple provides a standard one-year warranty that can be extended with AppleCare+ for Apple Watch.
Apple has levied a lawsuit against RISC-V startup Rivos, a company that has hired several former high-ranking engineers from Apple. Rivos describes itself as a "startup in stealth mode," and according to Apple, Rivos not only poached Apple employees, but also stole chip trade secrets.
As noted by Reuters, the lawsuit that was filed last Friday accuses Rivos of hiring more than 40 former Apple employees over the course of the past year to work on system-on-chip (SoC) technology that competes with Apple's own A-series and M-series chips.
Apple claims that at least two former engineers (Bhasi Kaithamana and Wen Shih-Chieh, aka "Ricky") took "gigabytes of sensitive SoC specifications and design files" during their last few days working at Apple. Rivos is accused of launching a "coordinated campaign" to target employees with information about Apple's SoC designs.
"Stealth mode" startup Rivos, which was founded to design and market its own competing SoCs, has filled out its ranks with dozens of former Apple engineers. Starting in June 2021, Rivos began a coordinated campaign to target Apple employees with access to Apple proprietary and trade secret information about Apple's SoC designs. Apple promptly sent Rivos a letter informing Rivos of the confidentiality obligations of Apple's former employees, but Rivos never responded.
The employees who allegedly stole information are said to have used USB drives and AirDrop to offload sensitive Apple material to their own personal devices, as well as steal presentations on unreleased SoCs and save them to their cloud accounts. Apple believes that Rivos communicated with some employees through encrypted messaging apps, and the former Apple workers who allegedly participated in the theft of information attempted to wipe their Apple devices to try to cover their tracks.
In the lawsuit, Apple said that it had no choice but to sue because of the volume of information taken, the nature of the information stolen, and that the employees are "now performing the same duties for a competitor with ongoing access to some of Apple's most valuable trade secrets."
Kaithamana, one of the specific employees accused of data theft, allegedly copied thousands of Apple documents containing "proprietary and trade secret information" over the course of a week in August 2021. He copied the files on his work computer before transferring them to a USB drive, and Apple's lawsuit goes into detail about the specific data that he collected.
Wen, a second employee that allegedly stole info, transferred 390 gigabytes of data from his Apple-issued computer to a personal hard drive just before departing the company. Apple says that he stole information on both current and unreleased SoCs, accessing proprietary data just before the file transfer.
Between July 26, 2021 and July 29, 2021, Mr. Wen transferred approximately 390 gigabytes from his Apple-issued computer to a personal external hard drive. Among the data transferred are confidential Apple documents describing Apple trade secrets, including aspects of the microarchitecture for Apple's past, current, and unreleased SoCs.
Other Apple employees not specifically named in the lawsuit also connected external hard drives to their Apple-issued computers shortly after being hired by Rivos, and at the same time, were accessing Apple trade secret information about SoC designs.
Apple is asking for an injunction against the employees who joined Rivos to prevent them from continuing to leak sensitive data, compensation for the loss caused by trade secret misappropriation, and additional damages for "unjust enrichment" Rivos gained from Apple's data. In lieu of damages, Apple is asking for "a reasonable royalty rate" from Rivos. Apple has requested a jury trial, so we are likely to hear more from the Apple v. Rivos dispute going forward.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have created an artificial intelligence algorithm that is able to use single-lead ECGs taken by the Apple Watch to find patients who have a weak heart pump, according to research data that was shared this week at the Heart Rhythm Society conference.
A weak heart pump, or left ventricular dysfunction, is an issue that affects two to three percent of people around the world, and up to nine percent of people over age 60. Like atrial fibrillation, another heart issue the Apple Watch can detect, a weak heart pump can have no symptoms. It can also be accompanied by symptoms that include racing heart beats or shortness of breath.
Paul Friedman, chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said that it is "absolutely remarkable" that AI is able to use a consumer watch ECG to detect the condition, as it is normally something that requires an echocardiogram, CT scan, or MRI to identify.
The ECG feature on the Apple Watch is a single-lead ECG, and it requires users to place a finger on the Apple Watch digital crown for 30 seconds. Results are uploaded to the Apple Health app and can be shared with medical professionals. The ECGs are designed to help detect atrial fibrillation, but ECG functionality and other Apple Watch features are also being studied in the detection of other conditions.
A standard ECG uses 12 electrode leads that are placed on a person's chest, arms, and legs to monitor the heart's electrical signals. To use the single-lead ECG results from the Apple Watch, researchers modified an existing 12-lead algorithm that is known to be able to detect a weak heart muscle.
The study included 125,610 ECGs collected over a period of six months from 46 states and 11 countries. Each person submitted many ECGs, and the cleanest readings were used for the algorithm. Several hundred of the participants had clinical testing to measure pump strength, and that data was used to determine whether the Apple Watch could detect an issue.
Approximately 420 patients had a watch ECG recorded within 30 days of a clinically ordered echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, a standard test to measure pump strength. We took advantage of those data to see whether we could identify a weak heart pump with AI analysis of the watch ECG. While our data are early, the test had an area under the curve of 0.88, meaning it is as good as or slightly better than a medical treadmill test. AI analysis of the watch ECG is a powerful test to identify a weak heart pump.
Researchers plan to launch global prospective studies to do further testing in more diverse populations to demonstrate the benefit of the single-lead ECG feature in the Apple Watch.
"This is what the transformation of medicine looks like: inexpensively diagnosing serious disease from your sofa," said Friedman.
Popular secure messaging app Telegram is testing new monetization strategies, and hints of a new Telegram Premium subscription have shown up in the 8.7.2 beta version of the iOS app.
As noted by Android Police, the beta includes both stickers and reactions that are locked behind a paywall. Users who select these premium stickers and reactions are prompted to sign up for the Telegram Premium service, and non-subscribers cannot see the stickers or reactions as they are blocked for those who do not pay. Non-subscribers who receive a premium reaction or sticker are prompted to sign up for a subscription themselves.
As of right now, Telegram makes money through ad sales and features for group channels, but there are no add-on purchase options that target individual users. Should this new Premium feature be implemented, that could change.
It is not unusual for social networks to charge extra for premium reactions, as Twitch and Discord also have subscription options that include additional emoji and customization options. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has previously said that Telegram does not plan to charge for core features that already exist, though he did say in 2020 that additional monetization strategies would be coming.
Full details on what might be included in some kind of Telegram Premium subscription are unknown at this time, and there is no word on when the functionality might see a wider rollout following the beta test.
This year, Mother's Day lands on Sunday, May 8, and we're tracking quite a few offers and deals from some of the best Apple-related accessory companies. If you're planning on purchasing a gift for someone, we recommend looking at the below deals as soon as possible, considering shipping estimates vary for every company.
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.
AT&T
Carriers are one of the best retailers to find solid discounts around holidays like Mother's Day, and this year is no different. You can get up to $700 off the iPhone 13 Pro Max at AT&T with an eligible trade-in this month.
AT&T also has a BOGO offer on Apple Watch devices, offering up to $330 off an Apple Watch when you purchase one at full price. If you opt for the Apple Watch SE, you can get this model at no extra cost.
There are plenty of other discounts going on at AT&T this week, including 50 percent off the iPhone 12 and savings on Internet packages, so be sure to browse the carrier's website for more information.
One of the highlights of the sale focuses on the Beats Studio Buds earphones, available for $99.95, down from $149.00, which is one of the lowest prices we've tracked.
Brydge
Brydge is discounting a collection of accessories this week, including steep markdowns on the MacBook Vertical Dock, iPad keyboards, and Leather Folios for MacBook Pro models.
Casely is offering 30 percent off everything across its website this week; just use the code MAMA at the checkout screen to see the discount.
Casely has a wide variety of cases and accessories for iPhones, AirPods, iPads, Samsung smartphones, and more.
Nomad
Nomad is discounting a collection of its best accessories for Mother's Day this year. To see the sale, you'll need to enter the code MOM20 at checkout and get 20 percent off any of the items in the sale.
This event includes savings on Apple Watch bands, iPhone cases, AirPods cases, cables and chargers, and more. The event will run through the end of this week, so be sure to use the discount code before it expires.
More Sales
Adorama - Save on smart watches, headphones, and more.
Hyper - Save on Hyper's Pearl Battery Packs that double as LED makeup mirrors.
Roku today announced that Apple Music will be available on its streaming media platform worldwide starting later today.
Apple Music will be available as an app through the Channel Store on TVs connected to a Roku streaming player and on built-in Roku TVs sold by brands like TCL and Hisense. Apple Music subscribers will have full access to over 90 million songs available on the streaming service, in addition to playlists, radio stations, and other features.
The competition regulator in the Netherlands today announced that Apple's rules surrounding Dutch dating apps remain insufficient.
In a statement obtained by journalist Nando Kasteleijn, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) said that while Apple eliminating its requirement for Dutch dating apps to create a separate app binary in order to accept alternative payments was an improvement, the company has yet to fully comply with Dutch and European regulations. The statement did not outline the specific conditions that Apple has yet to comply with.
The ACM already fined Apple a total of €50 million between January and March for failing to comply with the order, and the competition regulator said it is now preparing a new order with additional penalties that will be published in the coming weeks.
The saga began in December 2021, when the ACM announced that Apple must let dating apps accept alternative payment methods on the App Store in the Netherlands. Apple complied with the demand, but it initially required Dutch dating apps to submit a separate app binary to accept alternative payments. Apple has since made several changes to its rules surrounding Dutch dating apps, but the ACM remains unsatisfied.
Apple previously said that while it disagrees with the order and is appealing the decision, the changes it announced on March 30 demonstrated the company's ongoing commitment to fulfill its legal obligations in the Netherlands.
Today we're tracking a pair of discounts on AirPods models offered by Amazon, including solid markdowns on the AirPods 2 and AirPods Max.
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.
AirPods 2
Apple's AirPods 2 have returned to their best price of 2022 at $99.99, down from $129.00. This sale is available on Amazon, and you won't need any coupon codes to see the deal.
Amazon has the AirPods in stock now and free delivery estimates an arrival date of this weekend for most places in the United States. This is the model that comes with the wired Charging Case.
AirPods Max
Next, Amazon has four colors of the AirPods Max at $449.00, down from $549.00. This is one of the best prices we've tracked in 2022, coming in just $10 away from the year's best price.
Like the other model, you won't need a coupon code to get this discount as Amazon has automatically applied it on the product page. The AirPods Max are in stock and should arrive sometime this week if you order a pair today.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
In line with a report late last week, the European Commission today officially announced that it has issued a Statement of Objections to Apple over its restrictions that prevent third-party services from accessing the NFC capabilities of the iPhone, thereby restricting competition in mobile wallets on iOS.
The statement is a preliminary view that will need to be confirmed with further investigation before any consequences can be administered, but lays out the direction the investigation is headed.
The European Commission has informed Apple of its preliminary view that it abused its dominant position in markets for mobile wallets on iOS devices. By limiting access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with mobile devices in stores (‘Near-Field Communication (NFC)' or ‘tap and go'), Apple restricts competition in the mobile wallets market on iOS.
European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager argues that access to NFC is a requirement for viable mobile wallet services at brick-and-mortar locations.
Our concerns relate to Apple's decision to block access to the NFC technology for payment purposes and use it solely for its own mobile wallet, Apple Pay. As a result, users of Apple devices can only pay with the ‘tap and go' function using Apple Pay and not with other wallets. This is because competing wallet developpers need access to the NFC on Apple devices to reach Apple users.
Developing a mobile payment application is costly. Investment may only be worth it if developers can reach both Apple and Android customers. Evidence on our file indicates that some developers did not go ahead with their plans as they were not able to to reach iPhone users. This behaviour stifled innovation and prevented competition in the mobile wallet market. As a result, European consumers have little choice of mobile payment solutions when paying in shops.
Vestager mentions that Apple has cited security as its rationale for not allowing third-party access to NFC, but that regulators' investigation have not found any evidence of that risk.
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.
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.
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.
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.
