According to macReports, the halt is due to rapid currency fluctuations as the Turkish lira has declined significantly in recent days, and store staff are telling customers that normal sale operations will resume once the Turkish economy stabilizes.
Other Turkish sources have claimed that the stores have been selling products today and that any halt is simply due the stores running out of available stock to sell, a supply chain situation that has been ongoing for some time and has regularly resulted in Apple stores limiting in-store sales.
Images shared by macReports show customers waiting outside two Apple Stores in the country's largest city, Istanbul. According to the report, customers with service appointments are being attended to, while customers looking to purchase products are being turned away. Retail staff is also reportedly telling customers that once sales resume, a price hike can be expected for products due to the Turkish lira collapsing.
Apple stopped the sale of products in Turkey yesterday following a historic economic collapse which resulted in the Turkish lira dropping 15%. At the time of writing, a Turkish lira is equivalent to approximately 0.082 U.S. dollars. We've reached out to Apple for a statement.
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.
Twitter Support has acknowledged a bug causing unexpected account logouts on iOS 15, promising that its teams are working on a fix and that it'll keep users updated on when it's resolved.
Posts on Twitter over the last several hours have shown users experiencing the bug, with some sharing frustrations that the app is requiring them to log back into Twitter upon every app launch. While some of the reports lack the specificity that the bug is happening on iOS devices, it seems likely to be the case following the acknowledgment from Twitter itself.
Hey @Twitter can you please make it so I don’t have to sign in every other freaking day? I never log out of my account yet I keep having to sign in. Thanks
— blueyosh (@hotorc97) November 24, 2021
WHY IS TWITTER LOGGING ME OUT OF ALL OF MY ACCS???? I HAVE 8 TWITTER ACCS AND DO YOU KNOW HOW HAED TO LOG IN ALL OF THEM???????? IVE BEEN DOING IT 2 TIME ALREADY SINCE OCTOBER
— kyle (@leeknowonIyfans) November 24, 2021
Why did Twitter log me out 🤨
— Z 72 (@asexualpilots) November 24, 2021
I almost got a heart attack when I tried to get in my Twitter and it wanted me to log in?? I never logged out 😭😩😭
— Enny Does It All❤ (@Queen_Enny19) November 24, 2021
Users impacted by the bug are advised to ensure they're running the latest Twitter version from the App Store and monitor the company's support account for updates.
Apple today shared its annual holidays ad titled "Saving Simon," shot on the iPhone 13 Pro with unspecified "additional software and hardware" used.
Directed by Oscar-nominated actor and filmmaker Jason Reitman and his father, Oscar-nominated film director Ivan Reitman, Apple describes the three-minute ad as "a story for everyone who can't wait for the holidays to get here." The ad is set to the song "You and I" by Valerie June, which can be listened to on Apple Music here.
In the ad, a boy kicks over three out of four snowmen in front of his family's house. Just before kicking over the fourth snowman, his sister runs out of the house and saves the snowman by placing it in the family's freezer for an entire year. After she places the snowman back outside the following winter, the ad takes an unexpected twist that leads to a touching moment on the family's front lawn.
"To the ones we've waited all year to be with," the ad concludes. "Happy Holidays."
Apple recently announced a new self-service repair program that will provide customers with access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and manuals for completing their own repairs of select devices, starting with iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models. Apple said the program will launch early next year in the U.S. and expand to additional countries throughout 2022.
Apple CEO Tim Cook briefly shared his thoughts about self-service repairs in an interview with KTLA's Rich DeMuro (via 9to5Mac), saying that it "feels good" to offer manuals and parts to customers with the expertise to complete their own repairs. For most customers, however, Cook believes that the Apple Store will remain the best option for repairs.
Cook's full comments on the program, with light editing for clarity:
We realized that there were some people that wanted to this and that are trained to do this. They're the Popular Mechanics crowd if you will, which I love and have been focused on my entire life. It feels good to put the manuals out there, and get the parts out there, that enables people to do this. Still, if you're not comfortable doing that, we encourage you to come in the Apple Store and get it done for you. That's still the best way, perhaps, for most people. But if you're a technician, then have at it, because you're able to do it yourself.
Apple's self-service repair program will include an online store that will offer more than 200 individual parts and tools, the company said. In an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, Apple said the store will be operated by an unspecified third party. Apple plans to share more details about the program as it approaches launch.
Cook, speaking at the grand opening of Apple's new store at The Grove in Los Angeles, also reiterated that Apple is focused on augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and autonomy and said that Apple will use these core technologies in a variety of ways.
Black Friday 2021 has kicked off, and you can now get some of the year's best deals on numerous Apple products. In this article we're providing a quick summary of all the best sales we've seen so far this season. For more on the best sales happening this week, visit our Black Friday Roundup.
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.
A Note On Availability
More so than in years past, in 2021 we've had bigger and steeper sales in the lead-up to Black Friday, making it easier to finish up your shopping before the holiday even begins. Because we're still a few days out from Black Friday, and because many solid sales began days ago, be sure to shop now if you see something you want. Availability on particularly great deals can - and will - dwindle fast, as we saw on Walmart's $90 discount on the Apple Watch Series 3.
Where To Shop
Over the past few weeks we've been spotlighting the best deals coming to Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. If you like shopping at one retailer or another, we recommend browsing our spotlight posts this week to see what's available now, and what's still to come.
Although there may be instances in which this is beneficial for certain people, overall the best deals and bargains on Apple products won't be found on Apple.com during the week of Black Friday, but on Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, B&H Photo, and other similar retailers. For this reason, you'll see a focus on these third-party retailers in this article.
AirPods Pro
What's the deal? AirPods Pro with MagSafe for $169.99
Amazon's $90 markdown on the new AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case has been coming and going this week as one of the highlights of Black Friday 2021. If you can catch it while it's at $159.00, that's probably the best deal you'll see, but as of now they're priced at $169.99. That's still a solid price, and you may want to lock things in since shipping estimates are pushing out to mid-December. You can also keep an eye on Walmart for a potential return of the $159.00 price tag there, but Walmart appears to have pulled its listing for them for the time being.
You can get the newest model of AirPods, the AirPods 3, for $149.99 on Amazon this week, down from $179.00. This is beating the price we were tracking earlier this week and is now an all-time low price, and while availability has been good so far this week, we don't know how well stock will continue to hold up.
Although they're now an older model, big savings can be found on Apple's AirPods 2 this Black Friday. Amazon currently has the model with a Wired Charging Case for $99.99, down from $129.00. You'll see this sale after an automatic coupon is applied to your order, and this is the second-best price we've ever seen on the AirPods 2.
AirPods Max
What's the deal? AirPods Max in select colors for $429.00
Amazon currently has Apple's AirPods Max on sale for $429.00, down from $549.00. This is a match of the lowest price we've ever tracked on the AirPods Max, but as of now it's only available in Sky Blue on Amazon.
iPhone
What's the deal? iPhone 12 and 13 deals everywhere
Deals on iPhones are always abundant around the holidays, and 2021 is no different. A standout this year can be found at T-Mobile, which is offering a free iPhone 13 Pro, free AirPods 2, and free year of Apple TV+ when trading in an eligible device and placing the iPhone 13 Pro on a Magenta MAX monthly plan.
Otherwise, you'll find the usual installment plan offers from other carriers. AT&T began offering its Black Friday sales last week, and with them you can get an iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, or iPhone 13 mini at no cost with a trade in and installment plan. You can also get $1,000 off the iPhone 13 Pro Max with the same requirements.
At Verizon you can get up to $1,000 when you trade in your old smartphone and purchase an iPhone 13 model. There are also some solid iPhone 12 deals, like a BOGO free offer and a free iPhone 12 mini with any Unlimited plan.
Target - Get up to $250 off iPhone 12 and 13 when adding new line; get up to $140 Target gift card with in-store activation of an iPhone SE
Walmart - Get up to $750 in eGift cards with activation and purchase of iPhone 12 and iPhone 13
Best Buy - Save up to $1,000 on iPhone 13 when trading in and activating on Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile
Apple Watch
What's the deal? $60 off Apple Watch SE; $19 off Series 7
These deals are both all-time low prices on the Apple Watch SE, and you can find similar sales at Best Buy and at Amazon this Black Friday. Target shoppers should remember that you can get an additional 5 percent off your order with the Target RedCard.
On Monday, Walmart had $90 off the Apple Watch Series 3, available at just $109, but given how steep that sale was it didn't last very long. It may be worth keeping an eye on Walmart through this week, and on Friday, as the company may restock the Series 3 models at these all-time low prices.
You can also currently find all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 7, but the discounts aren't particularly deep. The best sales you'll find as of today are $19 off Series 7 models on Amazon. This is only for select models, and some discounts only reach up to $9 off. Still, if you want to own the newest Apple Watch model, you can at least save a little bit of money on Amazon.
MacBook Pro
What's the deal? Lowest price on the new 14-inch MacBook Pro
Amazon has the 8-Core M1 Pro/512GB 14-inch MacBook Pro for $1,949.99, down from $1,999.00. Although just $50 off, this is a match of the lowest price we've tracked to date on this model of the new MacBook Pro, so anyone still shopping for this model should take a look at this model soon. Unfortunately, this model currently has a shipping estimate in early January, so it won't make it in time for the holidays when shipped from Amazon. Only Amazon has this sale as of writing.
If you want a little more storage, the 10-Core M1 Pro/1TB 14-inch MacBook Pro is on sale for $2,449.99, down from $2,499.00. This model will still arrive before the holidays.
Amazon has Apple's M1 24-inch iMac at $50 off in multiple configurations, starting at $1,249.00 for the M1 iMac with 7-Core GPU/256GB, down from $1,299.00. Additionally, this week Amazon has discounted the M1 iMac with 8-Core GPU/512GB for the first time ever, available for $1,649.99, down from $1,699.00.
Amazon sales always come and go quickly, and we haven't had a clear picture on what kind of iMac deals to expect on Friday, so if you've been waiting for a sale these are solid all-time low prices on the newest iMac.
iPad Pro
What's the deal? Tons of iPad Pro deals starting at $999.00 for 12.9-inch models
Amazon has a massive sale on 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, offering savings on all models and lowest ever prices on nearly every single one. Prices start at $999.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, and jump to $2,249.00 for the 2TB Cellular device.
128GB Wi-Fi - $999.00 at Amazon ($100 off, lowest ever)
Depending on which retailer you prefer, you can get a $15 gift card from Target and Best Buy when purchasing the $100 Apple Gift Card. These are the best offers you'll find this season on the new Apple Gift Card, as we don't see straight cash discounts on these gift cards. If you were planning to buy an Apple Gift Card already, the $15 store credit could also help knock down the price of an Apple Watch SE or pair of AirPods to an even steeper all-time low price.
Apple TV 4K
What's the deal? 32GB 2021 Apple TV 4K for $159.99
Amazon this week introduced a new low price on the 32GB Apple TV 4K from 2021, available for $159.99, down from $179.00. This price will be reflected in your cart after an automatic coupon has been applied.
Secondly, you can get the 64GB Apple TV 4K for $169.99, down from $199.00 on Amazon, following the application of an automatic coupon at the checkout screen. With this sale, Amazon now has the best price we've ever seen on this model of the Apple TV 4K.
As of writing, stock is somewhat low on the 32GB Apple TV 4K. Amazon estimates that the product will ship within 10 days, so there's still plenty of time for it to arrive before the holidays.
We aren't seeing many particularly steep discounts on the HomePod mini this week, so if you had your eye on one and want to save even a little money, Staples is the best bet. That retailer has the speaker at $89.00, down from $99.00. Otherwise, B&H Photo has the speaker for $94.99.
Amazon has the Apple Pencil 2 for $99.00 this week, down from $129.00. This is an Amazon all-time low price and one of the most consistent discounts that we track on the Apple Pencil 2.
MagSafe
What's the deal? Solid deals on MagSafe accessories
If you're on the hunt for MagSafe accessories for stocking stuffers this year, Amazon and Verizon have a few good deals. The MagSafe Charger is $29.99 at Verizon, down from $39.00; the MagSafe Duo Charger is $103.99 at Amazon, down from $129.00; and the MagSafe Battery Pack is $74.24 at Verizon, down from $99.00. These sales are solid offers across the board.
Shoppers should note that stock on the Beats studio Buds has been fluctuating today on Amazon. Be sure you're purchasing a new pair and not a used version from a third-party Amazon reseller.
We're keeping track of all this season's best deals in our Black Friday 2021 Roundup. You can also find more of our daily deals and other offers in our Deals Roundup.
Mozilla has told users of its Lockwise password management app that it will officially end support for the app on December 13. While the password manager will continue to work after that date, it will no longer receive support or security updates.
Lockwise began life in 2018 as Lockbox, an open-source mobile app for iOS, Android, and desktop that allowed users to access login credentials and autofill passwords stored in Mozilla's Firefox web browser.
Most of those features have now been integrated into Firefox on desktop and/or mobile, signaling the end of the road for the standalone Lockwise app.
"The Firefox Lockwise app will no longer be updated and supported by Mozilla and will not be available in the Apple App and Google Play Stores," Mozilla said in its email to users.
"After that date, current Lockwise users can continue to access their saved passwords and their password management in the Firefox desktop and mobile browsers."
Android users will be able to access the password autofill functionality offered by the Firefox app instead, but users on iOS will have to wait to gain the ability to manage Firefox passwords system-wide.
"Firefox for iOS will already sync your saved Lockwise passwords," states Mozilla in a support article. "You can currently only use those inside Firefox. Check back for updates in December 2021 on how to use Firefox for iOS as your system-wide password manager."
Earlier this month, Mozilla released Firefox 94 for iOS devices, which introduces a new homepage design that adds several quality of life improvements to the browser. Firefox says that the new features are designed for "short bursts of online interactions that are constantly interrupted by life."
Earlier today, Apple announced that it had filed suit against NSO Group, the firm responsible for the Pegasus spyware that has been used in state-sponsored surveillance campaigns in a number of countries. NSO Group seeks to take advantage of vulnerabilities in iOS and other platforms to infiltrate the devices of targeted users such as journalists, activists, dissidents, academics, and government officials.
As part of its announcement, Apple revealed that it is notifying the "small number of users" who have been targeted via the FORCEDENTRY exploit for a now-patched vulnerability that allowed Pegasus to be installed on their devices. Apple also said that it will continue to notify users it believes have been targeted by state-sponsored spyware attacks "in accordance with industry best practices," and the company has now shared a new support document outlining how it will notify those users.
Notifications will be delivered to affected users via email and iMessage notifications to the addresses and phone numbers associated with the users' Apple IDs, with the notifications providing additional steps users can take to protect their devices. A prominent "Threat Notification" banner will also be displayed at the top of the page when affected users log into their accounts on the Apple ID web portal.
Users will never be asked to click links or install apps via the email and iMessage notifications, so users receiving notifications should always log into their Apple ID accounts on the web to verify that threat notifications have been issued for their accounts and to learn what to do next.
Apple acknowledges that there may be some false alarms with its notifications and that some attacks may go undetected, as it is facing constantly evolving tactics from state-sponsored attackers. Apple's threat-detection methods will similarly evolve, and so the company will not be sharing information on its methods to hinder efforts by attackers to evade detection.
Regardless of whether or not you receive a threat notification from Apple, the company advises all users to take the following steps to secure their devices:
Update devices to the latest software, as that includes the latest security fixes
Protect devices with a passcode
Use two-factor authentication and a strong password for Apple ID
Don’t click on links or attachments from unknown senders
Finally, Apple shares a list of emergency resources at the Consumer Reports Security Planner website for those users who have not received an Apple threat notification but believe they may have been targeted by state-sponsored attackers to obtain expert assistance.
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.
Apple plans to adopt TSMC's 4-nanometer chip production technology to mass produce its first in-house 5G modem chip, four people familiar with the matter said, adding that the iPhone maker is developing its own radio frequency and millimeter wave components to complement the modem. Apple is also working on its own power management chip specifically for the modem, two people briefed on the matter said.
The report lines up with previous rumors of Apple launching its own modem as part of the 2023 iPhone lineup, and Qualcomm last week revealed that it is using a planning assumption that it will only have a 20% share of modem production for the 2023 iPhone. Qualcomm believes that Apple will be using its own modem solution in most regions around the world, but will continue to rely on Qualcomm for certain markets, at least initially.
Today's report from Nikkei says that Apple and TSMC are currently trialing production of Apple's in-house modem designs using TSMC's 5-nanometer process, but that they will shift to the more advanced 4-nanometer technology for mass production. TSMC is already aiming to use 4-nanometer technology for the main A-series chip in the 2022 iPhone lineup, with 2022 iPads and 2023 iPhones moving to 3-nanometer technology for their A-series chips.
Unclutter today kicked off a new Black Friday Mac app bundle, which includes twelve Mac apps for $75 (worth a total value of $350). You can also pick only the apps you want and pay half the regular price for each individual app.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apps in the bunlde include Aeon Timeline 3, BetterZip 5, DaisyDisk, Unclutter, Path Finder 10, Permute 3, Squash 3, Unite 4, Default Folder X, TextSoap 9, TextSniper, and uBar 4. You won't need any special promo code as the $75 bundle price has been applied automatically.
Below you can find all of the apps in this bundle, as well as their individual pricing. Most come with lifetime licenses, and they're all 50 percent off.
Aeon Timeline 3 - $32.50, down from $65.00 (Lifetime license)
BetterZip 5 - $12.50, down from $25.00 (Full license)
DaisyDisk - $5.00, down from $10.00 (Lifetime license)
Unclutter - $10.00, down from $20.00 (Lifetime license)
Path Finder 10 - $18.00, down from $36.00 (Lifetime license)
Permute 3 - $7.50, down from $15.00 (Lifetime license)
Squash 3 - $14.50, down from $29.00 (Lifetime license)
Unite 4 - $12.50, down from $25.00 (Lifetime license)
Default Folder X - $17.50, down from $35.00 (Full license)
TextSoap 9 - $25.00, down from $50.00 (Lifetime license)
TextSniper - $5.00, down from $10.00 (Lifetime license)
uBar 4 - $15.00, down from $30.00 (Lifetime license)
We're keeping track of all this season's best deals in our Black Friday 2021 Roundup. You can also find more of our daily deals and other offers in our Deals Roundup.
Apple appears to have temporarily halted sales of devices in Turkey as the country's economic crisis deepened on Tuesday morning. The lira dropped 15 percent after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan staunchly defended recent rate cuts, reports Reuters.
Right now, Apple's Turkey storefront is up and operational, but no devices are able to be added to a virtual cart or purchased at this time because of the volatility.
A Turkish lira is equivalent to approximately 0.078 U.S. dollars at the current time, and its value has been steadily falling since last week. Over the course of the last year, the Lira has dropped 45 percent vs. the dollar.
There is no word on when Apple might resume sales in Turkey, but inflation is close to 20 percent and with Erdogan continuing to refuse to raise interest rates, the downward slide may continue.
(Thanks, Can!)
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.
Apple today announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Israeli firm NSO Group and its parent company with the aim of holding it accountable for targeting Apple users with spyware used for surveillance purposes.
In the lawsuit, Apple offers up information on how NSO Group infiltrated the devices of iPhone owners and how it utilized the Pegasus spyware to do so. Apple is asking for a permanent injunction that would ban NSO Group from using Apple software, services, or devices.
"State-sponsored actors like the NSO Group spend millions of dollars on sophisticated surveillance technologies without effective accountability. That needs to change," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "Apple devices are the most secure consumer hardware on the market -- but private companies developing state-sponsored spyware have become even more dangerous. While these cybersecurity threats only impact a very small number of our customers, we take any attack on our users very seriously, and we're constantly working to strengthen the security and privacy protections in iOS to keep all our users safe."
NSO Group created invasive spyware known as "Pegasus" that was sold to various world governments and was used to access the devices of journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists. Apple has been working on fixing exploits and has addressed major Pegasus-related hacks in iOS 14.6 and iOS 14.8.
With iOS 14.8, for example, Apple addressed a zero-click FORCEDENTRY iMessage exploit that could infect iOS devices with the Pegasus software, allowing for access to the camera, microphone, text messages, phone calls, emails, and more. Apple engineers worked around the clock to develop a fix, and additional BlastDoor security protections have been implemented in iOS 15 to protect the Messages app.
Those who were impacted by FORCEDENTRY will be notified by Apple, and going forward, Apple says any time that it finds activity consistent with a state-sponsored spyware attack, affected users will be informed.
Apple says that it has not found evidence of successful remote attacks against users running iOS 15 and later updates, and that everyone should update their phones and run the latest software. Apple security chief Ivan Krstić said the lawsuit is a signal that Apple will not stand for the use of weaponized spyware against "those who seek to make the world a better place."
"At Apple, we are always working to defend our users against even the most complex cyberattacks. The steps we're taking today will send a clear message: In a free society, it is unacceptable to weaponize powerful state-sponsored spyware against those who seek to make the world a better place," said Ivan Krstić, head of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture. "Our threat intelligence and engineering teams work around the clock to analyze new threats, rapidly patch vulnerabilities, and develop industry-leading new protections in our software and silicon. Apple runs one of the most sophisticated security engineering operations in the world, and we will continue to work tirelessly to protect our users from abusive state-sponsored actors like NSO Group."
In addition to filing a lawsuit against NSO Group, Apple plans to contribute $10 million to organizations pursuing cybersurveillance research and advocacy. Apple will also donate the damages from any lawsuit to the same cause, and will continue to support researchers at Citizen Lab with pro-bono technical, threat intelligence, and engineering assistance.
NSO Group has claimed that its software exploits have only been sold to "vetted" military, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies for use against criminals and terrorists, but a massive data leak earlier this year confirmed widespread abuse of the spyware. As a result, NSO Group has been blacklisted by the U.S. government, and no American organization is allowed to work with it. The company is also facing a 2019 malware lawsuit from Facebook, which a judge earlier this week refused to dismiss.
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.
Apple recently updated its website to indicate that an upcoming iOS 15 and watchOS 8 feature that will let you add your driver's license or state ID to your iPhone and Apple Watch in participating U.S. states has been delayed until early 2022. Apple previously said the feature would launch in late 2021.
Apple has not provided a specific release date for the feature beyond the early 2022 timeframe, and the feature is not enabled in the latest iOS 15.2 beta.
Apple said select TSA security checkpoints in select U.S. airports will be the first locations where users can present a digital ID in the Wallet app. Users will be able to tap the plus sign at the top of the Wallet app to begin adding a driver's license or state ID to the app, and then simply tap their iPhone or Apple Watch on an identity reader to present their ID to the TSA, without taking out their physical card or handing over their device.
Upon tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch on an identity reader, users will see a prompt on their device displaying the specific information being requested by the TSA. Only after authorizing with Face ID or Touch ID is the requested identity information released from a user's device, and they do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to a TSA security officer to present their ID, according to Apple.
Apple has emphasized the privacy and security protections of the feature. When adding a driver's license or state ID card to the Wallet app, the company said users will be required to take a photo of their face, which will be securely provided to the issuing state for verification. As an additional measure, Apple said users will be prompted to complete a series of facial and head movements during the setup process.
Amazon is now matching Walmart's price on the AirPods Pro with MagSafe, available for $159.00, down from $249.00. These are shipped and sold directly from Amazon, and although stock is low you can still get them in time for the holidays (mid December as of writing).
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.
Stock may begin dwindling soon, however, due to this sale being one of the best all-around deals on Apple products happening this week. We aren't expecting to see any better discounts on the all-new AirPods Pro on Friday, so if you want a pair, buy them now.
If you're shopping for other AirPods, the AirPods 3 are $149.99 right now on Amazon, down from $179.00. You'll need to add these to your cart for an automatic coupon to apply to your order. Additionally, AirPods Max are back to their all-time low price of $429.00 on Amazon, down from $549.00.
Lastly, AirPods 2 have reached a low price of $99.99 this week, down from $129.00. This is another deal that will be reflected in the checkout screen after an automatic coupon is applied to the order.
We're keeping track of all this season's best deals in our Black Friday 2021 Roundup. You can also find more of our daily deals and other offers in our Deals Roundup.
Two months after its launch, the iPhone 13 lineup is seeing unprecedented low levels of depreciation, according to research by SellCell.
SellCell's research, based on data from 45 buyback vendors, shows that the iPhone 13 has the best value retention of any iPhone in the first two months after its launch. Overall, the iPhone 13 models have only depreciated by 25.5 percent on average. By comparison, the iPhone 11 lineup lost 44.6 percent of its value and the iPhone 12 lineup lost 41 percent of its value in the same period after launch.
Between the first and second months after launch, the iPhone 13 models depreciated by just 0.6 percent on average, with depreciation of 24.9 percent by the end of month one and depreciation of 25.5 percent by the end of month two.
Some iPhone 13 models even recovered value after an initial drop in value after launch. The iPhone 13 Pro Max with 1TB of storage regained 1.4 percent of its value, the 512GB model regained 1.7 percent of its value, and the 128GB model regained 1.8 percent of its value. The iPhone 13 Pro performed even better, with the 128GB model regaining two percent of its initial value and the 256GB model regaining 4.6 percent of its initial value.
The iPhone 13 mini was the biggest depreciator in the lineup, with the 128GB and 256GB models losing five percent and 7.5 percent respectively.
The reduced rate of depreciation may be attributed to setbacks such as component shortages, production cuts, and shipping delays, which reduced the availability of the iPhone 13 models and pushed up the price of used devices. Until Apple begins to fully meet the demand for iPhone 13 models, SellCell speculates that there could be even more value recovery through the end of 2021.
The iPhone 14 is said to be unlikely to benefit from such unusual factors to suppress its rate of depreciation after launch, making it probable that this depreciation trend will be the slowest for some time.
Every so often, MacRumors videographer Dan rounds up some of his favorite home products that he's been using. We have another installment of our HomeKit series, this time featuring devices from Lutron, Belkin, Sonos, and more.
You can see everything in action in the video, and we have links and a short description for the HomeKit products below.
Lutron Caseta Light Switches ($195 for a set) - It can be expensive to swap out bulbs for all of the lighting in your home, but with Lutron's Caseta Smart Lighting Switch and Dimmer Switch, you can wire up your house for HomeKit with minimal effort. You need a bridge for the Caseta devices, so it's best to buy them in a kit if you're replacing more than one light switch.
Lutron Serena Smart Shades ($600) - Though not inexpensive, if you want a HomeKit house, Lutron makes a series of Serena Smart Shades that can be controlled using HomeKit. You'll need to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 per window, so this is pricey home improvement.
Wemo Stage Scene Controller ($50) - The multi-button Wemo Stage Scene Controller can be used to control any HomeKit accessory with its assignable buttons.
Hunter Ceiling Fan ($180) - Hunter's HomeKit-enabled ceiling fans are surprisingly affordable and can be controlled with Siri, making this a useful smart home addition. Pricing starts at $180 for the Aerodyne, but there are also higher-end models available.
Sonos Beam Sound Bar - ($449) Sonos recently released its second-generation Beam, which is designed to work with a TV. It's AirPlay 2-enabled, so it shows up in the Home app and can be used with other AirPlay 2 speakers like the HomePod.
HomePod mini ($99) - A HomePod mini is an essential component for a HomeKit setup as it can serve as a Home Hub, it works with Thread devices, and it supports Siri commands. Apple just released the HomePod mini in a selection of new colors, so it's a good time to buy.
Have a favorite HomeKit device that we left out? Let us know in the comments and we may highlight it in a future HomeKit video.
Pixelmator Pro 2.3 went live on the Mac App Store on Tuesday, and the latest major update to the popular image editing app brings a smart new automatic background removal feature, automatic subject selection, new Select and Mask tools, and more.
In a blog post announcing the update, Pixelmator's developers say that it's now possible for users to "magically" remove the background from any image with just a click. The new feature is based on machine learning models that can find a subject in almost any image and automatically strip out the background, and it's also available in Finder as a built-in Quick Action.
In addition to the background eraser feature, a new AI-powered Decontaminate Colors feature can remove traces of the old background from the edges of objects left behind, allowing them to blend seamlessly with any new background. Decontaminate Colors can be applied manually in any layer, even on ones that have been cut out in other apps.
Building on the same set of machine learning algorithms is Automatic Subject Selection, which allows users to make a selection of the subject of any image with just a click. Meanwhile, a new Select and Mask tool makes it easier to select difficult areas of subjects like hair, fur, and other objects with complex edges.
The Smart Refine feature has also been redesigned to enhance selection accuracy, and a new Refine Edge Brush lets users brush over particularly tricky edges to get the selection they want.
These new features are powered by ML algorithms that are integrated into Pixelmator Pro using Core ML, which makes them "absolutely fly" on the latest M1-powered devices thanks to their overall speed and the Apple Neural Engine, according to the developers. For example, background removal takes around 2-5 seconds on M1 devices and up to 30 seconds on Intel devices for an average image.
The update includes some smaller changes, like the ability to specify custom export sizes and scales in the Export dialog. More details are available in the release notes. Version 2.3 is free for existing Pixelmator Pro users, and there's currently a 50% discount off the app price (usually $39.99) in the Mac App Store.
Apple and Amazon were today fined a total of more than 200 million euros ($225 million) by Italy's antitrust authority for alleged anti-competitive cooperation in the sale of Apple and Beats products, reports Reuters.
The fines are the culmination of an investigation that began last year over allegations that the two companies had been blocking the sale of Apple and Beats devices to resellers in order to stifle competition.
The Italian watchdog today said contractual provisions of a 2018 agreement between the two companies meant only selected resellers were allowed to sell the products on Amazon's Italian store, which was in violation of EU rules and affected competition on prices.
Amazon was fined 68.7 million euros ($77.3 million), while Apple received a fine of 134.5 million euros ($151.2 million). The watchdog also ordered the companies to end the restrictions to give retailers of genuine Apple and Beats products access to the Italian Amazon web store in a "non-discriminatory manner." Both Apple and Amazon said they plan to appeal against the fines.
"To ensure our customers purchase genuine products, we work closely with our reseller partners and have dedicated teams of experts around the world who work with law enforcement, customs and merchants to ensure only genuine Apple products are being sold," Apple said, denying any wrongdoing.
In a separate statement Amazon said it strongly disagreed with the decision of the Italian authority and that the proposed fine was "disproportionate and unjustified."
"We reject the suggestion that Amazon benefits by excluding sellers from our store, since our business model relies on their success. As a result of the agreement, Italian customers can find the latest Apple and Beats products on our store, benefiting from a catalogue that more than doubled, with better deals and faster shipping," Amazon said.
This isn't the first investigation into Apple by Italy's antitrust regulator. A previous probe looked into the company for iPhone battery slowdowns, which the antitrust watchdog said was a form of planned obsolescence and subsequently slapped Apple with a 10 million euro fine.
Apple today made the HomePod mini available to order in yellow, orange, and blue in Australia and New Zealand, several weeks after the new colors were released in the United States, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.
The new yellow, orange, and blue models all have color-matched woven power cables, but there's still a white Apple sticker in the box, along with a 20W USB-C power adapter. There are no other changes to the HomePod mini beyond the new colors, and pricing remains $149 in Australia and $159 in New Zealand, including sales tax.
The new colors can be ordered on Apple.com or using the Apple Store app in both Australia and New Zealand with a 1-3 business days shipping estimate. Apple Store pickup is also an option in Australia, but there are no Apple Store locations in New Zealand.
Apple said the new colors would also be released in Austria, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the UK by the end of November, and indeed, several of Apple's regional online stores for these countries are already accepting orders, with delivery in France and the UK being offered as early as this Thursday and in-store pickup from Friday, for example.
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