MacRumors

Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak and software engineering head Craig Federighi will be two of the speakers at The Wall Street Journal's Tech Live event that is set to be held on Tuesday, October 25.

The topic of the session has yet to be announced, but it will be hosted by The ‌Wall Street Journal‌ technology columnist Joanna Stern. Joswiak and Federighi will be speaking from 7:35 p.m. Pacific Time to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Based on the timing of the event, the duo will likely discuss iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, both of which are likely to launch during the week of October 24. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said last week that iPadOS 16 will be released in the final week of October, and macOS Ventura will probably come out alongside it as it is in an advanced stage of beta testing. Apple is also gearing up to debut new Macs and iPads, so it's possible that the Tech Live conference will be timed with new product announcements.

Other speakers at WSJ Tech Live will include Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger, Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and more.

Netflix today announced the upcoming launch of the ad-supported tier that has been in the works for the last several months. The new "Basic With Ads" plan is priced at $6.99 per month in the United States, $3 cheaper than the standard Basic plan.

Basic With Ads will be available alongside the Basic, Standard, and Premium plans, offering 720p streaming video. Netflix is also updating the standard Basic plan with 720p support when the Basic With Ads plan launches.

Netflix's new plan will offer most of the same TV shows, movies, and "personalized viewing experience," but subscribers will see between four and five minutes of ads per hour. Ads will vary from 15 to 30 seconds in length, and will play before and during shows and films.

There will be a selection of movies and TV shows that will not be available due to licensing restrictions, but Netflix has not provided a list of content that will be inaccessible.

Unlike with the plans without ads, the ad-based tier will not support downloading movies and TV shows for offline viewing.

Netflix Basic with Ads is set to launch on Thursday, November 3 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. It will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US.

The Apple Maps app appears to be experiencing issues at the current time, with Apple's System Status page listing an outage. According to Apple, users are seeing problems with Maps Display, Maps Routing and Navigation, Maps Search, and Maps Traffic.

‌Apple Maps‌ is not able to display traffic conditions at the current time, and search and routing are unreliable for some users. Apple says that the outage began at 1:00 Eastern Time, so if you are having trouble with ‌Apple Maps‌, you are not alone.

There is no word on when the Maps outage will be fixed, but we'll update this article when Apple addresses the issue.

Update 2:00 p.m. ET: Apple says the outage has been resolved.

Amazon has marked the price of the 32GB Apple TV HD down to $79.00, down from $149.00. This model is the Apple TV that launched in 2015, but it now comes with the new 2021 Siri Remote.

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.

As of writing, shipping is delayed on the Apple TV HD, with delivery dates estimated for early November. You can still lock in this all-time low price today ahead of those dates, and Amazon may ship sooner if more stock is made available.

This is a particularly steep discount on the Apple TV HD, and the best price we've ever tracked to date. The Apple TV HD lacks support for 4K resolution and other features, which you can read more on in our comparison guide, but it's still a solid streaming device for those okay with 1080p resolution, especially at this price point.

For the newer models with 4K, the 32GB Apple TV 4K is $109.99 on Amazon, down from $179.00, and the 64GB Apple TV 4K is $129.99, down from $199.00. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Update: This deal has expired.

Eve today announced the official launch of its updated HomeKit-enabled Eve Light Switch in the United States, with the new accessory now available for purchase.

Eve's Light Switch is the 15th Eve product to support the upcoming Matter smart home standard that is expected to launch later this year. Matter is designed to allow products from different smart home manufacturers like Apple and Google to interact with one another, something that is not possible at the current time.

Thread support is also available, and with other Thread-enabled products, the Eve Light Switch serves as a router node to enhance the Thread mesh network for improved connectivity with other Thread devices.

The third-generation Eve Light Switch supports rooms with three-way switches, and it adds support for connecting lights to a smart home network without having to change bulbs. Eve says that it is simple to install the Light Switch, and there is an instructional video available.

With HomeKit integration, the Eve Light Switch can be controlled through the Home app, the Eve app, or with Siri voice commands, plus it can be used to access lights when away from home with a Home hub that includes the HomePod or the Apple TV.

The Eve Light Switch can be purchased from the Eve website or from Amazon for $50.

iOS 16 continues to leak data outside an active VPN tunnel, even when Lockdown mode is enabled, security researchers have discovered.

Speaking to MacRumors, security researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry explained that iOS 16's approach to VPN traffic is the same whether Lockdown mode is enabled or not. The news is significant since iOS has a persistent, unresolved issue with leaking data outside an active VPN tunnel.

In August, it again emerged that third-party VPNs for iOS and iPadOS routinely fail to route all network traffic through a secure tunnel after they have been turned on – an issue that Apple has purportedly known about for years.

Typically, when a user activates a VPN, the operating system closes all existing internet connections and then re-establishes them through the VPN tunnel. In iOS, security researchers have found that sessions and connections established before the VPN is turned on are not terminated as one would expect, and can still send data outside the VPN tunnel while it is active, leaving it potentially unencrypted and exposed to ISPs and other parties.

According to a report from privacy company Proton, an iOS VPN bypass vulnerability had been identified in iOS 13.3.1, which persisted through three subsequent updates. Apple indicated it would add Kill Switch functionality in a future software update that would allow developers to block all existing connections if a VPN tunnel is lost, but this functionality does not appear to prevent data leaks as of iOS 15 and iOS 16.

Mysk and Bakry have now discovered that iOS 16 communicates with select Apple services outside an active VPN tunnel and leaks DNS requests without the user's knowledge:

Mysk and Bakry also investigated whether iOS 16's Lockdown mode takes the necessary steps to fix this issue and funnel all traffic through a VPN when one is enabled, and it appears that the exact same issue persists whether Lockdown mode is enabled or not, particularly with push notifications. This means that the minority of users who are vulnerable to a cyberattack and need to enable Lockdown mode are equally at risk of data leaks outside their active VPN tunnel.

iOS 16 introduced Lockdown mode as an optional security feature designed to protect the "very small number" of users who may be at risk of "highly targeted cyberattacks" from private companies developing state-sponsored spyware, such as journalists, activists, and government employees. Lockdown mode does not enable a VPN itself, and relies on the same third-party VPN apps as the rest of the system.

Due to the fact that iOS 16 leaks data outside the VPN tunnel even where Lockdown mode is enabled, internet service providers, governments, and other organizations may be able to identify users who have a large amount of traffic, potentially highlighting influential individuals. It is possible that Apple does not want a potentially malicious VPN app to collect some kinds of traffic, but seeing as ISPs and governments are then able to do this, even if that is what the user is specifically trying to avoid, it seems likely that this is part of the same VPN problem that affects iOS 16 as a whole.

It is worth noting that Apple only lists high-level features that activate when Lockdown mode is enabled, and Apple has not explicitly mentioned any changes that take place to affect VPN traffic. Nevertheless, as Lockdown mode claims to be an extreme protection measure, it seems like a considerable oversight that VPN traffic is a vulnerable point.

Apple today announced that Apple Card users will be able to open a new "high-yield" savings account from Goldman Sachs and have their Daily Cash automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements.

Apple says the savings account option will be available "in the coming months," but it did not reveal what the interest rate will be for Daily Cash balances. Goldman Sachs' existing online high-yield savings account Marcus currently has a 2.15% APR.

As with all Apple Card features, users will be able to manage the savings account through the Wallet app. Once the account is set up, all Daily Cash received from that point on will be automatically deposited into it, unless a user opts to continue having it added to their Apple Cash card. Users can change where their Daily Cash is sent at any time.

Apple Card offers 2% Daily Cash on any purchase made with Apple Pay, and 3% Daily Cash on purchases made with Apple Pay at select retailers, including Apple, Uber, Uber Eats, Walgreens, Nike, Panera Bread, T-Mobile, ExxonMobil, and Ace Hardware. Apple Card users who take advantage of the savings account option would be able to earn interest on their Daily Cash automatically, allowing the amount to grow over time.

Users will be able to deposit additional funds into the savings account through a linked bank account, or from their Apple Cash balance. Likewise, users will be able to withdraw funds from the savings account at any time, with no fees.

"Savings enables Apple Card users to grow their Daily Cash rewards over time, while also saving for the future," said Apple Pay chief Jennifer Bailey. "Savings delivers even more value to users' favorite Apple Card benefit — Daily Cash — while offering another easy-to-use tool designed to help users lead healthier financial lives."

Launched in 2019, the Apple Card remains exclusive to the United States. 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. Daily Cash is limited to 1% for purchases made with the physical Apple Card.

Now that Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale has ended, many of the week's best sales have expired. However, we're tracking two Apple products that remain at their best-ever prices even after the end of the event, including the Apple Watch Series 8 and iPad mini 6.

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.

Apple Watch Series 8

The 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8 remains at $349.00 in two colors of aluminum: (PRODUCT)RED and Midnight. Both colors are in stock and ready to ship from Amazon, with delivery estimates between October 15 and 18.

You can also get the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8 for $379.00 on Amazon, down from $429.00. This one is only available in (PRODUCT)RED at this price, and it has a delivery estimate of October 16 to 18 from Amazon.

iPad Mini

Additionally, Amazon has all four colors of the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 for $399.99, down from $499.00. This is the best price we've ever seen on this iPad mini, and most colors can be delivered as soon as this Saturday.

The 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 6 is still on sale for $549.99, down from $649.00. This one is available in all four colors as well: Starlight, Space Gray, Purple, and Pink, and again most can be delivered as soon as this Saturday.

If you're shopping for cellular models, the 64GB cellular iPad mini 6 is priced at $549.99 and the 256GB cellular iPad mini 6 is priced at $699.99. Both of these sales again represent $99 discounts on regular prices, and are record low sales for each tablet.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

Apple is likely to launch the HomePod mini in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in the foreseeable future based on Siri language support.

In recent software updates, the HomePod and HomePod mini gained support for Siri in Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish. Danish is still not supported on HomePods, but a report earlier this year indicated that the language was being tested.

First released in October 2020, the HomePod mini is currently available in 20 countries and territories, including the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Apple made the HomePod mini available in yellow, orange, and blue last year, alongside space gray and white. In August, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed that Apple was considering launching an updated version of the $99 smart speaker in the future, but he did not provide a specific timeframe or details about potential new features.

Apple discontinued the full-size HomePod in March 2021.

Less than a week after the launch of the iPhone 14 Plus, yet another report of unexpectedly low sales for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus has emerged, suggesting that Apple may actively reduce stock and orders of components for the devices as soon as this month.

The paywalled report from DigiTimes claims that sales of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus are considerably overshadowed by an "enthusiastic" response to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max. Sources speaking to DigiTimes say that despite differences in sales performance between the Pro and non-Pro ‌iPhone‌ models this year, total ‌iPhone‌ 14 model shipments will likely be around the same as those for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup in the second half of 2021.

If sales of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus "remain flat" in the near term, Apple purportedly may cut orders of parts to make the devices in the second half of October. If Apple cuts orders more aggressively than expected, then the total ‌iPhone‌ 14 lineup shipments by the end of the year may even fall compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 series in the same time frame last year. Research indicates that Apple expected to make approximately 90 million new iPhones overall in the second half of 2022, but this could fall to 80 million units due to "sluggish demand."

The information mirrors multiple other reports that suggest the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus have not met Apple's sales expectations. Shortly after launch, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that demand for the two devices is "lackluster," with worse pre-order results than the third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE and the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini. He went as far as to claim that "Apple's product segmentation strategy for standard models fails this year" and Apple is believed to have shelved plans to increase production of the two devices. Display analyst Ross Young says panel orders for the ‌‌iPhone‌ 14‌ are down 38 percent versus the ‌‌iPhone‌ 13‌ at the same time last year, while in the resale market, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus are losing their value twice as fast as the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13 last year.

On the other hand, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max reportedly continue to see high demand. Apple is believed to have shifted production away from the non-Pro models to make more ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max devices, as evidenced by increased component shipments.

Microsoft Office will soon officially be renamed "Microsoft 365," in the biggest rebranding of the company's office productivity software in more than 30 years (via The Verge).

You may have heard of Microsoft 365 already – that's because Microsoft renamed Office 365 subscriptions to Microsoft 365 two years ago.

But in the coming months, Office.com, the Office mobile app, and the Office app for Windows will all share the name of a new Microsoft 365 app, "with a new icon, a new look, and even more features," according to a company FAQ.

As part of the rebrand, traditional Office apps like Excel, Outlook, Word, and Powerpoint will all come under the Microsoft 365 umbrella, rather than be referred to as part of Microsoft Office.

For Apple device owners, the name change will likely be seen first in the Office iOS app. The Microsoft 365 mobile app replacing it will include a new apps module for commonly used cloud-based 365 tools, a central content hub and workflow feed, and a new tagging system for organizing content.

Perhaps somewhat confusingly however, Office 2021 for Windows and Mac will continue to be offered as a one-time purchase under the same name for the foreseeable future, as will Office LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel), even though Microsoft Office is now essentially a legacy brand.

Microsoft says changes will begin rolling out for Office.com in November 2022, and then changes will begin rolling out for the Office app on Windows and the Office mobile app in January 2023.

AgileBits has announced the release of 1Password 8 for Apple Watch, a natural extension to its iOS app that completes the rollout of the new version of its multi-platform password manager.

1Password on Apple Watch gives users customizable access to "nearly anything" in their 1Password account, even when they don't have their iPhone or an internet connection, according to the developers. The rebuilt app also brings full support for watch face complications. From the AgileBits blog post:

1Password now offers complications you can configure for quick access to nearly any kind of information from your 1Password account. Need to keep your booking code handy while traveling? Add it as a complication to your current watch face so you can get to it in a single tap. Always logging into a particular account for work that needs a two-factor code? Pin it to your watch face for at-a-glance access.

Beyond complications, 1Password for Apple Watch lets users view custom fields (including multi-line notes) and custom item icons. Users can designate individual items in their 1Password account using their ‌iPhone‌ to have them sync securely to Apple Watch.

In addition, 1Password for Apple Watch supports Markdown for notes, as well as the ability to view passwords in Large Type, making them more comfortable to read on a smaller display.

1Password for Apple Watch is bundled with the iOS app, and those who don't have Automatic App Downloads enabled for their watch can install 1Password from the Watch app on their ‌iPhone‌.

1Password 8 for iOS is available to download on the App Store. A subscription is required, with individual pricing set at $3.99 per month for unlimited access across several platforms, including iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and others. A 30-day free trial is available.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has criticized Apple's pricing strategy by claiming that the tech giant typically "charges as much as it can" for hardware, whereas Meta will take a different approach by selling products like its new $1500 AR/VR headset at a "break even" price point, or in some cases even a loss (via Business Insider).

In a podcast interview following the launch of Meta's new "Quest Pro" headset, Zuckerberg said it's natural for hardware companies to want to make a profit on product sales, but that Apple seeks to charge customers as much as possible. In contrast, Zuckerberg said Meta will take a different route with its portfolio of hardware products, and claimed his company may make no profit from some of its sales and will instead rely on revenue generated by software and services offered in the metaverse.

I think the business model will be disruptive, in that it's typically people build hardware and they try to make a profit off of it, where if you're Apple, you build hardware and you charge as much as you can for it. I do think that having someone come into the space and basically say, "We're going to build the best hardware in the space and we're going to basically sell it at a break-even point and in some cases, maybe even slightly at a loss in order to basically help grow the ecosystem with the business model of basically having the revenue come through software and services", that business strategy I think is aligned with the mission of basically connecting people and having people there because if you want to build a social experience, you have to have the people there.

This week, Meta announced the Quest Pro, its latest AR/VR headset for the so-called "metaverse." At $1500, the Quest Pro is the high-end successor model to the Meta Quest and boasts a more comfortable design, more advanced display technology, and sensors that can read a user's emotions and facial movements, according to Meta. Apple's AR/VR headset is rumored to be announced in January, and you can learn more about it by checking out our AR/VR roundup.

Apple today began offering refurbished Studio Display models in the United States, with the display available at a lower price for the first time since its March 2022 launch.

There are multiple variants of the Studio Display available for purchase, including the base model with tilt-adjustable stand and the model that has nano-texture glass. The base Studio Display is available for $1,359, down from the original price of $1,599. The nano-texture model with tilt adjustable stand is available for $1,609, with the nano-texture add-on meant to minimize glare.

The 27-inch Studio Display features a 5K resolution, 600 nits brightness, True Tone, Wide color support, and more. It is equipped with multiple ports and is compatible with modern Macs.

Studio Display supplies will vary as available models are added to the refurbished store over time, so we could also see discounted height adjustable models in the future.

Apple’s refurbished products are essentially identical to new products and go through Apple’s refurbishment process that includes full functionality testing. Refurbished products are eligible for AppleCare+ and have the same 14-day return period as new Apple devices.

German airline Lufthansa today said that it will not be banning AirTags and other Bluetooth trackers from checked luggage. After receiving guidance from German Aviation Authorities, Lufthansa confirmed that AirTags do not pose a safety risk in luggage because of their low battery and transmission power.

The airline made headlines over the weekend after informing passengers that AirTags would need to be turned off in checked baggage because of guidelines imposed by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Lufthansa suggested AirTags were subject to the ICAO's dangerous goods regulation because of their transmission function, and that they needed to be "deactivated" during flight as a result.

AirTags are not able to be turned off without taking the battery out of the device, so the only solution would be not to have an activated AirTag in checked luggage. Many Apple users have taken to including AirTags in their bags for tracking purposes, so Lufthansa's stance was a surprise to consumers.

Apple in a statement this week to The New York Times said that AirTags were not dangerous and were in fact "compliant with international airline travel safety regulations for carry-on and checked baggage."

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration also confirmed to The New York Times that AirTags are permitted in both carry-on and checked luggage, as are other Bluetooth-based trackers from companies like Tile.

Last month, Zagg's charging brand Mophie released several new charging accessories through both Apple and Zagg's own storefront, and I've spent the past few weeks testing out a couple of the more interesting ones to see how they measure up.

Powerstation 10K Stand With MagSafe

First up is the Powerstation 10K Stand with MagSafe, which combines a solid MagSafe-certified charger with a portable power bank for charging on a desk or on the go.

The Powerstation 10K Stand includes a sturdy metal kickstand that folds flat for travel and storage but also has a significant amount of resistance in the hinge so that it remains stable across a range of opening angles depending on your needs. A rubber pad around the bottom edge of the kickstand keeps the metal from scratching your desk or other surfaces.

As an officially certified MagSafe accessory, the Powerstation 10K Stand can charge your iPhone at up to 15 watts, as opposed to the 7.5-watt limit imposed on non-certified MagSafe-compatible and other Qi wireless chargers. In practice, I found Mophie's charger to be slightly slower than Apple's own ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, but definitely still faster than non-MagSafe wireless chargers.

I found ‌MagSafe‌ charging speeds to be the same regardless of whether the Powerstation 10K Stand was charging in pass-through mode while connected to a power source or unplugged in battery-only mode.

Another convenient feature of the Powerstation 10K Stand is its 20-watt USB-C port, which can be used not only as an input to refill the integrated battery and pass power through to an ‌iPhone‌ on the ‌MagSafe‌ charger but also as an output to charge devices via a cable.

If you're after the fastest charging speeds, you'll want to use that USB-C port with a cable rather than ‌MagSafe‌, but that obviously means another thing to carry with you.

And while you can charge two devices simultaneously (one wired via the USB-C port and one wireless via ‌MagSafe‌), it's worth noting that the total output of the charger is limited to 25 watts, so that will be split between the two charging points.

That means if you're trying to charge two iPhones, for example, neither will be able to charge at its 15-watt or 20-watt maximum depending on charging method. But if you're charging an ‌iPhone‌ via ‌MagSafe‌ and a lower-power device like an Apple Watch or AirPods via the USB-C port, for example, you'll still see full-speed charging for the ‌iPhone‌.

When it comes to the internal battery in the Powerstation 10K Stand, the "10K" refers to its capacity of 10,000 mAh. That should in theory be able to fully recharge an ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max's 4,323 mAh battery more than twice, though you won't see that level of performance in real-world use due to some of the inefficiencies of wired and especially wireless charging.

In my testing, I was able to get about 1.2 charges for my ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max out of the battery when charging via ‌MagSafe‌, so that's definitely a significant reduction compared to the stated capacity of the battery, but it's still enough for an overnight trip while off the grid, for example.

The Powerstation 10K Stand has one other feature that I likely won't get much use out of but is still worth noting, and that's a standard ¼"-20 tripod socket on the bottom edge for users who might want to rig the accessory up as a more stable mount out in the field or in other situations where simply placing it on a flat surface isn't sufficient.

Overall, the Powerstation 10K Stand with ‌MagSafe‌ is a convenient accessory with a solid build quality, and I've found it works well as a desk stand while also being easy to toss in a computer bag for peace of mind that I'll have some extra power available wherever I am.

The one major downside, however, is its price, which is regularly a fairly hefty $129.95. Fortunately, Zagg is currently running a 30% off sale on its own site that brings the price down to $90.96.

Even so, potential customers might want to look at the Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Stand, which offers a very similar feature set with the exception of official ‌MagSafe‌ support, but at a much lower price point. You'll only get 7.5-watt charging from the magnetic charging pad, but if that's an acceptable trade-off, you can get the Snap+ stand for a regular price of $69.95 or just $48.96 in the current sale.

Speedport 120 4-Port GaN Wall Charger Travel Kit

The second Mophie accessory I've been trying out is the Speedport 120 4-port GaN Wall Charger Travel Kit. The name is a mouthful, but it's a handy kit centered around a four-port USB charger than can deliver up to 120 watts of charging power in a compact package thanks to GaN technology.

It uses a detachable power cable design that frees up outlet space while allowing for flexible placement such as on a desk or nightstand, although that comes at the cost of extra bulk for the cord compared to having prongs integrated directly into the charger.

The charger features three USB-C ports and a USB-A port for flexibility in charging up an array of devices. Two of the USB-C ports can charge at up to 100 watts, while the third USB-C port maxes out at 20 watts and the USB-A port can deliver 12 watts.

Keep in mind that with a total output of 120 watts from the charger, you won't be able to use all of those ports to their maximum simultaneously, but overall it allows for a solid amount of power to charge a full set of devices at reasonably fast speeds.

Also included in the kit is a 1-meter USB-C to Lightning cable and a 1-meter USB-C to USB-C cable. The two USB cables and the power cable all arrive neatly coiled with velcro wraps to hold them together, and the whole setup is packaged in an attractive felt pouch that secures via an elastic loop that hooks over a button.

The pouch is divided into three compartments to house the charger, the power cable, and the USB cables, and it makes for a convenient package to take on the road. While the contents are efficiently packed inside the kit, there's enough extra room that you can fit in an extra cable or two such as an Apple Watch charging cable, so long as you wrap them fairly tightly and they're so long that they take up a lot of space. The elastic closure also helps provide flexibility to keep the pouch closed even with a few extra items inside.

The felt pouch offers a stylish look while also providing protection to both the contents inside it and other items that might be tossed in a larger bag with the kit.

The Speedport 120 4-port GaN Wall Charger Travel Kit is regularly priced at $139.95, which feels a bit on the high side even with the number of ports and overall power output. With Zagg's current sale, however, the 30% discount brings the price down to a more reasonable $97.96.

Note: Zagg provided MacRumors with the Mophie charging accessories for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Zagg. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Google last week unveiled the Pixel Watch, a Wear OS-based smart watch that has a round display and a suite of health tracking features. We picked up a Pixel Watch and thought we'd compare it to Apple's newest flagship wristworn device, the Apple Watch Series 8.

Since the Apple Watch launched in 2015, Apple has not strayed from a rectangular watch face, while other Android manufacturers have toyed with round designs more like traditional watch faces. Google has opted to go with a round design, and the end result is one of the better round smart watches that we've seen.

Unfortunately, there are some thick bezels on the Google Watch because of the round face, but Google has adopted a dark UI that goes a long way toward reducing their obviousness. Apple has cut down on bezel size over the years, so you're getting more display area on the Series 8. The round form factor works well most of the time, but it's not great when notifications are coming in because it's a rectangular notification box attempting to fit in a circular display.

In terms of size, the Pixel Watch is delicate. It's 41mm in diameter, so it feels more petite than the 44mm Apple Watch Series 8. It's more akin to the 41mm Apple Watch, and it's dwarfed by the larger and more feature rich Apple Watch Ultra.

There's a side button and a crown on the Pixel Watch for control purposes, and the buttons are reminiscent of the Apple Watch. The bands are too, with Google coming out with some Sport Band-like straps, among other options. Bands click in like they do on the Apple Watch, with a slide in and twist motion.

The Apple Watch Series 8 and the Pixel Watch are direct competitors, offering many of the same features. Google has incorporated features from Fitbit, and the Pixel Watch basically does the same thing the Apple Watch does.

It has heart rate tracking, ECG capabilities, and detailed workout tracking with heart rate zones and support for around 40 types of workouts. Emergency SOS is built in, sleep tracking is included, and fall detection is coming later in the year. There is no temperature sensor, a feature new to the Series 8, and while a blood oxygen sensor is included, it is not activated.

Some of the health tracking features do require a Fitbit premium subscription, priced at $10 per month. You'll need to pay this fee if you want options like the traditional Fitbit readiness score. Google does include six months free, but eventually, some features will be locked.

Battery life varies quite a bit on the Pixel Watch. With the always-on display, it drains quickly, plus there's a feature that constantly monitors heart rate that can drop it down. With those options turned off, it can last for up to 24 hours, beating out the Series 8.

All in all, the Pixel Watch is a decent smart watch that could one day inspire Apple to offer another display design. You're obviously not going to want to pick one of these up if you have an iPhone, but Android users have an Apple Watch-like device to choose now.

What do you think of the Pixel Watch? Let us know in the comments.

Apple does not plan to provide recently announced employee perks to workers at a Maryland store who have unionized, reports Bloomberg. Apple this week announced plans to offer employees additional funds for education and new health care features in some states, but unionized employees at the Towson, Maryland Apple Store will not receive these benefits.

Towson workers were told that the store would need to negotiate benefits with Apple through the union, which is something that Apple's head of retail, Deirdre O'Brien, warned employees about in anti-union messaging sent out in May.

"We have a relationship that is based on an open and collaborative and direct engagement," she said at the time. "Which I feel could fundamentally change if a store is represented by a union under a collective bargaining agreement."

Despite Apple's efforts, the Towson store unionized in June, becoming the first Apple retail location in the United States to do so. Bloomberg suggests that Apple's decision to withhold perks from the Towson store could dissuade other stores from unionizing, but it could also lead to further worker upset. Other companies like Starbucks that have been fighting unionization have also provided exclusive benefits at non-union stores.

Employees at non-union Apple retail locations are eligible for advanced tuition reimbursement at select colleges, a free Coursera membership, and in Connecticut, New York, Georgia, Washington, and New Jersey, employees have access to a health care plan that waives co-pays for Apple-approved doctors.

Apple has been continually improving benefits for retail workers in an effort to prevent unionization. Apple in February announced more paid sick days, more vacation days, and more parental leave, and in June, the company agreed to make employee schedules more flexible to prevent overworking.

The Towson, Maryland store is represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union and formal negotiations are set to begin with Apple soon.

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.