Late last year, former Apple designer Imran Chaudhri and former Apple software manager Bethany Bongiorno launched one of the first AI wearables under their Humane brand. The $699 Humane AI pin did not go over well, and many reviews criticized its poor performance.
Humane is continuing to struggle, and now, returns are outpacing sales. According to The Verge, more AI pins were returned than purchased during the period between May and August. So many pins have been returned that there are only around 7,000 units still in the hands of consumers, with around 10,000 initially shipped out.
The company only sold around $9 million worth of AI Pins in total, and it is trying to deal with $1 million in returns. Humane cannot refurbish returned AI Pins due to a technical limitation with the cellular connectivity, and returned units are simply e-waste at this point.
Humane also faced a problem with the Charge Case for the device, which was found to pose a fire risk. Humane sent out emails to customers telling them to stop using the Charge Case Accessory. Refunds were not provided, but customers were given two free months of the Humane subscription service.
Humane raised more than $200 million from investors, and had planned to sell around 100,000 pins during its first year, but poor performance seems to have sunk the device. The Verge claims that pre-launch family and friends reviewers raised concerns about the functionality of the AI Pin, but it was launched despite the feedback.
A Humane spokesperson told The Verge that there were "inaccuracies" in the financial data that the site obtained, but specifics were not provided. Humane said that the company remains "committed to unlocking a new era of ambient and contextual computing," and that there have been software updates to address user feedback.
Disney plans start seriously cracking down on password sharing for the Disney+ streaming service in September, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in during today's earnings call (via The Verge).
Iger said that Disney would begin eliminating password sharing "in earnest" next month. Disney has actually been talking about getting rid of password sharing since last September, but the timeline has shifted a few times. Disney started rolling out a ban on password sharing in some countries in June, but it sounds like the company's efforts will expand to the U.S. and other countries in September 2024.
According to Iger, Disney wants to end password sharing to turn Disney+ into a growth business.
Cracking down on password sharing was successful for Netflix. Netflix stopped allowing multi-household password sharing in 2023, and saw strong subscriber growth in subsequent quarters. In April, Iger said that he admired what Netflix had done, calling the company the "gold standard in streaming."
"I actually have very, very high regard for what they've accomplished," said Iger. "If we can only accomplish what they've accomplished, that would be great." As for customers that have already been told they can't share their passwords anymore, Iger said that the company has had "no backlash at all."
Like Netflix, Disney plans to allow subscribers to pay extra to share their plans with someone outside of their household, but pricing has not yet been announced.
Disney this week also announced plans to raise prices for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ in October. Disney+ with ads will be priced at $9.99 per month, up from $7.99, and Disney+ ad free will be priced at $15.99 per month, up from $13.99.
Disney+ initially launched in 2019, right around the time that Apple TV+ launched. When the service debuted, Disney was charging $6.99 per month.
Social network Reddit could monetize by tucking some subreddits behind paywalls, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman suggested during the company's Tuesday earnings call (via Engadget).
Huffman said that Reddit plans to "unlock the door" for subreddits that could have "exclusive content or private areas."
I think the existing, altruistic, free version of Reddit will continue to exist and grow and thrive just the way it has. But now we will unlock the door for new use cases, new types of subreddits that can be built that may have exclusive content or private areas, things of that nature.
Huffman did not outright confirm that Reddit is going to charge for access to subreddits in the future, but that seems to be what he was hinting at.
Reddit also plans to test AI-powered search results later in 2024, with AI used to summarize and recommend content. Huffman said that the search tools would help "users dive deeper into products, shows, games and discover new communities on Reddit." Huffman believes that search could be a major source of advertising revenue going forward.
Reddit has already established deals with Google and OpenAI to allow the companies to train their AI models using Reddit content, and OpenAI's ChatGPT is now able to surface Reddit conversations in ChatGPT. Reddit attempted to reach a deal with Microsoft, but failed to do so, and later blocked Bing from accessing Reddit content.
Last year, Reddit started charging developers for accessing its API, which led to the shutdown of several popular Reddit clients, including Apollo. Apollo developer Christian Selig said that he would need to pay $20 million per year in fees to keep the app up and running, which was not feasible, and Reddit was not willing to work with him or provide a reasonable timeline to make changes.
Reddit began charging for API access ahead of when it became a public company in March 2024, and it continues to seek new ways to monetize content from its user base.
Earlier this week, a federal court ruled that Google's lucrative default search engine deal with Apple violates antitrust law. Google plans to appeal the decision and the court hasn't provided insight into how it plans to address Google's monopoly, but there is a chance Google will no longer be able to pay to be the default search engine on Apple devices.
Google's Payments to Apple
For many years, Google has paid Apple billions to be the primary search engine on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. When you use the Safari browser, Google Search is the default option, and that's because Google pays for the privilege. You can pop into the Settings app and swap to a different search engine like Bing or DuckDuckGo, but most people don't bother with that.
It's a deal that's lucrative for both Apple and Google. In 2022, for example, Google paid Apple $20 billion, which is around 36 percent of the total revenue that it earns from Safari searches. So Apple gets a big payout each year, and Google gets major reach from Apple's huge install base.
In its antitrust ruling, the court suggested that Apple has the "financial, technological, and human resources" to develop its own search engine, but has not done so because of the money that it receives from Google. The court acknowledges that Apple would have to take on other risks like risking brand reputation for an inferior product, but states that the revenue share payments "unquestionably" keep Apple "on the sidelines of search."
Apple Search Engine Rumors
So if Apple's deal with Google goes away, will Apple enter the search market?
Past rumors indicate that Apple has worked on a search engine. In November 2022, The Information said that Apple had been working on a web search engine since 2022, but Apple was still at least four years away from launching such a product. That report suggested Apple could use its own search product work as leverage during renegotiations with Google.
Apple has a dedicated search team because there are robust search tools for Spotlight, Siri Suggestions, and content provided by Siri to answer user queries. It's possible that Apple could spin some of its Spotlight technology into a web search feature in the future, or that it could leverage Apple Intelligence. With AI and the changes coming to Siri in 2024 and 2025, iPhone, iPad, and Mac users may start to transition away from traditional web searches anyway, relying more on other search tools.
Apple definitely has the money to enter into the search engine market, and the background is there too with Safari, but there are alternatives.
Other Search Engines
During the antitrust case, documents revealed that Microsoft tried for years to get Apple to switch over to Bing as the default search engine on Safari. Microsoft even pushed for a sale of Bing to Apple, but Apple did not think that Bing could compete with Google in "quality and capabilities."
Microsoft even offered to share 100 percent of Bing's revenue with Apple, but it was a no go. Apple's services chief Eddy Cue testified that there "wasn't a valid alternative" to Google, and that Apple has stuck with Google because "we've always thought it was the best." Trial documents further revealed that Cue believed that there was "no price that Microsoft could ever offer [Apple] to make the switch," with Cue blaming Bing's "inferior quality" and the "business risk of making a change."
Apple executives also discussed DuckDuckGo, specifically as the default for private browsing mode, but said it is "not a great search engine" and "not good enough."
Possible Search Solutions
Google could be told that it is not allowed to pay to be the default search engine on Safari, removing Apple's financial incentive to prioritize Google's search engine.
In Europe, the Digital Markets Act requires Apple to allow iPhone users to select a browser as their default during the device setup process, providing alternatives to Safari. The U.S. court could require a similar setup process for search engines, allowing users to choose a search engine from a list when activating a device for the first time.
In this situation, rather than Apple automatically setting Google Search as the default search engine, users would make the selection themselves at device setup. There would be no need for the extra step of opening the Settings app and finding the Safari options to swap search engines.
The lawsuit targets Google, so it's unlikely that the court would force Apple to provide search engine choice in this situation, but Apple might be willing to offer that option if it doesn't have a financial reason not to do so.
Appeals
Google is going to appeal the court's decision, so the deal between Apple and Google isn't in immediate danger because the rest of the lawsuit needs to play out.
Wrap Up
If the United States Justice Department and courts are correct that Apple's deal with Google is holding Apple back from developing its own search engine, putting a stop to payments could spur Apple to develop a search product.
It's clear that Apple is unlikely to establish a partnership with another company like Bing or even purchase a search engine because it sees all of the non-Google options as not good enough. Based on what we know right now, Apple's best move without Google revenue could be to get into search on its own.
Apple's projections (per the lawsuit) estimate that it could lose more than $12 billion in revenue during the first five years after a separation from Google, plus it would cost billions to build and maintain a search engine. Apple would need to create an ad platform and work to monetize searches, and Apple would need to make sure that it developed a search engine able to rival what Google can do.
Anker today launched a new lineup of "Prime" accessories, including chargers, power stations, portable batteries, and USB-C cables. Alongside the launch, Anker is also providing a few discounts on the new devices.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The only straight cash discount is on the Prime Chager (250W, 6 Ports) for $139.99, down from $169.99. This charger features a 2.26-inch LCD to provide visual feedback on charging status of connected devices, as well as four USB-C and two USB-A ports.
The rest of this event is focused on a bundle deal, that nets you 15 percent off your order when you buy any two products in the launch lineup. This discount will be applied automatically and can not be combined with any other coupon on Anker's website. All of the products compatible with this bundle offer can be found below.
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.6.1, a minor update to the macOS Sonoma operating system that Apple launched last year. macOS Sonoma 14.6.1 comes a week after the release of macOS Sonoma 14.6, an update that added security fixes.
The macOS Sonoma 14.6.1 update can be downloaded for free on eligible Macs by opening up System Settings and going to the Software Update section. Apple has also released a macOS 13.6.9 update for those unable to upgrade to Sonoma.
According to Apple's release notes, macOS Sonoma 14.6.1 fixes an issue that prevented the enabling or disabling of Advanced Data Protection. Apple says there are also other "important bug fixes."
Apple today released iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1, minor updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating system updates that came out last year. Apple is making iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 available a week after the launch of iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6.
iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released an iOS 16.7.10 update for devices that are unable to be upgraded to iOS 17.
According to Apple's release notes, the iOS 17.6.1 update addresses an issue that could prevent the enabling or disabling of Advanced Data Protection.
This update includes important bug fixes and addresses an issue that prevents enabling or disabling Advanced Data Protection.
The Advanced Data Protection bug impacted a small number of users. Those who tried to turn Advanced Data Protection on and weren't able to get it enabled saw an error message and it was clear it wasn't active. Affected users who tried to turn it off saw it disabled in the interface, though it was actually still active for iCloud data.
Both of those bugs have been fixed in the update. iPhone users who had the bug that prevented Advanced Data Protection from properly turning off will see a notification that asks them to confirm the decision to turn the feature off after installing iOS 17.6.1. Apple says that the few users who experienced this bug had an expected level of security or more, in the situation where ADP did not turn off as expected.
Apple plans to block websites from attempting to send malicious requests to the IP address 0.0.0.0 on macOS Sequoia, according to Forbes. The means the change will be part of Safari 18, which will also be available for macOS Sonoma and macOS Ventura.
This decision comes after researchers from Israeli cybersecurity startup Oligo Security said they discovered a zero-day security vulnerability that allows a malicious actor to access private data on a user's internal private network. The researchers will present their findings this weekend at the DEF CON hacking conference in Las Vegas.
"Exploiting 0.0.0.0-day can let the attacker access the internal private network of the victim, opening a wide range of attack vectors," said Avi Lumelsky, a researcher at Oligo Security.
The researchers responsibly disclosed the vulnerability to Apple, Google, and Mozilla. More details are available on the AppSec Village website.
macOS Sequoia and Safari 18 are currently in beta and will be widely released later this year.
Amazon today is offering up to $100 off the 9th generation and 10th generation iPads, starting as low as $229.00 for the former model. Most of the iPads in this sale can be delivered as soon as the end of this week for Prime members, and by early next week for everyone else.
9th Gen iPad
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Starting with the 2021 9th generation iPad, Amazon has introduced a new all-time low price on this tablet. You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad for $229.00, down from $329.00, and the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $379.00, down from $479.00.
This is the iPad generation from before the design overhaul of the 10th generation, so it features a Home Button with Touch ID, A13 Bionic chip, and a 10.2-inch Retina display. Anyone looking for a simple and cheap iPad model to have for daily Internet browsing should be satisfied with this one.
10th Gen iPad
Moving to the more recent 10th generation iPad from 2022, Amazon also has a few solid low prices on these models. You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad for $299.00, down from $349.00, and the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $449.00, down from $499.00.
Apple released these iPads in October 2022 with a complete redesign, introducing a larger display, USB-C port, A14 Bionic chip, and slim bezel design similar to the iPad Pro lineup. Although we're expecting an update to these iPads later this year, anyone looking for an iPad now who doesn't want to wait should definitely take advantage of Amazon's low prices.
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.
In iOS 18, currently in beta, Apple has broadened the customization options for the Home Screen on iPhone, and thanks to a new setting it is now possible to make app icons and widgets bigger by hiding their labels.
With the setting enabled in iOS 18, the names of apps are removed from the grid, which increases the size of the icons and widgets on your Home Screen with the space saved. With larger icons, you still get a maximum of six icon rows with four icons each, the same that you're limited to when icon names are turned on.
If you're familiar enough with your favorite apps that you don't feel the need to see the names underneath the icons, then it's worth giving it a try. With the labels removed, the design of your app icons takes center stage, resulting in a cleaner look for your Home Screen. Note that this setting is universal, so you cannot have small icons on one app page and large icons on a different app page.
The following steps show you how it's done.
Press on an empty space on your Home Screen to enter jiggle mode.
Tap the Edit button in the top-left corner, then choose Customize.
Tap the Large option in the customization panel.
Tap on an empty space to hide the customization panel.
That's all there is to it. If you decide you want to see app labels again, simply repeat the steps, but choose the Small option in the customization panel instead. iOS 18 is currently in public beta and will be officially released to iPhone users in the fall.
Google has announced the Google TV Streamer, a new device that replaces the Chromecast and directly rivals the Apple TV 4K.
The discontinuation of the Chromecast marks the end of an era for Google's original streaming dongle, which has been a staple in the market since its launch in 2013. Over 100 million Chromecast devices were sold during its 11-year run. The Google TV Streamer is positioned as a high-end replacement for the Chromecast, promising to deliver a next-generation, AI-powered streaming experience while also functioning as a central hub for smart home devices.
The Google TV Streamer provides access to over 700,000 movies and shows through popular streaming apps like YouTube TV, Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV, as well as live TV with over 800 free channels. One of the standout features is the AI-powered content recommendation system, which uses Google's Gemini technology to curate personalized watchlists and provide detailed summaries, reviews, and season-by-season breakdowns of content.
The Google TV Streamer features a faster processor, double the memory, and 32GB of storage. It supports 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
The Google TV Streamer is available in two colors: Porcelain and Hazel, with the latter being exclusive to the U.S. Google Store. The device is intended to sit in front of the TV, rather than behind it, to improve connectivity with smart home devices. The Google TV Streamer supports Matter and includes a built-in Thread border router, which enhances the connectivity and response times of smart home devices like locks and motion sensors.
The redesigned voice remote features improved ergonomics with a textured back for better grip and an optimized button layout. It includes a customizable button that can be programmed to open a favorite app, switch inputs, or launch the Google Home panel. The remote also has a built-in "find my remote" feature, allowing users to locate it by voice command or by pressing a button on the back of the device.
The Google TV Streamer is positioned to rival high-end streaming devices such as the Apple TV 4K. While the Apple TV 4K offers similar features like 4K HDR and Dolby Vision support, the Google TV Streamer is priced more competitively at $99.99 compared to the Apple TV 4K's starting price of $129. The Google TV Streamer includes Ethernet connectivity as standard, but it lacks the additional storage options that the Apple TV 4K provides, with Apple offering both 64GB and 128GB models.
Apple is considering launching the iPhone 16 lineup in Korea earlier than usual due to weakening demand in China, the Korea Times reports.
If correct, this would mark a significant shift for Apple, as Korea has not been part of the initial release countries since the iPhone 3GS in 2009. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 16 lineup in mid-September, with an announcement on the 10th being the most probable date based on the company's historical patterns. Sources speaking to the Korea Times claim that preparations appear to be underway for an early release in the country.
Historically, despite the iPhone's strong market share in Korea, new models have been released in the country weeks after their debut in other markets. This is partly due to Apple's rigorous confidentiality policies and Korea's stringent certification system. All electronic devices in Korea must be certified by the National Radio Research Agency, and details about these devices are disclosed on the agency's website, which could lead to premature leaks of new iPhone specifications.
Despite these challenges, Apple appears to be reconsidering its strategy for the Korean market, driven by the country's steady demand and the potential for positive early sales. Data from Canalys claims that Apple's market share in China dropped to 14% in the second quarter of this year, down from 16% a year earlier. This decline pushed Apple out of the top five smartphone vendors in China, potentially providing an opportunity to reallocate inventory to other markets, such as Korea.
In iOS 18, Apple has added a control in the Camera app's Settings menu that lets you choose whether audio playing on your iPhone should pause or continue when you start recording in Video mode.
In previous versions of iOS, shooting in Video mode in the Camera app automatically pauses any playing audio including music and podcasts. This behavior is based on the assumption that you don't want any sound coming out of your iPhone's speakers to be picked up on the video recording, but it's no good if you want to play a soundtrack to accompany whatever you're shooting.
One way to get around this is to use the QuickTake method of recording video in Photo mode, introduced in iOS 13, which allows any audio playback to continue during shooting. The only issue is that QuickTake records in lower quality than Video mode is capable of.
But that won't matter soon, because iOS 18 lets you control what happens to audio playback in dedicated Video mode, thanks to a new Allow Audio Playback toggle. "Audio playback will not pause automatically when recording video," notes Apple under the setting. "When playing audio using the iPhone speaker, audio will be recorded in mono."
iPhone users can look forward to several new features when iOS 18 arrives in the fall, around mid-September, with new customization options, generative AI features, Siri improvements, and more. For details on everything that's new, be sure to check out our dedicated iOS 18 roundup.
Logitech on Wednesday denied reports that the company is working on a "forever mouse" that could come with a subscription fee for regular software updates, after comments by its CEO suggesting it could introduce such a product in the future received immediate backlash.
"There are no plans for a subscription mouse," said Logitech communications head Nicole Kenyon in a statement given to several media publications. Kenyon was responding to reports based on comments made by Logitech chief Hanneke Faber on The Verge's Decoder podcast with Nilay Patel.
During the podcast, Faber said that the Logitech innovation center team in Ireland showed her a "forever mouse" that is designed to be used for many years. It's a "little heavier" than a standard mouse, and it has "great software and services" that get constantly updated.
Patel asked Faber if she could "envision a subscription mouse," to which she responded "possibly." Faber went on to explain that customers would "never have to worry about [their mice] again," which is similar to Logitech's video conferencing services.
When asked whether Logitech had some other model for monetization than subscription fees or advertising, Faber said no, and that she was "intrigued" by a forever mouse that has an accompanying business model around software updates.
Kenyon sought to downplay the comments, saying: "The mouse mentioned is not an actual or planned product but a peek into provocative internal thinking on future possibilities for more sustainable consumer electronics."
Blackmagic Design has released version 2.0 of its Blackmagic Camera app, bringing several new additional features along with official iPad support.
For readers unfamiliar with the app, Blackmagic Camera features the same digital film camera controls and image processing functions that are available with Blackmagic Design's cameras. The company says that this allows users to create YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram content with a "Hollywood" cinematic look and feel.
In a significant update, version 2.0 of the app adds support for controlling multiple iPhones remotely. With the feature enabled, one iPhone acts as a controller, and other iPhones can be connected using the app via a wired or Wi-Fi network. Users can then control app features like zoom, focus, white balance, frame rate, shutter angle, and lens selection, and synchronize the cameras to record simultaneously.
This update also brings support for recording up to 100fps in HD on iPhone 15 Pro models, as well as the ability to select multiple clips in the media tab to share them easily or batch copy/edit them. There are also general performance and stability improvements across the app.
And in a notable new addition, Blackmagic Camera 2.0 introduces iPad support for the first time, allowing users to make the most of the iPad's bigger screen, particularly when monitoring multiple iPhone captures remotely.
Blackmagic Camera integrates with Blackmagic Cloud and uploads content directly to the DaVinci Resolve video editing app. Like DaVinci Resolve for Mac, Blackmagic Camera is free to use, and the app can be downloaded from the App Store. More information on the Blackmagic Camera app for iOS can be found on the Blackmagic website.
Real-time transit information in Apple Maps has been expanded to Tokyo, Japan, enabling users to get live details of more than 20 railway, bus, and tram lines throughout the metropolitan area, Apple has announced.
With real-time updates on Apple Maps, users in Tokyo can view detailed schedules, real-time departure and arrival times, and transfers to help plan their journeys. Apple adds that important real-time transit information such as service suspensions and delays will also be provided.
Apple says the transit information in its Maps app covers services provided by JR East, Tokyo Metro, and other agencies through the ODPT (Open Data Public Transportation Council).
No update is required to get the real-time transit data. Additionally, with the release of iOS 18 this fall, users across Japan will also be able to explore detailed topographic maps on their iPhones, complete with contour lines, shaded relief, and hiking trails.
The Apple Arcade gaming service is set to gain three new games in September, including NFL Retro Bowl '25, an NFL and NFLPA-licensed relaunch of the popular Retro Bowl game that initially came out in 2020.
NFL Retro Bowl '25 lets NFL fans create their own football dynasty by selecting their favorite NFL teams and players to manage. The game focuses on roster management and game strategies, with the Apple Arcade version offering authentic rosters and NFL players in the original game's retro style.
Monster Train+ is another Apple Arcade revamp of a popular original. It is a roguelite deck builder with more than 250 cards to unlock and six monster clans to discover. The Apple Arcade version of the game includes a new strategic layer with three vertical playing fields to defend, along with support for The Last Divinity DLC with an additional clan and more gameplay challenges.
For the Apple Vision Pro, Apple Arcade is gaining Puzzle Sculpt, a game where players decipher increasingly challenging clues to solve puzzles. Gameplay consists of removing unnecessary cubes to uncover Deco Objects that can then be placed anywhere in the virtual space around the player.
Several Apple Arcade games are set to get new content updates, including new Shrek-themed hoops for Stitch, a Smithsonian-inspired area in Crayola Create and Play, and Tiana from The Princess and the Frog for Disney Dreamlight Valley.
Apple Arcade is priced at $6.99 per month, a fee that allows up to six family members to play games. Apple Arcade titles have no in-app purchases or ads. Apple Arcade is also part of the Apple One, Family, and Premier plans.
Aqara today introduced a new Presence Sensor that is designed to keep smart home products like lights turned on when someone is in the room. The Presence Sensor FP1E uses Zigbee, but it is able to connect to HomeKit and other smart home platforms through an Aqara Matter bridge.
The Presence Sensor FP1E uses millimeter wave technology to detect even minute human movements for prompt presence detection that can be used to trigger HomeKit automations. If you want to have a light come on in the laundry room when you go inside, for example, you need a HomeKit-compatible sensor.
A Presence Sensor differs from a motion detection sensor by continuing to recognize when someone is in the room, keeping the automation active. A standard motion sensor might turn on the lights, but will turn off on a timer rather than the continued presence of a person. The FP1E is able to determine that a person is in the room even when the person is sitting or lying still, plus it can recognize when a person leaves the room to trigger an automation to turn off the lights or other home product.
Aqara says that the new Presence Sensor is able to detect presence within a distance of up to 20 feet, and it can monitor a room that is up to 538 square feet in size if it is mounted on the ceiling. The sensor is able to distinguish human movement from pets and inanimate objects like curtains that might shift from the air conditioner.
The FP1E Presence Sensor joins Aqara's previous Presence Sensor FP2, which offers multi-person detection and zone-based automation triggers. The FP1E Presence Sensor is more affordable at $50, and it can be purchased from Amazon starting today.