MacRumors

Apple's unreleased Beats Studio Buds were today spotted out in the wild in a set of Instagram photos shared by LeBron James. James appears to be wearing the Beats Studio Buds in white, based on the shape and design of the earbuds in his ears.

It's difficult to get a good look at the Beats Studio Buds worn by James, but we've already seen several closer views of the upcoming earbuds. The wire-free in-ear Beats-branded earbuds were first spotted by MacRumors in the tvOS 14.6 and iOS 14.6 betas earlier this month.

The Beats Studio Buds are easy to identify at a glance because they're unlike any prior Beats headphones that Apple has released to date, as there is no ear wrap as with the Powerbeats Pro. Compared to other Beats-branded headphones, the Beats Studio Buds are tiny in design and look similar to in-ear earbuds from companies like Samsung and Google, but with a distinctly Beats-like look and feel.

Apple plans to offer the Beats Studio Buds in red, black, and white, with a matching oval-shaped charging case available with the headphones. As with the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌, the Beats Studio Pro feature silicone ear tips that fit into the ears.

In addition to spotting the Beats Studio Buds in iOS 14.6, we've also seen them in FCC filings and earlier this week, images of the casing leaked, giving us a clearer picture of the design.

Beats Studio Buds are particularly interesting in light of AirPods Pro 2 rumors. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 could feature a similar design, with rumors suggesting the updated AirPods will have a rounded, compact design that's stemless, a description that sounds a lot like the new Beats.

There's no word yet on when the Beats Studio Buds might be launching, but since they've already received FCC approval, we could be seeing them in the near future.

When Apple releases a new product with upgraded camera technology, the developers behind popular photography app Halide often take a deep dive into the revamped camera features to provide us with some insight into how things work behind the scenes.

Halide developer Sebastiaan de With today shared a look at the cameras in the new 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, uncovering a hidden macro capability. The ‌iPad Pro‌'s camera has a different lens design than the iPhone camera, which allows it to focus on things that are much closer to the sensor.

The ‌iPhone‌ focuses to about eight centimeters, but the iPad's camera can get a lot closer, allowing for macro shots that aren't possible on an ‌iPhone‌.

de With says that he was using the ‌iPad‌ on his lap when he noticed that it focused perfectly on his pant leg, leading him to try it with other objects. "‌iPad‌ basically comes with a microscope," he says.

The rear camera in the 11 and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models has not changed from the prior-generation camera used in the 2020 models, so older ‌iPad‌ Pros also seem to be able to use this close-up shot functionality.

It can be difficult to get the ‌iPad Pro‌ camera to focus with the LiDAR sensor-assisted autofocus feature, so de With recommends a camera app like Halide for ‌iPad‌ to put it into a manual focus mode.

The biggest change to the 2021 M1 ‌iPad Pro‌ models comes in the form a revamped front-facing camera that enables a new Ultra Wide "Center Stage" feature that's designed to pan and zoom with you as you move around a room while on video calls.

The Ultra Wide camera functionality used for Center Stage has a 120 degree field of view, but it's all done with software rather than hardware. There's still a single front-facing camera in the ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ that handles both the standard focal length and the wider view.

The M1 iPad Pro has those 12 megapixels packed into the front-facing camera system to enable a more seamless 'dual camera system': one that is entirely created in software. The camera is ultra-wide and only ultra-wide; thanks to software corrections and extra megapixels, the system can just crop that wide and detailed camera feed down to its old focal length.

The standard front-facing camera view is cropped in from the wide-angle view, something that Apple has also done on the latest ‌iPhone‌ models. de With says that Apple's Center Stage feature is a "very impressive bit of software" that can only be achieved with a tight integration of software and hardware.

The full overview of the ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ camera can be read on the Halide website.

AliveCor, a company that that has developed an ECG 'KardiaBand' for the Apple Watch, today filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple that accuses the Cupertino company of "monopolistic conduct."

According to AliveCor, Apple's decision to exclude third-party heart rate analysis providers from the Apple Watch has harmed AliveCor and impacted patients and consumers. To go along with the KardiaBand, AliveCor created the SmartRhythm app, which uses data from the Apple Watch's heart rate algorithm to determine when a heart rate is irregular and suggest people take an ECG with the KardiaBand.

The KardiaBand received FDA approval in 2017, and in 2018, Apple debuted the Apple Watch Series 4 with built-in ECG capabilities and its own irregular heart rhythm notifications followed. AliveCor claims that Apple saw the success of the KardiaBand and changed the functionality of watchOS to sabotage KardiaBand and "corner the market for heart rate analysis on Apple Watch."

AliveCor claims that the SmartRhythm app was initially allowed in the App Store, but Apple later claimed that it violated ‌App Store‌ guidelines. AliveCor says that it was forced to adapt SmartRhythm multiple times to adjust to Apple's rules, and then Apple "made changes to watchOS's heart rate algorithm" to ensure that SmartRhythm and other competing apps would not work. Apple allegedly changed the heart rate algorithm in watchOS 5 to prevent third-party apps from being able to identify irregular heart rate situations.

The algorithm was virtually the same on the first four versions of watchOS, but, with the introduction of the Series 4 Apple Watch and Apple's introduction of its competing heartrate analysis app, Apple released watchOS5, which, among other things, "updated" the Watch's heartrate algorithm. That update did not improve the user experience for Apple Watch purchasers; instead, its purpose and effect was simply to prevent third parties from identifying irregular heartrate situations and, thus, from offering competing heartrate analysis apps.

Prior to Apple's alleged sabotage, AliveCor says that its SmartRhythm app was "simply better at identifying worrisome heart-related health events," and could have successfully competed with the ECG function built into the Apple watch. AliveCor was forced to pull SmartRhythm from the ‌App Store‌ because the irregular rhythm functionality no longer worked.

All of this has been devastating to competition, as Apple today commands 100% share of heartrate analysis apps on watchOS devices and, if viewed in the alternative as part of either the U.S. ECG-capable smartwatch or U.S. ECG-capable wearable devices market, over 70% market share. With a single update, Apple thus eliminated competition that consumers clearly wanted and needed, depriving them of choice for heartrate analysis that is better than what Apple can provide.

AliveCor has previously filed several patent infringement lawsuits against Apple, alleging that Apple copied AliveCor's cardiological detection and analysis technology. Those lawsuits have not yet been resolved, and with today's antitrust suit, AliveCor is seeking damages and an injunction that would require Apple to "cease its abusive conduct."

This is just one of several antitrust battles that Apple is facing. A high-profile lawsuit brought by Epic Games wrapped up earlier this week, and there are also antitrust investigations into Apple's ‌App Store‌ fees in the UK and in the United States, among other countries.

Apple is hiring for a Business Development Manager with experience in alternative payments, including cryptocurrency, according to a recent job listing.

In the job listing, spotted by CoinDesk, Apple explained that it is looking for Business Development Manager in alternative payments:

The Apple Wallets, Payments, and Commerce (WPC) team is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to lead Alternative Payments Partnerships. We are looking for a proven professional in global alternative and emerging payment solutions. We need your help forming partnership framework and commercial models, defining implementation paradigms, identifying key players and managing relationships with strategic alternative payment partners. This position will be responsible for the end to end business development, including screening partners, negotiating and closing commercial agreements and launching new programs.

The fairly senior role involves developing new payment solutions, which could encompass everything from the App Store and in-app purchases to retail store purchases and Apple Pay, in collaboration with "alternative payment partners." It also includes working with senior-level partners inside the company and providing direction on "industry insights and market opportunities to Apple" and influencing "business strategy and product roadmaps."

Apple states that one of the key qualifications for the role is at least five years experience "working in or with alternative payment providers, such as digital wallets, BNPL, Fast Payments, cryptocurrency and etc."

While experience in cryptocurrency is not mandatory if the applicant has a background in other payment services such as "Buy Now, Pay Later," Apple's interest in decentralized digital currencies may reveal that it is one potential alternative payment means being seriously considered by the company. It may also simply be an indication that Apple is attempting to hire professionals with experience in emerging industries to ensure that it is in a position to compete with rivals if it needs to do so.

In 2019, ‌Apple Pay‌ vice president Jennifer Bailey said that Apple is "watching cryptocurrency," and explained "We think it's interesting. We think it has interesting long-term potential."

Apple staunchly protects its control over payments, particularly in the ‌App Store‌, which was the main subject of Apple's prolonged legal battle with Epic Games, not to mention its movement into digital payments with ‌Apple Pay‌ and credit with Apple Card, so it should not come as a surprise that the company is exploring new means of safeguarding and growing its payments IP with new technologies.

An app that demanded at least a three-star review to function got through the App Store review process, it has been found (via The Verge).

iOS developer Kosta Eleftheriou discovered that the "UPNP Xtreme" app, which claimed to let users stream video to a TV, presented the system's ‌App Store‌ rating box as soon as it opened. The rating box could not be escaped from and it was not possible to tap the one or two-star ratings for most users, according to Eleftheriou.

One of Apple's best practices documents states that developers should "avoid showing a request for a review immediately when a user launches your app." UPNP Xtreme sought good reviews to rise up the ‌App Store‌'s rankings, using exploitative tactics to become more visible than legitimate developers' apps, but also drive more users to engage with the scam. The app now appears to have been removed from the ‌App Store‌.

Eleftheriou has previously brought attention to scam and copycat apps on the ‌App Store‌ and raised concerns that Apple is not doing enough to stop these apps during its ‌App Store‌ review process. Eleftheriou experienced the difficulty of contending with scam apps with his own FlickType Apple Watch keyboard app, which was mired by scam copycats that Apple was allegedly reluctant to remove.

Earlier this year, Eleftheriou brought a lawsuit against Apple for a variety of allegations related to his experience with FlickType, including negligence and anticompetitive conduct.

Amazon today announced it has reached an agreement with MGM to acquire the entertainment company for $8.45 billion, following a report last year that claimed MGM had reached out to Apple to gauge interest in a potential acquisition.

The acquisition of MGM will likely bolster Amazon Prime Video's catalog of movies and TV shows amid increasing competition from the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+. Amazon said it will help preserve MGM's heritage and catalog of films, and provide customers with greater access to these existing works, such as the James Bond franchise.

Mike Hopkins, Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon Studios:

MGM has a vast catalog with more than 4,000 films—12 Angry Men, Basic Instinct, Creed, James Bond, Legally Blonde, Moonstruck, Poltergeist, Raging Bull, Robocop, Rocky, Silence of the Lambs, Stargate, Thelma & Louise, Tomb Raider, The Magnificent Seven, The Pink Panther, The Thomas Crown Affair, and many other icons—as well as 17,000 TV shows—including Fargo, The Handmaid's Tale, and Vikings—that have collectively won more than 180 Academy Awards and 100 Emmys. The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP in the deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM's talented team. It's very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Apple continues to expand its slate of TV+ programming, including "The Me You Can't See," a mental health docuseries from Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry that debuted May 21. A follow up to that series is coming May 28.

The Zoom app for iOS was today updated to introduce support for the latest iPad Pro models, with the new software adding integration with the Center Stage feature.

Apple's 2021 ‌iPad Pro‌ models include a front-facing "Center Stage" Ultra Wide camera function that uses machine learning to automatically detect people in the frame, panning and zooming to keep them in view during FaceTime calls. The feature recognizes when other people join or exit a call, adjusting the camera position to fit everyone in.

Center Stage was designed with third-party video conferencing apps in mind, and Apple has made an API available, which is what Zoom is using. Following today's update, Center Stage will be compatible with the Zoom app for iOS.

With support for Center Stage, you can participate more naturally in our Zoom video calls. Never again worry about whether you're out of frame during a workout, teaching a class, or celebrating with friends and family over Zoom.

In addition to Center Stage, Zoom is also gaining support for an expanded Gallery View, so those using the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ can see up to 48 video tiles while the iPad is in landscape mode.

Many other ‌iPad‌ models will also get an expanded Gallery View feature that will allow more people to be displayed on a single screen, controllable with pinch zoom gestures.

Center Stage and expanded Gallery View are available in the Zoom 5.6.6 update, available from the App Store.

iFixit has released its teardown of the second-generation Apple TV 4K, revealing an easy to repair, modular design, alongside a laborious process to dismantle the redesigned Siri Remote.

As with previous ‌Apple TV‌ models, the entire plastic shell of the device is transparent to IR light, allowing the ‌Siri‌ Remote to be used from any angle.

The large fan inside the ‌Apple TV‌ is not connected with a cable to the logic board, using four metal contact pins instead, making disassembly even easier. iFixit noted the easy teardown of the ‌Apple TV‌ since each of its components are simply layered in place and easy to remove with a screwdriver.

In the redesigned ‌Siri‌ Remote, the battery is located in the bottom half, with circuitry taking up the top half. To get inside, two screws have to be removed from a panel on the bottom of the remote where the Lighting port is located, but iFixit found that it is not possible to access anything meaningful here without removing even more screws elsewhere.

The Clickpad and buttons had to be removed with brute force, revealing more screws to remove. Once these were taken out, the battery and circuitry could be slid out of the bottom of the remote. iFixit noted that the entire disassembly of the new ‌Siri‌ Remote was made difficult by "super tight" tolerances.

iFixit discovered that the ‌Siri‌ Remote uses a "tiny" 1.52 Wh battery and it is not glued in place, which should make replacement somewhat easier.

Like the previous model, the second-generation ‌Apple TV‌ scored an eight out of 10 for repairability. The new remote, on the other hand, was very difficult to repair. Even a simple battery replacement requires total disassembly and risks damage.

A number of new Apple TV 4K owners are reporting that TV shows and movies in several apps are listed as HD rather than the expected 4K resolution.

Based on comments from MacRumors forum members, Apple Support Communities members, and Reddit users, the issue can be found on native Apple content accessed through the iTunes Movies and TV Shows apps, but not the main TV app, while video on third-party services like HBO Max and Netflix is also affected.

The possibility that HDMI cables could have something to do with it has already been ruled out, as some users simply replaced their previous-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K with the new set-top box using the same cables, and the older model doesn't exhibit the same problem.

There's some debate among users over whether the videos listed as HD are actually playing back in 4K. If so, it would suggest a labeling bug. However, knowing for certain is being made more difficult by the fact that the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K consistently outputs a 4K signal to the connected television and upscales the content if necessary, regardless of its native resolution.

The problem has been replicated on both tvOS 14.6 and in the latest tvOS 14.7 beta. Several users report they've been in contact with Apple regarding the issue, but the usual hardware reset/cable change suggestions aren't helping and it's still unknown if a software-based solution is in the works.

Apple has previewed Apple Via del Corso, its newest retail location in a vibrant center of Rome, Italy. Apple says the store preserves the grand Palazzo Marignoli, paying homage to Rome's rich history of art and culture, and making it one of the company's most significant restoration projects.

Sitting next to the Piazza San Silvestro public square, the store is spaced over two floors connected by a grand staircase dating back to 1888. On the first floor, four sets of doors provide access to an exterior landscaped terrace filled with jasmine vines and olive trees inspired by Roman roof terraces that look into the courtyard.

On the upper floor, the Forum occupies the ballroom of the Marquis's palazzo, where Today at Apple sessions will take place. Next to the Forum is a dedicated space for Apple Support and the Genius Bar, where a team of conservators have restored the geometrically patterned, hand-painted ceiling.

The facade was designed by Guilio Podesti, and Apple worked with Foster + Partners to reimagine the interior, which retains the Italianate and Palazzo architecture of the frontage.

Apple Via del Corso also brings the first-ever Today at Apple Made in Rome program dedicated to providing the next generation of young Romans with inspiration, skills, and tools to explore their passions. Led by over 40 local artists, Apple curated sessions across the fields of music, art and design, content creation, and video, aimed at supporting local communities across the city in the months to come.

"We can't wait to begin a new chapter in Rome with the opening of Apple Via del Corso," said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People. "The new store represents a celebration of the unique history and art of Roman culture, and we hope to inspire creativity among the local community with our Made in Rome program and future Today at Apple sessions."

Via del Corso joins the 117 Apple Store locations across 12 countries in Europe. The store opens in Rome on May 27 at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Apple appears to have quietly given its Shortcuts feature a performance boost in iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6, which launched for iPhone and iPad on Monday.

Despite no mention of the feature in the software's release notes, users on Reddit are describing speed improvements when running automations that include multiple actions.

For example, one user describes how a 700-action shortcut they designed to scrape websites is running in 13 seconds since updating to iOS 14.6, compared to around 30 seconds in the previous version.

As 9to5Mac notes, the speed improvements aren't all that noticeable for Shortcuts that don't have many actions, but for those with actions that number in the dozens or hundreds, the performance boost is a lot more obvious.

Apple's iOS 14.6 update isn't quite as significant as the iOS 14.5 update that preceded it, but it still introduces a number of notable new features, including support for Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio in Apple Music, Apple Card Family, and Apple Podcasts Subscription support.

Following a report indicating that production would begin ahead of schedule, longtime Apple supplier TSMC has now officially kicked off production of Apple's upcoming A15 chip for the iPhone 13 lineup, expected later on in the second half of this year, according to a new paywalled report from DigiTimes.

The A14 Bionic chip, which first got announced in the iPad Air and then made its way to the ‌iPhone‌ 12, was the first Apple processor to be made using the 5nm process. The A15 Bionic chip will continue to be based on the smaller process but instead use an enhanced version, which presumably will enable improved performance and improved power efficiency to match.

The ‌iPhone‌ 13 is expected to be announced as early as September, in line with previous years, following the delayed launch of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 due to the global health crisis. As lockdowns emerged last year, Apple and its suppliers had to cut back on production, forcing the annual release of the new ‌iPhone‌ to take place in October, one month later than usual. However, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that a similar situation is unlikely to happen again this year.

Alongside the faster performance, graphics, and improved power efficiency thanks to the A15 Bionic chip, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup is rumored to include several other new features. The higher-end models of the lineup, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, are expected to include an LTPO display, which would enable a higher 120Hz refresh rate. The inclusion of LTPO displays also opens the door for the possibility of having an always-on display.

Apple is set to surpass Samsung as the largest purchaser of AMOLED displays for smartphones later this year following the release of the iPhone 13 lineup, which will push the adoption of flexible AMOLED displays in iPhones to 80%, according to a new report from DigiTimes.

Apple adopted flexible AMOLED displays for its entire ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup and is expected to continue doing so for the 2021 iPhones. According to today's report, which cites estimation numbers from research firm Omdia, Apple is expected to purchase 169 million display panels for the ‌iPhone‌ this year, compared to last year's order of 114.5 million.

The sources cited Omdia estimates as indicating that Apple is expected to increase its AMOLED panels to 169 million pieces for iPhones in 2021 from 114.5 million in 2020, while Samsung's corresponding purchases are estimated to rise slightly to 157 million pieces from 152.3 million.

Samsung Display is expected to remain the largest supplier of AMOLED panels for iPhones in 2021, offering an estimated 110 million pieces, compared to LG Display's 50 million and BOE's nine million, the sources said.

Alongside flexible AMOLED displays for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup, higher-end models in the lineup, such as the Pro and Pro Max, are expected to include LTPO backpanel technology. LTPO panels not only help reduce power consumption for the display, which could enable-feature such as an always-on display for the ‌iPhone‌, but it also allows a higher refresh rate.

Apple has been rumored to include a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate in its ‌iPhone‌ for some time; however, none of the rumors have yet proven to be true. Apple was reportedly close to adopting LTPO technology with the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ but likely decided to focus on the introduction of 5G on the ‌iPhone‌ as the main selling point instead. With the ‌iPhone‌ 13, Apple is now being widely reported to include LTOP display technology with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Remotely controlling the shutter on your iPhone's camera lets you include yourself in the photo while avoiding the limitations of a selfie. For example, it allows you to take a picture of a wider scene with you included in the frame, which is ideal for landscape shots or group photos. If your ‌iPhone‌ is on a tripod, taking the shot remotely also reduces the risk of camera shake. Here's how to do it.

There are more ways than one to take a picture on your ‌iPhone‌ remotely. If you have an Apple Watch, you can open the Camera Remote app that comes included.

How to Control Your iPhone's Camera With Apple Watch

1. Launch the Camera Remote app on your wrist.
2. Position your ‌iPhone‌ to frame the shot you want to take.
3. Tap the Shutter button on your Apple Watch screen.

By default, the shot is taken after three seconds to give you time to move into position, but you can disable the time and control other settings including flash, Live Photo, and HDR by tapping the ellipsis (three dots) button. The menu that this calls up also lets you switch between the front and rear ‌iPhone‌ camera.

If you don't have an Apple Watch, don't worry. You can also use Voice Control to remotely control the camera on your ‌iPhone‌. That's because you can trigger the camera shutter with the volume buttons, which can also be controlled with your voice. Here's how it works.

How to Use Voice Control to Take a Photo

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Tap Voice Control.
4. Turn on the switch next to Voice Control so it's in the green ON position. (You should see a little microphone icon in the top-left corner of your screen indicating that Voice Control is active.)
5. Next, launch the Camera app and line up your shot.
6. When you're ready, say "Turn up the volume," to activate the camera's shutter and take the picture.
7. When you're finished, you can disable Voice Control by toggling the switch again in Settings.

How to Take a Picture Remotely With Siri

If you're familiar with the Shortcuts app, you can find a shortcut in the Gallery called "Say Cheese" that lets you use Siri to control your ‌iPhone‌'s camera remotely.

Once you've added it to your active shortcuts and given it permission to access your camera and microphone, you'll be able to take photos remotely simply by saying "Hey ‌Siri‌, say cheese."

Back in 2015, Apple considered purchasing Time Warner, with Apple iTunes chief Eddy Cue suggesting Apple bid on the media conglomerate.

Discussions did not ultimately progress and there was no purchase, but CNBC today provided some previously unknown background information about the talks between the two companies.

‌Eddy Cue‌ met with Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes and former executive vice president Olaf Olafsson in 2015 to start discussing partnership opportunities that would see Apple exclusively offering Time Warner content, perhaps bundling Turner and HBO content for a monthly fee.

Talks went on for a few weeks and involved Apple CEO Tim Cook, but ultimately soured over disagreements about fees and marketing. Offering Turner networks outside of a cable bundle could anger pay-TV distributors, and Apple was concerned about annoying existing media partners.

There were also fears that either Apple or Time Warner could eventually back out of the exclusive partnership, which could be disastrous to their future relationships. Because of this, Cook, Cue, and Bewkes briefly discussed an Apple acquisition of Time Warner.

Cue "expressed interest" in a full acquisition of Time Warner, but Cook was not ready to agree to the deal, which would have been somewhere around $100 billion. Neither Cook nor Bewkes expected to reach an acquisition deal, and Time Warner was ultimately sold to AT&T.

Today, AT&T has combined WarnerMedia with Discovery (pending regulatory approval), and the deal was structured in a way that allows the WarnerMedia-Discovery company to be sold down the road. CNBC suggests that Apple is one of the few companies that could afford to purchase WarnerMedia-Discovery.

Since its 2015 talks with Time Warner, Apple has gone on to establish its own catalog of original content and an Apple TV+ streaming service, though a major acquisition like WarnerMedia would give it the content that it needs to compete with other companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.