MacRumors

Taiwanese supplier ASE Technology has started production of optical sensors for next-generation AirPods slated to launch in the third quarter of 2021, according to industry sources cited in a paywalled DigiTimes story preview today.

The full report has yet to be published, so there are no further details at this time, but the timeframe lines up with information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier this month claimed that third-generation AirPods will enter mass production in the third quarter of the year. The quarter runs from July through September.

Kuo previously said the third-generation AirPods would be released in the first half of 2021, and a series of leaked photos and renders certainly made it seem like a launch was imminent, but this no longer appears to be the case.

The third-generation AirPods are expected to have a similar design as the AirPods Pro, including shorter stems, but without silicone ear tips or active noise cancellation, allowing for a lower price. The second-generation AirPods retail for $159 with a wired charging case or for $199 with a wireless charging case, while the AirPods Pro run $249.

Apple released the second-generation AirPods in March 2019, followed by the AirPods Pro in October 2019.

Update: The full report has been published.

Bang & Olufsen today launched its latest premium over-ear headphones, the Beoplay HX. Housed in a design geared for maximum comfort and durability, the headphones offer listeners adaptive active noise cancelation and up to 35 hours of listening time on a single charge.

Beoplay HX offers a powerful listening experience through two custom designed 40mm speaker drivers with neodymium magnets and bass ports which ensures optimal bass performance. Four dedicated microphones create an impressive call quality by utilizing advanced beamforming technology, while the battery optimization ensures up to 35 hours of play time – the equivalent of five working days of listening experience without having to recharge the battery.

Design-wise, the Bluetooth headphones have been crafted with comfort in mind, and feature a revamped adjustable headband that fits a broad variety of head sizes, along with a center-relief zone for extended wear.

The upper headband is made from cow hide with a smooth grain, while the lower headband is covered in a knitted fabric. Meanwhile, the ear cushions are made from soft lambskin and the inner material consists of memory foam that adapts to the shape of the ear.

The Beoplay HX cost $499 (€499/£449) and come with a global three-year warranty. The headphones are available from today in Black Anthracite, with a sandy white color coming at the end of April, and a brown Timber color arriving in May. See the Bang & Olufsen online store for more.

As it faces a barrage of probes and investigations regarding the App Store and the distribution of apps on its devices, Apple has told Australia's consumer watchdog that developers have "multiple" ways to reach iOS users and claims that they are "far from limited" to simply using the ‌App Store‌.

In a new filing (via ZDnet) responding to concerns from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission that it exploits "alleged market power in its role as a distributor of apps," Apple highlights multiple avenues that developers can take to reach customers.

Specifically, Apple points out that the "whole web" exists as an alternative means of distribution, arguing that the web has become a platform unto itself. Apple supports this claim by noting that iOS devices have "unrestricted and uncontrolled" access to the web, allowing users to download web apps.

Even if a user only owns iOS-based devices, distribution is far from limited to the Apple App Store because developers have multiple alternative channels to reach that user. The whole web is available to them, and iOS devices have unrestricted and uncontrolled access to it. One common approach is for users to purchase and consume digital content or services on a website.

Web browsers are used not only as a distribution portal but also as platforms themselves, hosting "progressive web applications" (PWAs) that eliminate the need to download a developer's app through the App Store (or other means) at all. PWAs are increasingly available for and through mobile-based browsers and devices, including on iOS.

Apple says that the alternative methods of distribution, such as web apps and developers' websites, pose a competitive threat to the ‌App Store‌. Apple goes on to discuss other platforms, such as the Google Play Store, noting that it fights "vigorously" to attract developers to make apps for its platform instead of others.

As explained further below, Apple faces competitive constraints from distribution alternatives within the iOS ecosystem (including developer websites and other outlets through which consumers may obtain third-party apps and use them on their iOS devices) and outside iOS.

Indeed, Apple competes vigorously to attract the best developers because a reduction in the quality of apps, or restricted availability of popular apps in the App Store, would diminish the user experience. Any action undermining the popularity of the App Store — including impeding developers from being successful on the App Store — would be economically irrational, as this would destroy the value of the ecosystem to the detriment of consumers, app developers, and Apple itself.

Apple's new comments are unlikely to sit well with some developers, particularly Epic Games, which is pursuing a massive legal battle against Apple over being an alleged monopoly. Some developers claim that Apple holds a dominant position on its devices because of the ‌App Store‌, and exploits its power to limit innovation and competition.

Just this week, in a separate filing to the ACCC, Apple said it was "surprised" to hear that some developers have concerns about the review process and the guidelines that apps must follow before appearing on the ‌App Store‌. The ACCC launched its ‌App Store‌ investigation last year and is expected to release an interim report on March 31.

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.

Earlier this week, popular VPN provider Proton made headlines by linking Apple's rejection of a security update to its ProtonVPN mobile app with the ongoing political upheaval in Myanmar. In response, Apple today provided MacRumors with a timeline of the events regarding the app update.

In a blog post dated March 23, Proton founder Andy Yen wrote that Apple rejected "important updates" for its VPN app related to security, on the same day that the UN recommended people in Myanmar use ProtonMail, an encrypted email app also developed by Proton. Yen claimed that sign-ups for ProtonVPN "spiked to 250 times the previous average daily rate" in the days following the military coup, making ProtonVPN an essential tool for people on the ground, and accused Apple of putting profits ahead of human rights by blocking the update.

To safely convey such sensitive information to UN investigators and ensure whistleblowers are not attacked or killed, the UN recommended people use ProtonMail or Signal to report evidence of wrongdoing.

ProtonMail is not the only Proton app being used by activists and protesters in Myanmar. The people of Myanmar have also turned to ProtonVPN to get around these internet blocks, seek accurate news to stay safe, and report on the killings.

In the days immediately after the coup, the sign-ups for ProtonVPN in Myanmar spiked to 250 times the previous average daily rate.

Specifically, Apple rejected the update due to an excerpt from the app's description which encouraged users to "bypass geo-restrictions or content limitations." ProtonVPN's App Store description previously read:

Whether it is challenging governments, educating the public, or training journalists, we have a long history of helping bring online freedom to more people around the world.

Proton told MacRumors earlier this week that the rejection "came completely of the blue" on March 17, given that the app had always had the same description, without any issue or rejection from Apple.

Now, Apple has provided MacRumors with a more concise and specific timeline of events. In a statement, Apple says that all apps made by Proton are available and have remained available for download in Myanmar, seemingly rejecting the narrative put forth by Proton that it had deliberately withheld the update due to the situation on the ground.

Apple says it approved ProtonVPN's latest ‌App Store‌ update on March 19 and says, correctly, that Proton published the update to users two days later, on March 21. ProtonVPN, another two days later, published a blog post correlating the rejection to Apple limiting free speech and human rights in Myanmar.

• March 18 - Apple holds up app update, requests a change to the wording in ProtonVPN app's description
• March 19 - Update approved by Apple following requested change in wording
• March 21 - Proton releases update to users on the ‌App Store‌
• March 23 - Proton publishes blog post, correlating update rejection to political situation in Myanmar

Apple's full statement to MacRumors:

All apps made by Proton, including ProtonVPN, have remained available for download in Myanmar. We approved the most recent version of ProtonVPN on March 19. Following this approval, Proton chose to time the release of their update, making it available on March 21, while subsequently publishing their blog post on March 23.

Proton founder Andy Yen told The Verge that due to the emergency in Myanmar, Proton decided to remove the excerpt from the app's description that Apple had objected to, which "finally" allowed the update to be released to users.

Due to the emergency in Myanmar, we removed the language about challenging governments which Apple found objectionable, and the app was finally approved.

Despite the clarification from Apple, what remains Proton's point of contention is the sudden strict enforcement of ‌App Store‌ guidelines. App Store rule 5.4 states that VPN apps must "not violate local laws," and Apple viewed ProtonVPN's description as a violation of the rule, despite Proton's claim that Apple had no issues with it in the past.

It's still unclear what motivated Apple to enforce this particular legal rule more strictly on this occasion, but the timing is certainly unfortunate for the company from a PR perspective, given Myanmar's current political situation.

Meanwhile, Apple continues to push back against the perception that it is abusing its position as platform arbiter, as it faces multiple watchdog investigations and antitrust legal cases brought against it by developers unhappy with its App Store policies.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple Music has partnered with Warner Music and Accenture Interactive's Rothco to launch "Saylists" – playlists of songs selected to help young people with a speech-sound disorder, or SSD.

According to the BBC, the project uses algorithms to find song lyrics in ‌Apple Music‌'s vast library of tracks that repeat challenging sounds, allowing listeners to sing along as a form of speech therapy.

Getting children with SSD to repeat challenging syllables, words, and phrases is considered to be one of the most successful therapeutic strategies, reports Musicweek. The repetition involved can be tedious and draining for children, which is why the "Saylists" are designed to add a fun and engaging element to that experience.

So far, the algorithm has selected 173 tracks that meet its criteria, including Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now," Lizzo's "Good As Hell," and Fatboy Slim's "Right Here, Right Now."

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists chief executive Kamini Gadhok told BBC News: "We're always pleased to hear about innovative approaches that support speech-and-language therapists in their work. As with all new techniques and tools, we recommend effective evaluation and monitoring of outcomes."

The "Saylists" are English-language only and can only be accessed by ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers in the United Kingdom, where one in 12 children experience some form of SSD. Whether the program will be extended to other regions and territories remains unknown.

Update: ‌Apple Music‌ "Saylists" will in fact be available globally, MacRumors can confirm.

Apple today shared a new ad that focuses on the iPhone 12's durability, specifically highlighting the Ceramic Shield display, which is meant to be tougher than standard smartphone glass.

In the ad, a woman's ‌iPhone‌ 12 slips out of her hand and she fumbles with it for several seconds before it flies out of her grip and lands on the ground, coming away unscathed.

"‌iPhone‌ 12 with Ceramic Shield. Tougher than any smartphone glass. Relax, it's the ‌iPhone‌," reads the video's caption.

All of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models feature Ceramic Shield OLED displays, which Apple says offers four times better drop protection than was available with prior ‌iPhone‌ models.

The Ceramic Shield material, which comes from Corning, is made by infusing nano-ceramic crystals into glass to improve durability. Though the Ceramic Shield seems to be better able to withstand drops than prior ‌iPhone‌ display technology, it is still prone to scratching.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance today, Intel's newly appointed CEO Pat Gelsinger said that the ongoing competition between his company and Apple is "fun," while also saying he hopes to make amends with the Cupertino tech giant.

Over the next two years, Apple will transition its Mac lineup away from Intel processors to its own Apple silicon chips. Apple is already well underway on the transition, having released three Mac computers based on its M1 SoC. Intel in response launched a marketing campaign last week to label Macs and ‌M1‌ as inferior to Intel processors.

Despite the barrage of attacks, Gelsinger has indicated that he hopes to have Apple as a future customer. In his interview with Yahoo Finance, Gelsinger said that Apple relies too heavily on its current supplier, TSMC, for manufacturing Apple silicon and that Intel wants to offer its own services instead.

Apple is a customer, and I hope to make them a big foundry customer because today they're wholly dependent on Taiwan Semiconductor. We want to present great options for them to leverage our foundry services, as well, just like we're working with Qualcomm and Microsoft to leverage our foundry. We're going to be delivering great technology, some things that can't be done anywhere else in the world.

Gelsinger attributed the recent tense competition with Apple to the fact that there's still room for innovation in the industry and the bonus that PC demand is the highest it's been in over a decade. Gelsinger went on to say there's "competitive fun going on with Apple and the Mac ecosystem."

So obviously, you've seen some of the competitive energies [in chipmaking] resume because there's a lot of great innovation to be done, and we haven't seen PC demand at this level for a decade and a half. The world needs more of that, and there is competitive fun going on with Apple and the Mac ecosystem.

As part of its anti-Apple silicon marketing campaign, Intel recently hired former "I'm a Mac" actor Justin Long to star in a series of ads comparing ‌M1‌ Macs to laptops powered by Intel processors. Additionally, Intel has turned to Twitter for the campaign and has created its own website to compare ‌M1‌ Macs against PCs.

Starting on Friday, March 26, Disney plans to raise the price of its subscription streaming service, Disney+. Currently priced at $6.99 per month in the U.S., the cost will be going up by $1 to $7.99 per month.

Those who want to lock in the $6.99 per month price point should sign up for a subscription before March 26. The yearly subscription price is also going up, increasing from $69.99 to $79.99.

The Disney+ bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will be increasing in price from $12.99 to $13.99 per month for the ad-supported version or $18.99 to $19.99 per month for the ad-free version.

Disney+ first announced the price increase back in December, and it comes following many successful TV show releases like "The Mandalorian," "WandaVision," and "Falcon and the Winter Soldier," along with movies like "Soul."

As of March, Disney+ has surpassed 100 million subscribers.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Disney+. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

A job application filled out by former Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 1973 has sold for a whopping $222,400 at auction in London (via iMore).

The rare employment questionnaire went up for sale on February 24 with the auction lasting one month. Jobs filled out the application in hopes of landing a job after dropping out of Reed College, which he attended for around six months. A year later in 1974, Jobs joined Atari as a technician, where he later joined forces with Steve Wozniak to create Apple in 1976.

In the document, which previously sold for $175,000 three years ago, Jobs highlighted "English lit" as his major while also listing "electronics tech" and "design engineer" as special abilities and interests. Jobs also listed his skills in computers and calculators.

The listing for the document says it is in "very good condition," with "light staining and old clear tape to the top edge." To prove it's the real deal written by Steve Jobs himself, it comes with letters and certificates of authenticity.

Sharing Shortcuts via iCloud appears to be severely affected by an issue that is stopping older links from working.

All older ‌iCloud‌ links for sharing Shortcuts appear to no longer be functional, rendering it impossible to add shared Shortcuts from links that were created a while ago. It is not yet clear exactly when the cut-off date for created Shortcuts links is, but broadly, links created within the past week seem to be unaffected and continue to work correctly. Apple's own in-app gallery for downloading Shortcuts is also still working as expected.

When attempting to add a Shortcut from an affected ‌iCloud‌ link, users are now presented with an error message in the Shortcuts app that reads "Shortcut Not Found: The shortcut link may be invalid, or it may have been deleted." The change has since been flagged by users on Reddit and Twitter.

It is as yet unclear if the error is an intentional change on Apple's part, as it could have added an expiry period to the ‌iCloud‌ links to prevent them from working after a certain amount of time, or if it is simply a server-side error that has invalidated all links created prior to an internal change.

Either way, the fact that the majority of links to Shortcuts are now defunct is highly problematic for sites such as MacStories or the subreddit r/shortcuts, which are heavily reliant on ‌iCloud‌ links for sharing previously-created Shortcuts.

Update: Apple has now provided a statement to Federico Viticci of MacStories, explaining that it is aware of the problem and is working to restore the previously shared Shortcuts:

There are also now early indications that the problematic ‌iCloud‌ links to Shortcuts have started to be restored.

Apple recently updated its security guidelines for its manufacturing partners, implementing tougher measures at factories to prevent leaks, according to an internal document obtained by The Information's Wayne Ma.

Among the changes mentioned in the report:

• Apple's manufacturing partners can no longer collect biometric data such as fingerprints or facial scans of Apple employees who visit their facilities. However, the new rule does not apply to factory workers, leading to accusations of a double standard.
• Apple's manufacturing partners must conduct criminal background checks on all assembly line workers who work on unreleased Apple products, rather than only certain employees, and those with criminal records are to be denied entry to areas where unreleased Apple products are being developed or assembled.
• Apple is upgrading its computer system installed at some factories to determine how long parts should remain at one production station before moving to another. If a sensitive component in transit takes an unusually long time to arrive at its destination, security alarms are to be triggered.
• Factory guards at checkpoints must keep detailed logs of the movement of workers carrying sensitive parts from one area to another.
• Factory visitors are now required to present a government-issued ID.
• Factory security cameras are now required to capture all four sides of transport vehicles when they are parked at the facilities.
• Video recordings that show the destruction of prototypes and defective parts are now required to be retained for at least 180 days.

The Information's paywalled report goes into more detail about the changes, which appear to have been implemented earlier this year.

Mozilla has released Firefox 87 for Macs, Windows, and Linux machines, introducing a new intelligent tracker blocking mechanism called SmartBlock.

Since 2015, Firefox has included a built-in Content Blocking feature that automatically blocks third-party scripts, images, and other content from being loaded from cross-site tracking companies in Private Browsing windows and Strict Tracking Protection Mode.

Mozilla recognizes that the feature sometimes blocks legitimate elements of websites which can cause them to malfunction. SmartBlock aims to provide a solution to this problem without compromising user privacy. From the company's blog:

In building these extra-strong privacy protections in Private Browsing windows and Strict Mode, we have been confronted with a fundamental problem: introducing a policy that outright blocks trackers on the web inevitably risks blocking components that are essential for some websites to function properly. This can result in images not appearing, features not working, poor performance, or even the entire page not loading at all.

To reduce this breakage, Firefox 87 is now introducing a new privacy feature we are calling SmartBlock. SmartBlock intelligently fixes up web pages that are broken by our tracking protections, without compromising user privacy.

Mozilla says SmartBlock works by providing local stand-ins for blocked third-party tracking scripts that behave "just enough" like the original ones to make sure that the website works properly.

The stand-ins come built-in to Firefox, so no third-party content from the trackers is loaded by the browser, meaning they can't track users this way. According to the developers, SmartBlock will silently stand in for several common scripts classified as trackers on the Disconnect Tracking Protection List, and should provide a noticeable performance improvement while browsing.

The previous version of the browser introduced Total Cookie Protection, which is designed to stop cookies from tracking users across the web. Firefox 87, the latest update, is available now from the Mozilla website.

On March 24, 2001, a Saturday, Apple began allowing customers to purchase Mac OS X, the successor to the classic Mac OS. The first version of Mac OS X, "Cheetah," was famous for its "Aqua" interface with a water bubble-style design for everything from windows to buttons.

Today, March 24, 2021, marks 20 years since Mac OS X went on sale, and Apple's Mac software has gone through many changes over the course of the last two decades, but it was with Mac OS X that Apple took one of the first steps toward transforming from a company on the brink of failure into one of the world's most successful companies. Mac OS X preceded the launch of the first iPod and heralded what was in store under Jobs' leadership.

Mac OS X was introduced at the January 2000 Apple keynote at the Macworld Expo. Steve Jobs at the time said that Mac OS X would "delight consumers with its simplicity and amaze professionals with its power." He also said it was the "most important software" from Apple since the original 1984 Macintosh operating system.

The Aqua interface introduced the now well-known Dock for easy access to applications and documents, plus it included Apple's revamped Finder for file management. And, of course, Aqua was most well-known for its iconic look, which included translucent scroll bars and buttons.

Other features included advanced power management to let iBooks and PowerBooks wake from sleep instantly, dynamic memory management, and Apple's Quartz 2D graphics engine for "stunning graphics" and broader font support. It came with QuickTime 5, iMovie 2, iTunes, and AppleWorks (Apple's productivity software at the time).

The new software, which was built on Apple's "Darwin" operating system core, had support for many existing Mac OS apps, but developers were required to "tune-up" their apps, so Apple ultimately rolled it out over a 12 month beta period before putting it up for sale.

At launch, Mac OS X was priced at $129, and its launch was at a time when Apple was still charging Mac users for upgrades. Mac updates got less expensive over the years, and Apple ultimately stopped charging for them in 2013.

The debut of Mac OS X was far from perfect, and it had some major stability issues that Apple needed to work out. Apple followed it up with Mac OS X 10.1 "Puma" just six months later, and since then, has continued iterating on that original 2001 release.

Mac OS X became OS X in 2012 with the release of Mountain Lion, an operating system that introduced a more minimal design that transitioned away from the skeuomorphic designs Apple had used under the leadership of Scott Forstall. OS X Mountain Lion accompanied iOS 7, which is known to be one of the biggest design overhauls to the iPhone operating system.

Apple introduced another major name overhaul in 2013 with the launch of OS X Mavericks, the first version of Mac OS X that wasn't named after a big cat. Apple used big cats from Mac OS X 10.0 (Cheetah) to 10.8 (Mountain Lion).

The last significant change came in 2016 when Apple dropped the X and introduced macOS 10.12 Sierra, with the macOS name meant to better match with iOS. We've had several versions of macOS, culminating in the current release version of the software, macOS Big Sur.

macOS Big Sur brought Apple's biggest design update to macOS since the days of Mac OS X, revamping everything from the curvature of window corners to colors and dock icon designs. Apple designed it to feel fresh and familiar at the same time, including less obtrusive menu bars, a more translucent dock, a uniform squircle shape for app icons, and entirely revamped system sounds.

The update also revamped the Notification Center to add quick access Control Center toggles, plus it has important updates to Safari, Messages, Photos, Maps, and more, with details available in our roundup. Later this year, we're expecting to see macOS 12, and while it likely won't be the design overhaul that Big Sur was, Apple likely has useful new features in store.

Apple is rumored to be working on new versions of the iMac desktop computer, and a launch could be coming in the near future, based on new signs found in the macOS Big Sur 11.3 beta that was released this morning.

According to 9to5Mac, there are references to two new ‌iMac‌ models in macOS Big Sur 11.3 beta 5, identified as "iMac21,1" and "iMac21,2." The new Macs use the code names J456 and J457, which were first revealed earlier this year by Bloomberg.

We don't yet know when Apple will refresh the ‌iMac‌ lineup, but there are new versions of the 21.5 and 27-inch ‌iMac‌ models in the works. Rumors suggest the new iMacs will feature a design similar to the Pro Display XDR with slimmed down bezels and no metal chin.

Rather than a curved rear design, the new ‌iMac‌ models will feature a flat back, and at least one of the new models will measure in at 23 to 24 inches. Apple silicon chips will be included, and some dubious rumors have pointed toward color options that match the iPad Air colors.

Apple recently discontinued the iMac Pro, which was a high-end ‌iMac‌ option that was first released in 2017. With signs of the new iMacs in the current Big Sur beta and the ‌iMac‌ Pro discontinued and out of stock, we could see the refreshed ‌iMac‌ models in the not too distant future.