MacRumors

Apple today began selling refurbished versions of the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Apple Watch SE, both of which were released last September.

Pricing on refurbished Series 6 models starts at $339, a $60 discount off of the regular price, and pricing on the SE starts at $239, which is $40 off of the standard price.

These entry-level prices are for the aluminum 40mm models with GPS, with pricing going up for the 44mm models and for stainless steel or for cellular connectivity. The lowest discount is $40 for the aluminum SE models and the highest discount is $100 for the Series 6 stainless steel models.

Third-party resellers often offer better discounts on the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ and Apple Watch Series 6, so it's also worth keeping an eye on our deals roundup to find discounts.

Apple has a range of different finishes and band options in stock, including at least one Nike model. The contents of the refurbished store fluctuate based on what people have sent in for repair and replacement.

Additional models may be added in the future, so those looking for a specific Apple Watch Series 6 or SE configuration should check back regularly.

All refurbished Apple Watch models are inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a new box, new manuals, and new accessories, including an Apple Watch charging puck and power adapter.

Refurbished Apple Watches come with a standard one-year warranty that can be extended with AppleCare+ for Apple Watch.

Spotify today announced a redesign coming to "Your library" for users on iOS and Android with the aim of making it easier to locate and find songs, podcasts, and more thanks to dynamic filters, a new Grid view, and more.

Spotify says these changes will be rolling out to all users on iOS and Android in the coming weeks, so not everyone will see them immediately. Two of the most striking changes coming to the "Your Library" interface is the introduction of "Dynamic Filters." These new filters work in an almost "tap and go" fashion, where tapping specific filters such as Downloaded, Albums, etc... will automatically update which filters are presented according to the content within your library.

New dynamic filters to help you browse that collection. Choose between album, artist, playlist, or podcast to see the audio you’ve saved that matches. Then, if you’re on the go, simply tap the Downloaded filter to view all your content available offline* at once.

"Your Library" is also getting a new Grid view that visualizes album, playlist, and podcast cover art with large tiles. Spotify is also adding the ability for users to pin up to four different playlists, albums, or podcast shows to the top of their library for quick and easy access.

More control and easier access to what you listen to most. Choose up to four playlists, albums, or podcast shows to keep pinned for instant access so you can quickly dive back into that work playlist or sleep podcast. Simply swipe right on these items to see the “pin” option.

While all the changes will be available to paying and non-paying Spotify users, the “Downloaded” filter will require a premium subscription.

Earlier today, Apple posted a Newsroom update reminding customers that the new 24-inch iMac, the M1-powered iPad Pro, and the updated Apple TV 4K will be available for pre-order starting tomorrow. Apple has said these new devices will be available in the second half of May, but now, it may have quietly confirmed a specific date.

Spotted first by Jason Aten on Twitter, and confirmed by MacRumors, Apple's Newsroom update on its UK and Australian website has confirmed that the new devices will be available on May 21. Metadata within the Newsroom update says, "The all-new ‌iMac‌, ‌iPad Pro‌, ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, purple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, and AirTag arrive in stores and on doorsteps around the world May 21."

While the metadata says the new ‌iMac‌, ‌iPad Pro‌, and ‌Apple TV‌ will start arriving on May 21, the description is incorrect in saying that AirTags and the purple ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ and ‌iPhone‌ 12 will also be arriving on the same day. AirTags and the newly colored ‌iPhone‌ 12 became available for pre-order last week and will begin arriving to most customers tomorrow, Friday, April 30.

Update 8:01 a.m.: Apple has updated the metadata on its press release pages to remove the references to May 21. The description now reads: "The all-new ‌iMac‌, ‌iPad Pro‌, and ‌Apple TV‌ 4K arrive in stores and on doorsteps around the world in the second half of May. ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ in purple and ‌AirTag‌ are available now."

In spite of redesigning its Podcasts app with iOS 14.5, long-standing bugs within the app persist, and hundreds of reports from users across Twitter and Reddit are complaining about a range of new usability problems.

Apple's iOS 14.5 update, accompanied by iPadOS 14.5 and macOS Big Sur 11.3 brought a major overhaul of the Podcasts app, including a new design, a re-thought system of "following" shows instead of "subscribing," a new centralized location to change new episode notifications, in-app paid podcast subscriptions for the first time, and more.

Apple's Podcasts app has been infamous among some podcast enthusiasts for its range of long-standing bugs and purported unreliability. Such bugs have included skipping playback, inaccurate timestamps, skewed UI elements, and unresponsive scrolling.

One of the most bemoaned aspects of Apple's Podcasts app has been its issues with syncing, where users have found that the app fails to sync episodes added to a library, individual podcast settings, and listened to episodes across devices.

Such problems have supported the rise of some third-party podcast apps such as Overcast, Pocketcasts, and other apps without these repetitious bugs.

Some users hoped that the overhaul of Podcasts in iOS 14.5 would put an end to these long-suffered problems, but the updated app introduces design changes that have irked some users, in addition to the previous bugs that have not been resolved.

The biggest change that has aroused users' ire is related to Apple's re-thought system of following Podcasts, which has replaced subscribing and adding episodes to the library.

With Apple Podcasts on iOS 14.5, all episodes of a show are now displayed by default, bringing Podcasts in line with Apple's other content services, which gives the appearance of hundreds of episodes stretching back years being added to the library.

Some users are reporting that having hundreds of old episodes added to their device is also using massive amounts of mobile data.

It is no longer possible to delete or remove individual episodes from the library, leaving users with the only option of selecting "Hide Played Episodes" and then manually marking every unwanted episode as played individually, one by one.

Users will have to continue marking every episode of a podcast that they do not want to listen to as played in order to remove it from view. This is especially troublesome when listening to podcast episodes in "oldest to newest" order.

Apple has changed the way that the Podcasts library works in iOS 14.5. The "library" side of podcasts that users now see is effectively the direct view of feeds, with all episodes on display, rather than what they have chosen to add, remove, or subscribe to based on rules. Since Apple has changed the library in this way in iOS 14.5, removing the ability to delete or remove episodes, there is even greater level of confusion among users about how to remove or delete the hundreds of newly-appeared episodes.

Some users have criticized the change as a significant oversight because most listeners do not want every unplayed episode of every podcast they follow in their library.

The new system is fine for listening to podcasts like watching a TV show, with podcasts such as Apple's "The Line," where users need to start from the first-ever episode and listen in chronological order, never skipping an episode. But for many types of podcasts, such as news podcasts, where it is pointless to listen to older episodes and users may want to sometimes skip an episode, it is actively obstructive.

While some users have misconstrued these design changes as bugs, separate issues such as a bug preventing episode limits from working correctly have only exacerbated complaints.

Other, more simple design changes in iOS 14.5's Podcasts app have also met the wrath of users. Apple has removed the "recently updated" tab and the ability to see how many unplayed episodes there are per show. Podcasts are also now sorted by the order in which they were originally followed by default, even though it is possible to sort by recently updated within the Shows tab.

Yet there are also reportedly a number of newly-reported defects that join the pre-existing spate of bugs, such as crashing and long library load times.

Some users are reporting that their custom Podcast Stations are now virtually defunct, with Stations failing to aggregate the selected episodes correctly, while others are reporting an inability to find unplayed episodes in the new design and problems loading new episodes.

These complaints about the new design and reports of new bugs come alongside many of the pre-existing problems with marking as played and syncing.

There are countless complaints about the new Podcasts app on various social media platforms and MacRumors editors have also been subjected to many of the same problems that are being reported.

The best thing that users affected by the issues in the Podcasts app can do is share feedback with Apple or report a concern directly in the Podcasts app itself.

Apple today reminded customers that the brand-new redesigned 24-inch iMac, the M1-powered iPad Pro, and the updated, more powerful Apple TV 4K will be available for pre-order starting tomorrow, Friday, April 30, and will begin shipping in the second half of May.

In its Newsroom update, Apple didn't disclose when the new devices would specifically begin shipping to customers next month. However, UK retailer John Lewis has indicated that the new iPad Pros and ‌iMac‌ could be arriving at customers on May 21.

Apple today also didn't disclose what time pre-orders would officially open on its online Apple Store. However, as noted by MacRumors editor Joe Rossignol, pre-orders are likely to begin at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time given the time zone difference for countries such as New Zealand, where Apple says pre-orders open on May 1.

Based on that, we've put together this list of corresponding times around the world:

• Honolulu, Hawaii — 2:00 a.m. HST
• Anchorage, Alaska — 4:00 a.m. AKDT
• Cupertino, California — 5:00 a.m. PDT
• Phoenix, Arizona — 5:00 a.m. MST
• Vancouver, Canada — 5:00 a.m. PDT
• Denver, Colorado — 6:00 a.m. MDT
• Dallas, Texas — 7:00 a.m. CDT
• New York, New York — 8:00 a.m. EDT
• Toronto, Canada — 8:00 a.m. EDT
• Halifax, Canada — 9:00 a.m. ADT
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — 9:00 p.m. BRT
• London, United Kingdom — 1:00 p.m. BST
• Berlin, Germany — 2:00 p.m. CEST
• Paris, France — 2:00 p.m. CEST
• Cape Town, South Africa — 2:00 p.m. SAST
• Moscow, Russia — 3:00 p.m. MSK
• Helsinki, Finland — 3:00 p.m. EEST
• Istanbul, Turkey — 3:00 p.m. TRT
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates — 4:00 p.m. GST
• Delhi, India — 5:30 p.m. IST
• Jakarta, Indonesia — 7:00 p.m. WIB
• Shanghai, China — 8:00 p.m. CST
• Singapore — 8:00 p.m. SGT
• Perth, Australia — 8:00 p.m. AWST
• Hong Kong — 8:00 p.m. HKT
• Seoul, South Korea — 9:00 p.m. KST
• Tokyo, Japan — 9:00 p.m. JST
• Adelaide, Australia — 9:30 p.m. ACST
• Sydney, Australia — 10:00 p.m.
• Auckland, New Zealand — 12:00 midnight NZST next day

The new 24-inch ‌iMac‌ features the first redesign of the Mac desktop computer since 2012. The ‌iMac‌ includes a new, thinner design and comes in multiple vibrant colors. It is also the first ‌iMac‌ that features an Apple silicon chip, first debuted in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini in November.

The new M1 chip is also making its way to the new ‌iPad Pro‌, offering a "massive leap in performance" alongside a new 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display. In addition, the updated ‌Apple TV‌ 4K includes a more powerful A12 Bionic processor with a redesigned ‌Apple TV‌ remote, which is available for purchase for older ‌Apple TV‌ models.

As pre-orders open up tomorrow, AirTags and the purple iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12, which became available for pre-order last week, will begin arriving to most customers. However, a few lucky customers already received their Apple item-tracker, with even more now seeing their order status is updated to "Shipped" ahead of tomorrow.

AirTag orders are beginning to be marked as "shipped" for more customers on Apple's online store around the world, with most deliveries set to begin arriving to customers on Friday, April 30 launch day. A few lucky customers already received their AirTag orders earlier this week, providing us with a closer look at the unboxing experience.

Priced at $29 each or $99 for a four pack, users can attach an AirTag to personal belongings like a wallet, keys, purse, or backpack and then keep track of the location of those items in the Find My app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

When an item with an AirTag attached is lost but nearby, the Find My app displays an arrow that guides users towards the item, and the AirTag's built-in U1 chip provides very precise location accuracy when used with iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models. Even when an AirTag-affixed item is lost in a far away place, its location can be anonymously pinpointed by other Apple device users, as part of the crowdsourced Find My network.

If you are waiting for your AirTag order to arrive, be sure to discuss in our forums and watch our roundup of unboxing videos.

Popular image editor app Pixelmator Pro received an update today that brings full support for LUT files, or Lookup Tables, which are similar to universal filters/presets that change the look of images and video in a wide variety of apps.

A LUT is a set of instructions that tells an app how to edit the colors of an image or video, and Pixelmator Pro now lets users import LUTs so that they can be applied to images, as if they were a standard preset or filter.

LUTs usually can't be edited, but Pixelmator Pro can use machine learning to turn them into color adjustments that can be fine-tuned in the app. Pixelmator users can now simply drag and drop an LUT to apply it, and browse LUTs with live previews. The update also includes the ability to convert LUTs into color adjustments.

In version 2.0.8, color adjustments can also be exported as LUTs, to be used in Final Cut Pro and other compatible graphics, video, and even 3D apps.

In addition, there's a built-in collection of LUTs, ranging from cinematic looks to grayscale conversion LUTs, automation and scripting support for applying and exporting LUTs.

Pixelmator 2.0 is a Universal app, so it runs natively on both ‌M1‌ and Intel-based Macs. The image editing app update is free for existing Pixelmator Pro users, otherwise it costs $39.99 and can be downloaded directly from the Mac App Store.

A little over a week since their announcement, and less than a month before their official launch, Apple has filed the brand new M1 iPad Pros into the Eurasian Economic Commission database.

The filings, seen by MacRumors, include two ‌iPad‌ Pros with multiple model numbers each, likely referring to the 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes and corresponding WiFi and WiFi/Cellular variants.

One filing includes the model numbers A2377, A2378, A2567, A2588, and A2602, and the second including A2459, A2460, A2461, A2568, A2569, A2589, A2604. The filing indicates all the models run iPadOS 14, but no other information is given.

Alongside the new ‌iPad‌ Pros, Apple also curiously filed the fifth-generation AirPort Time Capsule and the AirPort Express, which were both discontinued in 2018. Filings in the database are typically meant for forthcoming products rather than previously sold and discontinued devices.

Notably missing from today's submissions is the redesigned 24-inch iMac, which was announced alongside the new ‌iPad‌ Pros at Apple's "Spring Loaded" event earlier this month. UK retailer John Lewis has indicated that both the new ‌M1‌ powered iPad Pro and 24-inch ‌iMac‌ will go on sale on May 21. However, the lack of filings for the ‌iMac‌ in the database today could indicate that the new iMacs could launch a few days later.

The new ‌iPad Pro‌ and redesigned ‌iMac‌ will be available for pre-order on Friday, April 30.

Serial leaker Jon Prosser has today claimed the new Apple TV 4K will launch on May 21, the same day that the new redesigned 24-inch iMac and new iPad Pro models are now expected to become available, based on retailer listings.

Prosser's claim came in a tweet updating his earlier predictions for the launch dates of Apple's new ‌iPad Pro‌, shortly after MacRumors broke the news about UK retailer John Lewis pegging availability for the ‌iMac‌ and ‌iPad Pro‌ at May 21.

Prosser now also believes both models of ‌iPad Pro‌ will launch on May 21, rather than the 11-inch model arriving the following day, May 22 – his previous claim. According to the leaker, the May 22 date is "linked to the 5G model for a certain carrier and should be disregarded for the most part."

Pre-orders for the new Apple TV 4K open on Friday, April 30. The latest ‌Apple TV‌ 4K features a faster A12 Bionic chip, support for high-framerate HDR, and a redesigned Siri Remote.

The AirTag remains a prominent player in the item tracker market, known for its small, round disc design that integrates seamlessly with Apple's Find My app. However, it's worth noting that Apple wasn't the pioneer in this technology; Tile has been a forerunner in Bluetooth item trackers for over a decade, maintaining its status as AirTag's primary competitor even today.

While both ‌AirTag‌ and Tile continue to lead the item tracker industry, recent advancements and updates have potentially shifted the landscape, making the choice between them more nuanced than before. Our updated guide delves into these developments, providing insights to help you determine whether ‌AirTag‌ or Tile better suits your needs.

Overview

AirTags

AirTags are available in just a single model with a white plastic and silver metal design that features a removable battery and no direct way to attach the tracker to other items. An ‌AirTag‌ can be slipped into a bag or other appropriate item, but Apple also offers a range of accessories to attach AirTags to different objects and there is a burgeoning market of third-party offerings. ‌AirTag‌ is priced at $29 for one or $99 for a pack of four.

Tile Trackers

Tile makes four different trackers, each with slightly different features and form factors:

• Tile Mate: Tile's most basic small tracker – $24.99
• Tile Pro: A more premium alternative to the Tile Mate with a longer range, louder speaker, and a range of color options – $34.99
• Tile Slim: A long-range, waterproof, ultra-thin tracker shaped like a credit card to be placed within a wallet or adhered to a flat surface – $24.99
• Tile Sticker: Tile's smallest tracker, designed to be stuck to objects with an adhesive – $39.99 for two, $59.99 for four

Each Tile tracker has a different design and set of features to serve different purposes. The Tile Mate and Tile Pro are ideal for attaching to a keyring, for example. The Tile Slim is the perfect shape to slide into a wallet, while the Tile Sticker is small enough to stick to a TV remote. Ultimately, the exact way you choose to use a Tile tracker is your choice, but there are a range of designs to suit your exact needs.

Compared to the single ‌AirTag‌ design that doesn't include an attachment point or adhesive, Tile's selection of tracker designs is more versatile.

Comparing AirTag and Tile

Apple's ‌AirTag‌ and Tile's trackers share a number of important features, such as Bluetooth tracking, audio alerts, and water resistance:

Similarities

• Close-range Bluetooth tracking
• Long-range community-leveraged location tracking
• Built-in speaker for audio alerts
• Replaceable batteries (some Tile trackers only)
• One-year battery life (some Tile trackers only)
• Water-resistance

Differences

The differences between ‌AirTag‌ and Tile are more pronounced when it comes to Ultra Wideband features and software integration.

‌AirTag‌	Tile
Ultra Wideband and Bluetooth tracking	Bluetooth tracking only
Ultra Wideband "Precision Finding" on compatible iPhones
‌‌Find My‌‌ network integration for tracking from any in-range Apple device	"Community Find" for tracking from any in-range device
Lost Mode for notification when found by a nearby device	Lost Mode for notification when found by a nearby device with the Tile app
	Phone tracking available
One design, but engraving customization available	Multiple designs, with color options for Tile Pro and Slim
Requires accessory for adding to keyring	Accessories not required
Uses ‌Find My‌ app	Requires Tile app
iOS only	iOS and Android compatible
Unwanted tracking alerts, with NFC for owner information	Unwanted tracking alerts, "SCAN ME IF FOUND" QR code
One-tap setup process	Setup through Tile app
Siri integration
Replaceable CR2032 battery	Replaceable CR2032 for Tile Pro, others non-replaceable
One-year battery life	One-year for Tile Pro, three years for non-replaceable models
IP67 water-resistance	IP67 rating, varying degrees for different models
$29 for one, $99 for four	Varies; Tile Pro at $57, Tile Sticker at $19, Tile Mate at $19, Tile Slim at $24
No subscription options	Tile Premium subscription available

Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see exactly what both item trackers have to offer.

Design

AirTags have a simple convex design, with a glossy white plastic shell overlapping the front and the sides, and a polished metal disc on the back.

There is nothing built into the design to help the ‌AirTag‌ to attach to items for tracking. Unless you are simply placing the ‌AirTag‌ loose in a bag or pocket, you will need to purchase a separate accessory to attach it to the likes of keys, luggage, and more.

Apple offers a range of ‌AirTag‌ accessories, including the Polyurethane Loop, designed to be lightweight and durable, and the Leather Loop and Leather Key Ring, featuring tanned European leather. There is also a wide range of more inexpensive third-party options.

Although AirTags are only available in white, Apple offers the option of free engraving so users can personalize their ‌AirTag‌ with a selection of emojis or text.

On the other hand, Tile's trackers feature a range of different designs. The Tile Mate and Tile Pro have a square design with a hole to easily attach to keys or tie onto items. The Tile Mate is made entirely out of white plastic, while the Tile Pro has a more premium metal design and offers a range of color options including Black, White, Ruby Red, Azurite Blue, and Rose Pink.

The Tile Slim is very thin and shaped like a credit card to easily fit in a wallet or stick flat against a surface, and is available in Black, Ruby Red, Azurite Blue, and Rose Pink.

The Tile Sticker is small, black, and circular. It features a flat, adhesive back surface to make it easy to stick directly to a surface.

There are no first-party Tile accessories for sale other than adhesive pads, but they are not completely necessary, unlike with AirTags, since attachment is built into the designs.

Tracking Technologies

Bluetooth

Both ‌AirTag‌ and Tile use Bluetooth Low Energy as their main tracking technology. When the tracker is within Bluetooth range, users can use their smartphone to see its current location and get it to play a sound to help find it. When out of range, you can see the last known location of the tracker.

The Tile trackers have Bluetooth ranges between 150ft to 400ft, depending on the model. Apple has not disclosed the ‌AirTag‌'s Bluetooth tracking range.

Community Tracking

When out of Bluetooth range, both ‌AirTag‌ and Tile leverage devices in the community for tracking. This feature allows users to see the location of their tracker on a map even when it is long out of range.

Tile uses a feature called "Community Find," where any in-range device with the Tile app installed can detect and locate any user's Tile tracker anonymously.

Apple calls its community tracking feature the "‌Find My‌ Network." Any Apple device with the ‌Find My‌ app, such as the iPhone or iPad, can detect an in-range ‌AirTag‌ and anonymously report its location back to the owner.

Both ‌AirTag‌ and Tile users can also put their tracker into "Lost Mode" to receive a notification when it has been located by a device.

Although the community tracking features of ‌AirTag‌ and Tile work almost identically, ‌AirTag‌ has a clear advantage. This is because an ‌AirTag‌ can leverage any Apple device with the ‌Find My‌ app, which Apple says is approaching one billion devices already.

Since the ‌Find My‌ app is pre-installed in iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS, there is a far larger community of devices in circulation that are able to detect AirTags. The Tile app, on the other hand, is not pre-installed in any operating system and has to be actively downloaded by a user to run in the background.

Tile's Community Find feature only uses the devices within the Tile user base, but AirTags can use almost every Apple device. It is therefore likely that AirTags will be located by devices in the community much more often than Tile trackers, making their remote detection much more effective.

Ultra Wideband and Precision Tracking

‌AirTag‌ also has an additional tracking technology that Tile does not have, Ultra Wideband, which enables a unique close-range tracking experience that Tile is unable to match.

Each ‌AirTag‌ contains an Apple-designed U1 chip for Ultra Wideband connectivity. This enables a feature that Apple calls "Precision Finding" with Ultra Wideband devices, such as the ‌iPhone‌ 11 or newer.

Precision Finding can more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost ‌AirTag‌ when it is in range. As a user moves, Precision Finding fuses input from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope, and then will guide them to their ‌AirTag‌ using a combination of sound, haptics, and visual feedback.

Pairing

To set up a Tile tracker, users need to first download the Tile app from the App Store, create and activate a Tile account, hold down the button on the tracker until an audio cue plays, place the Tile tracker on the device, and wait for confirmation of pairing.

AirTags have a much simpler pairing process, similar to that used by other Bluetooth Apple devices such as AirPods or the Apple Pencil. There is no need to download an app from the ‌App Store‌, create an account, or hold down any buttons. Users simply need to hold the ‌AirTag‌ near to their device, tap pair, and the process is complete.

Apps

A key difference between ‌AirTag‌ and Tile is the apps they use. Tile trackers use a dedicated Tile app that has to be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌. The Tile app is available for both Android and iOS, allowing Tile trackers to work across platforms.

There is no ‌AirTag‌ app. Instead, ‌AirTag‌ works inside the pre-existing ‌Find My‌ app that is built into iOS. There is no way to use an ‌AirTag‌ with Android devices as a result.

The ‌Find My‌ app already tracks friends and Apple devices, so ‌AirTag‌ appears as an additional item within the app. There are also additional software integrations such as support for ‌Siri‌, where users can ask ‌Siri‌ to find their item, and the ‌AirTag‌ will play a sound if it is nearby.

Battery Life

‌AirTag‌ and Tile Pro both use a replaceable CR2032 battery, while the Tile Mate uses a replaceable CR1632 battery, to achieve around one year of battery life. When it has run out, users simply open their ‌AirTag‌, Tile Mate, or Tile Pro, and insert a new battery.

The battery of the Tile Slim and Tile Sticker is not replaceable or rechargeable. Users will need to dispose of their tracker and buy a new one when the battery runs out, but they do offer a longer three-year-long battery life.

Additional Features

Water-Resistance

The ‌AirTag‌, Tile Mate, and Tile Pro are all "water-resistant." Since there is no replaceable battery in the Tile Slim or Tile Sticker, they are "waterproof."

The ‌AirTag‌ has IP67 water-resistance, but Tile has not disclosed the exact water-resistance ratings of its trackers.

Phone Tracking

Tile trackers have a unique feature allowing them to find a user's smartphone. When within Bluetooth range, users can double press the button on their Tile tracker to make their phone ring. There is no equivalent feature with AirTags.

NFC

If a lost ‌AirTag‌ is found by someone, they can tap it using their ‌iPhone‌ or any NFC-capable device, including Android devices, and be taken to a website that will display a contact phone number for the owner, if they have provided one. There is no equivalent feature with Tile trackers.

Privacy and Unwanted Tracking Alerts

Apple says that ‌AirTag‌ is built around privacy. No location data or location history is physically stored inside the ‌AirTag‌, and communication with the ‌Find My‌ network is end-to-end encrypted so that only the owner of a device has access to its location data. The identity or location of any device that helped find an ‌AirTag‌ is also kept completely private.

‌AirTag‌ is also designed with a set of proactive features that discourage unwanted tracking. Bluetooth signal identifiers transmitted by ‌AirTag‌ rotate frequently to prevent unwanted location tracking.

iOS devices can also detect an ‌AirTag‌ that is not with its owner, and notify the user if an unknown ‌AirTag‌ is seen to be traveling with them from place to place over time. If users do not have an iOS device, an ‌AirTag‌ separated from its owner for an extended period of time will play a sound when moved to draw attention to it.

Pricing

The Tile Mate and Tile Slim are priced at $24.99. The Tile Pro is $34.99, while the Tile Sticker is $39.99 for two or $59.99 for four. Tile also offers a wide range of cheaper combo packs containing multiple Tile trackers for an overall lower price.

It also has to be remembered that the Tile Slim and Tile Sticker will only last up to three years before they have to be discarded, potentially reducing their value for money in the long term.

The ‌AirTag‌ costs $29 for one, or $99 for four. Though the ‌AirTag‌ is priced competitively against Tile trackers, it should be noted that in most use cases, users will need to buy additional accessories to attach the ‌AirTag‌ to an item, which pushes up the overall cost considerably.

Moreover, the Tile app contains an optional Premium in-app subscription for $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. The Premium service includes Smart Alerts, Unlimited Sharing, Location History, Free Battery Replacement, Extended Warranty, and Premium Customer Support.

Final Thoughts

‌AirTag‌'s unique Ultra Wideband Precision Find features, more effective community tracking through the ‌Find My‌ network, NFC Lost Mode, and easy setup make it a better overall offering for most Apple users. While Tile's trackers feature more versatile and practical designs, the ‌AirTag‌'s software experience is difficult to beat.

The only customers who should buy a Tile tracker instead of the ‌AirTag‌ are Android users, individuals who need a specific design, such as the ultra-slim form factor of the Tile Slim, or simply individuals that would find features such as the ability to ring their phone remotely indispensable.

Last week Apple announced new iPad Pro models with the faster M1 processor and a new mini-LED 12.9-inch display, as well as redesigned 24-inch iMac models. Both iPad models and iMacs will be available to pre-order from the April 30, and while Apple said they'll be shipping in the second half of May, it hasn't provided a specific date.

Today, however, U.K. retailer and long-time Apple stockist John Lewis has updated its online store to indicate that the new iMacs and both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models of iPad Pro will be "available" from Friday, May 21. The reveal is notable, given that Apple usually launches new products in the U.K. on the same day as it does in the United States.

Assuming the date refers to launch rather than when pre-orders start, the date lines up with a prediction from leaker Jon Prosser, who on Monday suggested May 21 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Prosser also said the 11-inch iPad Pro could ship the day after on May 22, but that suggestion immediately came under suspicion because it's a Saturday, and Apple typically refrains from product launches during the weekend.

Reports have suggested that Apple has faced from considerable supply restraints due to the ongoing chip shortage, and the delay between the announcement and shipments of the new devices would seem to back up those reports. Indeed, during Apple's earnings briefing on Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook said that there would be supply issues affecting the iPad and Mac lines.

(Thanks, Jack!)

Update: Moments after this story was published, Prosser tweeted that "the '22nd' date I mentioned [for the iPad Pro launch] is linked to the 5G model for a certain carrier and should be disregarded for the most part."

Apple today sent out an emails informing Apple Pay users about a Mother's Day promotion that offers discounts from several stores when using ‌Apple Pay‌ to make a purchase.

The following discounts are available:

• 1-800-Flowers - $15 off when spending $39.99 or more with code APPLEPAY.
• J.Crew - $25 off $150 or more with code APPLEPAY.
• Uncommon Goods - 15 percent off selected items with code APPLEPAY.
• Zazzle - 30% off with code APPLEPAYJAZZ.

Mother's Day takes place on Sunday, May 9, and the discounts are available from April 27 to May 9 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

AirTags aren't set to officially launch until Friday, April 30, but some customers have mistakenly received their AirTags shipments already, with many of the early AirTags coming from Best Buy.

MacRumors reader Johnny sent us a series of photos of his AirTags that he already has in hand, giving us a look at the packaging and a real-life look at the AirTags themselves outside of reviews.

Apple first unveiled the long-awaited AirTags last week. They're priced at $29 each, with a pack of four available for $99. AirTags connect to an iPhone over Bluetooth and can be attached to items like keys and wallets to make them trackable in the Find My app.

Paired with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and 12 models, AirTags have a Precision Finding feature enabled by the U1 chip that makes it easier to pinpoint lost items that are close by, and when an item is far away, it is able to take advantage of the ‌Find My‌ network that uses billions of Apple devices to track down lost items and relay their location.

Customers who ordered AirTags on launch day will begin receiving them on Friday, but single orders placed now are set to begin arriving in May, for AirTags that aren't engraved. Adding an engraving or ordering a four pack will result in a June delivery date.

Facebook today announced its earnings for the first calendar quarter of 2021, and during the call discussing the results, Facebook executives confirmed that Apple's App Tracking Transparency will have a "manageable" impact on Facebook's business starting in the second quarter.

As highlighted by ZDNet, Facebook CFO Dave Wehner said that Facebook is expecting "increased ad targeting headwinds in 2021 from regulatory and platform changes, notably the recently launched iOS 14.5 update." iOS 14.5 is the update that includes App Tracking Transparency, and it requires app developers to ask for express permission before accessing the IDFA for tracking users across apps and websites.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg went on to explain that Facebook is doing a "huge amount of work" to prepare for the changes to personalized advertising, including rebuilding elements of its advertising platform and making the case that "personalized advertising is good for people and businesses."

We're doing a huge amount of work to prepare. We're working with our customers to implement Apple's API and our own aggregated events measurement API to mitigate the impact of the iOS 14 changes. We're rebuilding meaningful elements of our ad tech so that our system continues to perform when we have access to less data in the future.

And we're part of long-term collaborations with industry bodies like the W3C on initiatives like privacy enhancing technologies that provide personalized experiences while limiting access to people's information. It's also on us to keep making the case that personalized advertising is good for people and businesses, and to better explain how it works so that businesses don't have to understand the alphabet soup of acronyms they'll need to comply with. But they do need to have confidence that they can still use our tools to reach the people who want to buy what they're selling in a privacy-safe way. We're confident they can and that they can continue to get great results as digital advertising evolves.

Wehner said that he believes the impact to Facebook's "own business" will be manageable, and that the company's goal is to maintain and improve ad performance with less data. He also took the opportunity to criticize Apple's platform, and said that Facebook is also facing problems from Apple's private APIs that advantage Apple's own products and services.

Overall, the impact of these specific iOS 14 changes are one element of some of the challenges with Apple, but we think the impact of the Apple approach is really much bigger than this particular update. Apple has a number of private APIs on hardware and software that advantage their own products and services in ways that are challenging. We face that issue in places like our messaging products, and even with the hardware products we're launching. So we generally don't think this closed approach is the best one for the industry from an innovation perspective.

Prior to the enforcement of App Tracking Transparency, Facebook launched a campaign attempting to position Apple as an enemy of small businesses, going as far to take out full page newspaper ads decrying the new feature. "Apple's latest update threatens the personalized ads that millions of small businesses rely on to find and reach customers," reads Facebook's site encouraging small businesses to "add their voice" and speak out against ATT.

There had been questions about Facebook's narrative and how much of an impact the changes would actually have on small businesses, and even Facebook employees felt that Facebook was just using a sympathetic message to "justify doing a bad thing."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in March began downplaying the potential impact of App Tracking Transparency and said that the changes could ultimately benefit Facebook if Apple's new policies encourage businesses to advertise and sell exclusively through Facebook platforms.

Facebook has already begun rolling out its App Tracking Transparency prompt to Facebook users, but the rollout will take a few weeks, so not everyone will see the prompt at the current time.

Apple today announced its earnings for the second quarter of 2021 and held an earnings call during which Cook was asked what we can expect for Macs and iPads during the second half of the year in terms of supply.

Cook said that he would not provide product level details, but that there would be supply issues affecting the iPad and Mac lines.

"To Luca's point about shortages, those shortages primarily affect ‌iPad‌ and Mac," he said. "We expect to be supply gated, not demand gated."

The question was related to the chip shortages that have been affecting many technology companies. One analyst asked Cook when supply constraints might ease and when the industry might overcome some of the supply dynamics, and Cook said it was difficult to give a good answer, but Apple would do its best meeting product demand.

Most of the issue is legacy nodes, not just in our industry but other industries as well. In order to answer that question accurately, we would need to know the true demand from each player and how that changes over the next few months, so it's difficult to give a good answer.

We have a good handle on our demand, but what everybody else is doing, I don't know. We will do our best, that's what I can tell you.

Apple CFO Luca Maestri confirmed that Apple has seen an impact from the chip shortages and will see a sequential decline of approximately $3 to $4 billion revenue in Q3 2021 due to ‌iPad‌ and Mac supply constraints.

The constraints come from semiconductor shortages that are affecting many industries and it's a combination of the shortages and the very high level of demand that we're seeing for both iPad and Mac.

Rumors have already suggested that the 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro will be in short supply when pre-orders open this Friday, though that may be due to issues with the mini-LED display. Apple is preparing to launch both new ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ models and new ‌M1‌ iMacs, and it sounds like customers who want one of the devices should be prepared to order as soon as pre-orders go live in order to avoid long waits for the new products.