MacRumors

The first day of the bench trial between Fortnite creator Epic Games and Apple is officially underway, with the companies delivering opening remarks before District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in a Northern California courtroom.

The saga dates back to August 2020, when Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store after Epic Games introduced a direct payment option in the app for its in-game currency V-Bucks, in defiance of the App Store rules. In what appears to have been an orchestrated move, Epic Games promptly filed a lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of anti-competitive actions and describing the App Store as a monopoly.

• Epic Games v. Apple: Timeline of Events

Shortly after removing Fortnite from the App Store, Apple issued a statement saying that the App Store guidelines are applied equally to every developer, adding that Epic Games has benefitted from the App Store ecosystem for over a decade:

Today, Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users. As a result their Fortnite app has been removed from the store. Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services.

Epic has had apps on the App Store for a decade, and have benefited from the App Store ecosystem - including its tools, testing, and distribution that Apple provides to all developers. Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we're glad they've built such a successful business on the App Store. The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users. We will make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return Fortnite to the App Store.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney was directing criticism at Apple for months before the lawsuit was filed. In June 2020, for example, he tweeted that "opening iOS and Android up as truly open platforms with a genuinely level playing field between first party and third party apps and stores is the only way to ensure a competitive, healthy, and fair app economy."

Sweeney has particularly taken issue with the 30% commission that Apple collects from sales of apps and select in-app purchases. Apple has since launched a Small Business Program that reduces the App Store's commission rate to 15% for developers earning up to $1 million per calendar year in net revenue from the sale of apps and in-app purchases. For developers exceeding this threshold, the 30% rate still applies.

We'll be updating this story as opening remarks from Epic Games and Apple and other notable details are shared during the trial. We'll also have continued coverage with highlights from the trial over the next few weeks.

Epic Games' Opening Remarks

Epic Games lawyers argued that the App Store and iOS as a whole are a "walled garden" and said that developers would not be interested in using Apple's in-app purchase system if it were optional. Epic Games lawyers then went through a series of emails from current and former Apple executives like Tim Cook, Phil Schiller, Eddy Cue, and Steve Jobs that they believe supports this "walled garden" argument.

Epic Games lawyers argued that Apple's standard 30% commission on App Store purchases is monopolistic.

Apple's Opening Remarks

Apple lawyers argued that the App Store is curated, safe, reliable, and family friendly, and that the App Store ecosystem has served as an economic driver for over a decade, creating millions of jobs for developers.

Apple supplier TSMT, a key vendor involved in the production of mini-LED displays in the newly announced 12.9-inch iPad Pro, has been able to address technical challenges for the production of mini-LED displays to be used in the upcoming 14 and 16-inch redesigned MacBook Pro models.

As reported by DigiTimes, TSMT had initially been facing production constraints with the circuit board and adhesive materials in the mini-LED displays for the upcoming MacBook Pro models. However, after adjusting its techniques, TSMT has increased its production yield rates to over 95%.

TSMT is the exclusive provider of SMT services for the recently launched 12.9-inch iPad Pro's miniLED backlights and is expected to do the same for the two upcoming miniLED-backlit MacBook models, the sources said.

Due to issues with PCBs and adhesive materials, TSMT's yield rates for surface mounting for miniLED backlighting was not high enough originally, the sources noted. After changing PCB and adhesive material suppliers, TSMT has hiked yield rates to over 95% currently, the sources indicated.

The redesigned 14 and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are expected to feature next-generation Apple silicon chips, the removal of the Touch Bar, the return of the MagSafe magnetic power cable, and an overall new design with an HDMI port and SD card slot.

Excitement around these new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, which will target high-end professional customers, has been heightened ever since the reveal of the M1 chip in November. The next chip, possibly featuring M1X or M2 branding, can be expected to feature significantly faster performance and greatly improved energy efficiency.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models are widely rumored to feature OLED displays with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, resulting in smoother content and scrolling, and additional reports continue to surface.

Korean website The Elec today reported that Samsung will be the exclusive supplier of 120Hz displays for iPhone 13 Pro models:

Meanwhile, the two higher tier iPhones this year that will use RFPCB will have low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin-film transistor (TFT) OLED panels.

LTPO OLED is needed for a 120Hz refresh rate screen. These panels will be supplied exclusively by Samsung Display.

Many sources have claimed that iPhone 13 Pro models will finally support a 120Hz refresh rate after years of rumors, including Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, display industry analyst Ross Young, leakers Jon Prosser and Max Weinbach, and others.

120Hz support will be made possible by Apple adopting low-power LTPO display technology, according to reports. LTPO technology would result in a more power efficient backplane, which is responsible for turning individual pixels on and off on the display, allowing for a 120Hz refresh rate without a significant impact on battery life.

Similar to recent Apple Watch models, LTPO could also enable iPhone 13 Pro models to have an always-on display with the clock visible.

iPad Pro models have supported up to a 120Hz refresh rate since 2017 as part of a feature called ProMotion, which automatically adjusts the refresh rate depending on the content. A wide variety of Android smartphones now have 120Hz displays as well, so support for the higher refresh rate on the iPhone is more than due.

The Apple Watch may gain the ability to measure blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood alcohol levels, according to newly-revealed information about one of Apple's chosen business partners.

Apple has been revealed to be the largest customer of the British electronics start-up Rockley Photonics, The Telegraph reports.

Rockley Photonics has developed non-invasive optical sensors for detecting multiple blood-related health metrics, including blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood alcohol levels, many of which are only normally detectable with more invasive dedicated medical equipment. Rockley's sensors beam infrared light through a user's skin, much like the existing sensors on the back of the Apple Watch for detecting heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

Rockley's disclosure that its biggest client is Apple came about as the company prepares to go public in New York. The company's filings said that Apple accounted for the majority of its revenue over the last two years and that it has an ongoing "supply and development agreement" with the company, under which it expects to continue to heavily rely on Apple for most of its revenue.

Given the growth of Rockley Photonics and the scale of Apple's partnership with the company, it seems to be virtually inevitable that the company's health sensor technology will be coming to the Apple Watch sooner rather than later.

The company has established an office in San Jose, in addition to facilities in Oxford, Cardiff, Cork, and Helsinki. Rockley has said that its next-generation sensors could be in consumer smartwatches and other electronics as soon as next year. This would presumably align with the launch of Apple Watch Series 8 models.

Until now, rumors had indicated that the upcoming Apple Watch Series 7 would be gaining blood glucose monitoring, but Rockley's comments may indicate that the feature has been delayed until 2022. It is also possible that blood glucose monitoring could still come to the Apple Watch Series 7 this year, followed by a significant expansion of Rockley's technology in the device next year with features like blood pressure and blood alcohol monitoring.

According to reliable supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple plans to release the sixth-generation iPad mini in the second half of this year, indicating an even more delayed launch for the small form-factor iPad.

In a note related to the launch of an 8-inch foldable iPhone in 2023, Kuo said that recent global changes have helped grow ‌iPad‌ sales and the newly released 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models are expected to bolster sales forward. In addition, Kuo said that the new ‌iPad mini‌ in the second half of this year will further help grow the ‌iPad‌ business.

Kuo and DigiTimes had previously indicated that the new ‌iPad mini‌ would launch in the first half of this year. Possibly due to supply restraints, the new low-cost ‌iPad‌ now seems to have been delayed to the second half of 2021.

The new ‌iPad mini‌ is expected to feature an 8.4-inch display with slimmer bezels and continue to feature a Touch ID Home Button and a Lightning port. The new ‌iPad‌ could be a disappointment for customers hoping the smallest form-factor ‌iPad‌ would benefit from a major redesign, such as the changes seen with the iPad Air and ‌iPad Pro‌.

More long-term, Kuo reports that Apple is working on an iPad mini with a mini-LED display, which recently debuted in the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. Compared to the current LCD displays, mini-LED on the ‌iPad mini‌ would help deliver richer blacks, while providing improved contrast and HDR.

Apple is working to launch a foldable iPhone with an 8-inch QHD+ flexible OLED display in 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a note to investors that was seen by MacRumors.

Based on our latest industry survey, we forecast that Apple will likely launch a foldable iPhone with an 8-inch QHD+ flexible OLED display in 2023, with SDC as the exclusive display supplier and Samsung Foundry as the exclusive DDI foundry provider. Based on Apple's requested capacity plan, we predict that the foldable iPhone shipments will reach 15-20 million units in 2023. We expect that the foldable iPhone will adopt TPK's silver nanowire touch solution because of its several advantages over SDC's Y-Octa technology.

Kuo predicts that foldable smartphones will become a "must-have" for all major smartphone brands and will boost the next "super replacement cycle" for high-end models, and he believes Apple is well positioned to be the "biggest winner" in the foldable device trend. Apple will ship 15 to 20 million foldable iPhones in 2023, according to Kuo.

At present, the product position of foldable smartphones is mainly to integrate the smartphone and tablet. But we believe that the foldable smartphone is only one of the applications of the foldable design. We predict that foldable devices will blur the product segmentations between smartphones, tablets, and laptops in the future. With its cross-product ecosystems and hardware design advantages, Apple will be the biggest winner in the new foldable device trend.

Kuo believes that the upcoming ‌iPhone‌ will adopt a silver nanowire touch solution for the device's display, which will create a "long-term competitive advantage" for Apple in the foldable device market. This display technology will be needed for future foldable devices that support more than a single fold.

Future foldable devices will require touch technology that supports multiple folds (vs. only a single fold in current foldable smartphones), rollable, medium to large size display, and durability. When comparing the advantages of the above specifications, the silver nanowire is similar or superior to SDC's Y-Octa.

Kuo says that Apple is already using silver nanowire for the touch interface of the HomePod, allowing Apple to "master the technology" at a lower cost using small volume production.

This is not the first time that we've heard rumors from Kuo about a foldable ‌iPhone‌. Back in March, Kuo said that Apple could be planning to launch a foldable ‌iPhone‌ with a 7.5 to 8-inch display in 2023, though at the time, Kuo said that this launch timeline would be dependent on Apple solving "key technology and mass production issues."

Kuo said in the same note that development on a foldable ‌iPhone‌ had "not yet officially kicked off," though Apple's plans may have progressed with Kuo now providing additional details about the display technology the company plans to use.

As a way to convince users to enable tracking across other apps and websites, Facebook is deploying the tactic of telling users that they must enable tracking as part of the App Tracking Transparency framework in iOS 14.5 if they want to help keep Facebook and Instagram "free of charge."

App Tracking Transparency or ATT is the newest privacy feature to come to iPhone and iPad devices as part of the iOS 14.5 update, released to the public last week. With the new update, apps are now required to show users a prompt asking for their consent before tracking them across other apps and websites.

A significant portion of Facebook's business model relies on selling ads across its apps and services. Small businesses, for example, can use Facebook's ad business to target ads to specific customers or demographics. However, if users on iOS 14.5 decide to opt out of tracking, Facebook may have less data to deliver those personalized ads to users.

The update was released to the public last week, and every day more and more apps are beginning to display the ATT prompt to users. Facebook had previously given a glimpse of what the prompt will look like, and now, with the update released, the social media giant is slowly starting to roll it out to users. As spotted by Ashkan Soltani on Twitter, Facebook has updated its prompt to include the notice "Help keep Facebook free of charge."

In an updated blog post, Facebook calls this updated prompt an "educational screen" that will "help people make an informed decision about how their information is used." Instagram, owned by Facebook, will show a similar prompt to users asking them to enable tracking to "Help keep Instagram free of charge."

As Apple has said that providing additional context is allowed, we will show an educational screen before presenting Apple’s prompt to help people make an informed decision about how their information is used. It provides more details about how we use data for personalized ads, as well as the ways we limit the use of activity other apps and websites send us if people don’t turn on this device setting. Our screen also lets people know that they’re seeing Apple’s prompt due to Apple’s requirements for iOS 14.5.

Facebook will be rolling out the prompt to more users in the coming days and weeks, so not everyone will see it right away. ATT was released as part of the iOS 14.5 update, which brought other notable features, including the ability to unlock an ‌iPhone‌ with a paired Apple Watch, major changes to Podcasts, and more. Check out our iOS 14.5 guide to see everything that's new.

iFixit has shared the first of its two-part series in tearing down Apple's AirTag item tracker, revealing that Apple had to make impressive design decisions to achieve its small design, including rethinking the speaker layout.

For comparison, iFixit compared Apple's ‌AirTag‌ to the Tile Mate and the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag. Compared to the competition, ‌AirTag‌ is the smallest in size, with the most internal space used to house the battery itself. One notable design difference is ‌AirTag‌'s lack of a built-in keyring hole, which iFixit attributes to Apple's history of "turning essential functions into premium, add-on accessories."

An x-ray of the three devices does indeed show that Apple wasted no internal space for its item tracker. On the other hand, the Tile Mate and Galaxy SmartTag seem to be "sprawling" with internal space, and despite their larger footprints, neither tracker includes ultra-wideband technology like AirTags. It is worth noting that Samsung recently launched an ultra-wideband variant of the Galaxy SmartTag; however, iFixit was unable to obtain one for its comparison.

The Tile Mate, Galaxy SmartTag, and ‌AirTag‌ all feature coin cell replaceable batteries. ‌AirTag‌ and the Galaxy SmartTag use a .66Wh CR2032 battery, while the Tile Mate uses a smaller .39Wh CR1632 battery. ‌AirTag‌ features a twist and lift mechanism for its backplate in terms of battery replacement, but it doesn't include an easy way to lift the backplate if you happen to have greasy or slippery hands.

All three trackers open up with finger power—no other tools required! That said, the AirTag is by far the most difficult, especially if you indulged in a snack earlier and have greasy digits. Imagine opening a stubborn pickle jar with just two slippery thumbs, and you’ve got the idea. The other trackers have dedicated divots for separating the pieces with a fingernail—moisturize to your heart’s content!

Replacing the battery is the furthest an average customer will be able to get into their ‌AirTag‌ without proper tooling. Even in that case, iFixit says Apple showed "surprising restraint in sealing the ‌AirTag‌," noting that completely opening the tracker only requires a vise and some plastic sticks.

‌AirTag‌ features a built-in speaker which emits sounds when pinged by a paired iPhone through the Find My app, during set-up and other situations. However, given its small form factor, Apple had to think of a new way to fit a speaker into the tracker. With ‌AirTag‌, Apple decided to use the entire body as the speaker driver, with the underside of the cover serving as the speaker's magnet.

It’s circles all the way down as you head inside the AirTag. Did you notice the “button” on the underside of the cover? That’s not a clickable button, like the Mate and SmartTag have, but rather the magnet we saw earlier in the X-ray. It sits right inside the donut-shaped logic board, nested into a coil of copper to form a speaker. You read that right—the AirTag’s body is essentially a speaker driver. Power is sent to the voice coil, which drives the magnet mounted to the diaphragm—in this case, the plastic cover where the battery lives—which makes the sounds that lead you to your lost luggage.

As we noted earlier this week, it is possible to drill a hole through an AirTag to make up for its lack of a built-in keyring hole. Doing so will certainly void your ‌AirTag‌'s warranty, and while it is possible, it is a risk. As iFixit notes, "drilling in the wrong place can cause serious damage."

iFixit says that the second part of its teardown will include detailed information on the ‌AirTag‌'s circuit board and other hidden secrets. For everything you need to know about AirTags, be sure to check out our guide.

Update: iFixit shared some additional teardown images, providing a closer look at the ‌AirTag‌'s various components.

Apple is laying the groundwork for adding HiFi support to Apple Music which would offer ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers and owners of compatible devices, such as certain models of AirPods, access to high-fidelity audio streaming, according to code within the iOS 14.6 beta discovered by MacRumors.

Earlier today, a report claimed that Apple will announce a new $9.99 per month ‌Apple Music‌ tier that offers HiFi music streaming in the "coming weeks." Now, code within the first beta of iOS 14.6 discovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser confirms that Apple is exploring the option and preparing for a possible release.

Within the code for the first beta of the upcoming update, references to "lossless audio," "high-quality stereo streaming," and "HiFi" are found within the ‌Apple Music‌ app. Accompanying code within the beta suggests that HiFi streaming could be limited to only certain AirPods such as the AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and newer.

Presumably, HiFi support would also be available to customers without AirPods, although it's unknown if Apple will have certain hardware requirements for speakers, headphones, etc.. to support HiFi ‌Apple Music‌ streaming.

Wording such as "Route Incompatible" and "Route Unknown Compatibility" suggests that much like how Spatial Audio is limited to only the ‌AirPods Pro‌ and ‌AirPods Max‌, HiFi ‌Apple Music‌ streaming could be exclusive to certain generation AirPods and other compatible devices.

Additional code within the beta suggests that Apple could incorporate a dynamic way for ‌Apple Music‌ to switch between standard, compressed audio streaming and high-fidelity streaming. On the iPhone 12 with 5G, Apple has a "Smart Data Mode," which automatically switches between a 5G and 4G/LTE connection depending on the user's current needs, connection strength, and battery life.

According to code within the beta, Apple may take a similar approach with HiFi support on ‌Apple Music‌, only offering users high-fidelity audio streaming when there's sufficient bandwidth or depending on other factors such as a user's data consumption.

Spotify has announced plans to include HiFi support for subscribers sometime this year but has yet to announce a specific date. Apple is reportedly preparing to announce the new HiFi tier as soon as a few weeks alongside the release of new third-generation AirPods. The new tier will reportedly cost the same as the current individual ‌Apple Music‌ tier.

Given the evidence that HiFi ‌Apple Music‌ support could be limited to only newer AirPods models, Apple may offer HiFi as a separate, more expensive tier for owners of compatible AirPods. Thus, customers with older AirPods would be able to retain their existing ‌Apple Music‌ subscription without HiFi support.

At WWDC last year, Apple did announce automatic switching for AirPods and Spatial Audio for ‌AirPods Pro‌ and newer AirPod products. With WWDC 2021 being just weeks away, Apple could announce the new ‌Apple Music‌ tier at the event, marketing them as an add-on feature for the third-generation AirPods.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously reported that the new AirPods would enter mass production in the third quarter of the year.

After nearly three months of beta testing, Apple this week finally released iOS 14.5, the company's biggest update since the iOS 14 launch last September. One of the main new features included in the update is support for AirTags, Apple's item trackers that also finally became available this week some two years after their existence first leaked.

Apple this week also began taking orders for its new iMac, iPad Pro, and Apple TV models, although they won't be shipping until the latter half of next month, and we also got word that the next-generation Apple silicon chip presumably destined for revamped MacBook Pro models later this year has entered mass production. Read on for all of the details on these stories and more from the past week!

iOS 14.5 Released: Unlock Your iPhone While Wearing a Mask and More

Following nearly three months of beta testing, Apple this week finally released iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, and the software updates are packed with a long list of new features for iPhone and iPad users.

A key new feature is the ability to unlock an iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask, by authenticating with an Apple Watch. iOS 14.5 also adds new emoji, support for 5G in Dual-SIM mode on iPhone 12 models, AirPlay 2 streaming for Apple Fitness+ workouts, new Waze-like features in Apple Maps, new Siri voices, a redesigned Podcasts app that hasn't been particularly well received, and more.

This week also marked the release of macOS 11.3 with an improved experience for running iPhone and iPad apps on M1 Macs, tvOS 14.5 with a new Color Balance feature, and watchOS 7.4.

The first two betas of iOS 14.6 have also already been released for testing, but no major features or changes have been uncovered so far.

Everything New in iOS 14.5: Here's the 10 Best Features

On our YouTube channel this week, we shared a video highlighting the 10 best new features in iOS 14.5, so be sure to check that out for a closer look at everything new in the software update.

In addition to the new features, Apple is now enforcing App Tracking Transparency. Starting with iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5, apps must ask for permission before tracking your activity across other companies' apps and websites for targeted advertising purposes. Users will be presented with a prompt to allow or deny tracking in apps when necessary.

Apple recently shared a video with more details about its new App Tracking Transparency requirement for those interested in learning more.

New M1 iPad Pros, 24-Inch M1 iMacs, Apple TV 4K, and Siri Remote Now Available to Order

Apple's new 24-inch iMac, iPad Pro with the M1 chip, and updated Apple TV 4K are now available to pre-order through Apple and third-party retailers, with initial orders set for delivery beginning Friday, May 21.

The redesigned Siri Remote is also available to pre-order with a similar shipping timeframe. It is compatible with the previous-generation Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, and is priced at $59.

AirTags and Purple iPhone 12 Models Now Available for Purchase and Arriving to Customers

Apple's new AirTag item tracker and the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini in a new purple color became available to pre-order starting Friday, April 23, and the first orders have now made their way into customers' hands. We also went hands-on with some AirTags and their accessories ourselves, so make sure to check out our video overview.

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 faraway place, its location can be anonymously pinpointed by other Apple device users, as part of the crowdsourced Find My network.

Next-Generation 'M2' Chip Enters Mass Production Ahead of Redesigned MacBook Pro Later This Year

Apple is widely rumored to be working on redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by Apple silicon, and ahead of time, a report from Nikkei Asia this week claimed that mass production of Apple's next-generation "M2" chip is now underway.

There is a lot of anticipation for the new high-end MacBook Pro models, as the M1 chip already delivers impressive performance, which the so-called "M2" chip should build upon. Reputable sources like Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have also claimed that the Touch Bar will be replaced with physical function keys, and that an HDMI port and SD card slot will return.

As of this month, Apple has updated four Mac models with Apple silicon, including the base model iMac, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini. Apple previously said that its transition away from Intel processors in Macs would be completed by around June 2022.

Hands-On With the Apple TV's New Color Balance Feature

With the launch of tvOS 14.5, Apple introduced a new Color Balance calibration option that's available for all Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.

Available in the video section of the ‌Apple TV‌ settings app, Color Balance asks you to hold your iPhone to the screen as the television set flashes through a series of colors. Your ‌iPhone‌ reads the colors and compares them to industry-standard color profiles, recommending optimizations.

On our YouTube channel this week, we shared a video that goes hands-on with the new Color Balance feature to showcase how it works.

The color balance feature is super simple and takes just a few minutes, and it's a much easier process than adjusting a television set's settings. For the feature to work, you need to have an ‌iPhone‌ with Face ID.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

MacRumors is pleased to announce our Twelfth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive, throughout the month of May 2021. Our goal is to save lives by increasing the number of life-saving donations of blood, platelets, and plasma. While most blood drives are specific to a geographic location, our blood drive is online and worldwide.

Over the past 11 years, MacRumors Blood Drives have recorded donations of 827 units of blood, platelets, and plasma, and celebrated new signups for the organ donor and bone marrow registries. We've heard from people whose lives were saved by blood donations from strangers.

With a worldwide health crisis, blood donations are more important than ever. Donation centers have taken necessary precautions to protect donors.

This year we pay special tribute to user Timelordprime, whose MacRumors Blood Drive totals exceed 130 units of platelets and plasma. He will reach his 400th lifetime blood and platelet donation next month, having donated well over 500 units to strangers in need!

How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive - during May 2021

1. If you are an eligible donor, schedule a blood, platelet, or plasma donation (see FAQ), at any donation center near you. Then post in the MacRumors 2021 Blood Drive! thread to tell us about it. You'll be added to our Honor Roll.

   Also post if you register as an organ donor or register for the bone marrow registry (see FAQ). You'll be added to our Honor Roll.

2. If you aren't eligible to donate or are deferred, please encourage someone else to make a donation, and let us know. If they donate, you'll both be added to our Honor Roll.
3. Share our message with friends, relatives, and followers. Thank the people who post in the MacRumors 2021 Blood Drive! thread.

How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive - from June 2021 to April 2022

In between the MacRumors Blood Drives each May, record your donations on our Team MacRumors page. We'll tally your donations and count them for the MacRumors Blood Drive next May.

1. Go to the Team MacRumors page and click PLEDGE TO GIVE BLOOD. (Bookmark the page for the future.)
2. Fill in your MacRumors username as your first name. Fill in @ macrumors as your last name.
3. In the comments field, tell us what type of donation and how many units, e.g., 1 unit of whole blood, 2 units of platelets, etc.
4. The email address and zip code fields don't matter. MacRumors won't use that information.

We look forward to another successful MacRumors Blood Drive.

Citing sources within the music industry, Hits Double Daily reports that Apple is preparing to launch a new HiFi Apple Music tier in the "coming weeks," which will come alongside the release of the rumored third-generation AirPods.

According to the report, the new tier, which will offer high-fidelity music streaming, will cost the same $9.99 monthly subscription as the current individual tier. Spotify, ‌Apple Music‌'s most fierce competitor, has announced that later in 2021, Spotify users will be able to "upgrade their sound quality to Spotify HiFi and listen to their favorite songs the way artists intended."

The report says that an announcement of the new Apple Musc tier and the launch of the third-generation AirPods will take place in the "coming weeks." Apple plans to hold its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 7, and while no hardware was announced at the conference last year, hardware announcements are possible at the software-focused event.

The third-generation AirPods are expected to feature a design that's similar to the design language of the AirPods Pro but lack certain "Pro" features such as Active Noise Cancelation. If the rumor is to be accurate, the new AirPods release comes on the backdrop of a report signaling that Apple is cutting back on AirPods production due to decreasing sales.

If you damage your new 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro and don't have AppleCare+, Apple will charge $699 to repair the broken device.

The fee update was added to Apple's iPad Service and Repair chart earlier today after ‌iPad Pro‌ orders went live. At $699, it is $50 more expensive to get a repair for the new fifth-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ than it was to get a repair for the prior fourth-generation model. The extra cost is likely due to the new mini-LED display that's exclusive to the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌.

The repair $699 fee only applies if you don't have ‌AppleCare‌+. If you damage your ‌iPad Pro‌ and have an ‌AppleCare‌+ plan, the ‌AppleCare‌+ service fee is $49, with two accidental damage repairs available every 12 months.

You also won't need to pay a fee if there is a manufacturing issue, as problems that Apple's fault will be covered under the standard one-year warranty. If the warranty has expired, Apple will charge the $699 fee.

The $699 price applies to any damage to the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, including a broken display, and with a device as expensive as the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, ‌AppleCare‌+ is a good idea. Apple charges $149 for two years of ‌AppleCare‌+, or an ongoing subscription can be purchased for $7.99. ‌AppleCare‌+ used to be available for a limited amount of time, but can now be extended indefinitely with the subscription options.

Out-of-warranty fees for the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ have not changed, and it costs $499 to repair a broken 11-inch model if you don't have ‌AppleCare‌+, or $49 with ‌AppleCare‌+.

Apple's new ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ models went on sale this morning and the first new devices will be available to customers starting on May 21. The 12.9-inch model was in short supply and is now sold out until July.

After years of waiting for the AirTags to debut, launch day is finally upon us and AirTags are now in the hands of customers. We got our AirTags in the mail today and thought we'd share a hands-on look for those who are still waiting for their orders or debating whether AirTags might be useful.

As you probably know by now, AirTags are small, coin-shaped Bluetooth item trackers similar to Tile that you're meant to put on items that might be misplaced like keys, wallets, jackets, and more. They integrate into the Find My app under the Items tab and can be conveniently tracked right alongside your Apple devices.

AirTags come in typical Apple easy-open packaging, and once unboxed, pairing an AirTag is a matter of pulling off the plastic packaging and holding it close to the iPhone. The ‌iPhone‌ immediately recognizes the ‌AirTag‌ and you can go through the setup process, naming the ‌AirTag‌ and registering it to your Apple ID.

Once registered, the ‌AirTag‌ shows right up in the ‌Find My‌ app, relaying its location back to you. AirTags have many of the same ‌Find My‌ features as Apple devices, so you can put them into Lost Mode and play a sound to locate them.

If you have an ‌iPhone‌ 11 or ‌iPhone‌ 12 model there's a useful Precision Finding feature for locating an item that's lost nearby like keys that have fallen into a couch cushion, and if an ‌AirTag‌ is lost far away, it can take advantage of the ‌Find My‌ network, using billions of active Apple devices to help you track down its location.

Design wise, the ‌AirTag‌ has a white plastic front and a stainless steel backing, which will undoubtedly scratch easily depending on where the ‌AirTag‌ placed. The front side can be engraved by Apple with letters and emoji, but it's worth noting that there is no hole for attaching a keyring or any other built-in attachment method.

Apple instead expects people to buy add-on accessories for each ‌AirTag‌, and Apple's own accessory options are priced starting at $29. Luckily third-party companies like Belkin are selling cheaper holders, but it's still an added expense.

AirTags are equipped with CR2032 batteries that will last for a good year before needing to be replaced, and you can push and twist the front of the ‌AirTag‌ off to get to the battery compartment. This is also the method used for resetting an ‌AirTag‌ or finding the serial number.

You can get AirTags from Apple for $29 or $99 for a pack of four, and they're also available from third-party retailers. Engraved AirTags only come from Apple, though there are some month-long waits right now.

Did you get an ‌AirTag‌? Let us know what you think of Apple's tracker in the comments below.

Apple's AirTags are small, button-shaped devices that are designed to be attached to items like keys and wallets to allow these accessories to be tracked using Bluetooth right alongside Apple devices in the Find My app.

If you've set up an AirTag and attached it to an item, you can track said item in the ‌Find My‌ app, should you misplace it. ‌Find My‌ uses Bluetooth signals from a lost ‌AirTag‌ to relay its location back to its owner. Apart from Bluetooth, however, each ‌AirTag‌ is also equipped with a U1 Ultra Wideband chip, and on devices that also have U1 chips, there's a Precision Finding feature that enables you to more accurately determine the distance and direction of a lost ‌AirTag‌ when it's in range, when compared to Bluetooth alone.

If you're aiming to find a lost item and you have an ‌iPhone 11‌ or 12, Precision Finding will direct you to the exact location of your lost ‌AirTag‌ using input from the camera, accelerometer, and gyroscope, with guidance provided through sound, haptics, and visual feedback. Here's how to use it.

How to Find the Precise Location of an AirTag

1. Launch the Find My app on your ‌iPhone‌.
2. Tap Items.
3. Tap the ‌AirTag‌ you want to get the precise location for.
4. Tap Find. It should say "Nearby" underneath if the Precision Finding feature is available.
5. Now start moving around to locate the ‌AirTag‌ and follow the onscreen instructions. You should see an arrow pointing in the direction of the ‌AirTag‌, an approximate distance telling you how far away it is, and a note if it's located on a different floor.

As you approach an item, you'll feel haptic feedback from your phone and there will be audio cues to let you know that you're approaching an item. The ‌AirTag‌ graphic on the ‌iPhone‌ will also shift as you get nearer to it. Precision Finding exits when you've successfully located your ‌AirTag‌ and your ‌iPhone‌ or Apple device is in very close proximity.

Note that Ultra Wideband isn't universally supported worldwide, therefore Precision Finding won't work in some countries. For more details, see our guide on what to know if you plan to travel abroad with AirTags.