MacRumors

Microsoft is raising the upload file size limit of its OneDrive file storage service to 250GB, up from the previous 100GB limit, the company has announced.

Microsoft says it is making the change to acknowledge the increase in remote working and learning, where users need to reliably and securely share large files like 4K or 8K video files, 3D models, CAD files, or large scientific data sets with co-workers, clients, and peers.

We are pleased to announce that we're making it easier than ever for you to store, sync, and share large files in Microsoft 365. Our latest improvement will help increase the upload file size limit for Microsoft 365 from 100 GB to 250 GB—which includes uploads of files into SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive. So now, you will be able to easily share large files like a 3D model of a new building, a client commercial shot in 8K video, a large dataset for a vaccine trial or research projects or large videos for educational projects.

Microsoft explained that the change isn't limited to business and school users – anyone who uses OneDrive can now take advantage of the new 250GB file size limit for uploading things like video albums and large game files.

The company says it has managed to raise the upload limit by splitting each file into chunks, with each piece encrypted with a unique key. In addition, syncing large files has been optimized with the help of differential sync, which only uploads the changes that users make to the stored file.

Support for the new 250GB file size upload will roll out by the end of January, and Microsoft expects general availability of the new limit by end of this quarter.

Philips Hue has announced a new wireless dimmer switch module that lets Hue bridge owners directly control the smart lighting from their standard wall switches.

The new Philips Hue wall switch module is the ideal addition to any Philips Hue set up. Installed behind existing light switches, it allows users to turn their existing switch into a smart switch and ensures their smart lighting is always reachable. Whether it is via the app or via voice control: no more getting up from the couch to turn on the switches that a family member or house guest might have turned off.

The company has also announced a new version of its Wireless Dimmer Switch featuring a more curvaceous design. Instead of having four buttons like the switch module it replaces, the new model has only three buttons, with the middle two dimmer buttons combined into a single rocker button. The "on" button also now has a small tactile marking so that users can find the correct button in the dark.

Users can select light scenes in the Hue app and customize how the switch functions to personalize the ambience of their home. The module includes power on and off switches, dimmer controls, and a button that lets users cycle through their favorite scenes. Like the module it replaces, the new dimmer switch also includes a removable remote.

In addition, Philips Hue has launched a new outdoors lighting system: The Amarant is an ambient LED strip for use on blank walls in gardens or on balconies. It features a wall washing effect with a vibrant light that's intensified by the metal shield. The Amarant also integrates with existing Hue low-voltage outdoors products such as the Hue Lily, Hue Calla, or Hue Outdoor Lightstrip. Philips Hue is also updating its Appear outdoor wall light with a brushed stainless steel finish and easier installation.

There's no U.S. pricing yet for the Appear, but the new wall module will be available in the summer costing $40, the new dimmer switch will be available for $24.99 from February 23, and the Amarant costs $169.99 and will be available from March 2.

Popular note-taking app Evernote today unveiled a major redesign to its interface that it's calling Home, a dashboard interface that aims to keep users organized by putting the information they need each day in one easily accessible place.

Home is a brand-new way to start your day in Evernote; a one-stop dashboard that puts the information you need front and center—neatly organized and instantly available—so you can stay on top of your day without feeling overwhelmed.

The Home dashboard includes widgets that present important notes, tags, documents, and shortcuts in a unified UI, with intelligent suggestions of useful content to start each day.

Users with an Evernote Basic or Plus account are presented with several widgets each day, including Notes, Scratch Pad, Recently Captured, Notebooks, Pinned Note, Tags, and Shortcuts.

Evernote Premium and Business subscribers also have the ability to resize, reorder, and remove widgets to customize their Home dashboard, and have access to options that allow them to change the background image.

Evernote's developers say they will be introducing additional widgets that reach deeper into Evernote and explore new capabilities that make Home more powerful. Evernote's basic plan is free, while Premium ($4.99 a month) and Business ($10.99 a month) plans are available to trial for 30 days for free. The company is also currently offering a 40% discount on the Premium subscription, available until February 4.

Denon today debuted its latest home audio offering, the Home Sound Bar 550, with a key feature for Apple users being AirPlay 2 support for wirelessly streaming music to the sound bar from devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

In addition to AirPlay 2, users can wirelessly stream music to the Home Sound Bar 550 via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, allowing for music to be streamed from services like Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, TIDAL, and others. The sound bar can be connected to a TV with a single HDMI cable, and it is "Roku TV Ready" to work seamlessly with Roku TVs.

With a six-driver array and "expertly tuned" digital signal processing, Denon says the Home Sound Bar 550 is built to deliver "best-in-class audio quality." The sound bar supports both the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound formats, and a feature known as HEOS allows for wireless multi-room audio with other Denon speakers.

The Home Sound Bar 550 can be controlled with the included remote or most universal remotes, the HEOS app for iPhone and iPad, or the built-in illuminated control panel that lights up automatically as an outstretched hand approaches. Denon says users will also have the option to enable Alexa voice control on the sound bar starting in spring 2021, and states that the built-in microphones will not be enabled without explicit user permission.

Denon says the Home Sound Bar 550 will be available for purchase at authorized retailers starting February 2021, priced at $599 in the United States.

BMW today announced future plans to roll out Digital Key Plus, an enhanced version of Apple's Car Keys feature that incorporates Ultra Wideband technology, enabling drivers to unlock and start their vehicle without needing to take their iPhone out of their pocket or bag. BMW says the feature will first launch in its new iX electric vehicle, slated to launch in Europe in late 2021 and in North America in early 2022.

Apple introduced support for digital car keys in iOS 13.6 and later last year, and BMW was the first and to date only automaker to roll out the feature, starting with the 2021 5 Series and later to a wider range of BMW models manufactured after July 1, 2020. BMW's current Digital Key feature is based on NFC technology and requires drivers to hold their iPhone near the driver's side door to unlock their vehicle.

Ultra Wideband is a short-range, high-bandwidth wireless communication protocol with precise spatial awareness, meaning that an iPhone will only need to be in the vicinity of the vehicle in order to unlock and start it. BMW says Ultra Wideband's precision also ensures that relay attacks, where the radio signal is jammed or intercepted, are not possible.

Apple started rolling out Ultra Wideband support to some of its devices in 2019 with the U1 chip in iPhone 11 models, followed by iPhone 12 models last year. Apple Watch Series 6 models are also equipped with a U1 chip, and given that Apple's car key feature is available on watchOS 6.2.8 and later, BMW's Digital Key Plus feature could extend to the Apple Watch.

As announced last year, BMW's press release confirms that Apple and BMW have been working closely with the Car Connectivity Consortium to establish the Digital Key 3.0 specification with Ultra Wideband, providing a global standard for the automotive industry.

In related news, Business Korea today claimed that Hyundai plans to adopt Apple's digital car key feature later this year, but the report did not indicate whether Hyundai plans to roll out the NFC or Ultra Wideband version of the feature. Similar to credit cards and boarding passes, digital car keys are stored in the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch.

(Thanks, Luke!)

Apple today sent out emails highlighting a new U.S. Apple Pay promotion, which will see Panera Bread offering four months of unlimited free coffee to those who sign up for a MyPanera+ Coffee subscription and use Apple Pay to check out.

New subscribers who sign up for a MyPanera+ subscription by January 27, 2021 can get the first four months free. After that, the subscription is priced at $8.99 per month. Using ‌Apple Pay‌ for the subscription is a requirement.

MyPanera+ subscribers who swap their payment method to ‌Apple Pay‌ are eligible to get a free cookie. The MyPanera+ program offers unlimited premium coffee (up to every two hours) in any size. Hot tea and iced coffee are included, as are unlimited refills, but espresso, iced cold brew coffee, iced tea, and cappuccino are excluded.

Panera Bread is also an Apple Card partner that offers three percent Daily Cash back on ‌Apple Card‌ purchases made at Panera Bread locations.

Developer Giulio Zompetti, who often shows off prototype versions of Apple devices, today highlighted a prototype version of the iPhone 12 Pro.

The ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro is running an operating system called SwitchBoard, a nonUI version of the iOS 14 update that Apple uses internally. We've seen SwitchBoard on prototype devices before, as Apple uses it to test new features.

Zompetti's prototype ‌iPhone‌ is in Pacific Blue, which was one of the most popular ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro colors. Given the lighting in the photo, the color looks particularly dark, but it's likely the same shade as the final version that released.

The phone also appears to have no visible engravings, which is likely not a surprise as an earlier test version, but it otherwise appears to be similar to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro that launched in October.

In the past, Zompetti has shared prototype versions of the original Apple Watch and third-generation iPod touch.

CES 2021 is taking place digitally this year, and it hasn't been as exciting as in past years because many vendors have opted out. That said, some companies are still showing off some interesting Apple-related accessories that are coming out this year and that will be of interest to Mac, iPad, and iPhone users.

Pioneer Wireless CarPlay Receiver

Wireless CarPlay is catching on, and Pioneer debuted its new DMH-WC5700NEX receiver with support for both wired and wireless ‌CarPlay‌. The updated receiver features a 6.8-inch touchscreen and a hideaway control unit for installation flexibility. It's coming this summer, and pricing hasn't yet been detailed.

LG OLED UltraFine Monitor

LG showed off a new UltraFine Display OLED Pro with a 31.5-inch display, more than 8 million pixels, and HDR individual pixel dimming. It's the first OLED monitor from LG, and like other UltraFine displays, it will be compatible with Apple's Macs. LG also showed off a new 39.7-inch 5K2K UltraWide monitor. Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.

Satechi Dock5 Multi-Device Charging Station

Satechi's Dock5 is a simple charging station that can accommodate up to five devices at one time with two 20W USB-C ports, two 12W USB-A ports, and a Qi-based wireless charger that supports up to 10W. It's priced affordably at $60, and can be purchased from the Satechi website.

Kensington StudioDock for iPad Pro

The StudioDock is an iPad Pro docking station that includes built-in ‌iPhone‌ and AirPods wireless charging, along with an optional Apple Watch charger for charging up a multitude of Apple devices all at once. It has three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, an HDMI 2.0 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an SD card reader, and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Kensington has not yet shared pricing or a release date.

Dell 40-Inch 5K2K Ultrawide Monitor

Dell showed off the UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor, which features a 40-inch curved display with a 5120x2160 resolution. It has a 21:9 aspect ratio and built-in Thunderbolt 3 connectivity so it's able to work with Apple's Macs. The UltraSharp 40 will be available on January 28 at pricing starting at $2,100.

JBL Dolby Atmos Sound Bar

JBL debuted the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam, a soundbar with AirPlay 2 that makes it ideal for Apple users. With ‌AirPlay‌ 2 support, sound can be streamed wirelessly right to the sound bar from the ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Mac. JBL is releasing the sound bar in the Spring of 2021 and it will be priced at $400.

Belkin 2-in-1 MagSafe Charger

Belkin debuted another MagSafe charging option, the Boost Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand with ‌MagSafe‌, which works with Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup. It can charge an ‌iPhone‌ 12 and another device through its wireless charging base, and it's more affordably priced than the 3-in-1 version at $99.95. It will be available in March or April.

Belkin Freedom True Wireless Earbuds

Belkin's wire-free Freedom True Wireless Earbuds under its Soundform brand are the first third-party earbuds to offer integration with the Find My app. These headphones can be tracked right alongside your Apple devices, plus they offer eight hours of play time, environmental noise cancellation, and Qi-based wireless charging. Pricing is unknown, but Belkin plans to release the earbuds in March or April.

Do you have other favorite Apple-related accessories that were announced at ‌CES 2021‌? Let us know in the comments.

Belkin is recalling the Boost Charge Portable Wireless Charger + Stand Special Edition (WIZ003) sold in Apple retail stores and online through Apple and Belkin due to fire and shock hazards, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (via The Verge).

A manufacturing defect with the power supply unit can cause the charger to malfunction and overheat, leading to a fire risk. Belkin says that no injuries or property damage have been reported, and no other wireless chargers are affected by the recall.

Belkin is offering a full refund to all customers who purchased the charger, and recommends that customers who own the charger stop using it immediately and contact the company for further instructions.

The Boost Charge Portable Wireless Charger + Stand Special Edition was sold by Apple and Belkin from July 2020 through October 2020, and it was priced at $80. It features a removable 10,000mAh power bank that can be charged at the same time as an iPhone.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new betas coming a month after Apple released the first betas.

iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.

Paired with the HomePod 14.4 beta that is only available to a limited number of testers, iOS 14.4 adds new HomePod mini functionality that takes advantage of the mini's U1 chip.

There are now visual, audio, and haptic effects when songs are transferred from a HomePod mini to a U1-enabled ‌iPhone‌ 11 or ‌iPhone‌ 12. When an ‌iPhone‌ is near the ‌HomePod mini‌ it begins a soft haptic touch rhythm that gets faster and faster as the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ gets closer until the interface to transfer a song between the ‌‌HomePod mini‌‌ and the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ opens.

This functionality will make handoff quicker and more reliable on a ‌‌HomePod mini‌‌ and an ‌iPhone‌ 11 or ‌iPhone‌ 12, all of which are equipped with U1 chips that let the devices better understand where they are in relation to one another.

In the Workout section of the Apple Watch app on ‌iPhone‌ there's a new "Time to Walk" feature that includes a toggle to "Add Newest Workouts to Watch." This suggests that Apple could be planning to add guided walking workouts in the watchOS 7.3 beta. "Time to Walk Workouts are downloaded when Apple Watch is connected to power and near your ‌iPhone‌. Completed workouts are deleted automatically," reads the setting. This is not functional in the first beta of watchOS 7.3 and iOS 14.4, but could be activated later.

No other new features or changes were discovered in the first beta. The update likely focuses on performance improvements and bug fixes that weren't able to be addressed in the iOS 14.3 update, but it's also possible there are additional features that will be unlocked at a later date.

Update: iOS 14.4 includes a new setting to specify a device type for third-party Bluetooth-connected audio devices so that Headphone Audio Level measurements can be taken correctly. Apple tracks headphone audio levels to send alerts if music is playing at a level that has the potential to damage hearing health over time.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming a month after the first beta and two months after the initial macOS Big Sur release.

Developers can download the ‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌ 11.2 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

It's not yet clear what's included in macOS Big Sur 11.2, and no new features were discovered in the first beta. It likely includes performance improvements, security updates, and fixes for bugs that weren't able to be addressed in the release version of ‌‌macOS Big Sur‌‌.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 7.3 beta to developers for testing purposes, with the beta available a month after the release of the first beta and over a month after the launch of watchOS 7.2 with support for Fitness+, cardio fitness notifications, ECG updates, and more.

To install the ‌watchOS 7.3 beta, developers need to download the proper configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the ‌‌‌watchOS 7‌‌‌.3 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated ‌Apple Watch‌ app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.

To update to the new software, the ‌Apple Watch‌ needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the ‌‌‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌‌‌.

There's a new Apple Watch setting labeled "Time to Walk," which suggests that Apple could be planning to add guided walking workouts in the watchOS 7.3 beta. The feature is not functional at this time, but it could be introduced in a later beta. "Time to Walk Workouts are downloaded when Apple Watch is connected to power and near your ‌iPhone‌. Completed workouts are deleted automatically," reads the setting.

There's no word yet on what else might be new in watchOS 7.3, but it likely includes bug fixes for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the watchOS 7.2 update.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 14.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a month after the release of the first beta.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the tvOS 14.4 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

Apple's tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes. There's no word yet on what's included in tvOS 14.4 update, and there was nothing new discovered in the first beta.

Though we don't often know what's new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.

The main tvOS 14 update released in September brought expanded Picture in Picture support, new HomeKit integration with ‌HomeKit‌ Secure video cameras, support for multiple Apple Arcade profiles, and more, with details available in our tvOS 14 roundup.

Samsung is set to unveil its newest flagship smartphones at a Galaxy Unpacked event that's taking place tomorrow, and ahead of the launch, leaker Evan Blass has shared Samsung marketing materials for the new devices.

As has been rumored several times, the launch information confirms that Samsung plans to follow Apple and ship the new Galaxy smartphones without chargers.

"Galaxy S21+ 5G comes packaged with just what you need - USB Type-C data and charging cable, ejection pin, and Quick Start Guide," is what Samsung will say on its website. "Just another way of being good to the environment."

After Apple unveiled new iPhone 12 models without chargers in the box back in October, Samsung mocked Apple for removing the power adapter. "Included with your Galaxy," read Samsung's ad, which featured a picture of a Samsung power adapter.

After unveiling the new iPhones, Apple said that the power adapters (and earbuds) were removed for environmental reasons, but there was speculation that Apple removed the accessories to cut costs due to the high price of the 5G modems in the ‌iPhone‌ 12 devices.

Samsung also plans to say that it is aiming to improve the environment by ditching power adapters.

Samsung has in the past mocked Apple's design and product decisions before copying Apple and doing the exact same thing. When Apple removed the headphone jack from the ‌iPhone‌ 7 in 2016, for example, Samsung made fun of the iPhone and then went on to nix the headphone jack from the Galaxy A8.

Samsung is expected to debut the S21, S21+, and S21+ Ultra in 6.2 to 6.8-inch size options. The S21 and S21+ will have a flat display with a centered hole punch front camera, while the S21+ Ultra is expected to feature a larger curved screen.

The two lower-end smartphones will have triple-lens camera setups, but the high-end model will have a four-camera setup with a 10MP 10x super-telephoto zoom, a 108MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra wide lens, a 10MP 3x telephoto camera, and a laser autofocus system.

CalDigit today unveiled a new Thunderbolt 4 dock with a wide selection of connectivity options, including three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The dock also has a Thunderbolt 4 port that allows it to be connected to a Mac with a single cable, with up to 94W of pass-through charging for the latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. The dock can be used with up to two 4K displays at 60Hz, but keep in mind that the new M1 Macs officially only support one external display.

Given that Thunderbolt 4 shares the USB-C port design, the dock is also compatible with the latest iPad Pro models and other USB-C devices.

The dock is priced at $219.99 in the United States and listed as in stock on CalDigit's website, where UK customers can also buy it. For customers in the rest of Europe, CalDigit says the dock will be available to purchase on Amazon starting later this month.

CalDigit has also introduced a new Thunderbolt 4 cable that works with any USB-C device, including Macs, providing up to 40Gb/s data speeds and up to 100W of power delivery. A 0.8-meter version of the cable is available now for $29.99 on CalDigit's website, and a two-meter version is slated to begin shipping in February.

OWC also introduced a Thunderbolt 4 dock last week that may be worth checking out for customers who are considering purchasing one.

Update: CalDigit has clarified that this is officially a Thunderbolt 3 dock with Thunderbolt 4 compatibility, although the specifications are virtually identical for Macs.

Qualcomm has reached an agreement to acquire Nuvia, a chip startup company founded by former Apple chip designers, for $1.4 billion, in an effort to compete with Apple and Intel (via Reuters).

Nuvia was founded by three former Apple chip designers that worked on the A-series chips for the iPhone. Among Nuvia's key projects is a custom CPU core design set to be used in servers, but Qualcomm is reportedly planning a broad use of Nuvia's processors in flagship smartphones and laptops, as well as vehicle infotainment and driver-assistance systems.

Qualcomm hopes to re-establish a leading position in chip performance after years of well-publicized patent licensing litigation with Apple and disputes with regulatory authorities. The deal is expected to help Qualcomm reduce its reliance on Arm, which is being purchased by rival company Nvidia for $40 billion.

Most of Qualcomm's current chip designs are licensed directly from Arm. While Nuvia's chips use Arm's underlying architecture, they are custom designs. This could help to lower licensing costs to Arm in the short term and aid the move to a rival architecture in the long term.

Both Qualcomm and Nuvia have had significant disputes with Apple in recent years. In 2017, Apple sued Qualcomm for charging unfair royalties for "technologies they have nothing to do with." One of Nuvia's founders, Gerard Williams III, was sued by Apple for breach of contract. Apple accused Williams of recruiting Apple employees to Nuvia while he was still employed at the company, but it did not bring charges against Nuvia itself.

Intel CEO Bob Swan is to step down as of February 15, according to CNBC. CEO of VMWare, Pat Gelsinger, is expected to take over the position.

During Swan's tenure, Intel has faced a range of considerable setbacks. In the summer of 2020, Apple announced that it was severing its partnership with Intel to favor its own custom silicon instead. Microsoft, another major Intel client, is expected to follow suit in the near future. Intel also reported last year that its latest 7nm processors would be significantly delayed, while its main competitor, AMD, proceeded to capture valuable market share.

In December, a major hedge fund with a one-billion-dollar stake in Intel, Third Point, issued a letter to urge Intel to take "immediate action" and shake up its business model to combat the mounting threats to the company.

Swan was Intel's CFO before he was promoted to CEO in January 2019, having served as interim CEO for seven months. Unlike Swan, Gelsinger comes from a technical background. Having previously worked at Intel before VMWare, Gelsinger became the company's first Chief Technology Officer.

An official announcement of Swan's departure is expected later today. Intel's stock has risen by around ten percent following the news, while VMWare's fell slightly.

Navigo cards for travelling on the Paris metro and bus network are now supported on iPhone, with the ability to "recharge" passes using Apple Pay (via iGeneration).

Last week, it was rumored that Apple had reached an agreement for Navigo cards to work with NFC on ‌iPhone‌, and now the feature has arrived with the latest update to the Navigo app from Paris's transport authority, Ile-de-France Mobilités.

Users can now buy a ticket within the app using ‌Apple Pay‌ and then add it to their physical Navigo card by scanning it on the back of the ‌iPhone‌. Contrary to previous reports, Navigo is still unable to be added to Wallet or used digitally.

The implementation is considerably more onerous than Apple Pay-based solutions in other cities. For example, in London, commuters are able to pass through gates with ‌Apple Pay‌ directly, without the need to purchase a ticket ahead of time or recharge a physical card. Nevertheless, the update to Navigo allows users to buy digital tickets to roam Parisian public transport with ‌Apple Pay‌, avoiding the need to recharge at a dedicated machine.

Navigo, the city's digital mobile transit card, was launched in September 2019, but its success was mired by the need for direct secure authentication with reader gates. This is also why ‌Apple Pay‌ cannot currently be implemented to pay for travel directly on gate readers, since it would skirt the Navigo system.

There have been reports that the need for secure authentication with Navigo will be eliminated at some point in 2021, allowing ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ to be used directly to traverse the public transport network as it does other cities such as New York, which recently completed its rollout of ‌‌Apple Pay‌‌ support.

Navigo on ‌iPhone‌ is supported on ‌iPhone‌ 7 and newer, but it does not yet work with ‌iPhone‌ XR, ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max.