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AT&T offers free shipping with delivery in three to five business days, or express shipping in two to three business for $14.95. AT&T also says curbside pickup within two hours may be available at AT&T retail stores, but we've been unable to find any stores showing stock in our spot checks.
AT&T will almost certainly sell out of these quickly, as other colors have quickly gone out of stock in just the past few minutes, so if you're looking to get AirPods Max sooner than the extended timeframes currently quoted by Apple and others, you might want to jump on this opportunity.
Update: AT&T has sold out of all colors of AirPods Max is not accepting any further orders, even on a delayed shipping schedule.
Apple today shared the trailer for upcoming Billie Eilish documentary "The World's A Little Blurry," which is set to launch on Apple TV+ and in theaters in February 2021.
Apple paid $25 million for the rights to the documentary, which follows the 18-year-old singer-songwriter's life after the launch of her debut album in March 2019.
The documentary is described as a "true coming of age story" that will offer a "deeply intimate look" at her rise to stardom.
"Billie Eilish: The World's A Little Blurry" tells the true coming-of-age story of the singer-songwriter and her rise to global superstardom. From award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler, the documentary offers a deeply intimate look at this extraordinary teenager's journey, at just seventeen years old, navigating life on the road, on stage, and at home with her family, while writing, recording and releasing her debut album "WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?"
Eilish's album, "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" earned her several Grammy awards including Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and more. "The World's A Little Blurry" documentary is directed by R.J. Cutler, who has also directed movies like "If I Stay" and "Listen to Me Marlon." Additional info on the documentary can be found in Apple's press release.
Big tech companies, including Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook, could soon face new wide-reaching regulations in the European Union, under new legislation presented today by the European Commission (via CNBC).
Amid concern for smaller European companies looking to compete in the European market, the European Commission today presented two new pieces of legislation that aim to strictly regulate how big tech companies operate in the EU.
The Digital Markets Act, which has been planned for some time, includes the prohibition of self-preferencing. This means that App Store search results, for example, cannot preference apps made by Apple itself over third-party apps. Moreover, companies will be obliged to allow users to uninstall all pre-installed apps. Performance metrics will also have to be shared for free with advertisers and publishers.
Apple has already gone some way to meeting the rules set out in the Digital Markets Act. For example, as of iOS 10, Apple has allowed users to uninstall default apps. Likewise, last year, Apple adjusted its App Store search algorithm so that fewer of its own apps appear at the top of search results. Nevertheless, Apple will be equally obligated to meet the demands of the legislation, including sharing its internal metrics, if and when it comes into law.
Failure to comply with the rules may result in hefty fines, as high as ten percent of the company's worldwide annual turnover. It is hoped that the regulation will result in long-term, meaningful changes, rather than just repeatedly fining rule breaches.
Another measure to punish big tech companies is forced disinvestment. Systematic rule breaches could result in the demand that companies sell parts of their business "if no other remedy is available."
On the other hand, the Digital Services Act is designed to tackle illegal and harmful content by obliging platforms to rapidly remove it. Large fines also follow breaches in this area. The EU's competition chief, Margrethe Vestager, said that the two proposals would serve a dual purpose:
To make sure that we, as users, have access to a wide choice of safe products and services online. And that businesses operating in Europe can freely and fairly compete online just as they do offline.
Although the two pieces of legislation must be approved by European governments, there are reportedly indications that they could come into force faster than usual. Other governments around the world have also announced tougher regulations on big tech, such as the UK government, which has also announced a fine of ten percent of global turnover unless platforms fail to remove illegal content quickly.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple yesterday released macOS Big Sur version 11.1, with headline new features including AirPods Max support, privacy labels in the Mac App Store, a dedicated Apple TV+ tab in the TV app, and the ability to edit ProRAW photos in the Photos app.
Another notable change mentioned in the update's release notes is the ability for iPhone and iPad apps with non-resizable windows to enter full-screen mode on Macs with the M1 chip, which is particularly useful for video apps like HBO Max. macOS 11.1 also allows iPhone and iPad app windows to be switched between landscape and portrait orientations.
As noted by The 8-Bit, users on Reddit have confirmed that full-screen mode works as expected with games like XCOM and Tropico.
It is only possible to run iPhone and iPad apps on Macs with the M1 chip, which shares the same Arm architecture as A-series chips in the iPhone and iPad. Mobile apps are labeled with "Designed for iPhone" or "Designed for iPad" in the Mac App Store.
macOS 11.1 allows the HBO Max iPad app to go full screen. Our long national nightmare is over.
— Chris Domico (@chrisdomico) December 14, 2020
Mozilla today released Firefox version 84 with native support for Apple Silicon Macs with the M1 chip, touting "dramatic performance improvements" over the previous, unoptimized version of the web browser.
Specifically, Firefox now launches over 2.5 times faster and web apps are now twice as responsive, according to Mozilla.
If you are using a Mac with the M1 chip, Mozilla says you will need to fully exit and restart Firefox after upgrading to version 84 in order for the browser to run natively on Apple Silicon. Mozilla promises not only faster performance, but also better battery life.
Firefox 84 is also the final version to support Adobe Flash.
Apple recently shared a list of popular apps optimized for M1 Macs that are available in the Mac App Store, such as Pixelmator Pro, Adobe Lightroom, Affinity Designer, Darkroom, Fantastical, OmniFocus, BBEdit, Instapaper, and Twitter. Apple boasted that apps optimized for the M1 chip deliver "game-changing speed and capabilities."
Last month, Apple released its first Macs with the M1 chip, including a new 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini.
In short, the filing explains how a Touch ID fingerprint scanner could be integrated into the Side Button of an Apple Watch and what practical purposes it could serve:
The processor may apply the biometric identification for any of several purposes; for example, user identification, device unlocking, and application authorization.
It is easy to see why Apple could add Touch ID to the Apple Watch. Currently, the Apple Watch is dependent on use of a passcode and does not promt for it again until the device is removed from the wrist. Biometric authentication would allow Apple to guarantee Apple Watch users a superior level of security when putting on the device or making an Apple Pay transaction.
The implementation is extremely similar to the Power Button-based Touch ID sensor introduced on the fourth-generation iPad Air, which has also proven that the technology has shrunk over time and Apple continues to be interested in it for commercial applications.
The second filing, spotted by AppleInsider, is titled "Electronic devices with two-stage displays." It outlines how a display can be layered to contain a camera and a flash which are only externally visible when needed.
The two-stage display technology would also work for other devices such as the iPhone, thereby eliminating the notch, but interestingly, the patent focuses on the Apple Watch.
The technology works by layering a pixel array for displaying images and an outer layer with an array of light modulator cells that can become transparent or block out light. Some of these cells "may be placed into a transparent mode to form a window" to allow the camera to function.
When it is desired to capture images, control circuitry in the electronic device may temporarily place the shutter in a transparent mode to allow light from a flash and/or light being imaged by the camera to pass.
This two-stage display solution has the added benefit of each layer being able to react differently. For example, one layer could be fast-reacting for video or animations, while another could be slower for displaying static images or text. This may also improve the Apple Watch's battery life.
Although the patents do not necessarily reveal Apple's immediate plans for the Apple Watch, they do offer an interesting insight into what the company is researching and developing. Adding Touch ID and a camera would certainly present a major upgrade from current Apple Watch models.
In an interview last week Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted that more sensors could be coming to the Apple Watch, potentially giving these patents more weight. Asked about the future of the product, Cook said Apple is still "in the early innings" with the device, noting that the company is testing "mind blowing" capabilities in its labs. "Think about the amount of sensors in your car," said Cook, adding "and arguably, your body is much more important than your car." It is yet to be seen if Touch ID and a camera will be added to the Apple Watch any time soon, but it is not difficult to imagine Apple implementing them at some point in the future.
Following the launch of the AirPods Max this week, Apple has shared a series of support documents with helpful details about the headphones. Apple has also shared some helpful tips on getting started with its new Fitness+ workout service.
How the LED Status Light Works on AirPods Max
On the bottom of the right ear cup of the AirPods Max, there is a small LED status light that serves multiple purposes.
If you press the noise control button when your AirPods Max are connected to power, the status light will turn green if the charge has more than 95% remaining, or amber if the charge has less than or equal to 95% remaining, according to Apple.
If you press the noise control button when your AirPods Max aren't connected to power, Apple says the status light will turn green if the charge has more than 15% remaining, or amber if the charge has less than or equal to 15% remaining.
If you're experiencing issues with your AirPods Max, the headphones can be rebooted by pressing and holding the noise control button and the Digital Crown until the status light flashes amber. You can also reset your AirPods Max to factory settings and unpair them from your iCloud account by pressing and holding the noise control button and the Digital Crown for 15 seconds, until the status light flashes amber, then white.
AirPods Max Aren't Water Resistant
Apple has confirmed that the AirPods Max aren't waterproof or water resistant, advising users to "be careful not to get moisture in any openings." Apple says the headphones can be cleaned with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, or gently wiped with disinfecting wipes, but the wipes should not be used on the meshed part of the headband or ear cushions.
Priced at $549, the AirPods Max are available to order on Apple.com, but online orders currently face a lengthy 12-14 week delivery estimate — same-day pickup is also available at select Apple Stores while supplies last. The headphones feature a premium stainless steel design with active noise cancellation, spatial audio, adaptive EQ, and more.
Apple Fitness+ requires iOS 14.3, iPadOS 14.3, watchOS 7.2, and tvOS 14.3 or later. The service is available through a new tab in the Fitness app on iPhone, while iPad users can get the Fitness app from the App Store. On the Apple TV, the Fitness app automatically appears once users install tvOS 14.3. The service requires an Apple Watch Series 3 or later.
While the AirPods Max face a lengthy 12-14 week delivery estimate for online orders, Apple's new over-ear headphones are now available for same-day pickup at select Apple retail stores in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
In the United States, the AirPods Max are currently available for pickup in all color options except Sky Blue, as noted by 9to5Mac's Michael Steeber.
To initiate the pickup process, add the AirPods Max to your cart on Apple.com and select the "I'll pick it up" option during checkout. Next, select a pickup date and a 15-minute check-in window, enter your personal information, and complete payment online. Make sure to bring a government-issued photo ID with you to your appointment, and remember that health precautions such as face coverings and temperature checks are currently in effect.
AirPods Max are Apple's new premium over-ear headphones, featuring active noise cancellation, spatial audio, adaptive EQ, and more. Priced at $549, the headphones are designed with memory foam ear cushions, a stainless steel frame, and a mesh headband. Like the Apple Watch, the AirPods Max have a Digital Crown for volume control and Siri, and there's an Apple-designed H1 chip in each ear cup for instant pairing with Apple devices.
The pickup option has yet to go live in some countries, including the UK, and inventory will likely fluctuate, so act fast if interested.
Amazon is discounting the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE to $249.00, down from $309.00, which is a price even cheaper than those seen on Black Friday. You'll only find this sale in the Space Gray Aluminum model with a Black Sport Band, while the other colors are priced around $279-$299.
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This is the lowest price that we've ever tracked for the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE, and Amazon is still promising Christmas Day delivery, so it makes for a good bit of last-minute holiday shopping as well. While the 40mm GPS models are on sale, they aren't quite at their lowest ever price, so you'll find them priced at $249.00 as well, down from $279.00.
Apple has reportedly tasked suppliers to produce up to 96 million iPhones for the first half of 2021, a nearly 30% year-on-year increase, following a late surge in demand for the iPhone 12 amid the global health crisis.
The robust orders are said to include the latest iPhone 12 series and the older iPhone 11 and iPhone SE, although industrywide shortages of key components could make the target unrealistic, according to sources who spoke to Nikkei Asia.
The tentative full-year forecast that Apple shared with its suppliers suggests it plans to build up to 230 million iPhones in 2021, including both old and new models, the people said. This would mark a 20% rise from 2019, though the target will be regularly reviewed and revised in response to any changes in consumer demand, they added.
"The planned production for the next quarter and the following quarter have been decided and the outlook is quite bright," an executive at a key Apple supplier told Nikkei. "The iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max are especially stronger than we estimated, while the demand for iPhone 12 is in line with the forecast, but iPhone 12 mini is a bit sluggish," the person added.
GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu told Nikkei that most suppliers and market watchers are optimistic about 2021 demand, and said he believes iPhone shipments will "certainly" return to growth next year. Despite the upbeat forecast, however, Pu cautioned that there remain uncertainties about whether next year's "iPhone 13" series will be as hotly anticipated as Apple's first 5G iPhone lineup is proving.
"We are a bit conservative about its next new iPhone lineup which is set to be released in the second half of 2021," Pu said. "We don't see the excitement for the new model in 2021 after its first 5G iPhone lineup this year," he added.
Apple is expected to continue offering four iPhones in 2021, with no changes to the sizes. So we can expect a 5.4-inch iPhone mini, a 6.1-inch low-cost iPhone, a 6.1-inch Pro model, and a 6.7-inch Pro Max model. Major design changes are not foreseen, and 2021 iPhones are likely to have the same feature set as the 2020 iPhones, but we can probably count on camera improvements, a faster A-series processor, and a new 5G chip made by Qualcomm.
Rumors suggest at least one iPhone in 2021 could feature a portless design that relies entirely on wireless charging rather than a Lightning port, though it's not clear if this will pan out. Apple could also shrink the notch in 2021, with one rumor suggesting a shallower notch with a reduced height rather than reduced width will be added to the iPhone lineup.
With the first wave of AirPods Max orders now arriving into the hands of customers, as always there are bound to be a few hiccups encountered when trying to connect and use the over-ear headphones with different devices for the first time.
If you're experiencing issues, the first thing you should do before anything else is reset the headphones and see if that resolves the problem. If that doesn't work, or if you've decided to return the headphones, you can reset them to factory settings and unpair them from your iCloud account.
How to Reset AirPods Max
Before you reset your AirPods Max, make sure they have some charge by plugging them into a charging point via the supplied USB-C to Lightning Cable.
Press and hold the Noise Control button and the Digital Crown until the LED status light at the bottom of the right-hand earcup flashes amber.
If that doesn't solve your problem, you can reset the AirPods Max to factory settings. If you go down that route to return the headphones to Apple, remember to unpair them from your iCloud account.
How to Reset AirPods Max to Factory Settings
Make sure the headphones have some charge by plugging them into a charging point via the supplied USB-C to Lightning Cable.
Press and hold the Noise Control button and the Digital Crown for 15 seconds, until the LED status light at the bottom of the right-hand earcup flashes amber, then white.
If neither of these options work to resolve your particular problem, contact Apple Support.
Encrypted messaging app Signal is rolling out support for encrypted group video calls with up to five participants in its latest update.
In a blog post announcing the update, Signal developer Randall-Signal explained:
Today, we're launching group calls in Signal with the latest versions of our apps. Group calls are free, private, and end-to-end encrypted — like everything else on Signal.
Now when you open a group chat in Signal, you'll see a video call button at the top. When you start a call, the group will receive a notification letting them know a call has started.
When you start or join a group call, Signal will display the participants in a grid view. You can also swipe up to switch to a view that automatically focuses the screen on who is speaking, and it will update in real time as the active speaker changes.
Group calls are only supported in new style Signal groups, so users won't see the call button in their legacy groups, but the developers say legacy Signal groups will start automatically updating to New Groups in the coming weeks.
Group calls are currently limited to 5 participants, but developers are working to let users have more participants in a group call soon.
Home theater brand Definitive Technology today is announcing a new Studio 3D Mini Sound Bar System that includes a slim sound bar and wireless subwoofer with support for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and AirPlay 2.
The Studio 3D Mini consists of a 4.1 channel, six-driver array with aluminum tweeters and a compact 8-inch wireless subwoofer. The system can process Dolby Atmos and DTS:X encoded movies via a single HDMI eARC connection, and it offers a number of connectivity options including 4K HDMI in, 4K HDMI with eARC out, optical in, AUX in, and a USB port for music playback.
With AirPlay 2, the Studio 3D Mini will appear in the Home app and Control Center on Apple devices to let you easily beam content from your device and sync among multiple AirPlay 2-compatible speakers, and it can all be controlled via Siri. The system also supports Alexa and Google Assistant for integrating with those ecosystems.
Beyond the usual third-party speaker ecosystems, the Studio 3D Mini is Definitive Technology's first product to include support for HEOS Built-in, which similarly allows users to easily link compatible speaker products together in multi-room audio systems and manage them while also streaming from services such as Spotify and Deezer or directly from the user's music library.
The Definitive Technology Studio 3D Mini sound bar system will be available next month and will be priced at $899.
Multiple rumors have indicated that Apple is working on a refreshed version of the Apple TV, and a report today by Nikkei Asia Review adds to speculation that Apple will release a new version of its set-top box next year.
Cites sources familiar with Apple's plans, Nikkei's Apple TV mention appears in a broader report about Apple's 2021 production plans.
Apple is also preparing an aggressive production schedule for its high-end computers, including the MacBook Pro and iMac Pro, for 2021, two other people familiar with the matter said. The company is in the midst of replacing Intel central processors in its computer lineups with self-designed CPUs built using technology from British chip designer Arm. Apple already introduced three MacBook models powered by its M1 central processor in late 2020 and announced it will take about two years to fully transition to CPUs designed in-house. The U.S. tech giant is also working on a new Apple TV, a home entertainment device for video-on-demand services, for next year, one of the people said.
Rumors have been bubbling all year about a new Apple TV ever since signs of the unreleased device were spotted in an iOS 13.4 beta in January. At the time, rumors suggested it would feature an A12 chip and come in 64 and 128GB storage sizes.
Beyond possible remote changes, storage capacities, an updated processor, and a "T1125" codename, there's little else known about the new Apple TV, although Prosser recently suggested it could include a U1 chip that enables Ultra Wideband support for improved spatial awareness between devices.
Given the spate of rumors, one theory is that Apple is working on multiple Apple TV set-top boxes, which could explain the discrepancy in chip rumors. Whatever Apple's plans are, a new Apple TV next year feels like a safe bet – Apple hasn't updated the current Apple TV 4K since September 2017.
Before Apple Fitness+ launched on Monday, Apple advertised a promotion that allowed all customers who purchased an Apple Watch Series 6, SE, or Series 3 a free three-month free trial of Fitness+. However, while that free three-month trial is meant to activate automatically and be available when first signing up for Fitness+, many people that should be eligible for the 3-month trial are instead being offered a standard 1-month trial.
Several users have contacted Apple Support about the problem, but there's a way to resolve the issue manually that's likely to be faster for many people than waiting to hear back.
The steps below take you through the process of unpairing your Apple Watch from your iPhone and then re-pairing it, after which you should see your three-month trial in the Fitness app. It should take about 15 minutes in all, although bear in mind that if you use Apple Pay on your Apple Watch then you'll need to set it up again afterwards, which is easier to do with some card issuers than others. It's also worth noting that this method only works if you haven't already accepted the one-month trial.
How to Get Your Apple Watch Fitness+ 3-Month Trial
Make sure your iPhone and Apple Watch are updated to iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2, respectively.
Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Tap the My Watch tab in the bottom-left corner of the screen, then select All Watches in the top-left corner.
Under My Watches, tap the Info button (the encircled "i" icon) next to the watch that you want to unpair.
Tap Unpair Apple Watch, then tap again to confirm. (For GPS + Cellular models, choose to keep your cellular plan.)
Enter your Apple ID password to confirm once again.
Once your watch is unpaired, the Watch app will invite you to Start Pairing an Apple Watch.
When prompted, position your iPhone so that your Apple Watch appears in the viewfinder in the Apple Watch app.
Tap Set Up Apple Watch, then follow the instructions on your iPhone and Apple Watch to finish setup, and remember to choose your most recent Apple Watch iCloud backup to restore when prompted.
Now that you've re-paired your Apple Watch to your iPhone, enter the Fitness app, tap the Fitness+ tab, and you should see an option to "Start 3 Months Free."
It's December 15 in Australia and New Zealand, which is AirPods Max launch day. The first AirPods Max orders have begun arriving to customers in the two countries, as Apple fans in Australia and New Zealand are always the first to get their hands on new devices.
Those in New Zealand and Australia who were able to place an order for launch day delivery before the AirPods Max sold out are receiving their orders, and have been sharing photos on Twitter and other social networks.
There are no Apple Stores in New Zealand, but Apple Stores in Australia have appear to have a limited amount of AirPods Max stock available for in-store pickup. Based on a spot check, most locations in Australia appear to have the less popular silver and space gray models available in store.
The black AirPods Max look pretty good. More subtle than the colours, but will go better with my hair once it’s red again. pic.twitter.com/5qhKEVKJ9l
— Alice Clarke (@Alicedkc) December 14, 2020
It's possible that stores also had the other colors and have now sold out, but as with orders placed for shipping, the pink, blue, and green colors appear to be highly limited if they're available at all.
Store availability in Australia means that Apple will also have stock available in retail locations in the United States on December 15 for those who were not able to place a preorder that arrives in a reasonable amount of time. Orders placed today for all colors of the AirPods Max will not ship for 12 to 14 weeks, which means the AirPods Max are backordered until March.
Following New Zealand and Australia, AirPods Max sales will begin in the Middle East, Europe, and then North America.
It's not clear why Apple didn't just add the Fitness+ app to the iPad when updating to iPadOS 14.3, but it's as simple as any other app to download. Just look it up in the App Store or click the link up above to access it, and then tap on "Get."
Once installed, the Fitness app on iPad can be used to view Fitness+ workouts, with or without an Apple Watch to track the workout. Unlike the Fitness app for iPhone, the Fitness app for iPad does not have a summary of fitness metrics nor does it list other fitness information -- the app is designed as a portal for Fitness+ and that's it.
When Fitness+ was first released, the iPad app was nonfunctional and wasn't available to be downloaded, but Apple has now fixed that problem and everyone should be able to download it from the App Store.
Fitness+ is compatible with all iPad Pro models, the fifth-generation iPad and later, the iPad mini 4 and later, the third-generation iPad Air and later, and the 2014 iPad Air 2 and later. iPadOS 14.3 is required.
Apple in iOS 14.3 quietly added a new Siri feature that's designed to allow the personal assistant to replicate all manner of sounds, from animals to alarms, musical instruments, and more.
According to CNBC, you can ask Siri questions like "what does a humpback whale sound like?" or "what does a lion sound like?" to have Siri play the sound of a whale or a lion.
Apple added hundreds of different sounds, and on iPhone and iPad, Siri will also display a picture of the animal or device and then link to more information from Wikipedia after playing the sound.
This Siri feature is still in the process of rolling out and we here at MacRumors were not able to get it to work properly on devices running iOS 14.3. We were, however, able to get it to work on HomePod in one case.
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