MacRumors

Apple today sent out emails informing Apple Pay users about a New Year promotion that will see Grubhub offering a 20 percent discount on purchases of $10 or more when customers use ‌Apple Pay‌.

Customers can make a $10+ Grubhub purchase either on the web or in the Grubhub app and then get a 20 percent discount by using the promo code APPLEPAY when checking out.

The discount is limited to $10, which means a $50 purchase will get the maximum discount amount. The promo code can be used one time, and it is not able to be used for alcohol purchases. The discount is applied prior to tax, tip, and fees, and it is available until January 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

Though 2020 forced Apple to shift how it operates with many employees working from home for most of the year, Apple still managed to get a long list of new products out over the course of the last 12 months, refreshing most devices in its lineup and introducing new software.

In our latest YouTube video, we rounded up our top five products of 2020. Though there was a lot to choose from, there were several standouts like the M1 Macs, the iPhone 12 lineup, the iPad Air, the AirPods Max, and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro.

Magic Keyboard

It may seem like forever ago, but back in March 2020, Apple debuted new iPad Pro models with updated camera technology that includes a LiDAR Scanner for the first time, and alongside the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models, Apple introduced the Magic Keyboard.

Apple previously had a Smart Keyboard for its iPads, but the Magic Keyboard is the best Apple-designed iPad keyboard to date. It has a scissor mechanism keyboard that's similar to the keyboard used for Apple's Macs, and for the first time, there's a trackpad.

The trackpad makes the ‌iPad‌ more laptop-like than ever, and Apple's iPads are also now compatible with mice. The Magic Keyboard also has a nifty float design that allows the display to be adjusted, and it even works well in a lap.

On the downside, it's priced starting at $300, which is incredibly expensive for a keyboard, and it doesn't fold back so you can't use it as a standard case when you don't need the keyboard.

iPad Air

Introduced in September 2020, the iPad Air is Apple's first device that has a fullscreen display and Touch ID, with a ‌Touch ID‌ fingerprint sensor built into the power button.

It also got a faster A14 chip before the A14 chip came to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 (even though Apple ultimately released the ‌iPad Air‌ and the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup at the same time), and it comes in a range of fresh colors that haven't been used before for an ‌iPad‌.

Compared to prior-generation ‌iPad Air‌ models, it got an ‌iPad Pro‌ style-display with slimmed down bezels, and with its A14 chip, ‌Touch ID‌, and new design, it's a solid deal at its $599 starting price.

iPhone 12

Apple released four new iPhones this year, including a 5.4-inch iPhone mini, its smallest ‌iPhone‌ in many years designed for those who are fans of smaller devices, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, the largest ‌iPhone‌ to date.

All of the new iPhones feature a fresh ‌iPad‌ Pro-style design with squared off edges that mark a departure from the rounded edges we've seen in the ‌iPhone‌ lineup since the ‌iPhone‌ 6.

The iPhones all feature OLED displays even at the low end, and have A14 chips that are incredibly fast. They all have great cameras, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max has the highest-end camera setup, though both Pro models feature the same LiDAR Scanner first introduced in the ‌iPad Pro‌.

‌iPhone‌ 12 models are also equipped with a ring of magnets inside that makes them compatible with a new technology called MagSafe, which is used for attaching chargers and magnetic accessories. With ‌MagSafe‌, iPhones are able to charge wirelessly at up to 15W, an improvement over the prior 7.5W charging maximum.

M1 Macs

At WWDC in June, Apple confirmed that it was working on its own Apple silicon Arm-based chips, and in November, the first Apple silicon Macs were unveiled with "M1" chips. The ‌M1‌ Macs are, without a doubt, the most exciting new products that Apple has come out with in the Mac lineup in years.

Prior to launch, no one knew quite what to expect from the ‌M1‌ Macs, but Apple surprised everyone with downright incredible performance. When it comes to single-core CPU speeds, the ‌M1‌ Macs beat out all other Macs on the market, and in multi-core performance, they're on par with some of Apple's higher-end desktop machines.

Apple put its ‌M1‌ chip in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, and despite the speed gains introduced with these chips, these are the low-end Macs, with even more powerful chips expected for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, and other machines in 2021.

AirPods Max

We weren't expecting the AirPods Max until 2021, but Apple introduced them as a December surprise. The ‌AirPods Max‌ are Apple's first Apple-branded over-ear headphones, and they turned out to be more expensive than anyone expected at $549.

The ‌AirPods Max‌ feature aluminum ear cups, mesh ear cushions, and a mesh headband, and though they're heavier than many other over-ear headphone options on the market because of the premium build, most people have found them to be comfortable.

‌AirPods Max‌ have all of the features that you expect from AirPods like quick pairing, fast device switching, and great range, plus Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive EQ, and Spatial Audio. They sound great, as they should for $549, and battery life is decent at 20 hours.

The one real downside is the Smart Case, which has a curious design, offers no protection, and is generally seen as one of the worst cases included with a set of premium headphones.

Wrap Up

What's on your list of top five Apple products of 2020? Let us know in the comments.

In 2021, we're expecting many more new devices, including additional (and more powerful) ‌M1‌ Macs, AirTags, an Apple TV, new software, and the ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup. You can keep an eye on what's rumored to be launching in our Upcoming Apple Products guide, and we'll have an in-depth rundown later this week.

Corellium, a mobile device company that supports iOS, this week won a significant victory in its legal battle against Apple. Apple last year sued Corellium for copyright infringement because the Corellium software is designed to replicate iOS to allow security researchers to locate bugs and security flaws.

According to The Washington Post, a Florida judge threw out Apple's claims that Corellium had violated copyright law with its software. The judge said that Corellium successfully demonstrated that it operates under fair use terms.

"Weighing all the necessary factors, the Court finds that Corellium has met its burden of establishing fair use," Judge Smith wrote Tuesday's order. "Thus, its use of iOS in connection with the Corellium Product is permissible."

In its lawsuit, Apple said that Corellium illegally replicated the operating system and applications that run on the iPhone and iPad. "Corellium has simply copied everything: the code, the graphical user interface, the icons - all of it, in exacting detail," Apple said in the original filing.

Corellium's software does indeed create digital replicas of iOS, iTunes, and user interface elements available on a web-based platform or custom platform built by Corellium, with the software posed as an exact copy of iOS to allow security researchers to locate bugs. Corellium argued that its software helps Apple by making it easier for security researchers to find flaws and has also accused Apple of using the lawsuit to "crack down on jailbreaking."

Corellium claimed that Apple's code in its product is "fair use," which the judge in the case agreed with. Apple has also said that Corellium circumvented Apple's security measures to create its software and violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and that claim has not been tossed out. Apple has not yet commented on the decision.

As an alternative to Corellium, Apple launched a Security Device Research Program to give vetted researchers access to specially-configured iPhones that are less locked down than consumer devices with the aim of helping researchers locate bugs in iOS. Apple in late December began sending out the first of these research iPhones.

Leaker Mr-white, who has in the past shared accurate details on Apple's product plans, today tweeted alleged images of internal hardware that will be used in the second-generation AirPods Pro earbuds expected to be released sometime in 2021.

In the photos below, the hardware on the right side of the image appears to be current ‌AirPods Pro‌ hardware, while the hardware on the left is designed for the next-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌. The cables are in two different sizes, which Mr-white suggests is an indication that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 could perhaps come in two sizes.

Rumors from Bloomberg have suggested that the second-generation version of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ will feature a more compact design that eliminates the short stem that sticks out from the bottom. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ could feature a rounded shape more similar to earbuds from companies like Google and Samsung, and for this design, it could make sense to offer different sizes for a better fit.

Apple is said to be struggling to shrink the AirPods down to the appropriate size to eliminate the stem, so there's a chance that won't happen, and that could explain why the hardware designs shared by Mr-white appear to be similar in size to the current ‌AirPods Pro‌ hardware.

Rumors have also said that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ will feature a new wireless chip. Mr-white says the new ‌AirPods Pro‌ still have a "W2 chip," but it's unclear what that means. The current ‌AirPods Pro‌ use an H1 processor that does have a wireless chip that's a successor to the original W1 chip in the first-generation AirPods, so it's possible W2 here refers to the H1 and indicates no new wireless chip technology.

Mr-white has shared accurate Apple details in the past, but is not always correct. Earlier this year, Mr-white shared images of a braided cable said to be for the iPhone 12 lineup, but that did not pan out. He has also said that Apple is working on a black Apple Pencil, and that has yet to appear. He did, however, share early leaks of Apple's iPhone 12 casing and display unit, which were accurate.

There's no word yet on when exactly a refreshed version of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ will come out, but the updated earbuds are expected sometime in 2021.

Apple is researching keyboards with small displays on the keys to dynamically change the label on each key, according to a newly-granted patent filing.

The filing, spotted by Patently Apple, is titled "Electronic devices having keys with coherent fiber bundles" and was granted to Apple by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on the final patent day of this year.

The patent explains how each key on a keyboard could have "an associated key display" connected to "control circuitry in the keyboard" via a "coherent fiber bundle." Apple proposes that each key would be "formed from a fiber optic plate" with "opposing first and second surfaces."

While the patent stipulates that each key would need to contain a small display to provide the label, of which any compatible pixel array would work, the foremost technology put forwards by Apple is OLED. The key may be made from materials such as glass, ceramic, metal, or polymer, or even crystalline materials such as sapphire.

This system would allow the entire keyboard to be "reconfigurable" with labels that can change as needed. The patent highlights that keyboards could be reconfigured "for different languages, to temporarily convert a standard keyboard into a gaming keyboard in which keys correspond to particular in-game actions, or to otherwise modify the behavior associated with pressing the keys in the keyboard."

There is also the suggestion that each key could provide "visual feedback" to indicate the current status of each key, such as whether it corresponds to an uppercase or lowercase letter or an active ability when gaming.

Images included in the patent suggest that the adaptive keyboard could be used both in a laptop enclosure as well as a separate keyboard for desktop computers.

Crucially, this system does not interfere with the dome or scissor switches of physical keyboards. Unlike other Apple keyboard patents, such as one for a static glass keyboard or a full-size touchscreen panel, this proposition explicitly outlines a system to be used with moveable keys, so Apple could theoretically retain the design of its Magic Keyboard.

While patents do not necessarily prove what Apple is intending to bring to market, they can provide an interesting insight into what the company is researching and developing. Considering Apple has demonstrated its interest in adaptive displays on the keyboard through the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar, it does not seem unlikely that Apple would expand similar technology to each individual key at some point in the future.

Apple's stock opened at a new all-time high of $138.05 today, eclipsing the company's previous opening record of $137.59 set on September 2, 2020. However, the share price has since trended downwards slightly in intraday trading.

Apple has seen its stock price rise nearly 150% since opening at a 2020 low of $57.02 in late March, a few weeks after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The company has thrived during the pandemic, seeing strong demand for devices like Macs and iPads as many people work, learn, and socialize from home.

Apple set a September quarter record with $64.7 billion revenue, and its December quarter could be even more impressive, as the entire iPhone 12 lineup launched within the quarter due to pandemic-related delays. In fact, the oft-lucrative holiday quarter could see Apple report all-time high quarterly revenue above $100 billion for the first time ever, according to 27 analyst estimates averaged by Yahoo Finance.

It's worth noting that Apple announced a four-for-one stock split in August, and split-adjusted trading began at the end of that month.

A new report by Flurry Analytics states that nine of the top ten smartphones activated on Christmas Day 2020 in the United States were iPhones.

Christmas Day in the United States is the single greatest day for new smartphone activations, so it represents a unique opportunity to analyse consumer preferences.

The iPhone 11 was the most activated device on Christmas Day, with activations five percent higher than the trailing average of the period between December 18 and December 24. This is the second consecutive year that the ‌iPhone‌ 11 has taken the top spot, followed by the ‌iPhone‌ XR. The leading premium device was the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which has continued to see "strong and long-lasting demand."

This ranking is in line with normal trends, as Apple's newer and higher-end devices generally only surge around launch due to early adopters. The ‌iPhone‌ 12 has made gains as users gradually replace their existing devices in the months after launch. Some smartphones, such as the ‌iPhone‌ XR, were not more popular than the trailing average for that device, meaning that it was not necessarily a popular gift for Christmas, but rather just a popular smartphone.

The only non-Apple device to reach the top 10 was LG's budget K30 smartphone. Overall, budget devices dominated the top ten, with the ‌iPhone‌ SE and LG K30 seeing 34 percent and 181 percent surges respectively. Flurry believes that the success of past years' models, such as the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and ‌iPhone‌ XR, indicates that American consumers were more price-sensitive this holiday season.

One notable exception from the top ten is the iPhone 12 mini, which has seemingly failed to catch consumers' attention as much as other devices, perhaps due to its discount of only $100 compared to the larger ‌iPhone‌ 12.

This year, smartphone activations were down 23 percent year-on-year. Flurry speculates that this may be due to financial hardships, more limited family gatherings, or more spread out gift-giving this year.

Flurry Analytics uses data from over one million mobile applications, providing insights from two billion mobile devices per month, and it will soon report on the full month of December to give a fuller picture of smartphone activations.

The Department of Justice this week formally appealed a judge's order that blocks restrictions on TikTok by the U.S. government, according to a new court filing, in a continuation of the Trump administration's campaign against the short-form video sharing platform (via CNN).

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols issued an order blocking the Department of Commerce's restrictions on TikTok, which would have prevented new downloads of the app from Apple and Google app stores. On Monday, the U.S. government appealed Nichols' decision, signaling Trump's intention to pursue the Chinese company into the last days of his presidency.

Trump's offensive against TikTok began in August when he signed an executive order that officially banned any U.S. transactions with TikTok if its Chinese parent ByteDance did not reach a deal to divest it to a U.S. company within 90 days. Commerce Department officials later said they were taking the unprecedented step of banning the app because of the risks posed by its data collection practices and Chinese ownership.

However, in September, Judge Nichols granted TikTok a preliminary injunction that temporarily halted the banning order while TikTok owner ByteDance sought a way to divest the app's U.S. operations to an American-based company.

ByteDance was later given a new deadline of December 4 to sell TikTok to a domestic U.S. company, but that deadline elapsed as talks continued with the U.S. government about a sale.

ByteDance is said to have reached a proposed deal with Oracle and Walmart that would divest it of the social media app and create a new U.S.-based company called TikTok Global, but that deal has not been finalized, and it remains unclear how the incoming administration would view the matter if it does not conclude before Trump leaves office.

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 device owners who participated in the Apple Hearing Study that Apple is conducting with the University of Michigan School of Public Health are today receiving emails letting them know about a bug that resulted in excess data collection.

Those who enrolled in the study consented to allow Apple and researchers to collect headphone sound level, environmental sound level, heart rate, and workout data types. The data is used to help researchers better understand the link between long-term sound exposure and the impact on hearing health.

According to the email participants are receiving, a bug in the study caused up to 30 days worth of historical data to be collected. Data collection did not fall outside of what was consented to when participants signed up, but the sign up form did not mention the collection of historical data.

Thank you for your participation in the Apple Hearing Study. When you enrolled in the study, you provided consent to collect certain headphone sound level, environmental sound level, heart rate, and workout data types during the enrollment process. This data is collected to help researchers, listed in the consent form, understand the link between long-term sound exposure and its impact on hearing health. We recently learned that due to a bug, after study enrollment, the Apple Hearing Study unintentionally collected up to 30 days of historical data for these authorized data types. The study only collected data after your consent was obtained. However, the study consent form does not state that historical data will be collected.

The bug has now been fixed with a study app update and historical data received to date have been deleted. We remain committed to your privacy and will continue to monitor for and delete any additional historical data if received until you update your Apple Research app. Please update your Apple Research app to the latest version here, to receive the fix.

At no time did Apple have access to information collected from the Apple Research app that could directly identify you. Please refer to the study informed consent form for additional details on the data that is being collected, how your data is stored, and who your data might be shared with for the purposes of the study.

Richard Neitzel, the principal investigator in the study, says that Apple did not have access to information collected from the Apple Research app that could be used for identification purposes.

The bug has been addressed with an update to the Apple Research app and historical data received to data has been deleted. To ensure no further historical data collection, participants are being asked to update their Apple Research apps.

Los Angeles County residents who receive a COVID-19 vaccination are able to add a digital record of their vaccination to the Apple Wallet app, reports Bloomberg.

The county is partnering with Healthvana to add the vaccination proof to the Wallet app on iPhone. Healthvana is a patient platform that healthcare providers can use to deliver COVID-19 test results to patients.

The vaccination record helps to ensure that those who have been vaccinated receive their second shot in the two-dose procedure, and in the future, Bloomberg speculates that it could be used as proof of vaccination to access flights, concerts, and more.

For the time being, the Wallet vaccination record will alert people who have had their first shot about their second appointment to make sure each person is fully vaccinated.

"We're really concerned. We really want people to come back for that second dose," Claire Jarashow, LA's director of vaccine preventable disease control told Bloomberg. "We just don't have the capacity to be doing hundreds of medical record requests to find people's first doses and when they need to get their second."

Immunizations are also being tracked in registries and those vaccinated receive a paper card, but that card is easily lost so the Wallet app serves as more permanent proof.

The county is planning to send data to Healthvana each night, with information stored on Amazon Web Services' HIPAA-compliant servers. Jarashow told Bloomberg that it's as "safe as we can make it," and that she would "feel comfortable using it."

As of December 22, Los Angeles had administered at least 38,850 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to health-care providers, residents of long-term care facilities, and paramedics.

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 this month announced a new Launch@Apple mentorship program that's designed for first-generation college students, with the program set to launch in early 2021.

According to a PDF describing Launch@Apple, it is aimed at first-generation college freshmen and sophomores who are majoring in finance, mathematics, economics, business, data analytics, and accounting.

It matches college students one-on-one with Apple mentors who are able to provide resources for learning and opportunities for professional growth, with the possibility of job shadowing, paid externships, and paid internships.

Apple has not publicly announced Launch@Apple, and it's not entirely clear how the word is being spread. MyHealthyApple shared details this morning, and last week, a LinkedIn post highlighted the program. Ahead of when Launch begins in early 2021, Apple is accepting applications from students with a wide range of GPAs.

Students must be in their first or second year of college with a parent or legal guardian who has not obtained a college degree. Students must want to learn about finance in a "fast-paced, innovative environment" and must be intending to major in one of the accepted disciplines.

Apple is accepting applications through Friday, January 8, 2021, and students who want to participate must provide details on school, GPA, resume, and more, and are required to answer personal questions on life challenges, why they should be accepted, and what gives them joy. Applications must be sent to launch@apple.com.

The first third-party cases and hangers for AirPods Max containing magnets, that allow users to avoid using Apple's Smart Case, are now available for purchase.

Apple's Smart Case contains magnets that put ‌AirPods Max‌ into a low power mode to preserve battery life. After 18 hours in the Smart Case, the ‌AirPods Max‌ go into an ultra-low power mode that turns off Bluetooth and Find My.

‌AirPods Max‌ have no power button, with Apple instead relying on different power modes and the Smart Case to preserve battery life. Yet the Smart Case has come under fire for its design, which some customers have criticized for offering very little protection and being impractical, and without using it, ‌AirPods Max‌ take longer to enter its low-power state.

Amid these criticisms, third-party companies have begun presenting solutions to address the criticisms of the Smart Case. WaterField Designs' protective "Shield Case" for ‌AirPods Max‌, unlike Apple's Smart Case which only partially covers each ‌AirPods Max‌ ear cup, cradles the entire headset in an ultra-plush interior and offers three layers of protection. There is also an interior pocket to carry a charging brick, waterproof zippers, and a loop to attach the case to a carabiner.

The WaterField Shield Case contains a "Magnetic Leather Butterfly" that puts ‌AirPods Max‌ into their low power mode without Apple's Smart Case, but it is also possible to fold down these magnets to put ‌AirPods Max‌ together with their Smart Case into the Shield Case too.

On Etsy, a 3D-printed ‌AirPods Max‌ "Air Hanger" similarly uses magnets to put the headphones into low power mode without the Smart Case. The wall-mounted hanger allows ‌AirPods Max‌ to be hung at any band length, with a curved lip to prevent the headphones from sliding off.

The WaterField Designs Shield Case for ‌AirPods Max‌ is available now in a range of colors for $99. The Air Hanger is available on Etsy for $34.95.

Russian company Caviar, known for making luxury variants of popular tech gadgets, today announced that it will be releasing custom AirPods Max plated with "pure gold" for the high price of $108,000 at some point in 2021.

The custom AirPods Max will be available in white and black, with each color offered "in a single piece worldwide," suggesting that the headphones may be quite exclusive. In the words of Caviar, the pure gold design apparently "looks elegant, emphasizing the status of the owners and their impeccable taste," for people who "want to always be on top."

Caviar recently introduced a custom iPhone 12 Pro that supposedly includes a small piece of an original Apple I computer's circuit board, but this claim has been disputed.

Earlier this month, Apple released a 14.3 software update for the HomePod and HomePod mini, and it has since been discovered that this update allows the HomePod mini to be powered by select 18W chargers.

As noted in a Reddit thread spotted by The 8-Bit, and confirmed by MacRumors, the HomePod mini now works with Apple's own 18W USB-C power adapter and select third-party 18W power adapters from brands like Aukey. One user was even able to power the HomePod mini with an 18W battery pack from Cygnett, allowing for portable use.

Previously, when attempting to use the HomePod mini with a power adapter rated below 20W, the speaker would simply display an orange light and not function. This may still be the case with certain 18W power adapters, as certain power profiles may be required.

Apple includes a 20W power adapter with the HomePod mini, but many customers may have an 18W power adapter from an iPhone 11 Pro or other device.

To check if your HomePod mini is running the 14.3 software update, open the Home app on an iPhone, tap on the house icon in the top-left corner, tap on Home Settings, and tap on Software Update. ‌‌‌‌HomePod‌‌‌‌‌ software updates are installed automatically, unless the feature is disabled‌‌‌‌, but updates can also be installed manually.

LG has started rolling out a software update that includes AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support for select 2018 smart TV models, according to multiple MacRumors readers, delivering on a promise the company made earlier this year.

AirPlay 2 enables users to stream videos, music, podcasts, and more directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to a compatible LG smart TV, with no Apple TV necessary. HomeKit allows users to control the TV's power, volume, and more using the Home app or Siri. These features are also available on select Samsung, Sony, and Vizio smart TVs.

LG initially said that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit would be limited to its 2019 and newer TV models, since it could not "guarantee" a "seamless user experience" on older models, resulting in tens of thousands of people petitioning the company to reconsider.

Earlier this year, LG also made the Apple TV app available on select 2018 smart TVs.

(Thanks, Maarten and Tristan!)

Tesla may soon add support for Apple Music, according to references in a Tesla software update found by Twitter user @greentheonly (via Tesla North).

Spotify has been the main way to listen to music using Tesla's infotainment system for some time, with no support for other music streaming services such as ‌Apple Music‌, Tidal, or Amazon Music. Tesla first announced support for other music streaming services, including Tidal in particular, during its Battery Day presentation earlier this year.

Alongside references to Tidal in the latest 2020.48.26 software update, there also appear to be options for ‌Apple Music‌ and Amazon Music.

Although Tesla has been reported to be working on ‌Apple Music‌ support for some time, the option hidden in the software update does not work yet. In spite of this, Tidal is expected to be the first additional music streaming service to come to Teslas.

So far, the only automaker to have directly integrated Apple Music into its infotainment system has been Porsche for its all-electric Taycan model.