Back in May, Apple's online store began offering eero's lineup of mesh WiFi products, and this week, eero devices are also available for purchase in Apple's retail stores.
As outlined in a recent blog post, eero devices are being made available in Apple retail stores in the United States, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.
Right now, Apple Stores in the U.S. don't appear to be showing stock available for pickup, so stores may not have supplies until later this week.
Online purchases are available, with Apple offering multiple eero Pro Mesh WiFi setups with one or two beacons and pricing starting at $300, along with the eero Pro Mesh WiFi Router and a Pro Router Three pack.
Apple also sells the standard eero Mesh WiFi router, the eero Mesh WiFi system, and the Beacon Mesh WiFi Range Extender. Eero products are HomeKit-compatible.
Eve Systems, known for its line of Eve-branded HomeKit products, today updated its Eve app to version 4.3, adding a number of useful new features.
The Eve update will primarily be of interest to those who own Eve HomeKit accessories, but it is one of the better HomeKit apps on the market, and it also works with non-Eve devices.
Eve 4.3 introduces Touch and Hold functionality, allowing users to touch and hold almost anywhere in the app to open up contextual menus that provide additional control options. Where the new gesture can be used:
At a Glance: quickly control an accessory, set a scene that it's part of and view all accessory details.
Room Overview: instantly toggle all lights in a room and refine room settings in a snap.
Accessory Details & Types: jumping back and forth between individual accessories' details and the overview by Types has never been easier.
Automation: quickly toggle Rules and set Scenes.
Quicker automation access has been bundled into the app update. When viewing an accessory's details, there's an "Automation" entry that lists Rules and Scenes that it is part of. Entries support long press gestures for toggling Rules and setting Scenes, and tapping the "Add Rule" or "Add Scene" buttons provides a quick way to create a new automation.
Along with these major new features, the update provides different colors for each Home, a feature that's useful to those who have multiple homes, and it adds additional icons for HomeKit devices.
There's also support for Eve Window Guard and the Eve Cam, a camera with HomeKit Secure Video support that is set to start shipping in the near future.
The Eve for HomeKit app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple is continuing to reopen its retail stores in the United States and Canada as stay at home orders in various states relax and additional businesses are allowed to open.
Apple is reopening more than 70 U.S. stores this week in states that include California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and more, with a full list available from 9to5Mac. Apple's Deirdre O'Brien sent out a notice to employees about the reopenings, which includes stores in New York City, an area that was hit hard by the virus.
This week we'll return to serving customers in many more US locations including by appointment in New York City, where we're proud to stand beside New Yorkers as they emerge from this incredibly difficult time. All stores continue to practice additional steps for the health of employees and customers, including temperature checks, face coverings and social distancing. As hours and services vary by location, we encourage everyone to check their local store webpage for more information. Customers can also visit for support by phone or chat.
We are committed to reopening our stores in a very thoughtful manner with the health and safety of our customers and teams as our top priority, and we look forward to seeing our customers again soon.
As of June 16, 154 of Apple's 271 stores in the United States have reopened, and 365 stores around the world are operational.
In Canada, Apple is reopening Apple Conestoga, Apple Bayshore, and Apple Masonville, three of its retail stores in Ontario, along with Apple Place Ste-Foy in Quebec. Apple Stores in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia reopened previously, while stores in Quebec and Ontario have remained closed until this week.
Apple has implemented safety measures at all of the reopened store locations. Face masks are required for entry, store occupancy is limited, temperature checks are conducted, stores are deep cleaned regularly, and social distancing measures have been put in place.
Depending on local guidelines and conditions, some stores are offering only curbside pickup and sales, while others are letting people enter by appointment only. Others are allowing full access with in-store service and sales, but with the aforementioned safety precautions in place.
Apple began reopening its stores in mid-April starting with its sole store in South Korea, and continued reopenings throughout the month of May. The first stores in the U.S. reopened on May 11 after a two month closure.
Sonos today rolled out a new Lunar White color option for the Sonos Move Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 speaker, which originally launched last year. If you're a healthcare worker or first responder, Sonos is offering a special 20 percent sitewide discount for all of its audio products, including the new Sonos Move.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The Sonos Move is also getting a new software update that provides an extra hour of battery life, resulting in a total estimated playback time of 11 hours (via The Verge). You can pre-order the new Lunar White Sonos Move for $399 on the Sonos website today, and it will begin shipping on June 30 in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China.
Regarding the sitewide deal, all healthcare workers and first responders can take 20 percent off a single purchase on the Sonos website. If you fall into this category, you can shop on the Sonos website for the company's speakers, sound bars, or other audio accessories, and add the items to your cart.
You'll find a green button asking to verify your credentials with ID.me on this landing page, which will ask for your information and work affiliation. After you've been verified, Sonos will grant you a one-time use code that is valid for 20 percent off a single purchase. Following your purchase, you won't be able to get another code.
This code is valid on all Sonos products and can be used on any purchase worth up to $1,000 before the discount. You can find the promo code box to enter it on the same checkout screen where you clicked the ID.me button. Head to Sonos.com to browse for some of the company's best speakers.
Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
Apple's iPhones and Apple Watches have supported NFC for some time now, and now those NFC capabilities can be used to allow Apple users to lock, unlock, and start compatible NFC-enabled vehicles using the iPhone or Apple Watch in lieu of a physical key.
Apple calls this feature "Car Keys" and this guide covers everything we know about how Car Keys works.
What is Car Keys?
Car Keys is a digital protocol that lets an iPhone or Apple Watch with NFC capabilities unlock, lock, start, and otherwise control an NFC-capable vehicle.
Cars do not have NFC functionality by default, so this is a feature that needs to be implemented by automobile manufacturers much like CarPlay.
What can be done with Car Keys may vary by car manufacturer, but at a minimum, Car Keys can be used to unlock your car, lock your car, and start your car, which are the features available with a physical key. There are also features for sharing digital keys and restricting access for some digital keys, so you can limit the maximum speeds for a teenager, for example.
Car Keys works through an NFC-based Digital Key 2.0 specification that's developed by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), which Apple is a member of. The Digital Key 2.0 specification establishes a secure connection between mobile devices and vehicles over NFC.
How does Car Keys work?
Many newer cars these days have key fobs that unlock and start a car just via proximity, and Car Keys is a lot like that. Car Keys is a digital version of a car key that's stored inside the Wallet app.
Unlocking (or locking) a vehicle with Car Keys will involve holding an Apple Watch or iPhone near an NFC reader located inside the car. When the NFC reader detects the digital key stored in the iPhone or Apple Watch, the locking mechanism in the car will activate.
Apple says that you can unlock a car simply by tapping a door handle with an iPhone or Apple Watch.
The iPhone will authenticate the unlocking action with Face ID or Touch ID to verify, though there is an Express Mode that eliminates the need to authenticate, allowing for a faster vehicle unlocking process.
Starting a compatible car requires placing the iPhone on a reader or wireless charger located within the car.
How is Car Keys set up?
Car Keys setup entails placing an iPhone on top of an NFC reader located inside the vehicle, and the initial pairing process could take several minutes to complete.
A pairing code provided by the car manufacturer will need to be entered, though some setup processes could involve downloading an app from the carmaker. Instructions found in iOS:
Place this iPhone on top of the NFC reader in your car. Pairing process may take several minutes, do not remove it from the reader until pairing is done.
Enter the Car Keys code provided by your car dealer or connect using the [Vehicle Brand's] app.
What do Car Keys look like in the Wallet app?
Car Keys look like a standard card in the Wallet app. When you tap on the card, it provides vehicle info like model number and issuing automaker.
A screenshot pulled from iOS 13 depicting the Car Keys interface
There's also a toggle to activate Express Mode (unlocking without biometric authentication), or sharing a key with other people with a few options for access.
Can I share my Car Keys with others?
Yes. There is an option to send a digital Car Key to unlock your car to others using the Messages app. This is useful for valet parking, sharing vehicle access with a spouse or a friend, getting a repair, and other similar situations.
Different levels of access can be provided, so you can do things like provide full unlocking/driving access or more restricted access, such as allowing someone to unlock a car but not start it. Access can be permanent or temporary.
For younger drivers, there are limits for acceleration, top speed, traction control, and stereo volume.
In the Messages app, you can send a digital Car Key much like you can send Apple Cash, with Car Keys able to be shared in single person chats but not group conversations.
A person who has a digital Car Key to your car is able to use their iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock and/or start the car just like the car owner can do.
Do Car Keys work automatically?
No. Car Keys only work in vehicles that have NFC capabilities, and car manufacturers need to implement NFC and Car Keys support into their vehicles.
Apple is partnering with automakers and Car Keys may be a factory-installed option that's limited to newer car models. As with CarPlay, though, it's possible there could be some aftermarket options for installing an NFC reader connected to the car locks and engine.
Which cars support Car Keys?
Car manufacturers like BMW, Rivian, Kia, and Hyundai have implemented support for Car Keys.
Do Car Keys work if my iPhone's battery dies?
Yes. Car Keys is based on NFC, and the feature continues to operate even when an iPhone or Apple Watch battery is low or recently died as there is a low-power mode included. It may not always be possible to unlock a car with a dead iPhone, however, depending on how long it's been since the iPhone died and whether all of the power reserves have been exhausted.
Apple says power reserve lasts for about five hours beyond the point your iPhone needs to be recharged, although using the NFC functionality while on power reserve decreases that time.
Does Apple know when I lock and unlock my car with Car Keys?
No. During setup, the one-time redemption token that must be entered to pair a vehicle with the Wallet app is sent along with information about a user's Apple account, device, and location at the time of setup for fraud prevention purposes.
A unique device identifier is sent to the vehicle manufacturer to set up Car Keys. The identifier is unique for each manufacturer for privacy protection purposes. Apple says that car makers can connect the device identifier with other information it has about you, based on the manufacturer's privacy policy.
Likewise, while Apple does not retain information on vehicle usage (such as when a Car Keys is used to lock or unlock a car), a vehicle manufacturer may collect this kind of usage information according to user agreements established with the manufacturer.
Ultra Wideband - Digital Key Plus
The Digital Key 2.0 Specification was released in May 2020, and the Car Connectivity Consortium followed it up with the a Digital Key 3.0 specification based on Bluetooth LE and Ultra Wideband in July 2021.
The 3.0 specification allows for passive, location-aware keyless access. With Ultra Wideband support, an iPhone can be left in a pocket and can still be used to unlock or start a vehicle without direct NFC contact and authentication. The iPhone 11 and later feature Ultra Wideband support and are compatible with this functionality, and multiple car manufacturers have implemented Car Keys with Ultra Wideband.
Guide Feedback
Have a question about Car Keys, know of something we left out, or want to offer feedback? Send us an email here.
Priced at $149.99, the Max-Stream AX1800 router is Linksys' most affordable WiFi 6 option. WiFi 6, otherwise known as 802.11ax, is the newest generation of WiFi, offering faster speeds and better coverage for homes with many connected devices.
Many smartphone manufacturers have been rolling out WiFi 6 support, though it's still in the early stages of adoption. The iPhone SE, the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPad Pro all support WiFi 6.
The Max-Stream AX1800 Mesh WiFi 6 Router offers speeds of up to 1.8 Gb/s and coverage of up to 1,700 square feet for connectivity across the home. It is compatible with the entire Linksys Velop line, and can be used in addition to any Linksys mesh product to amplify WiFi coverage, either as a primary router or secondary node.
Linksys also announced the availability of the more expensive $400 Max-Stream Dual-Band Mesh WiFi 6 Router (MR9600) that was announced earlier this year. The MR9600 offers speeds up to 6Gb/s and up to 3,000 square feet of coverage.
Apple has secured the international rights to Israel-Iran espionage thriller "Tehran," according to Deadline. The eight-part series is said to revolve around Tamar Rabinyan, a Mossad computer hacker-agent undertaking her very first mission in Iran's capital.
"Tasked with disabling an Iranian nuclear reactor, her mission has implications not just for the Middle East, but for the rest of the world," the report explains. "But when the Mossad mission fails, Tamar goes rogue in Tehran as she rediscovers her Iranian roots and becomes romantically entwined with a pro-democracy activist."
The series has yet to receive an Apple TV+ release date.
Germany, Poland, and Saudi Arabia are among the latest countries to implement Apple's and Google's jointly developed Exposure Notification API in their respective COVID-19 contact tracing apps, available on the App Store.
Apple and Google created this API to allow iPhones and Android smartphones to interface with one another for contact tracing purposes. If and when you happen to be nearby someone who later tests positive for COVID-19, you can receive a notification and take the appropriate steps to self isolate and seek medical help if necessary.
The API relies on Bluetooth, is designed with privacy in mind, and is disabled by default. Read our Exposure Notification guide for more details.
Nomad is offering an exclusive discount to MacRumors readers this month, focusing on the company's Rugged Case for AirPods. You can get this accessory for $9.89 with the coupon code MACRUMORS67, down from an original price of $29.95. This offer will last through Tuesday, June 30.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The Rugged Case is available in Rustic Brown, Black, and Natural color options. The accessory is a two-piece leather case that's designed to provide protection and style to your AirPods. It fits all models of the AirPods except the AirPods Pro. Note that only one discount can be used per order.
You can use the Rugged Case when charging the AirPods via wireless charging on a supported Qi mat, but the accessory does cover the LED indicator on the AirPods Wireless Charging Case. For more information on the Rugged Case, be sure to visit Nomad's website.
We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
Adobe today announced the launch of new services and features for many of its Creative Cloud apps, focusing on the creativity renaissance that's happening while people are spending more time at home.
Adobe says its new updates are designed to introduce new ways for creative people to connect and learn, collaborate, and "produce whatever they can imagine" more quickly. New features are outlined below for each of Adobe's Creative Cloud software offerings.
Photoshop
Adobe is adding a Select Subject Portrait feature to Photoshop, which is an Adobe Sensei-powered feature that's designed to make it simple to select a person in an image and get all the details like hair and clothing with a single click.
Adobe Camera Raw in Photoshop has several interface improvements that make it easier to do things like image adjustments and batch processing. Lightroom-style sliders are included, and the Curves UI is now simpler to use. There are improvements to the Crop tool and controls can be stacked vertically to make it easier to find necessary features.
There's also a new rotatable pattern feature that lets any pattern applied in Photoshop to be rotated, so the rotation angle of pattern fills, pattern overlays, and pattern strokes can be adjusted.
Match Font, a Photoshop feature that identifies fonts found in images, has been updated with support for more fonts, vertical text, and multiple-line detection.
Adobe Capture, a feature available for mobile devices, is available on Photoshop for the desktop with the new update. Adobe Capture lets users take any photo or image and pull out patterns, shapes, color themes, and gradients to use in a project.
Illustrator
Adobe is introducing Cloud documents support for Adobe Illustrator.
Cloud documents are the best way to work faster, smarter, with anyone. They save automatically and fast. Easily accessible right from the Home screen, now you can track, label, and revert to previous versions directly within Illustrator.
In the future, Adobe plans to add support for sharing documents with others for editing or reviewing directly in the app. Adobe has plans to bring Illustrator to the iPad in the near future, and the app will also support cloud documents at launch.
The new update also maximizes a computer's GPU to render graphics live while designing is taking place, artboards can be cut and pasted across different documents, rulers can be activated for multiple documents, and the New Documents window loads 10x faster.
Premiere Rush
Adobe's Premiere Rush video editing app is getting Auto Reframe, a feature designed to make it easier to resize video content. With Auto Reframe, a video shot horizontally can be reframed in a vertical format while keeping the action in the forefront.
Adobe says that Auto Reframe is available to all in the Rush public beta, and will come to all Rush users later in the year.
Adobe Live
Adobe Live is a feature where artists and creatives introduce new techniques and offer up creative challenges. Adobe says that views on Adobe Live content have doubled during the global health criss, and so Adobe plans to produce double the amount of content as well as engage local artists the UK, France, and Germany.
Adobe Fresco Livestreaming
Adobe is adding a feature that will allow anyone to live stream their techniques for painting and drawing in the Adobe Fresco app for iPad.
Lightroom
Lightroom has a new feature that lets photographers share edited images in the "Discover" section of the app using the "Share Edits" button. Using Share Edits saves the original image and shows the edits that were used to create it.
New Local Hue controls in Lightroom also let users make fine-grained changes to image elements like skin tones without impacting the color of the whole image.
Versions is a feature designed to let photographers experiment with several different editing approaches for the same image and save several versions if desired.
With Lightroom for iPad, photographers can now send their images to Photoshop for iPad for additional edits. When exporting images from Lightroom, watermarks are synced across devices to make sure they're available on all platforms.
Improvements have also been made to watermarking, shared albums, and the Camera Raw interface, plus performance in Lightroom Classic has been enhanced. Lightroom Classic also gains Tone Curve, Color Panel, and Sync UI improvements.
InDesign
In InDesign, Adobe is introducing a "Share for Review" option that allows designers to share their work with colleagues to get feedback quicker. Feedback is provided in the app, with suggestions and questions able to be replied to an answered without having to switch to another platform.
Creative Cloud App
Adobe has added several useful new features to the Creative Cloud app, including font management for Adobe Fonts, and searching all cloud documents for apps like Photoshop, Photoshop for iPad, Adobe XD, Fresco, Aero, and Illustrator.
Apple today highlighted some of the winners of its Swift Student Challenge ahead of WWDC 2020 next week, including Sofia Ongele, Palash Taneja, and Devin Green. There are 350 winners in total from 41 countries and regions.
Apple profiled three other winners in an App Store story, including Lars Augustin, Maria Fernanda Azolin, and Ritesh Kanchi. Starting today, developers who submitted their applications can find out their status by signing in to the Challenge website with the Apple ID they used to submit their application, according to Apple.
In a normal year, the winners would have received free admission and accommodations for WWDC in San Jose, but this year's event is being held virtually. Each winner will still receive an exclusive WWDC 2020 jacket and pins and access to one-on-one developer labs with Apple engineers without paying for Apple Developer Program membership.
As in previous years, the newly named Swift Student Challenge tasked students with creating an interactive scene in a Swift playground that can be experienced within three minutes, as a way of showing Apple their coding abilities and creativity.
The European Commission today said it has opened two formal antitrust investigations into Apple's App Store and Apple Pay mobile payment system.
The first investigation will assess whether Apple's rules for app developers on the distribution of apps via the App Store violate EU competition rules.
It will focus in particular on the mandatory use of Apple's own in-app purchases system and restrictions on the ability of developers to inform iPhone and iPad users of alternative cheaper purchasing possibilities outside of apps.
The investigation follows up on separate complaints by Spotify and ebook distributor Kobo on the impact of the App Store rules on competition in music streaming and e-books/audiobooks.
Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Mobile applications have fundamentally changed the way we access content. Apple sets the rules for the distribution of apps to users of iPhones and iPads. It appears that Apple obtained a 'gatekeeper' role when it comes to the distribution of apps and content to users of Apple's popular devices. We need to ensure that Apple's rules do not distort competition in markets where Apple is competing with other app developers, for example with its music streaming service Apple Music or with Apple Books. I have therefore decided to take a close look at Apple's App Store rules and their compliance with EU competition rules."
The second investigation into Apple Pay follows a preliminary EC investigation that flagged concerns regarding Apple's terms, conditions, and other measures related to the use of Apple Pay that may distort competition and reduce choice and innovation. In addition, the EC notes that Apple Pay is the only mobile payment solution that can access the NFC "tap and go" technology embedded in Apple's devices for in-store payments.
Responding to the announcements, a spokesperson for Apple gave the following statement:
"We developed the App Store with two goals in mind: that it be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for entrepreneurs and developers.
"We're deeply proud of the countless developers who've innovated and found success through our platform. And as we've grown together, we've continued to deliver innovative new services — like Apple Pay — that provide the very best customer experience while meeting industry-leading standards for privacy and security.
"It's disappointing the European Commission is advancing baseless complaints from a handful of companies who simply want a free ride, and don't want to play by the same rules as everyone else. We don’t think that's right — we want to maintain a level playing field where anyone with determination and a great idea can succeed."
There is no legal deadline for bringing an antitrust investigation to an end, and the duration of an antitrust investigation depends on a range of factors that can take years to work through, but the EC said it will carry out its investigations "as a matter of priority."
Apple is facing another European antitrust complaint, this time over its 30 percent cut on ebooks in the App Store. The complaint was made to the European Commission by Rakuten's Kobo subsidiary, which alleges that Apple's commission rate is anti-competitive when it also promotes its own Apple Books service.
According to a Financial Times report, Kobo argues that having to pay Apple 30 percent commission on each ebook that it sells through the App Store via the Kobo app makes it next to impossible to turn a profit, whereas Apple's own Bookstore means it doesn't have to take an equivalent revenue cut.
The complaint is similar to one that Spotify filed with the EC in March 2019. Spotify specifically took issue with Apple's 30 percent fee collected on App Store purchases, which has forced Spotify to charge subscribers through the App Store $12.99 per month for its Premium plan instead of the $9.99 per month fee it normally collects.
Spotify argued that the iPhone maker enforced App Store rules that "purposely limit choice and stifle innovation at the expense of the user experience."
Apple swiftly hit back at the accusation, labeling it as "misleading rhetoric" and arguing that "Spotify wants all the benefits of a free app without being free." Spotify's antitrust complaint is still under investigation.
The EU can force companies to change business practices they deem unlawful and levy fines of up to 10 per cent of a company's global turnover. However, investigations by the European Commission can take years to resolve unless the companies involved offer to settle the probes by making legally binding agreements to change their behavior.
Apple and Google have been asked by New York's Attorney General to do more to prevent sensitive health data from being collected by third-party contact tracing apps.
According to Business Insider, AG Letitia James sent letters to both companies and urged them to impose tighter restrictions on the apps if they are to be available in their app stores, following concerns that some of the apps have not been properly vetted.
"As businesses open back up and Americans venture outdoors, technology can be an invaluable tool in helping us battle the coronavirus," said Attorney General James. "But some companies may seek to take advantage of consumers and use personal information to advertise, mine data, and unethically profit off this pandemic. Both Apple and Google can be invaluable partners in weeding out these bad actors and ensuring consumers are not taken advantage of by those seeking to capitalize on the fear around this public health crisis."
James noted that the privacy-centric exposure notification technology that Apple and Google developed isn't being used by all contact tracing apps. As such, she is urging the two companies to commit to greater oversight by only allowing apps affiliated with federal or state public health agencies to collect personal health data.
The hope is that by prohibiting third-party contact tracing apps from collecting personal data, it won't be used for targeted advertising or for identifying anonymous users.
James wrote that third-party apps should be required to delete personal health information on a rolling 14-day basis, and that the companies' respective app stores should disclose which apps were launched by governments and which are made by private developers.
"Consumers should always check with the Apple App Store or Android Play Store for information on what entity operates the app and whether the app collects geolocation information or other data," cautioned James.
According to the report, Apple and Google have until June 19 to acknowledge the Attorney General's letter.
The Philips Hue line of lights is gaining several new additions this summer, including a bright white bulb, a Bluetooth version of the Lightstrip Plus, and a revamped Hue Bloom.
Priced at $20, the new Philips Hue White A21 bulb is the brightest bulb in the Hue lineup with 1,600 lumen output that's equivalent to a 100W bulb. That's much brighter than the standard Hue White and Color Ambiance bulbs, which are 60W equivalent. The Hue White A21 bulb can fully illuminate a kitchen, garage, or other room, plus it offers wireless dimming. It will launch in late July.
Also new is the Bluetooth-enabled Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus, a Bluetooth version of the popular Hue Lightstrip Plus that connects to WiFi. This new Bluetooth model does not require a hub to work, though it is compatible with the Hue hub. Up to eight extensions can be added.
A two-meter Bluetooth Lightstrip will be available from Target for $79.99 starting this week, and it will come to other retailers later in the summer. A one-meter extension will also be available for purchase for $24.99.
Along with the new A21 bulb and the Lightstrip, the Hue line is also gaining a redesigned Bluetooth-compatible Hue Bloom table lamp, which features richer colors and an improved white light with brightness up to 500 lumens compared to the prior version. It has also been updated with a more consistent experience with the rest of the Hue range, and the color temperature can now be tuned from 2000K to 6500K.
The Philips Hue Bloom will be available in late July and it will cost $69.99. More information on all of the new announcements can be found on the Philips Hue website.
ElevationLab today announced the launch of the ElevationHub, a unique product that combines cable management with an SD card slot and USB-A 3.0 port.
The ElevationHub attaches to the power adapter of a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, adding a rubberized velcro-lined strap that keeps the USB-C cord wound up while also delivering extra ports that MacBook models no longer have.
ElevationLab says that the ElevationHub was designed to "perfectly meet the geometry" of USB-C MacBook chargers, turning it into a single unit. It works with the 30W, 61W, 87W, and 96W power adapter options from Apple, though passthrough charging is limited to 61W.
The ElevationHub can be purchased standalone or with a six-foot braided USB-C 3.0 cord available for an extra $10. ElevationLab says the cord provides 10x faster data speeds (5Gb/s) than the USB-C cable that ships with the MacBook.
The ElevationHub can be pre-ordered from the ElevationLab website for $49.95 with the braided USB-C cord or $39.95 without it. Pre-sale customers can get a 20 percent discount with the promo code TIDY, and orders will ship out in mid-July.
Every year heading into WWDC, one question on many Mac fans' minds is what Apple will choose as the name for the next version of macOS. The tradition dates all the way back to the beginning of Mac OS X with its big cat names, and then in 2013 Apple shifted to Calfornia-themed names with the unveiling of OS X Mavericks.
Back in the early days after the debut of OS X Mavericks, we discovered a total of over 20 California-themed trademark applications filed by various limited liability companies that were all but certain to be shell companies created by Apple to hide its identity.
Over time, some of the trademarks like Yosemite, Sierra, and Mojave were indeed used by Apple for its major Mac operating system updates, while trademark applications for many of the other names have been abandoned.
In last year's lead-up to WWDC 2019, we noted that of that original set of trademark applications, only four unused ones remained active: Mammoth, Monterey, Rincon, and Skyline. All four of those trademarks had been granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and Apple was keeping them alive for potential use by filing successive extension requests.
Trademark recipients have up to 36 months from the date of approval to file a Statement of Use proving they are using the trademark in commerce, although they are required to file for extensions every six months during that period to keep that full window open.
Apple of course opted to name its 2019 macOS release Catalina, which wasn't one of the previously trademarked names, but in case Apple has opted to go back to its original list, we decided to check back on last year's trademark list to see if any of them remain protected.
Of the four, Rincon is no longer active, having been abandoned in September 2019 after its 36-month window expired. The other three remain active for now, with Apple's presumed shell companies continuing to file extensions as needed.
Mammoth, which is likely related to Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain, a popular area for skiing and hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains, saw its trademark application approved in March 2019, and a second extension of the Statement of Use period was approved in March 2020. The full 36-month window won't expire until March 2022 as long as additional extensions continue to be filed.
Monterey, a historic city and popular vacation spot on the Pacific coast, has long been one of the most popular macOS name options among our readers over the years. The trademark was applied for by Asilomar Enterprises LLC in December 2013, but wasn't allowed until June 12, 2018. A fourth extension to Statement of Use window was granted just last week, and Asilomar will have until June 2021 to prove commercial use of the name, provided a final extension is requested in December of this year.
Skyline likely relates to the scenic Skyline Boulevard that largely follows the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains running south from San Francisco, and Antalos Apps LLC filed for a trademark on the name in December 2013. The trademark was allowed on March 20, 2018, and the fourth Statement of Use extension was granted in March of this year. The owner will have until March 2021 to prove use of Skyline in commerce, provided all necessary extensions are requested.
So what will macOS 10.16 be called? Mammoth, Monterey, and Skyline all seem like reasonable options, but we've also seen Apple turn to names that had not been previously rumored. In years when the new macOS version is viewed as more of a refinement of the previous version rather than a leap forward, Apple has used names that bear relationships to the previous ones, such as going from Yosemite to El Capitan and Sierra to High Sierra.
With macOS 10.16 again seeming to be more of a refinement release, could we see something like macOS Channel Islands (the island group that Catalina is a part of) or macOS Avalon (the only city on Catalina)? Or with Apple reportedly set to begin transitioning to its own Arm-based chips for its Mac lineup, could it shift gears to something completely different? Whatever it ends up being, we'll know one week from today.
Apple today announced that its App Store ecosystem supported $519 billion in billings and sales worldwide in 2019, based on an independent study conducted by Analysis Group, an economic consulting firm in the United States.
Since the App Store launched in 2008, developers have earned over $155 billion from app and in-app purchases, with a quarter of those earnings occurring in 2019. However, the App Store also facilitates the sale of a wide variety of physical goods and services, ranging from Uber and Lyft rides to Postmates and DoorDash deliveries, which the study found accounted for $413 billion of the last year's total.
Of this $413 billion, some categories include:
$268 billion from retail apps such as Target, Best Buy, and Etsy
$57 billion from travel apps such as Expedia and United
$40 billion from ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft
$31 billion from food delivery apps such as DoorDash and Grubhub
Apple CEO Tim Cook:
The App Store is a place where innovators and dreamers can bring their ideas to life, and users can find safe and trusted tools to make their lives better. In a challenging and unsettled time, the App Store provides enduring opportunities for entrepreneurship, health and well-being, education, and job creation, helping people adapt quickly to a changing world. We're committed to doing even more to support and nurture the global App Store community — from one-developer shops in nearly every country to businesses that employ thousands of workers — as it continues to foster innovation, create jobs, and propel economic growth for the future.
Apple said the App Store now has nearly two million apps and is accessed by half a billion people each week across 175 countries.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple has secured the international rights to Israel-Iran espionage thriller "Tehran," according to 
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
