MacRumors

With Fortnite currently banned from the App Store and Epic Games on the verge of having its Apple developer accounts terminated for violating ‌App Store‌ rules by rolling out its own payments system for in-game currency, Epic is hosting a #FreeFortnite Cup this Sunday for "one more Victory Royale with friends across all platforms."

Fortnite users who already have the game installed on their iOS devices are currently able to continue playing the game, but they will be "left behind" when Chapter 2 - Season 4 launches on August 27 as Epic won't be able to push the game update to those users.

As part of #FreeFortnite Cup, Epic is offering a host of prizes ranging from an in-game outfit and a physical "Free Fortnite" hat to hardware such as Alienware laptops, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 tablets, OnePlus 8 phones, and Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch gaming systems.

If you’re left behind on iOS after the Chapter 2 - Season 4 launch, the party continues on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, GeForce Now, and through both the Epic Games App at epicgames.com and the Samsung Galaxy Store. Join the fight against @AppStore on social with #FreeFortnite.

All of your friends. Awesome prizes. And one bad apple. We’re droppin the #FreeFortnite Cup.

Finally, Epic is sharing tips for iOS users worried about being unable to continue playing Fortnite, recommending that they make sure their game data is stored in their Epic accounts and investigate alternative Fortnite-compatible devices where they can simply pick up where they left off. For Android users, Epic notes that users can still install it through other means such as Samsung's Galaxy Store or sideloading, despite the game having also been pulled from the Google Play store.

Apple is looking to put a pricing squeeze on component suppliers for the upcoming iPhone 12 lineup to help offset increased costs for new 5G technology and minimize the need for price increases across the flagship lineup, according to a new research note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo viewed by MacRumors.

Kuo says adoption of Sub-6GHz 5G technology will increase Apple's costs by $75–$85, while millimeter wave technology will incur a $125–$135 cost for Apple, so the company is cutting costs on other components wherever it can.

While Apple has broadly been putting "higher bargaining pressure" on its suppliers, the battery board is one area where Kuo believes suppliers will see the biggest cost trimming with Apple reportedly moving to a simpler and smaller design with fewer layers. The hybrid hard and soft battery board for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 will reportedly be 40–50% cheaper than the equivalent part in the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series, although this component is likely a small contributor to Apple's overall costs.

Looking out further into the future, Kuo says Apple will push the envelope even more with the "‌iPhone‌ 12s" lineup in 2021, adopting a purely soft board design that will shave off an additional 30–40% compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 board price.

Apple has also been putting pricing pressure on its circuit board suppliers for the AirPods, Kuo says, with the average price of soft and hard boards in the AirPods 2 declining by 25–35% since the first half of the year.

Apple's current suppliers will face even more issues when the AirPods 3 launch in the first half of 2021, according to Kuo. He reiterates his previous claims that the next-generation earphones will follow the AirPods Pro in adopting an integrated system-in-package (SiP) design rather than the surface-mount technology (SMT) found in the current AirPods 2.

Apple's default Siri Remote for the Apple TV has never been particularly popular with users due to its small size and fiddly controls, which has prompted third-party companies to make alternative options.

Last year we took a look at the Salt Remote, and now Function101 has come out with an alternate ‌Apple TV‌ remote that we thought we'd check out to see if it's better than what Apple offers.

The Button Remote from Function101 is priced at $30, which isn't too bad if you have a broken ‌Siri‌ Remote or are just fed up with using it (note that ‌Siri‌ Remote is used in countries where ‌Siri‌ is available on ‌Apple TV‌ - in others, it's the same design, but without a ‌Siri‌ button and it's called the ‌Apple TV‌ remote).

Function101's remote is a lot easier to find than the Salt Remote, which was only sold in Switzerland. The Button Remote is available in the U.S. and can be purchased online.

Design wise, the Button Remote is bigger, thicker, and provides more physical buttons than the ‌Siri‌ Remote, which is largely touch based. The larger design means it's less likely to slip in between couch cushions or otherwise disappear.

It can be difficult to navigate with the touchpad on the ‌Siri‌ Remote, a problem that's solved with the Button Remote because it uses directional buttons for navigation instead of Apple's swipes.

Because the Button Remote uses IR to control the ‌Apple TV‌, it needs a direct line of sight to the box. If you have your ‌Apple TV‌ behind a TV or otherwise situated out of sight, the Button Remote won't work, which is one negative.

The physical buttons work well enough. There are directional arrows for navigating, an OK button for selecting items, a menu button for going back to the previous screen (hold it down to go to the Home Screen), volume buttons, and media playback controls.

Skipping forwards or backwards 10 seconds with the Button Remote is a major improvement over the ‌Siri‌ Remote that requires pressing at the edge of the touchpad. The Button Remote has specific buttons for fast-forwarding or rewinding content, which is a plus.

Of course, there's one major button missing that may be a dealbreaker based on how you use your ‌Apple TV‌ - there's no ‌Siri‌ button. If you regularly ask ‌Siri‌ to find content on the ‌Apple TV‌ or otherwise take advantage of the personal assistant, you will have no way to do that on the Button Remote.

You could use the ‌Siri‌ Remote alongside the Button Remote, or use the Remote app on an iPhone when you need to access ‌Siri‌, but it will be more of a hassle than just having a ‌Siri‌ button readily available. For those who don't use ‌Siri‌, or in countries where ‌Siri‌ is not available, the lack of a ‌Siri‌ button won't matter.

The Button Remote operates on two AAA batteries like many other remotes on the market, and it does not need to be charged like the ‌Siri‌ Remote.

Though it doesn't replicate everything the ‌Siri‌ Remote can do, the Button Remote is worth checking out for those who are looking for an alternative. Let us know what you think of the remote in the comments.

Apple today seeded the second beta of the upcoming macOS 11 Big Sur update to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to give the software a try ahead of its public release this fall. The second beta comes two weeks after the first beta.

Beta testers who signed up for Apple's beta testing program can download the macOS Big Sur beta through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile.

Mac users who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate on the beta website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS betas. Potential beta testers should make a full backup before installing ‌macOS Big Sur‌, and it may not be wise to install the update on a primary machine because betas can be unstable.

macOS Big Sur introduces a refined design for the macOS operating system, which is more similar to iOS but immediately familiar to Mac users with tweaks to window design, color palette, app icons, system sounds, menu bars, and sidebars.

The update brings Control Center to the Mac for the first time, providing quicker access to system controls for things like volume, keyboard brightness, screen brightness, Wi-Fi connection, and more.

An updated Notification Center includes more interactive notifications and redesigned widgets that mirror the new widgets in iOS 14. Notifications are now grouped by app, and you can customize which widgets show up.

Safari has a new customizable start page, built-in translation, and a Privacy Report feature that lets you know which trackers each website is using to follow you across the web. There's a new Mac App Store category for extensions, and you can now control the specific sites that extensions are able to work with for more privacy.

The Messages app for Mac has been overhauled to bring it more in line with the Messages app for iOS and it supports features like pinned conversations, mentions, inline replies, Messages effects, and Memoji creation and Memoji stickers. Search is also better to make it easier to find old conversations, photos, links, and more.

A redesigned Maps app in macOS Big Sur adds support for Look Around, indoor maps, Guides, and Shared ETA updates, plus it can be used to generate cycling routes and routes with charging stops for electric vehicles, which can be sent to iPhone.

There are also smaller updates for apps like Photos, Music, and Home, with a full list of everything new in macOS Big Sur available in our roundup.

LG this week appears to have pushed out an update that adds the Apple TV app to some 2018 TV models. There are several reports on Twitter about the ‌Apple TV‌ app coming to 2018 LG TVs, and MacRumors also received a tip from a reader.

It's not clear if the update to introduce the ‌Apple TV‌ app was worldwide, but LG TV users from multiple countries are now seeing the TV app.

Earlier this year, LG brought the ‌Apple TV‌ app to select 2019 LG TVs in the United States and more than 80 other countries, and at the time, LG said that 2018 TVs would also get the TV app through a firmware update.

LG TV owners can access the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app from the LG Home app Launcher, and along with ‌‌Apple TV‌‌+, LG users can also subscribe to Apple channels and access their iTunes libraries to rent, purchase, and watch TV shows and movies.

So far, LG has not shared details on which 2018 TVs are offering the TV app, but 2019 TVs with support included all OLED TVs, NanoCell TVs (SM9X and SM8X), and UHD TVs (UM7X and UM6X).

LG has also promised to bring AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to 2018 smart TVs by October 2020, and the TVs that will get support include "SK" and "UK" LED models and "B8" through "Z8" OLED models. ‌AirPlay‌ 2 and ‌HomeKit‌ support doesn't appear to have rolled out at this time.

(Thanks, Mauritz!)

Earlier this week, Apple changed its AppleCare+ policies in the United States and Canada to give customers up to a year to purchase AppleCare after buying a device, and MacRumors has now learned additional information about the program that may be useful to those who want to know their ‌AppleCare‌+ options.

‌AppleCare‌+ can now be added to a device up to one year from purchase, and this applies to iPhones, iPads, Macs, iPods, HomePods, Beats (minus urBeats3 and Pill+), AirPods, AirPods Pro, Apple Watches, and the Pro Display XDR. Basically all devices that offer ‌AppleCare‌+, with the exception of the Apple TV, which already offers a one-year standard ‌AppleCare‌ purchase plan option.

For up to 60 days after the date of purchase of a device, ‌AppleCare‌+ can be purchased using the Settings section of the iPad, iPhone, or iPod, via the Apple Support app, the Apple Support site, or Checkcoverage.Apple.Com for Apple Watch, HomePod, ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, iPod, and Mac. It can also be purchased through a contact center or an Apple retail store.

After 60 days has passed (and before 365 days), ‌AppleCare‌+ can be purchased by taking a device to an Apple retail location with a Genius Bar appointment for an inspection, which is required to get coverage after the 60 day mark. If a device has any accidental damage during the inspection, it needs to be repaired before ‌AppleCare‌+ can be purchased.

Extended purchase options apply when paying for ‌AppleCare‌+ in full up front or when purchasing the ‌AppleCare‌+ monthly subscription plan. The ‌AppleCare‌+ timer starts from the date of purchase of the coverage.

The 365 day ‌AppleCare‌+ purchase option only applies to standard ‌AppleCare‌+, however, and not Apple's ‌AppleCare‌+ Theft and Loss plan for the ‌iPhone‌. That can only be purchased for up to 60 days after you buy a device.

With the new ‌AppleCare‌+ purchase options, customers can take advantage of their one-year automatic device purchase warranty and then as that warranty comes to an end, choose whether to extend the warranty with ‌AppleCare‌+. Note, though, that the standard warranty does not cover accidental damage incidents. ‌AppleCare‌+ covers accidental damage and allows customers to get their devices repaired or replaced for a deductible fee that varies based on product.

Major news organizations who offer their content in the App Store want to be able to keep a larger cut of subscription revenue from customers who subscribe to the service through Apple's platform, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Digital Next Content, a trade group representing the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and other publishers sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook seeking a better deal that would allow them to keep more of the money from subscribers.

Apple takes a 30 percent cut from first-time subscriptions that are made through iOS apps, which drops down to 15 percent after the first year. Digital Context Next in its letter cited a deal made with Amazon for reduced fees, which surfaced as part of an antitrust hearing into Apple's ‌App Store‌ practices.

For Amazon Prime Video, Apple offered Amazon a special deal where it took just 15 percent of subscription revenue, and the publishers want the same deal. The letter asks Apple to "clearly define the conditions" that Amazon met to garner that agreement.

"The terms of Apple's unique marketplace greatly impact the ability to continue to invest in high-quality, trusted news and entertainment particularly in competition with other larger firms," said the letter, which is signed by Jason Kint, chief executive of the trade body, Digital Content Next.

In a blog post, Digital Context Next highlights the recent Epic Games vs. Apple conflict, which saw Epic Games publicly revolting against Apple's ‌App Store‌ policies by implementing a direct purchase option in Fortnite that violates the rules, which led to the Fortnite app being removed from the ‌App Store‌.

‌Epic Games‌ has since filed a lawsuit against Apple, causing companies like Spotify and Facebook to also speak out against the Cupertino company.

Digital Content Next complains that Apple's 30 percent fee drives publishers away from direct audience revenue, pushing them into the "murky world of digital advertising." The group also points out that Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ during his recent antitrust testimony said that the reduced deal made between Apple and Amazon was "available to anyone meeting the conditions," and calls on Apple to "level the playing field" and provide transparency on its secret Amazon agreement.

Adobe's recent 5.4 update for the Lightroom for iOS app had a major bug in it that deleted user photos and presets, eradicating all content that had not been synced to the Adobe cloud service.

As noted by PetaPixel, complaints surfaced on the Photoshop forums on Monday, shortly after the update was released, followed by similar reports on Reddit and Twitter.

Affected users lost photos, presets, edits, watermarks, and more. One user on Reddit said that he lost two years of edits, and there are dozens of similar complaints from people who lost important data. The problem affected users who were using local storage without having uploaded that content to Adobe's cloud storage service.

Many of those affected were using Adobe's free service, which has limited cloud storage, but some paid users were also impacted and lost thousands of photos.

Adobe on Wednesday released a 5.4.1 update to prevent the bug from affecting additional users, and confirmed at that time that none of the data that was lost is in any way recoverable. From Adobe:

We are aware that some customers who updated to Lightroom 5.4.0 on iPhone and iPad may be missing photos and presets that were not synced to the Lightroom cloud.

A new version of Lightroom mobile (5.4.1) for iOS and iPadOS has now been released that prevents this issue from affecting additional customers.

Installing version 5.4.1 will not restore missing photos or presets for customers affected by the problem introduced in 5.4.0.

We know that some customers have photos and presets that are not recoverable. We sincerely apologize to any customers who have been affected by this issue.

Adobe has recommended that affected users try to restore an iCloud backup that might have the lost content, but there's no solution on Adobe's end to address the loss and no fix if there's no ‌iCloud‌ backup.

Apple today seeded the second public beta of an upcoming watchOS 7 update to public beta testers, 10 days after seeding the first public beta and just a few days after seeding a new beta to developers.

The watchOS 7 update can be downloaded after installing the proper profile from Apple's Public Beta website. watchOS 7 should not be installed on a primary device as it is still an early beta and there could be bugs, plus there is no way to downgrade back to watchOS 6.

watchOS 7 is a major update that introduces a new Sleep Tracking feature for the Apple Watch, which is designed to measure how long you're asleep as you wear the Apple Watch while sleeping.

It comes along with a Wind Down feature that helps you establish a bedtime routine to make it easier to fall asleep at night, as well as a Sleep Mode that turns on Do Not Disturb and dims the Apple Watch display.

The Apple Watch can also wake you up with haptic vibrations, providing a weather report in the morning as well as info on battery life so you can get your day started.

Along with these sleep tracking features, the Apple Watch has automatic handwashing detection that listens for the sound of running water and handwashing motions and then starts a 20-second timer so you can make sure you're washing your hands for the appropriate amount of time.

There's a new watch Face Sharing feature that lets you share watch faces with others and install new watch faces from the App Store, Messages, Mail, websites, and more.

There's a new Chronograph Pro face with tachymeter, updates to complications, and new workout options in the newly renamed Fitness app, which was previously the Activity app.

The Maps app now supports directions for cyclists, Siri provides spoken translations, and there's a Shortcuts app on the Apple Watch. For more on what's new in watcOS 7, make sure to check out our watchOS 7 roundup.

watchOS 7 is limited to the Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, and Series 5 models, and is not compatible with the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2.

Apple today launched a livestream test on YouTube that lists a September 10 date, which has led to some speculation that Apple could be holding an event on that day. Apple quickly removed the testing stream, but dozens of Twitter users and MacRumors readers were able to capture screenshots.

There is no confirmation that September 10 is the date that Apple plans to hold an event, however, and it could just be a random date entered for a livestream test, or the date that was used last year as last year's iPhone event took place on Tuesday, September 10.

Apple does not typically hold events on Thursdays, so September 10 would be an unusual choice. There's no clear word on when Apple might hold an event this year because 2020's ‌iPhone‌ release timelines will be different. Apple at the end of July confirmed that this year's iPhones would launch a few weeks later than usual, meaning an October debut instead of a September debut.

Apple could still hold an event in September, but leaker Jon Prosser has said that the Cupertino company will hold its event in October, during the week of October 12. Whether that prediction is accurate remains to be seen. Either way, the September 10 date is not likely to be the date of the event, and the week of September 7 is probably out all together. September 7 is Labor Day, a holiday, and Friday is September 11, a date that Apple avoids.

If the event isn't held in October, the week of September 14 would be another solid guess as to when an event might happen.

The Apple Watch accounted for 51.4 percent of worldwide smart watch market revenue brought in during the first half of 2020, according to new data shared today by Counterpoint Research.

Apple has dominated the smart watch market for years now, and the first half of 2020 is no exception. Other smart watch vendors didn't even come close to Apple's smart watch shipment revenue share, with Garmin devices responsible for 9.4 percent of revenue and Huawei devices responsible for 8.3 percent.

Total global smart watch shipments grew 20 percent year over year even amid the pandemic, with Apple's own shipments growing 22 percent. In total, close to 42 million smart watches were shipped in the first half of 2020.

By shipment volume, the Apple Watch Series 5 was the best selling smart watch worldwide in the first half of 2020, followed by the more affordable Apple Watch Series 3. The Huawei Watch GT2 and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 were the number three and four best selling watches, respectively.

"Apple continued to dominate the smartwatch market both in volume and value. Apple captured a record half of the market in terms of revenue due to strong demand for the Apple Watch S5 models. In terms of shipment volumes, Apple Watch grew 22% globally with Europe and North America being the fastest growing markets in the first half of 2020."

Counterpoint Research expects that fall detection and SPO2 will be two key features that will see mass adoption in future smart watch models. Apple has already implemented fall detection, and rumors have suggested that blood oxygen monitoring could be a feature included in the Apple Watch Series 6.

Blood oxygen monitoring would allow the Apple Watch to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood, as this reading can be helpful to know whether to seek immediate medical attention.

Apple quietly acquired Israeli photography startup Camerai around a year and a half ago for several tens of millions of dollars, with many of its employees joining Apple's computer vision team in Israel, according to Calcalist. A separate source confirmed the story to TechCrunch, but Apple has yet to offer an official statement.

The report claims that Camerai developed photography-related technologies, including advanced capabilities in deep learning and computer vision, that have already become "a significant part of every Apple camera" and "made life easier for developers who wanted to include AR capabilities in their various apps."

TechCrunch listed some of these technologies:

Its tech included the ability to detect different objects in the picture, and outline them with precision to alter them cosmetically; the ability to outline and apply filters across the whole image; a "skeleton tracking" neural network API that could detect and draw body joints in real time overlaid on a picture of a human; and its own version of selective focus for enhanced portrait modes…

Originally named Tipit, the company was founded in 2014 by Aaron Wetzler, Erez Tal, Jonathan Rimon, and Moty Kosharovsky.

Less than a month after LG's UltraFine 5K Display became unavailable to order on Apple's online store, its smaller UltraFine 4K Display counterpart has also gone out of stock in several countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. The display remains available to order in the United Kingdom for now.

While it is possible that the UltraFine 4K is being discontinued, the fact that the product page remains live on Apple's website suggests that LG may be facing supply issues. The UltraFine 5K also remains unavailable from Apple.

Introduced in May 2019, the UltraFine 4K features a 23.7-inch display with a 3,840 x 2,160 pixels resolution, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, three downstream USB-C ports, up to 500 nits brightness, P3 wide color gamut support, and built-in stereo speakers. The display was priced at $699.95 on Apple's online store in the United States.

The original UltraFine 4K featured a 21.5-inch display with a 4,096 x 2,304 pixels resolution prior to being discontinued last year.

Apple continues to sell its high-end, 32-inch Pro Display XDR with a 6K resolution for $4,999.

Mophie today announced three new portable batteries and a new wireless charging stand, all compatible with Apple devices like the MacBook Pro, iPad, and iPhone, and available to purchase today.

The portable batteries include the new Powerstation (10,000 mAh, $49.95) and Powerstation XXL (20,000 mAh, $59.95). The former device can charge two devices simultaneously through one USB-A port and one USB-C port, while the latter can charge three devices at once through two USB-A ports and one USB-C port.

Both accessories support USB-C fast charging at up to 18W output, letting users gain up to 50 percent battery on their ‌iPhone‌ in under 30 minutes. They also both have a premium fabric finish and textured perimeter to help prevent scuffs and scratches. As with most Mophie products, the integrated four-light LED shows current battery life.

The third mobile battery is the Powerstation Wireless XL ($69.95), which includes a 10,000 mAh battery and built-in wireless charging with any Qi-supported smartphone. There's also a USB-A port and USB-C port for wired charging. This device also has a premium fabric finish and four-light LED power indicator on the side.

Lastly, the Powerstation Wireless Stand ($99.95) supports both wired and wireless charging of Qi compatible smartphones. This accessory has a battery capacity of 8,000 mAh and up to 10W of wireless power output, an 18W USB-C power delivery port, and one USB-A port. It includes an ultrasuede finish and can hold an ‌iPhone‌ at an angle, or be folded flat.

If you want to use it as a wired charger, you can simply keep the Powerstation Wireless Stand plugged in at your desk or bedside table. Once it's fueled up, you can unplug the device and use it wirelessly as a portable battery pack, and it supports simultaneous charging of up to three devices with its two extra ports.

Head to ZAGG's website to find more information on the new Mophie products.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with ZAGG. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Another class-action complaint has been lodged against Apple, which claims that the company was aware of a MacBook Pro design flaw that caused some devices to have backlight display issues (via Apple Insider).

The so-called "flexgate" problem was present in some ‌MacBook Pro‌ models manufactured between 2016 and 2017. The problem appears as dark patches along the bottom of the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s display. Some users reported that opening their ‌MacBook Pro‌ beyond a certain angle turns off the screen entirely. iFixit discovered that this was because the delicate flex cable which connects to the bottom of the display could wear out and break over time.

The issue has been the subject of multiple lawsuits against Apple, with the last one being filed in May. Since the issue often takes time to manifest, the affected ‌‌MacBook Pro‌‌ units can be outside of Apple's one-year warranty period when they start exhibiting symptoms, resulting in an out-of-warranty repair fee of up to $850.

Apple seemingly fixed the issue by extending the length of the flex cable by 2mm in the 2018 ‌MacBook Pro‌. It also launched a free repair program in May 2019, but the program only applies to 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models released in 2016.

The first class action lawsuit sought restitution for all costs attributable to repairing or replacing the affected ‌MacBook Pro‌ units, and called for Apple to expand its repair program to cover the 15-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌. The proposed class was defined as all persons within the United States who purchased a 2016 or newer ‌MacBook Pro‌.

"Apple was aware of the issues with the backlight screen and the defective flex cable, in light of the comments posted by consumers on Apple's discussion forum and that those comments were deleted after they were posted," the new lawsuit reads.

The second class-action complaint argues for violation of competition, false advertising, and consumer fraud laws. Apple is also accused of violation of the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and breach of express and implied warranty, in addition to fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment.

Plaintiffs are seeking a range of relief measures, damages, and court fees. They also hope a judgment will compel Apple to identify and declare all defective MacBook Pros. As there are now two cases against Apple due to "flexgate," both of which are filed with the Northern District of California, it is likely that the cases will eventually be consolidated into one.

VMware today is announcing Fusion 12, the next major update to Fusion, its virtualization software that allows users to run a variety of operating systems on virtual machines within macOS.

Fusion 12 brings several new updates and improvements, including eGPU compatibility, support for container-based applications built with Kubernetes, DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 support, improved security for the sandbox rendering engine, improved accessibility controls, and more.

VMware has also prepared Fusion 12 for the upcoming launch of macOS Big Sur, which will continue Apple's transition toward ending support for kernel extensions. VMware says that Fusion 12 will continue to run with kernel extensions on macOS Catalina, but will also support macOS Big Sur by using Apple's APIs to run its virtual machines and containers.

Finally, with this new version of Fusion, VMware is also shaking up its pricing with a new Fusion 12 Player licensing structure that is free for personal use. Fusion 12 Player users who want to use the software for commercial use will be able to purchase a license for $149, with an upgrade license available for $89 to those currently running Fusion 10 or 11.

A professional-level Fusion 12 Pro offers some additional power-user features and allows you to run on up to three devices (including Windows or Linux PCs running VMware's Workstation Pro), with pricing set at $199 for a new license or $99 as an upgrade. Discounted educational pricing will also be available for Fusion 12, although many students will also be able to take advantage of the free personal use license.

Users who purchased Fusion 11.5 or Fusion 11.5 Pro after June 15 will be eligible for a free upgrade to Fusion 12 Player (commercial license) or Fusion 12 Pro.

VMware hasn't yet announced a specific launch date for Fusion 12 Player and Fusion 12 Pro, other than a general timeframe of later this fiscal quarter, which runs through October for VMware. They will be available through VMware's online store and other outlets.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with VMware. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Western Digital today launched a new USB 3.2 Gen 2 My Passport SSD under its WD brand, with the new device equipped with NVMe technology that supports read speeds of up to 1050MB/s and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s.

The new My Passport SSD is available in capacities up to 2TB, and like most SSDs, it's small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. It features a metal casing with rounded corners and waved ridges, and it comes in gray, blue, red, and gold.

The My Passport SSD's casing offers shock and vibration resistance, and it is drop resistant up to 6.5 feet. It ships with a USB-C cable and a USB-A adapter, and works with both Mac and PC out of the box.

According to Western Digital, the new My Passport SSD can transfer content twice as fast as the previous version of the drive, and it features password-enabled 256-bit AES hardware encryption.

The My Passport SSD can be purchased from select retailers like Amazon and Best Buy starting today. The 500GB model is priced at $120, while the 1TB model is priced at $190. Other capacities will be available later in the year.