MacRumors iPhone and iPad Blog: Apps, News, and Rumors

Sony today at CES 2019 introduced its latest aftermarket CarPlay receiver with improved sound quality and a dedicated voice button. The new XAV-AX7000 has the same 6.95-inch capacitive touchscreen as the current XAV-AX5000, but features a higher-power 100W class-D amplifier for more impactful sound and a higher-power 5V pre-out for clearer sound with less distortion when the receiver is...

Signify today announced that its Philips Hue lighting lineup is gaining new outdoor lighting and sensor options in 2019. New to the Hue Outdoor line is the Philips Hue Outdoor Sensor, which, like the indoor sensor, is designed to detect motion. The Outdoor Sensor is able to tell when a person is nearby, turning on outdoor Hue lights automatically. The Hue Outdoor Sensor is wireless and...

Anker has announced a new line of portable speakers under its Soundcore home audio brand. Dubbed the Rave series, the high-watt speakers are aimed at providing the soundtrack to your next outdoor summer party. The standard Rave speaker costs $200, is splash resistant, and comes with dual two-inch tweeters and two 5.25-inch woofers that combine to deliver 160 watts of sound. Next in the...

In a bid to compete with the likes of Amazon Prime and Roku, Plex is reportedly planning to offer users ad-supported movies and premium content subscriptions through its platform. Plex Web Shows According to TechCrunch, the personal media management service is already in discussions with rights holders and networks to bring ad-supported content to the Plex platform, in a manner similar to the ...

Xiaomi today unveiled a new version of its AirDots wireless headphones, and it's safe to say that the average consumer on the street would be hard pressed to distinguish the look from Apple's own AirPods. The Chinese mobile maker first appeared to take a leaf out of Apple's playbook back in November with the launch of its original AirDots, which were more akin to classic earbuds in design...

Apple-certified accessory maker Anker today at CES 2019 announced that its PowerPort Atom PD 1 power adapter, which it calls "the world's smallest Power Delivery wall charger," will be available to order later this month. Anker's PowerPort Atom PD 1 The PowerPort Atom PD 1 is about the size of the five-watt charger that comes in the box with every iPhone thanks to the use of gallium nitride...

Western Digital's SanDisk brand today unveiled a prototype flash drive, which it says is the world's highest capacity USB drive featuring total of 4TB of storage. Equipped with a USB-C connector, the flash drive is a prototype and thus it's not yet for sale. A 4TB USB-sized flash drive would be prohibitively expensive as even 2TB flash drives cost upwards of $1,000, but it does demonstrate...

OtterBox today announced that it is partnering with PopSockets for a new series of "Otter + Pop" Symmetry cases for iPhone, which come equipped with a built-in "PopGrip" compatible with removable, swappable "PopTops" at the back of the case. PopSockets have become extremely popular over the course of the last year, with the stick-on holders available in a range of colors and patterns. The new...

GE Lighting recently announced an expansion to its C by GE portfolio, introducing a number of new HomeKit-compatible smart wall switches, full color lights, and accessories. All of the below products will be rolling out across 2019, starting with the first quarter of the year. To use these products with HomeKit, the C-Reach Hub, introduced last year, is required. Full Color LED Bulbs C by...

Samsung today said in a regulatory filing that its earnings for the fourth quarter of 2018 have likely dropped sharply due to weak memory chip demand and growing competition in the smartphone business. As noted by Reuters, Samsung's operating profit for the three months ending in December was at approximately at 10.8 trillion Korean won, aka $9.67 billion, well below the 13.2 trillion won...

Apple Music subscribers in a number of countries now have access to lyrics for select Apple Music songs, according to an updated Apple support page. Lyric availability has expanded to Germany, Ireland, South Africa, Spain, Mexico, New Zealand, and France, letting customers in these countries view song lyrics and search for songs using lyrics. Support for lyrics was first added in iOS 10,...

As noted by customers on Reddit and Twitter, and on the blog iPhone in Canada, Apple has begun charging sales tax on the purchases of TV shows, movies, music, and audiobooks in iTunes and Apple Music subscriptions in Canada. The change went into effect January 1, 2019, with GST, HST, PST, and/or QST collected depending on the province or territory. In a statement issued to MacRumors,...

Resideo today at CES 2019 introduced its latest Honeywell Home smart thermostats, the T9 and T10 Pro. The latest T-series thermostats feature wireless sensors that measure temperature and humidity on a room-by-room basis. The thermostats will be compatible with HomeKit later this year, according to an Apple spokesperson, allowing them to be controlled in the Home app on iOS and macOS and...

Kwikset today at CES 2019 announced that its HomeKit-enabled Premis smart door lock will be available in a new contemporary style with sleek, square lines later this year in the United States. While pricing was not disclosed, the current Premis is available for $229 regularly in the United States. Kwikset Premis in new contemporary style on left, Mighton Avia on right Premis enables...

Zagg today unveiled a new line of keyboard products designed for Apple's latest iPads, including the fifth and sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPads and the 2018 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models. Slim Book Go ZAGG's Slim Book Go offers full protection for the iPad, with a stand-style case and detachable keyboard. Designed to be slim and lightweight for easy transport, the Slim Book Go offers...

Back in August, a California jury awarded Canadian patent holding company WiLan $145.1 million in an ongoing dispute with Apple after the iPhone was found to have infringed on two WiLan patents related to wireless communications technology. Apple won't be paying WiLan $145.1 million, though, as the court recently decided that WiLAN must accept reduced damages of $10 million or prepare for a...

There are quite a few notable deals that began today to kick off the new year, starting with discounts on Anker's wall chargers, wireless chargers, car chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and more. Many of the sales don't require a discount code, and these will be lasting for most of January. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...

Ikea this week added to its line of HomeKit-connected smart home products with the launch of the Kadrilj and Fyrtur smart roller blinds, which are now available for purchase in Germany. Both of the smart blind products are powered via a battery that allows users to raise or lower them through an included remote control, a smartphone app, or through Alexa, Google Assistant, or HomeKit. Demo ...