MacRumors

Last Minute Updates

Some last minute leaks have come in ahead of Tuesday's event, confirming which devices we can expect to see Apple unveil, and which features those devices might offer.

AirPods and iOS 14

Apple introduced a new version of the AirPods Pro firmware that supports spatial audio for the first time. Spatial audio is an iOS 14 feature that enables a stereo surround-style experience on iPhone and iPad. The release of the firmware right before the event suggests that we will likely see the Gold Master of iOS 14 tomorrow with a public release coming a week later.

Other Rumors

According to often-accurate analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the event will not include new iPhones, and will instead focus on new Apple Watch and iPad Air models. Kuo believes the new Apple Watch models will have a similar form factor to the Series 5, with the key new feature being blood oxygen sensing.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared similar expectations, and he too expects Tuesday's event to focus on the Apple Watch Series 6 and the ‌iPad Air‌, while the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 models will come in October. Gurman is expecting blood oxygen monitoring for the Apple Watch Series 6, along with a new lower-end Apple Watch model and an all-screen ‌iPad Air‌.

Both the Apple Watch Series 6 and the new low-cost Apple Watch (which some are calling "Apple Watch SE") are expected to come in 40 and 44mm size options with GPS and LTE models available.

Jon Prosser, who has a mixed record when it comes to leaks, this morning shared details about Apple's long-awaited AirTags and the smaller HomePod that Apple is working on. Prosser says it is "likely" that ‌AirTags‌ will be unveiled alongside the HomePod mini at Apple's event tomorrow. Both products are "technically ready," and "in terms of production schedule, they are done, and could possibly be announced."

In addition, proven leaker known as "L0vetodream" has said that the Apple Watch Series 6 would come in a new, unspecified color and perhaps have fast-charging functionality. Given that the ‌iPhone‌ 12 has been repeatedly rumored by a variety of reliable sources to be arriving in a new blue color, it seems likely that the new color will be blue to match.

We may also see a new 8th-generation low-cost ‌iPad‌ tomorrow, according to leaker Evan Blass. The updated tablet is expected to feature an A12X chip and it will continue to offer a Lightning port.

Make sure to read on below for more of what we expect to see.

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Apple is holding a digital-only fall event on Tuesday, September 15, but this year's event may be different from other September events we've had in the past because we might not see ‌iPhone‌ announcements.

Current rumors indicate Apple's September 15 event, which features the tagline "Time Flies," will focus on the Apple Watch Series 6 and new iPads, with a second iPhone-focused event coming in October. We've rounded up everything we know about the products that Apple might announce at the event so you know what to expect when Tuesday rolls around.

Apple One

Since originally publishing this article, we've uncovered evidence that Apple has started registering "Apple One" domain names. ‌Apple One‌ is a rumored services bundle coming from Apple.

The bundle would allow customers to subscribe to several different Apple services in a discounted package. These packages could include Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud, and Apple News+. Apple is also rumored to be launching a fitness subscription service as well. If Apple introduces ‌Apple One‌ at Tuesday's event, it could introduce this new fitness service as well, which would also potentially be available in the ‌Apple One‌ bundles.

The service would offer virtual fitness and workout classes via an app for ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and ‌Apple TV‌.

Apple Watch Series 6

Apple releases iterative updates to the Apple Watch each year, and this year's Apple Watch Series 6 is expected to feature the same design as the Apple Watch Series 5, with no external design changes that we know of at this time.

It could feature a new system-on-a-chip that will bring performance and battery life improvements, along with better water resistance and improved wireless transmission for faster WiFi and cellular speeds. A battery said to be for the Series 6 has leaked and it features 303.8mAh, which is not a huge improvement over the current 296mAh battery in the Series 5, so any battery life gains are likely to come from efficiency improvements.

Right now, rumors suggest the biggest feature we'll see in the Series 6 is blood oxygen monitoring, which would let the Apple Watch detect and monitor the oxygen levels in the blood.

Normal blood oxygen is between 95 and 100 percent, and when blood oxygen levels drop below that, it can be indicative of a serious health problem that needs immediate medical attention.

According to code for the Apple Watch found in iOS 14, the Apple Watch will provide notifications when blood oxygen levels drop below a healthy threshold, so Apple Watch owners can get quick help when affected by a respiratory or cardiac problem. The feature is of immediate interest in the pandemic because the virus can cause oxygen levels to drop and people experiencing reduced oxygen intake need emergency assistance.

Along with blood oxygen levels, there have been loose rumors about mental health capabilities that would let the Apple Watch Series 6 detect panic attacks or high levels of stress, with the watch then providing breathing exercises to help calm people down. If rumors are accurate, such a feature could take into account blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing rate, and other data to determine stress level.

Alongside the Apple Watch Series 6, we could see a new lower-cost Apple Watch option that replaces the Series 3. One rumor suggests that the new low-cost Apple Watch will be a modified Series 4 in 40 and 44mm size options with features like the ECG app and always-on display removed to keep the price more affordable.

The information about a new lower-cost watch comes from Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌, who often shares reliable info about Apple's plans, while the detail about a modified Series 4 comes from leaker ‌Jon Prosser‌, who has a mixed track record when it comes to leaks.

Want to know more about the next-generation Apple Watch? Make sure to check out our Apple Watch roundup.

iPad Air

Rumors about the next-generation ‌iPad Air‌ are exciting because it looks like this could be the first Apple device that features Touch ID that's available outside of the standard Home button.

The ‌iPad Air‌ is said to feature an all-display design much like the iPad Pro, with a 10.8 to 11-inch screen size. Instead of featuring a notch, rumors have suggested the ‌iPad Air‌ will feature ‌Touch ID‌, either under the display or built into the Side button of the device.

We don't typically get as much information about ‌iPad‌ rumors as we do about ‌iPhone‌ rumors, so it's still unclear which ‌Touch ID‌ method we can expect, if ‌Touch ID‌ is indeed planned for the ‌iPad Air‌.

Like the ‌iPad Pro‌, the next-generation ‌iPad Air‌ could feature a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, which would allow for charging with USB-C cables, and Apple may release a Magic Keyboard alongside it.

Other ‌iPad Air‌ rumors suggest it will feature a Smart Connector (for the aforementioned Magic Keyboard), four stereo speakers, and an A14 chip.

Many of the rumors about the new ‌iPad Air‌ have made it unclear if the information pertains to the ‌iPad Air‌ or the low-cost ‌iPad‌, so it's not clear where the more affordable ‌iPad‌ stands. Apple could also be planning a low-cost ‌iPad‌ refresh, but ‌iPad‌ rumors have been confusing enough that we aren't quite sure what to expect.

For more on what we know about the ‌iPad Air‌, check out our iPad Air roundup.

In Case There Are iPhones

Apple's September 15 event is supposedly going to focus on the iPad and the Apple Watch rather than the ‌iPhone‌, which is hard to believe because we've had a September ‌iPhone‌ event for years now, but everything is different this year because of the ongoing health crisis.

iPhones aren't coming out until October because of production delays, so the word is Apple wants to announce the iPhones closer to their October launch date rather than in September when customers have to wait more than a month to get their hands on the new devices. We're getting a September event with the ‌iPad‌ and Apple Watch (and maybe some extras), and there will presumably be a second October event for the ‌iPhone‌.

In case that info is wrong and we do get ‌iPhone‌ announcements at the September 15 event, here's what to expect:

Apple is releasing a total of four iPhones in 2020, adding one extra to the 2019 lineup. There will be two lower-cost affordable iPhones and two more expensive Pro models. The lower-cost iPhones will come in 5.4 and 6.1-inch sizes, and the pricier Pro models will come in 6.1 and 6.7-inch sizes.

The 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ will be the smallest ‌iPhone‌ that Apple has introduced since the 2016 ‌iPhone‌ SE, while the 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ will be the biggest ‌iPhone‌ released to date.

We have part leaks, renderings, schematics, and a lot more detail on what to expect from the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 models over in our full iPhone 12 roundup, which is a must read for those who are interested in what's coming.

All four iPhones are expected to feature edge-to-edge displays and Face ID with notches, but this year, they're all going to have OLED displays with Apple doing away with LCD. There were rumors about smaller notches, but it doesn't look like Apple is shrinking the notch design with this year's iPhones.

The Pro models might also have 120Hz ProMotion displays, also an ‌iPad Pro‌ feature, but rumors are mixed on this point and it's not clear if Apple has worked out battery life issues caused by higher display refresh rates.

Design wise, Apple is expected to introduce some changes. Rather than the rounded edges that we've had since the launch of the ‌iPhone‌ 6, the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup is expected to feature a design with a flat-edge frame similar to the ‌iPad Pro‌ or the ‌iPhone‌ 4. The Pro models will have a stainless steel frame while the lower-end models will have an aluminum frame, and all four will have glass fronts and backs.

A rumored navy blue color might replace the midnight green in the Pro models, and the more affordable iPhones could also get some new color options.

The more expensive iPhones will have three-camera setups and at least one of the Pro models will have a LiDAR Scanner like the ‌iPad Pro‌, though it's possible both models will have LiDAR sensors. LiDAR Scanners will bring new AR and photographic capabilities. The more affordable iPhones will feature dual-lens camera setups much like the ‌iPhone‌ 11.

The three-lens camera setups could come with an improved telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and improved Smart HDR for better low-light performance. Better image stabilization could also be coming to the ultra wide-angle lenses, and new camera modes might let the Pro models shoot 4K videos at 120 and 240 frames per second.

All of the 2020 iPhones will have 5G modem chips, but there are two kinds of 5G, and it looks like the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro models will be the only ones to support the fastest 5G, which is mmWave 5G. mmWave 5G is short range and will be used in cities and urban areas, while Sub-6GHz 5G is slower than mmWave but longer range and more appropriate for widespread use. For more on the differences between mmWave and Sub-6GHz 5G, make sure to read our guide.

Apple will equip all of this year's iPhones with a faster, more efficient 5-nanometer A14 chip, which will bring performance and efficiency improvements for speedier operation and perhaps longer battery life to compensate for the 5G battery drain. As for RAM, the Pro models are expected to get 6GB RAM, while the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models could have 4GB RAM.

Because 5G modem chips are so expensive, Apple is looking to cut costs. Rumors suggest the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models won't ship with a power adapter or EarPods in the box, but Apple will offer a 20W power adapter that can be purchased separately.

Other Possibilities

AirTags

Japanese site Mac Otakara believes that Apple's long-rumored AirTags are finally going to launch this fall. The site said alongside new iPhones, so we might not see the AirTags at this event, but it's a possibility.

AirTags are Tile-like Bluetooth tracking devices meant to be attached to items like keys, wallets, cameras, and odds and ends that are valuable and easily lost. With AirTags, these items can be tracked right in the Find My app right alongside iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

We don't know what AirTags will look like but based on images found in iOS, they could be small, circular tags with built-in Bluetooth and ultra-wideband support. Ultra-wideband is notable because iPhones with a U1 chip will be able to better track positioning with more accuracy than Bluetooth alone. If keys are lost down the couch cushion, as an example, the ‌iPhone‌ will be able to locate them right away.

AirTags may attach to items with rings or adhesive, and there are mixed rumors on charging. There might be a built-in rechargeable battery that works with an Apple Watch-style charging puck or a replaceable CR2032 battery.

Anything lost will show up on the ‌Find My‌ map with an associated address, and when the ‌iPhone‌ is close by a lost item, Apple may offer up an augmented reality map with specific positioning to make it easier to find what's missing. AirTags will also be able to play a sound when close to an ‌iPhone‌.

iOS 13 introduced a feature that lets Apple products communicate with one another when offline, so a lost ‌iPhone‌ can ping off of someone else's ‌iPhone‌ that it comes into contact with even when there's no cellular or WiFi connection. This same feature is expected to be coming to the AirTags, and it will let millions of iPhones all around the world track lost items, giving Apple's trackers a leg up over other trackers on the market.

For more on AirTags, we have a guide that outlines all of the rumored features that we know so far.

AirPods Studio

Apple is working on high-end over-ear headphones that could be called the "AirPods Studio," and the new headphones could launch at Apple's fall event as they're expected to come out before the end of 2020.

AirPods Studio will be the third product in Apple's AirPods lineup, with Apple planning to sell the headphones alongside the AirPods and the ‌AirPods Pro‌. Like the ‌AirPods Pro‌, the AirPods Studio will feature Active Noise Cancellation to minimize ambient noise.

Other features may include equalizer adjustments available through an iOS or Mac device, and head and neck detection, which would work similarly to the ear detection in the AirPods but would be able to tell if the headphones are on the head or around the neck.

An orientation feature will allow the AirPods Studio to detect the left and right ears for routing audio channels, and there will be no right or wrong side for wearing the headphones.

Bloomberg believes Apple is working on two designs for the AirPods Studio. One is a higher-end premium version and one is fitness-focused and made from more breathable and lighter weight materials.

Both versions are expected to include magnetic ear cups and headband padding that can be swapped out for a customizable look, similar to Apple Watch bands. We don't know what the AirPods Studio will cost, but rumors predict the new headphones will cost about $349.

We have more info on the AirPods Studio in our AirPods Studio roundup.

More Affordable HomePod

Apple's original ‌HomePod‌ hasn't sold well even with price cuts due to its high price point in comparison to competing products like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, so Apple is working on a smaller, more affordable version that could launch this year.

We don't know a whole lot about this smaller, cheaper ‌HomePod‌, but it's expected to feature the same general ‌HomePod‌ form factor, just shrunken down, and Apple could remove some of the tweeters (dropping from seven to two) to cut the price.

Wireless Charging Mat

Apple nixed its AirPower charging mat in March 2019, but behind the scenes, work has continued on some kind of wireless charging product. Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌, who often shares accurate insight into Apple's plans, says that Apple is working on a "small wireless charging mat."

We don't really know any other reliable information about the charging mat that's in development, but presumably it won't be on the scale of the AirPower, which rumors say failed because of issues with overheating and interference.

First Apple Silicon Mac

Apple in June officially announced its work on its own Arm-based Apple Silicon chips designed for Macs, which will be similar to the A-series chips that are used in iOS devices. These chips are designed in-house by Apple and will lead to higher-performance and more efficient Macs that have deeper integration between hardware and software.

Apple will be ditching Intel chips in favor of its Apple Silicon chips and Apple is planning to transition the entire Mac lineup to ‌Apple Silicon‌ hardware. That transition starts in 2020, and Apple has promised to release the first Arm-based Mac before the end of the year.

There is no official word on which Mac will be the first to get an ‌Apple Silicon‌ chip, but rumors have suggested it will be the MacBook Pro, which could perhaps come in a new 14-inch variant to replace the 13.3-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌. The MacBook Air and a new 24-inch iMac are also expected to be some of the first Macs to be updated with ‌Apple Silicon‌ chips, and there have even been rumors about a new 12-inch MacBook with Apple's chip technology.

Whichever Mac is released with an ‌Apple Silicon‌ chip, it's coming sometime in the fall of 2020. We could perhaps see it announced at Apple's September 15 event, but it may be a bit early for Apple to debut the new Mac, so it's not a sure thing.

We have a lot more information on the ‌Apple Silicon‌ chips and what the transition away from Intel will look like in our Apple Silicon guide.

Event Coverage

Apple will live stream its September 15 event on the Apple Events website, YouTube, and in the ‌Apple TV‌ app on the ‌Apple TV‌. For those unable to watch, MacRumors will provide live coverage here on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

Apple's iPhone 12 lineup is set to launch at some point in October, and ahead of the debut of the new iPhones, leaks have been picking up. We've seen a few components such as a display unit and a logic board, but a new video today allegedly features the chassis of the 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro.

Shared by EverythingApplePro, the ‌iPhone‌ shell appears similar to dummy ‌iPhone‌ units that have been floating around on the internet since July.

This appears to be the Pro model due to the three-lens camera setup at the rear, and if accurate, the body suggests the 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro could feature a LiDAR Scanner. There have been some rumors that have suggested Apple might limit the LiDAR Scanner to the 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, but that may not be the case.

Apple already introduced a LiDAR Scanner in the 2020 iPad Pro, introducing enhanced augmented reality capabilities. In the ‌iPhone‌, this could also translate to new photographic capabilities. There's an area on the right side that could perhaps be related to the 5G antenna, and the SIM tray has been moved underneath the volume button on the left side. The overall design has iPad Pro-like flat sides, a departure from the rounded look that Apple has used since the ‌iPhone‌ 6.

Though not depicted in the chassis leak, other rumors today have indicated that Apple's 2020 ‌iPhone‌ lineup may not get 120Hz display support. There were mixed rumors on the subject, and now several leakers have suggested that the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ models have gone into mass production without the upgraded 120Hz display.

Apple is set to hold an event on Tuesday, September 15, but current rumors indicate that event will see Apple unveil new Apple Watch models and new iPads rather than new iPhones. If that information is accurate, Apple could instead debut new iPhones at a second event set to be held in October, which would be closer to the projected launch date for the new devices.

Apple typically releases new iPhones in September, but production on this year's devices has been delayed and Apple confirmed in July that the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ lineup is going to launch later than expected.

Along with the 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, Apple is also expected to release a larger 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, a 5.4-inch standard ‌iPhone‌ 12, and a 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12 model, with the latter two being the more affordable models that are replacements for the existing ‌iPhone‌ 11. For more on everything rumored for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup, make sure to check out our iPhone 12 roundup.

As wildfires continue to rage across California and Oregon, Apple CEO Tim Cook today announced on Twitter that Apple plans to donate additional money to firefighting and recovery efforts across the West Coast.

Cook previously announced fire relief donations on August 19, when a lightning storm in Northern California sparked 367 fires, including several major fires that have decimated areas in Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Napa County, and Sonoma County.

The original fires caused by lightning have been largely contained, but hot weather and dry conditions have caused other fires to start.

There continue to be serious fires in both Northern and Southern California, such as the Creek Fire in Fresno and Madera that has burned more than 175,000 acres. Southern Oregon is facing a fire that has burned more than a million acres, and hundreds of thousands of acres have been burned in Washington.

Fires on the West Coast are expected to continue through October, a time of the year we've come to know as fire season, with high winds, low humidity, and high temperatures leading to the ignition of dry brush.

Apple has previously donated millions to wildfire relief efforts in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

For this week's giveaway we've teamed up with MAXOAK to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Bluetti EB240 Power Station, a high-capacity portable battery that's ideal for emergency power, power outages, off-grid living, camping, and other similar purposes.

The EB240 Power Station features a 2400Wh battery that supports a maximum of 1000W continuous power draw, though it can support up to 1200W for two minutes. The Power Station is equipped with a 3C high rate LG battery cell designed for automobiles, which MAXOAK says has a 2500+ charge life cycle.

Priced at $1600 after a $200 discount on the Amazon site and another $95 off with promo code "bluetti15," the EB240 features a compact design with easily accessible ports and a handle to make it simple to transport wherever it's needed. The EB240 Power Station measures in at 20 inches by 14.4 inches by 6.5 inches and it weighs 48.5 pounds.

There are two AC 110V outlets for household devices like televisions, refrigerators, CPAP machines, and similar high-powered appliances, along with a 12V9A Cigar Lighter to support car-powered devices like miniature fridges and car vacuums. There's a 45W USB-C port for charging laptops, iPhones, and iPads, along with four 5V3A USB-A ports for other smaller devices and accessories like cameras, lights, smartphones, and more.

Recharging the EB240 can be done in 12 hours through a wall outlet, but for off-the-grid power, it can be recharged using a solar panel with efficient MPPT technology built in (solar panel not included). A pure sine wave inverter and a battery management system protect devices from overvoltage, overcurrent, short circuiting, and temperature issues.

With 2400Wh, the EB240 can charge a smartphone up to 255 times before it runs out of juice. It can charge a tablet 88 times, a camera 400 times, and a 60W laptop 34 times. It can power an 800W refrigerator for 2.6 hours, a 100W LCD TV for 24 hours, a 10W light for 204 hours, and a 60W CPAP machine for 34 hours. Power level is available through an included LCD screen.

For those that don't need the power the EB240 offers, MAXOAK also makes a whole range of similar power stations at more affordable price points. MAXOAK's offerings can be found on Amazon or on the MAXOAK website.

We have two of the Bluetti EB240 2400Wh Power Stations to give away from MAXOAK. To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (September 11) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 18. The winners will be chosen randomly on September 18 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Apple today announced updates to its App Store Review Guidelines to take into account some new features that are coming in iOS 14, such as App Clips, while also introducing new rules surrounding streaming game services and in-app purchases.

According to Apple's updated guidelines, streaming game services like Microsoft's xCloud are allowed, but all of the games included in a streaming game subscription service need to be downloaded directly from the App Store.

Apple has clashed with Microsoft over streaming gaming services in recent weeks, with Apple preventing xCloud, Microsoft's latest gaming service, from being released in the ‌App Store‌ because Apple has no oversight when it comes to the games included in the service. It's not clear if Microsoft will want to upload all xCloud games to the ‌App Store‌ separately, but that appears to be an option for getting xCloud onto iOS.

Streaming games are permitted so long as they adhere to all guidelines -- for example, each game update must be submitted for review, developers must provide appropriate metadata for search, games must use in-app purchase to unlock features or functionality, etc. Of course, there is always the open Internet and web browser apps to reach all users outside of the App Store.

Each streaming game must be submitted to the App Store as an individual app so that it has an App Store product page, appears in charts and search, has user ratings and review, can be managed with Screen Time and other parental control apps, appears on the user's device, etc.

Streaming game services are, however, allowed to offer a catalog app on the ‌App Store‌ to help users sign up for the service and to find the games that have been uploaded to the ‌App Store‌, so long as the app adheres to all of Apple's guidelines. Apps must provide users with an option to pay for a subscription with in-app purchase and use Sign in with Apple. All games must link to an individual ‌App Store‌ product page.

Other rules state that apps classified as "Reader apps" such as Netflix can offer account creation for free tiers and are able to provide account management functionality for existing customers while not offering payment options.

Relating to Fortnite, a new ‌App Store‌ clarification says that apps are not allowed to include hidden, dormant, or undocumented features in apps, with all app functionality clear to end users and Apple's App Review team. Epic Games snuck a direct payment option into Fortnite that Apple did not approve, which led to the whole legal battle between Apple and Epic.

All new features, functionality, and product changes are required to be described with specificity in the Notes for Review section when developers are submitting updates, and Apple says that generic descriptions will be rejected.

Apps that offer purchase options for realtime person-to-person experiences between two individuals (such as tutoring) can now use purchase methods other than in-app purchase to collect payments. One-to-a-few and one-to-many experiences that involve more than two people have to use Apple's in-app purchase system. There has been controversy over in-app purchases for services that have been forced to go digital due to the ongoing health crisis, with apps like ClassPass complaining about Apple's purchase requirements. Apple's new rule will allow one-to-one classes to skirt in-app purchases with direct payment options, but that won't work for multi-person classes.

Free standalone apps that are companions to paid web-based tools do not need to use Apple's in-app purchase system so long as there is no purchasing inside the app or calls to action for purchasing outside of the app, which appears to be a new rule related to the snafu over the WordPress app.

Apps can't require users to rate the app, review the app, watch videos, download other apps, tap on advertisements, enable tracking, or take other similar actions to access functionality, content, use the app, or receive monetary compensation.

App Clips, widgets, extensions, and notifications must be related to the functionality of an app, and Apple says that App Clips are not allowed to contain advertising. Widgets, notifications, keyboards, and watchOS apps are also not allowed to include advertising.

Apple's full list of ‌App Store‌ Guideline changes can be found on the Apple Developer site and through the complete App Store Guidelines.

Update: In a statement to CNET, Microsoft said that Apple's new guidelines don't offer an ideal experience for customers. From Microsoft: "This remains a bad experience for customers. Gamers want to jump directly into a game from their curated catalog within one app just like they do with movies or songs, and not be forced to download over 100 apps to play individual games from the cloud. We're committed to putting gamers at the center of everything we do, and providing a great experience is core to that mission."

Over a year after its U.S. launch, MacRumors has uncovered a range of evidence to suggest that Apple Card may soon be launching internationally.

A source claiming to be close to an unnamed Australian banking corporation involved in supporting ‌‌Apple Card‌‌ in Australia tells MacRumors that ‌Apple Card‌ will be launching in multiple new regions as soon as the end of this year. The tip speculated that the Australian release may coincide with the release of iOS 14.1 or iOS 14.2, but cautioned that it might not be ready until an iOS 14.3 release in early 2021.

In addition, Apple has recently advertised for several new Apple Card Product Manager roles that involve travel and "working with external partners such as payment networks, bank issuers and other players." In the U.S., Goldman Sachs is ‌Apple Card‌'s only bank issuer. The job description may suggest that Apple is setting about negotiation with other issuers within the U.S., or more likely, issuers to support ‌Apple Card‌ in other regions around the world.

MacRumors has also discovered references to GDPR for ‌Apple Card‌ in iOS 14 Beta 8 code. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy. As ‌Apple Card‌ is not currently available outside of the U.S., it seems curious that there is code potentially referring to European privacy legislation for ‌Apple Card‌.

The code, found in a property list, also seems to have been present in some previous versions of iOS. It is unclear if the code is specifically referring to General Data Protection Regulation, or is an abbreviation for something else.

With an Apple event on Tuesday, Apple may be preparing to announce an international expansion of ‌Apple Card‌ imminently. Alternately, Apple could announce the international launch alongside new iPhones at a rumored October event.

Considering the extent to which credit markets and regulation varies around the world, it would be a tall order for Apple to release ‌Apple Card‌ in multiple new regions simultaneously. However, following the success of ‌Apple Card‌ in the U.S., it would make sense for Apple to expand into international markets. It is possible that Apple could announce a broad international expansion on Tuesday, before gradually completing launches at a much slower pace in other regions as they become ready.

While visiting Germany last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed his interest in launching ‌Apple Card‌ internationally. Last month, Samsung launched Samsung Pay Card in the UK, in an effort to establish a foothold in the region before Apple does.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu reported that Apple plans to introduce a replacement for the Apple Watch Series 3 that competes with lower-cost fitness trackers like those from Fitbit.

This rumor has now been backed by hit-or-miss leaker Jon Prosser, who claims that Apple plans to announce a lower-priced Apple Watch model at its virtual event on September 15. In a tweet, Prosser said the new model will feature a similar design as the Apple Watch Series 4, with 40mm and 44mm sizes to be available.

It's worth noting that Prosser inaccurately claimed that new Apple Watch and iPad models would be announced via press release on Tuesday of this week, but on other occasions he has shared accurate information about Apple's product release plans.

Prosser added that this lower-priced Apple Watch will lack some newer features like the ECG app and an always-on display. Confusingly, he also mentioned that the model will include the M9 chip, which is one of Apple's older motion coprocessors found in devices like the iPhone 6s, the original iPhone SE, and the fifth-generation iPad.

Last month, Apple filed several more unreleased Apple Watch models in the Eurasian Economic Commission database than it has in prior years, lending further credence to the possibility of both Apple Watch Series 6 and lower-priced models being announced next week.

Apple will be streaming its September 15 event on its website and YouTube starting at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, and we'll have full coverage of the announcements here at MacRumors. Gurman recently indicated that the event will be focused on new Apple Watch models and potentially a redesigned iPad Air, with new iPhones not expected until October.

An NHS COVID-19 contact-tracing app using the Apple and Google API is finally set to launch in England and Wales on September 24, the UK government has announced today (via BBC News).

The app performs distance-based contact-tracing like similar apps released in other countries. It will also allow users to scan QR codes to register visits to hospitality venues to aid contact-tracing.

UK businesses are being asked to display QR code posters to advertise the app. The Department of Health and Social Care also said that an alternate system, such as a handwritten register, must also be maintained for visitors who do not have smartphones.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the launch as "a defining moment and will aid our ability to contain the virus at a critical time."

The first version of the NHS contact-tracing app, intended for all regions of the UK, was trialed on the Isle of Wight in May. The app used a centralized tracing solution rather than the Apple and Google API, and was later scrapped entirely.

The new contact-tracing app for England and Wales will use the Apple and Google API for detecting other nearby smartphones. Scotland has already launched its contract-tracing app using the Apple and Google API.

The API is built into iOS 13.5 and later, and allows 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.

Apple recently rolled out a new Express Exposure Notifications System that does not require an app to be downloaded for the feature to be turned on. After updating to iOS 13.7, a new ‌Exposure Notification‌ section appears in the Settings app where there's a toggle to "Turn on Exposure Notifications."

Activating Exposure Notifications lets you know if the feature is available in your country, state, or region through a contact tracing app. In areas that are participating in the Exposure Notifications Express program, users can turn on Exposure Notifications without the need to download an app.

Apple and Google have stressed the privacy of their Bluetooth-based solution, which must be enabled in the Settings app under Privacy > Health > COVID-19 Exposure Logging to function. Read our Exposure Notification guide for more details.

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 made a change in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 that enables third-party browsers and email clients to be used as default apps, meaning users who don't get on with Safari or Apple's native Mail app can choose an alternative and it will be opened automatically whenever the system requires it.

The latest version of Google Chrome now supports this ability, so anyone on iOS 14 can set Google's app as their default browser and it will be used to automatically open web page links that are tapped in other apps.

Note that these steps will only work if you have iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 installed.

1. Download the latest version of Google Chrome from the App Store [Direct Link] or update the app if you already have it.
2. Launch the Settings app.
3. Scroll down and select Chrome.
4. Tap Default Browser App.
5. Tap Chrome.

After you've completed these steps, any app that tries to open a web page will launch Chrome instead of Safari. To change this behavior, simply repeat the steps and select Safari in the Default Browser Apps screen.

As of writing, no other third-party web browser provides an option to set it as the default browser for the iOS, but give it some time and the option will surely arrive for Firefox, Opera, and others.

Apple is expected to release iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 for all users later this month, and we could even see them announced next week at Apple's "Time Flies" event on Tuesday, September 15, where it is expected to announce the Apple Watch Series 6 and new iPads.

In a new report, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has laid out Apple's current succession planning for the company's senior leadership roles. The report explains that Apple is increasingly devoting attention to developing a "new generation of leaders" who will eventually take over senior roles in the company.

Amid increasing awareness that CEO Tim Cook and his management group of senior vice presidents are aging and nearing retirement age, Gurman's sources explained that Apple has undertaken substantial corporate planning to line up a younger generation of leaders. The report outlines several major features of the succession plan.

Most strikingly, the report claims that current Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams is primed to take over as CEO if ‌Tim Cook‌ were to retire imminently. Williams is "seen as the heir apparent" within the company, having run Apple's global operations under Cook's leadership. Previously, he spearheaded development of the Apple Watch and various health initiatives, and has recently begun oversight of hardware and software design.

Crucially, Williams is said to be seen as much like Cook in terms of "pragmatic" leadership style, as an "an operations-focused executive like Cook rather than a product visionary like Jobs or former design chief Jony Ive." Gurman has previously stressed the growing importance of Williams to the company.

Beyond the role of CEO, Gurman highlights how the "smart money" is on the newly appointed vice president of iPhone marketing, Kaiann Drance, taking over from Apple's current marketing chief executive Greg Joswiak, who took over from Phil Schiller in August.

Although the report cautions that Craig Federighi is still the youngest member of Apple's executive team and is likely to remain in his role for several more years, two individuals are lined up to fill his role. Sebastien Marineau-Mes, vice president of Intelligent Systems Experience, and Jon Andrews, who was named a vice president to lead CoreOS in 2019, are apparently seen as most likely to be promoted when necessary.

Apple's various services, such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud, and Apple Maps, are led by senior vice president Eddy Cue. Peter Stern, who joined Apple in 2016 from Time Warner Cable, is said to be the preferred replacement. Stern currently supervises Apple's original programming efforts, Apple News, Apple Books, ‌iCloud‌, and the company's advertising platforms. He also directly handled the development of the improved ‌Apple TV‌ app in 2019 and is reportedly "leading the charge" on the new "Apple One" subscription service bundles.

The report also pegs Priya Balasubramaniam to take over from Sabih Khan as senior vice president of operations, John Ternus to take over from Dan Riccio to run Apple's hardware engineering division, and Sribalan Santhanam to take over from Johny Srouji as head of hardware technologies.

While most senior roles now seem to have a successor attached, the report also highlights Apple's contingency options in the case that the preferred individual is unavailable.

As many of Apple's senior executives approach retirement age, and major figures such as Phil Schiller and Jony Ive depart their roles, it is interesting that Apple is conscientiously planning for a wave of similar exits in the immediate future.

Bose is now taking pre-orders for its new QuietComfort Earbuds, which are set to rival Apple's AirPods Pro in the premium true wireless ANC earphones market.

As the QuietComfort brand name suggests, Bose's latest earbuds feature active noise canceling combined with passive isolation, offering "all the noise cancelling performance of our best over-ear headphones — from a compact, truly wireless earbud."

Bose says its new StayHear Max silicone tips are designed to conform completely to the contours of the ear to create a gentle seal, while an array of internal and external microphones detect ambient noise and produce an opposite signal to cancel it out in a fraction of a millisecond.

Another thing Bose's earbuds have in common with ‌AirPods Pro‌ is a transparency feature, which allows the user to simultaneously listen to music while still hearing the environment around them – whether that's to hear traffic during a run or an important train announcement during the morning commute.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds offer 11 levels of transparency, allowing users to dial down the noise canceling to suit the situation. That contrasts with ‌AirPods Pro‌'s transparency mode, which is a binary on/off feature that can't be customized.

Bose's Earbuds respond to touch-based gestures to control content, while a microphone in the right earbud picks up the sound of the user's voice and rejects other noise during calls or when using a virtual assistant. Bose also promises a premium listening experience, thanks to the inclusion of "innovative" audio equalization technology:

The acoustic package inside these earbuds is capable of producing deep low notes and exciting, lifelike sound no matter how loud (or soft) you like to listen.

And that's no small feat. Because as you lower the volume on most earphones, the bass tends to disappear, leaving your music sounding tinny and small. We solved the problem with our Volume-optimized Active EQ technology. This innovation automatically boosts the lows and highs so the music, videos, and voices you're listening to remain consistently balanced — even as you change the volume.

The QC earbuds are IPX4-rated, making them sweat, rain and weather resistant, and offer up to six hours of battery life on a single charge, while two additional full charges are provided by the wireless charging case. There's also a quick charge mode that can provide two hours of listening time on a 15-minute charge.

Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds cost $279.99 and are available in Triple Black and Soapstone (black and white). Pre-orders are being taken on the Bose website with shipping scheduled to begin on September 29.

Microsoft has made its Surface Duo dual-screen Android phone available for purchase, with prices for the device starting at $1,399.

The Surface Duo combines two 4:3 OLED displays that are connected side by side with a hinge. The two 5.6-inch displays result in a 3:2 8.1-inch overall tablet-style screen size.

The device can be held horizontally or vertically, with the same app utilizing the two screens or different apps displayed on either screen. Alternately, it can be stood up like a tent to watch movies on one screen in landscape mode. The 360-degree hinge means it can also be folded up into a more traditional form factor with a screen on either side, or closed up altogether like a book.

"Join a Microsoft Teams meeting and see participants on one screen while you present your PowerPoint slides on another. Open the Amazon Kindle app and read a book like a book. Position Surface Duo's screen like a tent and watch a video hands-free. Use Surface Duo in Compose mode to quickly respond to an email, or tilt it into portrait for a more immersive way to scroll through web pages or photos. Pair your Surface Duo with a supported Bluetooth controller to play games on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or with Surface Earbuds, coming Sept. 10 in Graphite Grey, to listen to your favorite playlist or podcast. Or easily take notes with the Surface Slim Pen, sold separately.

The Surface Duo is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and has 6GB of DRAM, up to 256GB of storage, an 11-megapixel f/2.0 camera, Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, USB-C 3.1, and a 3,577mAh battery that Microsoft says provides "all-day battery life."

The device supports LTE on T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon networks, but there is no support for 5G. The Duo works with Microsoft's Surface pens (sold separately) and comes with a protective bumper cover.

The Surface Duo runs a heavily skinned version of Android, and any Android app will run on it without modification. Developers can optimize the layout of their apps to take advantage of the dual displays. Microsoft is also using specifically-designed algorithms to instruct apps to open on the correct display depending on the user's needs.

The Surface Duo was unveiled in October 2019, alongside the larger Surface Neo. The release date and specific details of the Surface Neo remain unknown, but it's expected to run Windows 10X, a new custom software based on Windows 10 that's designed for dual display devices.

Check out the video embedded above for MacRumors' first look at the two devices at Microsoft's October event.

Apple today seeded the fifth public beta of an upcoming watchOS 7 update to public beta testers, one week after seeding the fourth 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.

A new watch Face Sharing feature 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 is rumored to be working on a subscription services bundle called "Apple One," which could see a launch in the near future, according to code found in the Android version of Apple Music by 9to5Google.

Signs of an "‌Apple One‌" bundle were found in the 3.4.0 beta of ‌Apple Music‌ for Android, confirming that ‌Apple Music‌ will be one component of the services bundle. From the Android app code:

Your Apple Music subscription will be included in Apple One starting %s. You will not be charged for both subscriptions.

You can manage your Apple One subscription using your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac.

There is wording that indicates customers who upgrade to ‌Apple One‌ will not be double charged for ‌Apple Music‌, and that the ‌Apple One‌ subscription will be able to be managed on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.

No other information about the ‌Apple One‌ service was located in the Android version of ‌Apple Music‌, but the original rumor, from Bloomberg, suggested that the bundled service is set to launch in October, likely alongside the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple is actually planning for several ‌Apple One‌ bundle tiers. A basic package is expected to offer ‌Apple Music‌ and ‌Apple TV‌+, while a second tier will also include Apple Arcade. A third bundle tier will include all of the aforementioned services along with Apple News+.

There will also be a higher-end tier that includes ‌Apple Music‌, ‌Apple TV‌+, ‌Apple Arcade‌, ‌Apple News‌+, and iCloud storage, and there may also be a new fitness-oriented service that offers virtual fitness classes.

There is no word on bundle pricing yet, but the bundles are expected to offer savings over purchasing each subscription service separately. Bundle pricing could save customers from $2 to more than $5 a month depending on the bundle.

Samsung will reportedly provide foldable display samples for a potential future iPhone, following a request from Apple, according to leaker "Ice Universe," who has today shared the information on Weibo.

The "large number" of foldable displays will be samples for use in mobile phone devices, and Samsung will apparently supply the units to Apple for the duration of one year. The leaker also seemed to stress the immediacy of this development, perhaps implying that the order is about to commence.

Last year, it was reported that Samsung was shipping its foldable display technology to other companies, including Apple, in the hopes of receiving orders. The new leak may indicate that after testing initial samples last year, Apple is now trialling foldable devices more extensively. Some sources have proposed that a foldable ‌iPhone‌ could launch as soon as next year.

Samsung has historically been a key supplier to Apple, providing the OLED screens for iPhones. The company intends to dominate the foldable display market as a supplier, and was considering a move to step up production to 10 million units a year depending on demand.

Apple has been known to be working on foldable display technology for some time, filing multiple patents regarding the technology, and rumors have also floated around LG's potential involvement.

The repeated insinuation of Samsung's involvement and orders being placed by Apple offers a more concrete suggestion that work on a foldable ‌iPhone‌ is continuing at pace.

Neil Jhaveri, a former Apple engineer who worked on the company's default Mail app, has introduced a new Gmail client for macOS.

Available in beta, Mimestream is a native app written in Swift and designed with AppKit and SwiftUI for a clean, stock appearance. Jhaveri says the app is designed to be fast, lightweight, and use a minimal amount of disk space.

Mimestream uses the Gmail API rather than IMAP to support more Gmail-specific features, such as categorized inboxes, automatically synced aliases and signatures, full labels integration, and search operators. Jhaveri plans to add more features over time, including Google Drive support, server-side filter configuration, and G Suite directory autocomplete.

Mimestream's advantages over using the Gmail web interface include support for multiple Gmail accounts with a unified inbox, system-level notifications, system-level Dark Mode support, swipe gestures, tracking prevention, and more.

Jhaveri says Mimestream only makes direct connections to Gmail and does not use intermediary servers, adding that the app does not collect or sell users' emails.

Mimestream is free for a limited time while in beta and will eventually be a paid app distributed through the Mac App Store. macOS Catalina or later is required. Jhaveri says an iOS and iPadOS version of the app is planned for the future.