MacRumors

Epic Games this evening sent out emails to Fortnite users on iPhone, iPad, and Mac to let them know that it will not be possible to play the newly released Marvel-themed season 4 content on their devices.

In the email, ‌Epic Games‌ blames Apple's App Store fees for the unavailability of new content, even though Apple has said that if the direct payment option is removed and Fortnite obeys ‌App Store‌ policies, it can be updated and remain in the ‌App Store‌ while the legal battle between the two companies plays out in court. From the ‌Epic Games‌ email:

Apple is blocking Fortnite updates and new installs on the App Store, and has said they will terminate our ability to develop Fortnite for Apple devices. As a result, the Chapter 2 - Season 4 update (v14.00), did not release on iOS and macOS on August 27. [...]

Apple limits competition so they can collect 30% of consumer payments made in apps like Fortnite, raising the prices you pay. Epic lowered prices through a direct payment option, but Apple is blocking Fortnite in order to prevent Epic from passing on the savings from direct payments to players. Epic has taken legal action to end Apple's anti-competitive restrictions on mobile device marketplaces. Papers are available for our August 13, August 17, and August 23 filings. In retaliation for this action, Apple blocked your access to Fortnite updates and new installs on all iOS devices.

Epic Games informs customers that they can still play the existing season 3 content, but progression is not possible and iOS and Mac players cannot play cross-platform with those on other devices. Players using Apple products cannot access the new cosmetic options, nor can they receive gifts from the new season unless they log into an alternate platform that has access to the season 4 content. Battle Lab, Duos, and LTMs are disabled on iOS, and iOS players are unable to complete new Quick Challenges and Style Challenges.

In lieu of iOS devices, ‌Epic Games‌ recommends customers play Fortnite on Android, PC, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, and it directs customers to Apple to ask for refunds for in-app purchases.

‌Epic Games‌ attempted to get a temporary restraining order that would force Apple to allow Fortnite updates to continue to be available on iOS devices and that would prevent Apple from terminating the ‌Epic Games‌ developer account, but the judge sided with Apple and did not grant a restraining order for Fortnite.

The judge overseeing the case told ‌Epic Games‌' lawyers that all Epic needs to do "is take it back to the status quo and no one suffers any harm," but Epic has opted not to do so and is standing firm as Apple prepares to terminate its developer account. Epic lawyers in fact said that Epic "can't go back into an anticompetitive contract."

Apple said in mid-August that Epic would lose access to its developer account on August 28, which is tomorrow, so it looks like Fortnite will be unavailable for the foreseeable future as it appears neither side has plans to back down.

Apple was also going to block Epic from working on the Unreal Engine used by third-party developers, but Epic was able to successfully secure a restraining order to prevent that from happening. So while Apple is allowed to block Fortnite so long as Epic continues to violate ‌App Store‌ rules, it is not allowed to terminate the Epic International developer account and tools used for the Unreal Engine.

The next hearing in the Apple vs. Epic battle will take place on September 28, with Epic aiming for a preliminary injunction that will allow Fortnite back onto the ‌App Store‌.

Apple has settled a class action lawsuit related to the Powerbeats 2 headphones, which was levied against the Cupertino company after some customers found that the Powerbeats 2, first released in 2015, had a defect that could cause them to stop working and fail to retain charge after "minimal usage."

Plaintiffs alleged that Apple misrepresented the battery life of the Powerbeats 2, and that the Powerbeats 2 were sweat and water resistant. Apple was also accused of not repairing or replacing defective Powerbeats 2 within the one-year warranty period, with the lawsuit initially filed in 2017.

There was no ruling by the court as Apple and the plaintiffs in the case have agreed to a settlement that will see Apple paying $9,750,000. Apple says that it denies all allegations and is paying the settlement fee to avoid expensive litigation. The $9.75 million will be split between all Class Members who submit claim forms (one payment per household) after attorneys' fees and related costs are paid.

Details about the settlement were sent out to Powerbeats 2 owners this evening. Customers who purchased new Powerbeats 2 earbuds before August 7, 2020 can claim a payment from the settlement after it is approved by the Superior Court of the State of California, Santa Clara County. A hearing is set to be held on January 15, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.

For those who owned or own Powerbeats 2, claims can be submitted online through the settlement website, which also includes more information on the settlement agreement. Those who want to participate in the settlement need to do so by November 20, 2020.

Apple each year hosts a company wide fitness challenge for its employees at corporate offices and retail stores around the world, tasking participants to close all three of their Apple Watch Activity Rings every day of the month.

The challenge is normally held in February as part of Heart Month, but this year's challenge was delayed due to the ongoing public health crisis that had people staying in their homes for the early months of the year.

Apple reinstated the activity challenge on Monday, July 20, and it ran through Sunday, August 16. Employees who participated and successfully closed their rings each day are now receiving their award, which is an Apple-designed t-shirt that says "2020" in a logo with Apple Watch Activity-style rings.

The t-shirt is accompanied by a congratulatory card, but Apple appears to have skipped the pins that have been provided with past challenges. Apple has held these challenges each year. In 2018 and 2019, employees received an exclusive Apple Watch band with Activity ring colors.

Apple's annual February fitness challenges are internal only and limited to Apple employees, but Apple also regularly holds public fitness challenges, though these come with digital achievement awards rather than physical rewards.

The next Apple Watch Activity Challenge, which celebrates national parks, is set to take place on August 30. Apple Watch owners can complete the challenge by recording a walk, hike, roll, or run of a mile.

Nomad this week launched its latest wireless charger, the Base Station Pro, which is unique because it uses Aira wireless charging technology to allow up to three devices to charge regardless of where they're placed on the charging mat. The Base Station Pro was first announced in October 2019, so it has been in development for some time.

Because of its ability to charge multiple devices with no specific placement required thanks to a new kind of charging design, the Base Station Pro has been likened to Apple's now-canceled AirPower charging accessory.

When it comes to design, the Base Station Pro is a flat, wide charging mat that's sized to accommodate multiple devices such as smartphones and the AirPods. It works with any Qi-based wireless charging accessory, but it is not compatible with the Apple Watch, which does not use Qi charging.

The Base Station Pro measures in at 8.7 inches long, 5.5 inches wide, and 0.5 inches thin, and it features an aluminum base with a leather pad, much like Nomad's other wireless charging options. It looks and feels heavy and high quality, as it should for the $230 asking price. It comes with a braided USB-C cable, a 30W USB-C power adapter, and interchangeable plugs for different countries. Three LED lights at the front let you know when a device is charging.

Aira's FreePower technology used inside the Base Station Pro features a unique 18 coil matrix built into a circuit board along with software algorithms designed to detect a smartphone regardless of its orientation, which allows an iPhone to be placed in any position and orientation on the charging mat. As long as the wireless charging coil inside the ‌iPhone‌ is somewhere on the mat, the ‌iPhone‌ will charge.

The large form factor of the Base Station Pro allows it to accommodate multiple iPhones along with the AirPods or AirPods Pro. I'd say that it comfortably fits two iPhones at the same time while also providing power to AirPods, but it also fits three naked iPhones if you have three to charge.

I've tested a multitude of wireless chargers at this point, and the flat chargers where you need to make sure to match a coil in the charger to the coil in the ‌iPhone‌ can be frustrating to use. If you're off by a bit, your device isn't going to charge, and it can be hard to get the correct position, especially in the dark on a nightstand or when you're in a hurry.

The Base Station Pro addresses that issue. I was able to put my ‌iPhone‌ on the mat at any angle and it successfully detected it and initiated charging. The one exception is right at the edges where there's a bit of a dead zone due to the design of the charger. I had to make sure not to put my AirPods too close to the edge or they wouldn't charge, but that wasn't an issue with the ‌iPhone‌.

I do find it frustrating to have to adjust the positioning of my devices when using standard flat wireless chargers, but I'm not sure it's a big enough problem to justify spending $230 on a wireless charger that has little to offer beyond an elegant design and the nifty any-device-anywhere charging. I think the Base Station Pro is a top tier charger with useful functionality that heralds the future of wireless charging, but do you know what also effectively solves the wireless charging positioning problem? A multi-device charging station with an upright charging space paired with a smaller charging mat like the Logitech POWERED 3-in-1.

The Base Station Pro supports up to 7.5W wireless charging for Apple devices, which is the maximum speed that an ‌iPhone‌ can charge at. In my testing, I was able to charge an ‌iPhone‌ XS Max from one percent to 18 percent in a half hour with one device on the charger.

I was able to charge the ‌iPhone‌ XS Max from one percent to 21 percent with three devices on the charger in a half an hour, so the Base Station Pro is distributing power evenly and multi-device charging doesn't cut down on charging speeds.

After an hour, my ‌iPhone‌ XS Max was charged from 1 percent to 38 percent, and all of these charging speeds are in line with a 7.5W wireless charger. For devices that aren't iPhones, the Base Station Pro charges at a maximum of 5W, and that includes Android devices that support much faster wireless charging speeds. For that reason, it's not the best charger to use with non-Apple smartphones and devices.

In fact, on Nomad's website, it lists the Base Station Pro as compatible with Apple devices and Samsung Galaxy S10 and S20 phones, with support for Google Pixel devices and other Qi-enabled devices "coming soon."

There are some quirks with the charger that don't make for the best charging experience. When I set down an ‌iPhone‌, it takes several seconds for the charging to kick in, whereas with other chargers, it's close to instantaneous. I've also run into a bug where my ‌iPhone‌ continually stops charging for just a second and then reconnects, with the disconnects happening every 20 minutes or so.

The Base Station Pro's firmware can be updated by plugging it into a computer, so some of these issues I've been experiencing may be able to be solved with a future update.

Bottom Line

The technology that allows devices to be placed on the Base Station Pro in any spot with no rearranging necessary is useful, but the high price point of the wireless charger is a barrier to entry and I'm not sure the convenience of not having to adjust the location of a device to make sure it's charging is worth such a premium.

Unlike some other charging station options, the Base Station Pro is limited to charging Qi-based devices and has no Apple Watch charging puck, which may be inconvenient for Apple Watch owners. It also would have been nice to see an additional USB-C or USB-A port at the side for charging iPads and other devices at this price point.

You're not going to want to use this charger with non-Apple devices due to the charging speed limitations, and don't count on it when you need power in a hurry because it's slow even with iPhones and AirPods (like all wireless charging).

Aira's charging technology worked well in my testing and offered a glimpse of where wireless charging is heading in the future. I hope to see this functionality roll out to additional products and eventually come down in price, but for now the convenience of drop and go charging is likely too expensive to make it appealing to the average consumer.

There may also be a wireless charger coming from Apple in the not too distant future even after the cancelation of the ‌AirPower‌, if rumors are to be believed. There have been reports of work on a small wireless charging mat, though it's unclear when it might launch. Apple enthusiasts may want to wait for Apple's wireless charger, which could perhaps use similar technology.

How to Buy

The Base Station Pro can be pre-ordered from the Nomad website for $229.95. Shipments will begin in late September.

Update

The Base Station Pro is able to be updated over-the-air, and new firmware is being introduced for reviewers to solve some of the issues that I had during my testing. Base Station Pro units that go out to consumers will have the new firmware installed by default, so no update will be required.

The firmware update adds improved performance when charging two or three devices simultaneously, improved support for Google and Samsung devices, and improved device detection speed. Nomad has also released an add-on Apple Watch charger.

Update 2

As of May 2021, Nomad and Aira do not plan further firmware updates for the Base Station Pro, which is something to keep in mind for those who plan on purchasing. The Base Station Pro also has reduced wireless charging efficiency for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models and slower charging times, so we no longer recommend it.

Note: Nomad provided MacRumors with a Base Station Pro for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Apple today seeded the third public beta of an upcoming watchOS 7 update to public beta testers, one week after seeding the second 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 has decided to sell its upcoming iPhone 12 models without a few accessories such as a power adapter and wired EarPods, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce, corroborating a widespread rumor.

TrendForce notes that iPhone 12 models will be more expensive for Apple to manufacture due to 5G support, so removing these accessories from the box will be one way that the company reduces costs. In turn, Apple plans to introduce a new 20W fast charger for iPhone 12 models that will be sold separately, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo said that the iPhone 12 lineup will have similar pricing as the iPhone 11 lineup, which includes the iPhone 11 starting at $699, the iPhone 11 Pro starting at $999, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max starting at $1,099 in the United States.

Apple would likely tout the environmental benefits of shipping iPhone 12 models without a charger or EarPods, as such a move could result in slimmer packaging, less waste, and reduced emissions from both manufacturing and transportation. From a business perspective, the move would likely also increase AirPods sales.

Apple does still plan to include a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box with its upcoming iPhones, according to Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis.

While new iPhones usually begin shipping in late September, Apple recently indicated that supply will be available "a few weeks later" this year. According to leaker Jon Prosser, Apple plans to introduce new Apple Watch and iPad models via press release in September, followed by new iPhones at a (presumably virtual) event in October.

Multiple developers have seen increased activity from Apple's web crawler Applebot in their website logs recently, reigniting speculation that Apple could be planning to launch a full-fledged search engine eventually. However, it's more likely that any possible uptick relates to Apple's efforts to improve Siri and Spotlight search results.

Jon Henshaw, founder of digital marketing insights firm Coywolf, kicked off the speculation with a blog post this week in which he said that Applebot had begun regularly crawling his websites on a daily basis, something he had not noticed previously. And on Twitter, Stack Overflow engineer Nick Craver and digital marketing consultant Michael James Field also noted spikes in Applebot crawling on websites they oversee in recent days.

As noted by Henshaw, Apple updated its Applebot support document in July with new details:

• Added how to verify traffic from Applebot
• Expanded details on the Applebot user agent, including differences between its desktop and mobile version
• Expanded robots.txt rules
• Added a section stating that they don't just crawl HTML, but also render pages similar to Google
• Added a section on search rankings and the factors that affect how it ranks web search results

Given that Apple promotes itself as a privacy-focused company without an ad- or data-driven business model like Google or Facebook, it is uncertain if it would ever want to go down the avenue of launching a full-fledged search engine, although DuckDuckGo has at least shown that it can be accomplished with privacy in mind.

The idea of an Apple search engine has been speculated since at least 2015, when Apple first confirmed its Applebot and posted a series of search-related job listings.

For now, Applebot likely remains dedicated to improving Siri and Spotlight search results, as Apple states in its support document. During its WWDC keynote in June, for example, Apple said that Siri can provide over 20 times as many facts as three years prior.

Amazon has today announced "Halo," a new wearable with health and fitness tracking capabilities, reports The Verge.

The Amazon Halo wristband consists of a sensor module and a band that attaches to the top of it. The sensor contains an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a heart rate monitor, two microphones, an LED indicator light, and a button to turn the microphone on or off. The Halo offers a week-long battery life and a "swimproof" water resistance up to 5ATM. The device is compatible with both iOS and Android, but it will not be compatible with other health apps such as Apple Health.

Unlike the Apple Watch or Fitbits, the Amazon Halo band does not have a screen. It is instead reliant on an accompanying app, with no ability to check the time, steps, or any other information directly from your wrist. It also has no GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular connectivity, or Amazon Alexa voice-control.

The Halo's more advanced features are unlocked by an ongoing subscription, separate from Amazon Prime. The subscription will offer a selection of "labs" developed by Amazon partners. The labs are effectively short challenges designed to improve specific health areas and encourage routines.

Halo has two unique functionalities not present on the Apple Watch. The first of these is use of a user's phone camera via the Halo app for full-body 3D scans to determine body fat percentage. The second is the ability to listen for emotion in a user's voice and track mood.

Body scans take four photos of different sides of a user's body, and then uploads them to Amazon's servers where they are combined into a 3D body scan which can calculate body fat.

The Halo's microphone listens to the tone of a user's voice throughout the day and reports back on their emotional state. It detects the pitch, intensity, rhythm, and tempo of a voice and then categorizes the instances into "notable moments" that users can go back and review. Users can mute the microphone at any time by holding down the side button until a red blinking LED appears.

The wristband is also able to track sleep, steps, and cardiovascular health, similar to the Apple Watch. Unlike Apple Watch, however, it only records cardio fitness on a weekly basis rather than daily. The app then offers an abstracted weekly activity score from all of this information.

The Halo band can automatically detect activities such as walking and running, but every other type of exercise needs to be manually entered into the app. The Halo band also has no ability to detect falls, offer stand prompts, or proactively alert users to heart conditions like atrial fibrillation. Interestingly, Amazon told The Verge that it has not submitted the device to the FDA for any sort of approval, including the less rigorous "FDA clearance" classification common on many other fitness bands.

It appears that Amazon has taken a more laid-back approach with more of a general focus on lifestyle tracking, rather than active sport and exercise tracking. Halo's low cost, lack of screen, and emphasis on unique features make it an interesting competitor to the Apple Watch.

The Halo band is set to cost $99.99, with an optional subscription for $3.99 per month for access to advanced features. Amazon will also sell a large variety of band styles in a range of colors. Sport bands will be $15.99 and fabric bands will cost $19.99. The Amazon Halo launches today as an invite-only early access program for an introductory price of $64.99.

Apple Newsroom today received a redesign with an emphasis on featured stories and shared a new profile of educator Portice Warren. Apple Newsroom is where Apple shares press releases for journalists, and also broader Apple-related stories lately.

The profile highlights how Warren, a fourth grade science and social studies teacher in Birmingham, Alabama, will be using Apple tools and resources likes the Everyone Can Code curriculum and Clips app to provide remote learning to her students this year.

"Planning is going to be a key factor for me as an educator, but I know Apple resources are helping give me the roadmap I can take moving forward with my students," said Warren. "I also know I have to keep myself balanced, because I'm going to have 64 students and 100-plus parents that I'm going to have to be a source of encouragement for."

Warren is one of nearly 500 educators who participated in a virtual coding academy this summer as part of Apple's Community Education Initiative, designed to bring coding, creativity, and workforce development opportunities to communities that are traditionally underrepresented in technology, according to Apple.

"Ten years from now, I want my students to look back and see the powerful impact remote learning had on them, and that it was a positive transition," added Warren. "There are going to be a lot of challenges, but I won't let my students fall through the cracks. I know there is going to be a lot of hard work involved, but in the long run it will pay off. And that investment in their future is my purpose."

New adventure game "The Last Campfire" has arrived on Apple Arcade. The title comes from Hello Games, creators of "No Man's Sky," and tells the story of "a lost ember trapped in a puzzling place, searching for meaning and a way home."

The game follows the journey through wilderness "filled with lost folk, strange creatures, and mysterious ruins," in the hope of lighting the last campfire. The "storybook world" setting of the game allows for the exploration of unique, atmospheric environments and unusual characters.

The story is said to be "intimate and beautiful," with the creative team aiming to make "an artistically focused single-player adventure game."

The Last Campfire was first announced in December 2018, and is now launching on PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One, in addition to ‌Apple Arcade‌.

This month has seen ‌Apple Arcade‌ gain several new titles, including "Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time," "Next Stop Nowhere," and "Game of Thrones: A Tale of Crows."

Apple will grow its share of the true wireless earbuds market by a third this year, despite losing its dominant position in the space to more affordable alternatives, according to Counterpoint Research (via Bloomberg).

Apple accounted for nearly half of all sales of true wireless earbuds in 2019 and is expected to grow to 82 million units this year, according to the report. However, its lead has been eroded by the arrival of Chinese rival brands, shrinking its share to just over a third of the market (35%). Xiaomi remains in second place with 10%, while Samsung sits in third with a 6% share.

According to the report, specialized Chinese brands like the $90 Lypertek Tevi offer comparable performance to Apple's AirPods at a lower price, while the $180 1More True Wireless ANC rival the noise-canceling smarts of AirPods Pro, which cost $250. Samsung's new Galaxy Buds Live are also ANC-equipped and come in at under $170.

"The low-to-mid end segment including Chinese brands and U.S. makers such as JLab is taking away share from the premium market," said Counterpoint analyst Liz Lee. "Competition between Samsung and Apple is likely to intensify in the latter half of the year, as positive reviews of the Buds Live and increased investment from Samsung are expected to close the gap between the two," she added.

Samsung is projected to more than double its true wireless earbuds sales this year, growing from 8 million to 17 million, while Apple’s AirPods family is forecast to go from 61 million to 82 million.

• Samsung's Galaxy Buds Live vs. Apple's AirPods Pro

Apple is rumored to be working on a third-generation version of the AirPods, although Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that third-generation AirPods won't be coming in 2020, with mass production to begin in the first half of 2021.

The third-generation AirPods are expected to adopt a more compact integrated system-in-package (SiP) that's similar to the SiP used in the ‌AirPods Pro‌, which will allow the audio features of the AirPods to be integrated into a casing more similar in design to the ‌AirPods Pro‌. Current AirPods use surface-mount technology (SMT).

There have also been multiple rumors suggesting Apple is working on a version of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ that have a cheaper price tag and no Active Noise Cancellation. Jon Prosser and another leaker, "l0vetodream," believe that these are "AirPods X," a version of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ designed for sports and running.

DigiTimes has referred to these entry-level earbuds as the "AirPods Pro Lite," and claims that Apple originally planned to launch these new AirPods in early 2020, but has postponed them until the second half of 2021.

According to Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ these "‌AirPods Pro‌ Lite" or "AirPods X" earbuds that might be launching in September or October aren't AirPods at all, but are instead headphones in the Beats family.

Popular note-taking app and PDF editor GoodNotes has been updated to support document sharing over iCloud for the first time.

After updating to version 5.5.0, users will be able to share individual notes and entire folders of notes using unique URLs, as well as collaboratively edit the same note with others at the same time.

Users can share documents from their GoodNotes library by tapping a document title, which opens a context menu containing the new Collaborate option. If a user is already working in a document, they can tap the share icon to reveal the same option.

Shared documents display a special icon in the GoodNotes library, and can also be accessed from a new Shared tab in the app's navigation bar. Changes to shared documents sync via ‌iCloud‌ and take around 15 to 30 seconds to show up on other devices, and anyone with the link can open and edit a shared document in GoodNotes.

The developers concede that this way of working is unlikely to replace real-time collaborative whiteboard apps, but it does offer a means of working together on things like calendars, meeting notes, grocery lists, and so on over an extended period of time.

GoodNotes 5 costs $7.99 and can be downloaded for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Photos of an alleged leaked manual for an unreleased iPad Air have emerged on social media this morning suggesting Apple's next middle-tier iPad option could feature an all-screen display in lieu of a Home button, with Touch ID integrated into the Power button instead.

Originating from Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu and shared on Twitter by leaker DuanRui, the photos depict a Spanish-language manual for an iPad Air with an edge-to-edge screen similar to the iPad Pro.

The manual makes no mention of Face ID, however, and instead instructs users to activate "Touch ID with the top button to unlock the iPad Air," above an image of an iPad with a noticeably longer power button.

On other pages, the manual references USB-C connectivity rather than Lightning, and shows a Smart Connector on the rear of the device to connect a Magic Keyboard and other compatible accessories.

Multiple rumors suggest Apple will release a new iPad in the near future, but there has been some confusion over the model of the device as well as its display size.

Anonymous Twitter account L0vetodream has claimed that Apple is working on an 11-inch iPad Air with an all-screen display that uses an under-display version of Touch ID rather than Face ID like the iPad Pro.

Meanwhile, DigiTimes has suggested a 10.8-inch iPad Air is coming in the second half of 2020, while Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also expects Apple to release a 10.8-inch iPad in the second half of 2020. However, Kuo has not specified if the 10.8-inch iPad is an Air or a low-cost standard iPad.

It's not impossible that these rumors refer to the same device shown here, and that the confusion over the details stems from Apple's novel implementation of Touch ID, which allows it to offer an all-screen mid-tier device without the prohibitive costs of the TrueDepth camera system required for Face ID.

It's worth noting that the only previous mention we have seen of Touch ID integrated into a power button was in a January 2020 research note from Kuo, which said that Apple plans to release an LCD iPhone with a Touch ID power button on the side of the device in the first half of 2021.

Apple in late August registered seven new iPads with the Eurasian Economic Commission, some of which could be a new iPad Air. Leaker Jon Prosser has also claimed that Apple will release an unspecified new iPad in September, with an announcement done via press release. It's not clear if this refers to the iPad Air, but it is possible given prior rumors of an iPad Air release in the second half of 2020.

Bear in mind these photos have not yet been verified and Twitter leaker DuanRui does not have much of a track record, but has previously leaked photos of a new Lightning to USB-C cable allegedly shipping with upcoming iPhone 12 models.

The antitrust hearing that Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos participated in back in July confirmed that all of the companies are engaging in "behavior which is deeply disturbing and requires Congress to take action," according to Representative David Cicilline, the chairman of the House antitrust panel leading the inquiry.

Cicilline made the remarks in an interview with Bloomberg, where he said that the investigation has confirmed that Apple, Google, Amazon, and Facebook are all abusing their market power to the detriment of consumers.

"The kind of common theme is the abuse of their market power to maintain their market dominance, to crush competitors, to exclude folks from their platform and to earn monopoly rents."

Cicilline said that he is prepared to deliver recommendations as soon as next month, and that Congress must act urgently to protect consumers. Cicilline did not go into detail about the recommendations the panel would deliver, but he says he's working with Republicans to find common ground on "biggest, boldest ideas."

According to Bloomberg, Cicilline did mention the possibility of a Glass-Steagall law for technology platforms, which would prevent tech companies from both running a platform and competing on it at the same time.

"That's a big idea," he said about separating the two functions. "It would be one way to try to separate out what is a relationship fraught with conflicts that I think is promoting tremendous market dominance and bullying behavior by Amazon, as an example."

The antitrust committee's report will address four areas: changes to current antitrust laws, reforms aimed at the tech sector, strengthening private antitrust litigation by plaintiffs, and ensuring the DoJ and FTC have the resources to do their jobs.

The U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee has been investigating Apple, Google, Amazon, and Facebook since July 2019, culminating in a hearing with the CEOs of all of the companies.

For Apple, the subcommittee has focused on the company's App Store policies and fees, specifically instances where it has rejected apps and changed App Store rules to its apparent benefit, such as when it began rejecting some parental control apps for using Mobile Device Management after the release of the Screen Time feature.

As the antitrust investigation has unfolded, Apple has been involved in some public battles over ‌App Store‌ policies and fees, first with the "Hey" email app and currently with Epic Games.

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.

There are hundreds of new features in iOS 14, many of which are immediately obvious like the new Home Screen widgets, the App Library, pinned conversations and mentions in Messages, a compact UI for Siri and Phone calls, and more, but there are also tons of features that are less immediately obvious.

In this guide and accompanying video, we've rounded up some of the most useful hidden features you'll find in the iOS 14 update. Note that some of these features are limited to Apple's newer iPhones and do not work with older models.

Sound Recognition

Sound Recognition is a useful Accessibility feature created for those who need help listening to their surroundings. When enabled, Sound Recognition allows the iPhone to listen for sounds like running water, a fire alarm, a dog barking, a baby crying, shouting, car horns, doorbells, and other related sounds.

When the ‌iPhone‌ detects one of these sounds, it sends a notification so you're immediately alerted when something is wrong. In our testing, Sound Recognition has been accurate, making it a useful option for anyone who needs it. Note that when Sound Recognition is turned on, the ‌iPhone‌ is not able to listen for "Hey ‌Siri‌" commands.

• How to Use the Sound Recognition Accessibility Feature in iOS 14

4K Videos on YouTube

With iOS 14, you can watch 4K YouTube videos on the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and most notably, the Apple TV. The ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌ don't have 4K displays, but do offer video that's higher than the prior 1080p resolution limit.

Content on ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ can be viewed in 1440p HDR or 2160p HDR, while the ‌Apple TV‌ supports full 4K video. You can choose quality when watching a YouTube video in the YouTube app by tapping on the cog-shaped wheel to adjust the settings.

Private WiFi Address

When you're connected to a WiFi network in iOS 14, you can tap into the settings of that network and make sure "Private Address" is toggled on. Private Address is a privacy feature that helps to prevent the tracking of your ‌iPhone‌ across different WiFi networks.

This is a feature that's enabled by default, and it's one that's particularly useful if you're using open WiFi sources frequently. Apple will also provide a warning if Private Address functionality is not available, so you can know if a WiFi network has greater access to tracking capabilities.

Get to the Private Address settings by opening up the Settings app, tapping on WiFi, and tapping the "i" button next to the WiFi network that you're connected to or that you want to connect to. From there, make sure Private Address is toggled on.

Mirror Front Camera

When you take a selfie with an ‌iPhone‌ with the standard Camera app, it flips the image so that it's the opposite of the mirror image that's shown in the preview (aka not a mirror image of you).

In iOS 14, you can choose to force the camera to capture mirror image selfies by opening up the Settings app, selecting Camera, and toggling on the "Mirror Front Camera" option. A lot of social networking apps use mirrored selfies so many people are more accustomed to mirroring functionality than the flipped selfies that the ‌iPhone‌ uses.

Toggling on Mirror Front Camera can provide a more unified selfie taking experience across multiple platforms.

FaceTime Eye Contact

Apple in an iOS 13 beta added an "Attention Aware" feature that tweaks your FaceTime video to make it look like you're making eye contact with the person you're chatting with even though you're looking at the ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌'s display.

The feature was ultimately pulled, but it made its way into iOS 14 as an "Eye Contact" option, which can be toggled on in the ‌FaceTime‌ section of the Settings app. Eye Contact lets you "establish natural eye contact" while using ‌FaceTime‌ by changing the appearance of where you're focusing.

Navigation History Stack

If you're deep into an app's settings and want to quickly get back to where you were, there's a new history stack feature that you can access with a long press.

Just long press on any back button and then use a finger to select the prior screen you want to get back to. This feature works in Settings, the Files app, and anywhere else that you might get lost in different menus and options.

Photo Captions

There has long been an option to add captions to photos in the macOS Photos app to make specific images easier to find, and in iOS 14, that feature is also available on the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌iPad‌.

In the ‌Photos‌ app, just swipe up on any single photo you're looking at to see additional details and then tap on "Add a Caption" and type in whatever you want.

Volume Up/Down Camera Controls

There are some useful new volume button camera controls in iOS 14, which expand on the camera button as shutter functionality. If you press and hold the Volume Up button while the Camera app is open, you can take a series of burst mode photos (a bunch of photos in quick succession).

If you hold down the Volume Down button with the Camera app open, you can capture a QuickTake video, which lets you capture video without having to take the time to swap out of photo mode. Volume Up for Burst needs to be enabled in the Camera section of the Settings app, but QuickTake with the Volume Down button is enabled by default.

Prevent Apps From Downloading to Home Screen

Since there's now an App Library feature on the ‌iPhone‌ that lets you get to all of your installed apps, there's no longer a need for apps to be downloaded to the ‌Home Screen‌.

If you choose to, you can prevent newly downloaded apps from showing up on the ‌Home Screen‌ by opting to download them solely to the App Library. There's a toggle for enabling App Library only downloads in the ‌Home Screen‌ section of the Settings app.

Hide App Pages

Again, with the App Library, there's less need for specific app pages for organizing apps. If you want to get rid of a page of apps for a cleaner ‌Home Screen‌ and usage experience, long press on the ‌Home Screen‌, tap on the series of dots at the bottom, and then uncheck whichever app pages you don't want to see.

Picture in Picture Collapsed Window

In the ‌iPhone‌'s new Picture in Picture mode, which works with videos on the web, ‌FaceTime‌, and more, if you pull a Picture in Picture window over to the side of the display, you can hide the video while the audio continues to play.

The hidden video feature lets you continue to chat on ‌FaceTime‌ or listen to a video while giving you full access to your ‌iPhone‌'s screen for whatever you need to do.

Photos Zoom

iOS 14 lets you pinch zoom much further into your photos in the ‌Photos‌ app, which is great if you have a photo where you want to see the detail up close.

Back Tap

Back Tap is an Accessibility feature that lets users double tap or triple tap on the back of the ‌iPhone‌ to perform various actions.

Back tap can be used to do things like access Control Center, Notification Center, the Lock screen, the Home screen, or the App Switcher, or it can change the volume, bring up ‌Siri‌, mute the ‌‌iPhone‌‌, take a screenshot, or access a Shortcut, and it can be set up to work with Accessibility features like Assistive Touch, Magnifier, or VoiceOver.

The Back Tap options can be accessed in the Settings app by tapping Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap. Tapping to trigger an action works well when the ‌‌iPhone‌‌'s back is tapped in any spot on the device with either the double tap or triple tap gesture.

Hide Photos Albums

The ‌Photos‌ app on the ‌iPhone‌ has long had a feature for hiding photos from the main library, but all of those hidden photos are easily accessible in the obviously named "Hidden" album.

In iOS 14, there's a toggle in the Settings app that lets you hide the "Hidden" album so it doesn't show up in the albums list, making it harder to find hidden images. The Hidden album is, however, still available in the image picker in other apps.

More iOS 14 Info

For more on what's new in iOS 14, make sure to check out our iOS 14 roundup, which has a detailed rundown of all of the features that are included in the update.

We've also created in-depth guides on many of the iOS 14 features, and those are listed below.

• iOS 14 Privacy Features: Approximate Location, Clipboard Access Warnings, Limited Photos Access and More
• iOS 14 and watchOS 7 Sleep Features: Sleep Mode, Wind Down, Sleep Tracking and More
• Safari iOS 14 Guide: Privacy Report, Built-In Translation, Compromised Password Alerts and More
• What's New in iOS 14 Maps: Cycling Directions, Guides, Refine Location and More
• iOS 14's New AirPods Features: Spatial Audio, Better Automatic Device Switching, Battery Notifications and More
• iOS 14: Apple's Built-In Translate App That Works With 11 Languages
• iOS 14's Compact Interface: Phone Calls, FaceTime, Siri and More
• Magnifier in iOS 14 Gets Overhauled UI and New Features, Can Be Added to Home Screen
• iOS 14: How to Use Picture in Picture Mode on iPhone
• iOS 14 Home Screen Changes: App Library, Widgets, Hiding Apps and More
• iOS 14: Everything New in Messages
• Car Keys: A New Feature That Lets You Unlock a Car With Your iPhone or Apple Watch
• iPadOS 14 Features You Need to Know
• Top iOS 14 Features: Compact Phone Calls, Back Tap, Widgets, App Library and More

Have questions about iOS 14 and or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Apple is teaming up with Gallaudet University for a multifaceted collaboration that will provide students with accessible technology, learning opportunities, and career options, according to Gallaudet University President Roberta Cordano.

The benefits to Gallaudet of having the Apple technology include increased personalized learning capabilities, greater digital fluency, an increase in student performance and engagement, quicker turnaround time for assessments, improved record-keeping of students' progress, and instant communication between peers and teachers. It also presents new opportunities for innovative learning and teaching strategies.

Apple devices are among the most accessible ever and continue to transform the way learners learn and teachers teach. Gallaudet is very excited to be partnering with Apple, and most especially to be part of their efforts to increase opportunities for tens of millions of students with disabilities all over the world.

Gallaudet will be the first university to participate in a new Apple scholarship that's available for students of color with disabilities, and students will be provided with the tools and guidance to develop bilingual apps in American Sign Language (ASL) and English.

Scholarships will support students who are pursuing degrees and coursework in information technology, computer science, and other science, technology, and mathematics fields.

Apple plans to provide Gallaudet students with an opportunity to participate in the annual Worldwide Developers Conference, and there's a new recruitment program with Gallaudet available through Apple Carnegie Library. The store employs more than 30 team members of the deaf and hard of hearing community, and many of those are Gallaudet students or alumni.

In partnership with Apple Carnegie Library, Gallaudet and Clerc Center work to develop customized training, sessions, and programming for students, faculty, staff, and K-12 teachers.