MacRumors

Apple is working on a combined Apple TV with HomePod speaker that has a camera for video calls through a connected television set, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

From the report:

The company is working on a product that would combine an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker and include a camera for video conferencing through a connected TV and other smart-home functions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.

The device's other capabilities would include standard Apple TV box functions like watching video and gaming plus smart speaker uses such as playing music and using Apple's Siri digital assistant.

Following disappointing sales, Apple discontinued its original high-end ‌HomePod‌ in March, leaving many wondering if the company was working on a successor. The HomePod mini, which launched last year, has been much more popular thanks to its lower price.

Apple unified its engineering teams for ‌HomePod‌ and ‌Apple TV‌ last year, suggesting an integrated device offering the best of both worlds could be in the offing.

However, according to today's report, the product's development is still in the early stages, and Apple could choose not to launch the product or change key features.

Apple is known to be working on an updated version of the Apple TV that will allegedly have a gaming focus with an updated remote control, a faster processor, and increased storage capacity, although it seems likely that today's report is referencing another potential future product. Signs of the new ‌Apple TV‌ have been showing up in iOS since January 2020, so we are expecting to see a new ‌Apple TV‌ launch in 2021.

Today's report also mentions that Apple is working on a concept for a future ‌HomePod‌ design that has an iPad connected via a robotic arm, which could follow users around a room during video calls.

Renders of Google's first smartwatch, codenamed "Rohan," have been shared by Jon Prosser, showing that Google plans to adopt a circular design for its flagship wearable watch.

Prosser shared the renders in an episode of his YouTube show "Front Page Tech," in which he claims they were made based on marketing material he had seen from a source within Google. The renders show that the Pixel Watch will adopt a bezel-less, circular design, with no buttons, except for a crown on the right.

The display itself, unlike the Apple Watch, features a completely circular form factor. Internally, the Pixel Watch will feature a heart rate sensor, but it so far remains unknown if it sports more advanced health features such as blood oxygen monitoring on the Apple Watch Series 6.

Like the Apple Watch, which allows users to swap and change bands, Google will offer around 20 band options for the Pixel Watch, according to Prosser.

The watch will presumably run WearOS, Google's operating systems for smartwatches. As for a release, Prosser says the watch will debut "sometime in October" but warns to be cautious given Google's habit of delaying and even canceling products altogether.

In 2019, Google signed a $40 million deal with watchmaker Fossil to take ownership of its smartwatch division. As a result of the deal, Fossil smartwatches joined Google's WearOS family and also spurred widespread speculation that Google intends to make its own-branded smartwatch to compete with the Apple Watch.

Besides changes to make it thinner, lighter, and the screen bigger thanks to smaller bezels, the Apple Watch design has largely remained the same since its launch in 2015. A recent patent has revealed that Apple is researching an Apple Watch design with a display that wraps around the band, where in turn, the watch band becomes an extension of the display itself.

Apple has in place stringent quality control standards on the assembly line floor to prevent mistakes in production, but that doesn't mean they don't happen.

Images shared on Twitter reveal an iPhone 11 Pro with a misaligned Apple logo on the back of the device, a misprint that is said to be as rare as 1 in a million.

The images, posted by Internal Archive, clearly show the Apple logo is canted up from the base and slightly off-center, making it closer to the right than it should be.

The Internal Archive, which often shares images of Apple prototypes, claims the misprint could "possibly be even rarer" than 1 in a million, which apparently made the device a sought-after item – it recently sold for $2,700, according to the Twitter account. The phone was purchased in an Apple Store and the customer kept and resold it.

Defective Apple products do make it out of the factory from time to time, but multiple devices are usually caught up in production faults, so it's unusual for a single impacted device like this to see the light of day – and even more uncommon for someone to pay over the odds for one.

Apple's upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro may be in short supply when it launches due to production issues of the mini-LED display being used in the device, reports Bloomberg.

Apple suppliers are experiencing poor manufacturing yields of the display, and at least one mini-LED maker has had to pause production as a result of these issues.

Though there are troubles with mini-LED display manufacturing, Apple is still intending to introduce new 11 and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models as early as this month, and as prior rumors have suggested, the mini-LED display will be exclusive to the larger 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌.

Mini-LED technology will offer multiple benefits, such as a better contrast ratio and improved brightness.

Bloomberg in March said that the refreshed ‌iPad Pro‌ models would come as early as April, but there is still no narrower timeline available. It is not clear if the new tablets will be introduced via press release or if Apple has some kind of event in the works, as the iPad mini is also expected to see a refresh.

Along with a mini-LED display, the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models are expected to feature an A14X chip with M1-like performance and Thunderbolt connectivity.

Apple has agreed to provide its chief compliance officer, Kyle Andeer, to the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust panel for a hearing on anti-competitive practices for mobile app stores on April 21, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Earlier this week, Apple refused to provide an executive for the hearing around anti-competitive practices on online stores. In a letter obtained by Bloomberg News, Apple says that it has deep respect for the role and job of the subcommittee and that it was simply seeking alternative dates for the hearing due to its coming trial with Epic Games, also about the App Store.

“We have deep respect for your role and process on these matters and, as we told your staff, we are willing to participate in a hearing in the subcommittee,” Apple said. “We simply sought alternative dates in light of upcoming matters that have been scheduled for some time and that touch on similar issues.”

The U.S Senate subcommittee is focused on investigating claims that Apple and Google participate in anti-competitive practices for their respective online app marketplaces and distribution platforms. In a letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Mike Lee say that Apple's control and power over apps on its device warrant a "full and fair examination."

More than half of internet traffic comes through mobile phones, whose users rely on mobile applications to access online content and services—and the vast majority of mobile apps are downloaded from either Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store. Apple’s power over the cost, distribution, and availability of mobile applications on the Apple devices used by millions of consumers raises serious competition issues that are of interest to the Subcommittee, consumers, and app developers. A full and fair examination of these issues before the Subcommittee requires Apple’s participation.

Google had previously already agreed to provide a witness but declined to specify who would represent the company at the hearing.

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.

The ultra-popular game Flappy Bird, removed from the App Store in 2014, may be making a comeback in the form of an interactive macOS notification.

Utilizing the new UserNotificationsUI framework added in macOS Big Sur, designer and developer Neil Sardesai has been able to put a clone of the game created by PlayCanvas creator Will Eastcott into a notification. Showcased on Twitter, Sardesai has utilized interactive elements inside of notification to recreate the game, with mouse clicks representing taps.

For those unfamiliar with Flappy Bird, the game consists of guiding a bird through as many pipes as possible without hitting them. The bird, named Farby, moves up with every tap, and users must ensure that Farby doesn't hit any obstacles along the way, or else the game ends.

The app grew immensely popular in 2014, even at one point generating $50,000/day thanks to in-app ads. Despite its removal from the App Store, a number of games to this day continue to be made and played with inspiration from Flappy Bird. You can learn more about Sardesai's interactive notification version of Flappy Bird on Twitter.

Apple's AirTags may still be nowhere to be seen nearly two years after signs of them were first discovered, but Apple this week launched its Find My network accessory program that will let third-party devices integrate with the Find My app on Apple's platforms to make it easy to keep track of your items.

This week also saw fresh rumors about the upcoming "iPhone 13" and new iMacs, while Microsoft and Samsung continue to take aim at Apple with their marketing. Read on for details on these stories and more!

Apple Announces Find My Network With Support for Third-Party Devices

Apple this week announced the launch of its Find My network accessory program, allowing the location of compatible third-party accessories to be tracked in the ‌Find My‌ app right alongside Apple devices. The first products that work with the Find My app will include a new Chipolo item tracker, Belkin earbuds, and select VanMoof e-bikes.

The updated Find My app with a new Items tab is available now on devices running iOS 14.3 and later, iPadOS 14.3 and later, and macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later, following a server-side change.

Apple also announced that third-party device makers will be able to take advantage of Ultra Wideband technology in U1-equipped Apple devices, like iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models. According to Apple, third-party accessories that offer Ultra Wideband support will be able to offer a "more precise, directionally aware experience when nearby," which should make it easier to pinpoint the specific location of these items when lost.

It has long been rumored that Apple is planning its own item trackers called AirTags, but at this point, it's unclear if and when they will be released. It is possible that Apple is giving competitors like Chipolo a head start over AirTags to avoid potential antitrust complaints.

iPhone 13 Pro Mockup Shows Smaller Notch, Repositioned Earpiece and Front Camera

While we are still several months away from the launch of iPhone 13 models, accessory makers are already preparing for the upcoming devices by creating dummy versions based on rumors and leaked specifications from Apple's supply chain.

This week saw Japanese blog Mac Otakara share an alleged dummy model of the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro, providing a closer look at the device's rumored smaller notch with a relocated earpiece and front camera. While the dummy model is quite rudimentary, it supposedly has accurate dimensions, allowing accessory makers to get a head start on iPhone 13 cases and accessories.

iPhone 13 models are expected to be announced in September, with mass production of A15 chips for the devices reportedly set to begin in late May, which is apparently slightly ahead of schedule.

New iMac Expected to Feature 'Really Big' Display Larger Than Current 27-inch Model

Apple is widely rumored to be planning a redesigned iMac with an Apple silicon chip for release later this year, and a credible leaker known as "l0vetodream" this week claimed that at least one of the new models will feature a larger display than the current 27-inch iMac.

A larger display on the next-generation iMac would not be too surprising, as rumors suggest that the computer will feature a similar design as Apple's high-end Pro Display XDR monitor, including slimmer bezels around the screen and a flat back. The new iMac is also rumored to come in a variety of new iPad Air-like colors.

In June 2020, Apple said that its transition away from Intel processors in Macs would take around two years to be completed. In addition to the iMac, Apple is rumored to be working on redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon for release in the second half of this year.

Microsoft Says Surface Pro 7 is 'Better Choice' Than iPad Pro

A few months ago, Microsoft said the Surface Pro 7 is the "better choice" compared to the MacBook Pro. In a continuation of this ad campaign, Microsoft has now shared a video claiming that the Surface Pro 7 is "still the better choice" when compared to the iPad Pro.

The ad highlights how the Surface Pro 7 has a kickstand, unlike the iPad Pro, and it calls the ‌iPad Pro‌'s keyboard folio "a lot heavier" than the Surface option.

Microsoft also points out that the ‌iPad Pro‌ only has a single USB-C port while the Surface Pro 7 has several available ports. "You wanna be this guy?" says the actor in the ad, while holding up an ‌iPad‌ with a dongle attached.

"‌iPad Pro‌'s just a tablet," adds the actor. "Surface is a whole computer and a tablet."

Samsung's 'iTest' Lets You Try a Galaxy Device on Your iPhone

Samsung has launched "iTest," an interactive website experience that's designed to allow iPhone users to test out a simulated version of Android on a Galaxy device, or "sample the other side," as Samsung puts it.

Visiting the iTest website on an ‌iPhone‌ prompts users to install a web app to the Home screen. From there, tapping the app launches into a simulated Galaxy smartphone home screen complete with a range of apps and settings options. You can open the Galaxy Store, apply themes, and even access the messages and phone apps, complete with a simulated phone call and messages.

Samsung's interactive experience is neat, and if you are looking to kill some time, it is worth playing around with it for a few minutes.

Hands-On With the New Sonos Roam Speaker

Sonos in March introduced a new portable smart speaker called the Sonos Roam, which is priced at $169, making it the most affordable Sonos speaker to date. We were able to check out the Sonos Roam to see if it's worth the asking price and how it compares to other portable speakers on the market.

We were impressed with the sound quality that the Sonos Roam delivers relative to its size, and with AirPlay 2 support, it is an ideal choice for wirelessly streaming audio from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Sonos said the Roam will be released on April 20, and it is available for pre-order for $169 ahead of that date.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Apple has decided not to testify in a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing on antitrust issues related to mobile App Stores, and U.S. senators have called Apple's refusal "unacceptable," reports Reuters.

In a letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook, senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee urged Apple to reconsider the decision because a "full and fair examination" of competition issues requires Apple's participation.

The senators say that Apple has been aware of the upcoming April hearing for weeks and even held discussions with Senate staff members on who would testify on Apple's behalf, but then Apple "abruptly declared" that it would provide no witness to testify at all.

Apple is citing its upcoming trial against Epic Games as the reason for not providing a witness for the App Store hearing, but the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights is not happy with that excuse.

There is no specific date set for the hearing as of yet, but Google plans to participate. It will look at the power that Apple and Google have over the cost, distribution, and availability of mobile apps on iPhone and Android devices.

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.

Epic Games and Apple are involved in a highly public lawsuit in the United States, but Epic has also sued Apple in other countries, including Australia, in an attempt to boost its chances of getting a favorable ruling.

Things aren't quite going Epic's way, however, as the justice overseeing the case today decided that he's going to let the two companies battle it out in the United States.

According to Gizmodo Australia, the Australian case has been stayed for three months, and for anything to move forward, ‌Epic Games‌ has to file a lawsuit in California alleging violations of Australian Consumer Law.

Basically, the Australian judge wants Epic to file its Australian case in the United States, which would see Judge Gonzalez Rogers, who is overseeing the U.S. dispute, managing both cases. In this situation, Gonzalez Rogers would need to try the case under U.S. law, and then Australian law.

‌Epic Games‌ has three months to file the Australian lawsuit in California, and if that doesn't happen, the Australian case will be permanently stayed.

The only way that the proceedings can be brought back to the Australian court is if Judge Gonzalez Rogers declines to determine whether Apple has violated Australian law. Epic can also appeal, but an appeal won't be heard until November at the earliest.

In a statement, ‌Epic Games‌ said that it "remains committed" to its fight in Australia and around the world.

We remain committed to our fight for increased competition on digital platforms in Australia and around the world. Australian consumers have the right to install apps from the sources they choose and avoid paying excessive prices for apps. We will continue supporting the Australian government and regulators in their pursuit of fair competition in mobile app marketplaces.

Regardless of Epic's decision on the Australia case, it is currently on hold while the legal battle plays out in the United States. ‌Epic Games‌ and Apple will meet in court on May 3.

Epic's attempt to expand its fight with Apple to the UK also fizzled out after the country's Competition Appeal Tribunal rejected the lawsuit and pushed it back to the United States. As in Australia, if the U.S. courts decline to rule on relief in the United States, the case can later resume in the UK. Epic has also appealed to the European Commission, but there is no ruling from the EU as of yet.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Fuse to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a full set of cable organizing options for Apple devices.

Fuse has a whole line of cord management options for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac that are well-designed and affordably priced. With so many people still working from home, Fuse accessory options are excellent for keeping home offices organized and tidy.

From the Side Winder that keeps the MacBook Pro's USB-C cable neatly wound to the Watch Side Winder for rolling up the Apple Watch cord and charging, Fuse has something for everyone, and we've outlined the options below.

Snap Backs for iPhone, iPad, and MacBook

Available for $8.99 to $9.99, the Snap Backs can be purchased for the 12W iPhone and ‌iPad‌ charger, the 18W iPad Pro/iPhone charger, the 5W iPhone charger, and the 29/30W MacBook charger.

Each Snap Back fits over one of Apple's chargers, and the reel at the bottom is used to wind up the cord, so you can pull out as much cord as you need with no excess. It's ideal for travel because you can roll up the entire cord to keep it organized when its tucked in a backpack or bag, and there's no extra cord to deal with when you need to pull it out to use it.

Side Winders for Cables of All Sizes

Priced starting at $4.99, Fuse makes small Side Winders for iPhone cables, headphone cables, ‌iPad‌ cables, and more. The Side Winder is donut shaped and lets you roll the cord around the middle portion before securing the end of the cable using the included groove.

The Side Winder Mini ($4.99) is perfect for iPhone cables, micro-USB cables, corded headphones, and more. It can be used with cables one foot to five feet in length.

The Side Winder Mini and Max ($7.99) are designed to work with all kinds of cables. The mini version is ideal for iPhone cables, micro-USB cables, and corded headphones, while the Max cable is useful for USB-C cables.

The Side Winder Watch ($4.99) is designed specifically for the Apple Watch. It wraps up the Apple Watch cable and has a cutout in the center for the watch so it can be used as a charging base in addition to a cable management option.

The Side Kick

The Side Kick, priced at $13.99, is designed to work with Apple's MacBook, MacBook Air, and ‌MacBook Pro‌ chargers. It's a little pop out socket that attaches to the side of a MacBook power adapter using adhesive.

When popped out, it can be used to wrap up a MacBook's cord neatly, allowing the power adapter and the cord to be transported with no cable mess. When you're using the cable, the Side Kick pops back in so it adds little bulk to an Apple power adapter.

The Side Winder

Priced at $19.99, the Side Winder is designed for the ‌MacBook Air‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, and it's meant to wind up both the USB-C (or MagSafe) cable of a MacBook along with the extension cable.

The MacBook's power adapter goes in the center and the two cables wrap up in the reel around it. You can pull out just the right amount of cable so you never have excess cable to deal with. This model is designed specifically for the power adapter with extension, and if you just have a standard USB-C cable for charging and no extension cable (USB-C Macs don't come with them by default) the Side Kick is the better option.

Enter the Giveaway

We have 10 home office organization setups to give away to MacRumors readers, with each winner able to choose any five cable organizing products from Fuse.

To enter to win, 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 (April 9) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 16. The winners will be chosen randomly on April 16 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 is ramping up its efforts to produce feature films, according to a new report from The Information. Apple has a limited number of high profile films already, including "Palmer," "Cherry," and "Greyhound," and sees it as a way to draw more people into Apple TV+.

Apple has been telling studio executives that it is aiming to do more than 10 to 12 original movies per year for ‌Apple TV‌+, which would let it better compete with other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max.

To facilitate its push into feature films, Apple has hired Jessie Henderson, who was previously the executive vice president of feature films for the HBO Max streaming service. She will join the ‌Apple TV‌+ team run by Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, reporting to Matt Dentler, an ‌Apple TV‌+ executive who handles original films.

Compared to other streaming services, ‌Apple TV‌+ is still in its infancy and Apple is working hard on content to bolster the service and make it more attractive to subscribers. Apple is still giving people who buy a new device a free year of service, and those who originally redeemed that free year when ‌Apple TV‌+ launched in November 19 continue to have access at no cost as Apple continues to extend the trial period.

Apple has continued its free trial periods to give people more time to get hooked on the original content available on ‌Apple TV‌+ before having to pay for a subscription. At this time, Apple is also reimbursing those who pay for ‌Apple TV‌+, so the service is making little to no money at this time.

Following its launch in October last year, Apple Music TV has today expanded to the UK and Canada (via 9to5Mac).

‌Apple Music‌ TV offers a constant live stream of currently popular music videos, live shows, and events that run for 24 hours every day. Every Friday, ‌Apple Music‌ TV debuts new videos and there are appearances from ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ 1 radio hosts with interviews and more.

The feature was initially only available in the United States, but Apple is now beginning to roll the service out internationally, starting with the UK and Canada.

Apple appears to be celebrating the launch of ‌Apple Music‌ TV in the UK by featuring songs from British artists such as Dua Lipa, Stormzy, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, and Little Mix.

Users can watch ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ TV in the ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ app as well as in the Apple TV app. In the TV app, users scroll down to find ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ TV highlighted on its own dedicated row, and it is also at the top of the Browse tab in ‌‌Apple Music‌‌. There is as yet no other way to bookmark or access the channel.

As many as 68 percent of iPhone users are expected to deny advertisers permission to track them thanks to Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature, in what is beginning to look like a significant blow to the advertising industry (via AdWeek).

With the launch of iOS 14.5, apps will have to receive explicit user permission before accessing an iPhone's advertising identifier or IDFA, which is used to track usage across apps and websites for ad targeting purposes.

Chief analytics officer at marketing company Epsilon, Loch Rose, said "nobody really knows for sure" what will happen once Apple's tracking prompts become widespread, but the cost per mille of in-app ads, which is the cost an advertiser pays for one thousand views or impressions, is expected to drop by as much as 50 percent.

The initial outlook for the number of users giving consent to track looks bleak, with a median opt-in rate of just 32 percent, according to an analysis of 300 apps across 2,000 devices from AppsFlyer, a mobile marketing and attribution company.

The analysis found that apps with higher consumer affinity saw higher opt-in rates, hovering around 40 percent, but some companies such as dating app Bumble are expecting as few as 20 percent of users to opt-in at most, with its lowest opt-in forecast being for less than one percent of users.

Major digital ad company Trade Desk said that 10 percent of the 12 million ad opportunities per second on its platform are tied directly to IDFA metrics.

There is concern in the advertising industry that widespread opt-outs would lead to the complete deprecation of IDFAs, making ad targeting and performance information almost impossible on Apple platforms, since a key piece of data for advertising would essentially be removed and a certain number of users will no longer be targetable at all.

If opt-out rates are high and IDFAs become scarce, app developers and publishers are expecting revenues to be hit in the short term. Advertisers are also aware that opt-in rates may not be consistent when the feature is widely adopted, which may exacerbate the level of uncertainty and lead to inconsistent data.

Approximately 58 percent of advertisers are reportedly planning to move their businesses out of Apple's ecosystem and invest in other areas like Android devices or connected TV as a result of the change.

According to market data compiled by Counterpoint Research, Apple's smallest iPhone since the 2016 iPhone SE, the iPhone 12 mini, struggled to obtain a spot in the top five list of best-selling smartphones in January of this year.

According to the market data, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ came in eighth place for the best-selling smartphone worldwide in the first month of the year. However, the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, and last year’s iPhone 11 enjoyed dominance at the top of the list.

The 5.4-inch iPhone has widely been reported to to have suffered from disappointing sales, with Apple even reportedly cutting production due to "far lower" than expected demand. The smaller handset includes the same features as the larger 6.1-inch iPhone 12, including the same camera system, chip, and overall design. The mini, however, includes a significantly smaller battery, and obviously, a less immersive display.

Despite its struggles, Apple is still reportedly planning to keep the 5.4-inch form factor alive in the 2021 iPhone 13 lineup. The newer handset, alongside the rest of the lineup, will likely benefit from improved battery life thanks to the power efficiency of the A15, which should address concerns from ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ customers about short battery life.

Apple is expected to launch the third iteration of AirPods in the third quarter of this year. Rumors and reports suggest the new AirPods will feature an updated design more in line with the AirPods Pro, but lacking in "Pro" features such as active noise cancellation.

Despite AirPods 3 not yet being officially announced by Apple, counterfeit products of the unreleased earbuds have already hit the market. Videos from TikTok shared on Twitter show fake AirPods, that are precisely in line with previously leaked images claiming to be the real deal.

Apple products are very often faked and sold online on unauthorized Apple marketplaces, so much so that Apple has a team whose sole focus is to crackdown on counterfeit products and prevent them from being sold. Fake Apple products not only present a challenge to the tech giant, but also pose a danger to customers. Buying fake products not only means you're missing out on the latest technology, but they could also present safety hazards and can even be illegal in some countries.

It's no secret that Apple sees iMessage as a big enough selling point to keep the service exclusive to Apple devices, however new court filings submitted by Epic Games in its ongoing lawsuit with the company reveal just how Apple executives have rationalized their decision not to develop a version of iMessage for Android.

Apple clearly recognizes the power that iMessage has to keep users loyal to its platforms, particularly in the U.S., and Epic is using emails as well as extracts from depositions with Apple executives Eddie Cue, Craig Federighi, and Phil Schiller to bolster its narrative that Apple seeks to lock customers into its ecosystem.

For example, the document cites an 2016 email in which an unnamed former Apple employee complained that iMessage "amounts to serious lock-in," which prompted Schiller to respond: "Moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us, this email illustrates why."

a. As early as 2013, Apple decided not to develop a version of iMessage for the Android OS. (Cue Dep. 92:22-93:1.)

b. Mr. Cue testified that Apple "could have made a version on Android that worked with iOS" such that there would "have been cross-compatibility with the iOS platform so that users of both platforms would have been able to exchange messages with one another seamlessly". (Cue Dep. 92:5-9; 92:11-16.)

c. However, Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering and the executive in charge of iOS, feared that "iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones". (PX407, at '122.)

d. Phil Schiller, an Apple executive in charge of the App Store, agreed that Apple should not offer iMessage on Android devices. (Cue Dep. 92:18-93:1.)

e. In 2016, when a former Apple employee commented that "the #1 most difficult [reason] to leave the Apple universe app is iMessage . . . iMessage amounts to serious lock-in" to the Apple ecosystem, Mr. Schiller commented that "moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us, this email illustrates why". (PX416, at '610; Cue Dep. 114:14-115:2.)

As Cue's comments show, Apple was capable of developing an Android version of iMessage as early as 2013, but chose not to, since it would remove one obstacle that prevents families from giving their children Android phones.

In 2016, rumors began swirling around the possibility Apple might launch a version of iMessage for Android smartphones due to the company's increased focus on services, however senior Apple executives shot down those rumors by admitting that having a superior messaging platform that only worked on Apple devices would help sales of those devices, which has been the company's classic (and successful) rationale for years.

Apple does distribute some apps on the Google Play store for Android, such as Apple Music, Move to iOS (for users who are transitioning from an Android smartphone to an iPhone), and Beats, an app used to pair with Beats products with Android devices.