MacRumors

Belkin today announced the launch of the new Belkin Soundform Connect Audio Adapter with AirPlay 2 support, which is designed to turn any traditional stereo speaker into an ‌AirPlay‌ 2-enabled speaker.

The Soundform Connect can be connected to any powered speaker or sound system using an optical or 3.5mm headphone jack. A speaker connected to the Soundform Connect can be used like any standard ‌AirPlay‌ 2 speaker for AirPlaying audio, with all of the ‌AirPlay‌ 2 features available.

Those with traditional speakers can use the Soundform Connect to gain multi-room audio with other ‌AirPlay‌ 2 speakers, and can use Siri to do things like control the volume. Speakers connected to the Soundform Connect are HomeKit-enabled, viewable in the Home app, and able to be used in scenes and automations.

Belkin says that the Soundform Connect is compatible with any existing powered speaker or receiver that accepts optical or 3.5mm input.

The Soundform Connect Audio Adapter can be purchased from the Belkin website for $99.99.

In addition to reviews lifting for the new Apple TV 4K, Apple marketing executive Tim Twerdahl spoke with CNN Underscored's Jacob Krol about the latest generation of the streaming box, which launches this Friday.

Priced at $179 with 32GB of storage or $199 with 64GB of storage, Twerdahl said the new Apple 4K offers "tremendous" value.

"We think there's a tremendous amount of value in this $179. When we talk about the best way to watch TV, I sort of think about it at three levels," Twerdahl said. Those three levels, according to Twerdahl, are hardware specs that deliver the best experience possible, having content that people want, and seamless integration with other Apple products.

Twerdahl said Apple's focus with gaming has been on Apple Arcade, which he also said delivers a tremendous value, but he admitted that the new Apple TV 4K is not designed to compete directly with consoles like the Xbox or PlayStation.

"Our focus on gaming has been more recently on arcade stuff, because we think that that's a great value for customers, there's a tremendous amount of content in there," said Twerdahl. "And we've done a lot to make that experience fantastic. Most notably, probably support for all these different game controllers."

"It's probably not designed to compete directly with the Xboxes and PlayStations of the world," added Twerdahl. "They bring something to the market that I think is unique and great for really hardcore gamers."

Apple Arcade is Apple's subscription-based gaming service, providing access to a catalog of over 100 games without ads or in-app purchases across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, with pricing set at $4.99 per month. The recent tvOS 14.5 update added support for the latest PS5 and Xbox Series X game controllers on the Apple TV.

The new Apple TV 4K has been available to order since April 30, with most orders beginning to arrive this Friday, May 21.

The embargo has lifted on reviews of the new Apple TV 4K, a fairly minor refresh to the streaming box with an A12 chip for faster performance and a redesigned Siri Remote with a new clickpad for five-way navigation.

Most customers will begin receiving their new Apple TV 4K this Friday, and ahead of time, we've rounded up reviews and unboxing videos below.

Andru Edwards said the new Apple TV is "noticeably faster" at opening apps, and he said the new Siri Remote offers a better experience:

Jacob Krol at CNN Underscored echoed that the A12 chip is faster, but he said it's "not a night and day difference." He said the main benefit of the new chip and newly-added HDMI 2.1 support is the ability to play HDR content at a higher 60 frames per second:

Things like action sports or racing can take advantage of this to make the content more immersive or lifelike. It's a future-proofing move and many major sports channels plan to start broadcasting or streaming with it. Right now, you'll need a TV that can handle it along with this Apple TV 4K — oh, and yes, content that supports it. We were able to try out RedBull TV during our testing window for some intense action sports, and the broadcast was really smooth — though it won't be evident to the untrained eye.

The new Apple TV 4K is priced at $179 with 32GB of storage or $199 with 64GB of storage. MobileSyrup's Patrick O'Rourke said the Apple TV still remains very expensive relative to other streaming boxes and sticks, but he believes the price is justified:

Over the years, I've spent a lot of time with other streaming devices, but always find myself coming back to the Apple TV because it's the most reliable platform I've encountered, it often gets app updates first and new streaming platforms frequently arrive on Apple's set-top box earlier than other devices, particularly in Canada. This was the case with Bell-owned Crave as well as several other apps. Don't get me wrong, it would be great to see a price cut to the streaming box and its new Siri Remote, but in a sense, you really do get what you pay for with the Apple TV 4K (2021).

Rene Ritchie at iMore did have one criticism of the new Siri Remote, that being the Back button, previously known as the Home button:

What it won't solve for is the Home button. Apple's renamed it Back, but like the Android back button of old, it's more like a random action button. If you're watching a video in the TV app, and you press it, you get an option bar on the bottom of the screen. Then you have to press it again to exit. But if you press it in, say Netflix or Disney+, you're insta-dumped out of the video. On YouTube, back will dismiss the overlay. In Prime Video, it'll insta-dump you.

More written reviews:

• Carrie-Ann Skinner at TechRadar
• Kevin C. Tofel at Stacey on IoT
• Adrian Weckler at Independent.ie
• Lance Ulanoff at Debugger
• Stuart Miles at Pocket-lint

More video reviews and unboxings:

The new Apple TV 4K has been available to order since April 30, and it will go on sale at most Apple Store locations starting May 21. The older Apple TV HD remains available for $149 and now ships with the redesigned Siri Remote.

Bombich Software has released version 6 of Carbon Copy Cloner, the first major update to the backup program and Time Machine alternative in over four years.

Apart from offering the ability to make bootable backups on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, the new-look CCC 6 includes a number of additional features, including a "Quick Update" to existing backups that is said to be up to 20 times faster. To achieve this, CCC 6 now uses the macOS FSEvents service to check for a list of folders modified on the source since the last backup, rather than scanning every folder for changes.

Using the same underlying technology that's used by the "Quick Update" feature, CCC 6 also offers a new automation option that allows users to have a task run when a threshold of data changes have occurred at the source. So rather than scheduling hourly or daily tasks, CCC can run tasks when a specific amount of data has changed on the disk, with the added ability to limit the number of automated tasks that run in a given time window.

Elsewhere, a new Preview feature offers an advance look at what changes will be made to the destination before a backup runs, while new Backup Audits record detailed information about the transactions that occurred during the task, such as files copied, files updated, folders created or updated, and files deleted or archived.

CCC's new Compare feature offers a visual comparison of a task's source and destination, and provides details if the differences are the result of a task filter. There's also a new Snapshot Navigator, which allows users to step through older versions of their backups and get a preview of files as they were at specific points in time.

Interface-wise, CCC's main window has been redesigned for Dark Mode, and now has a smaller desktop footprint while making many of the controls and font sizes larger. It also now includes more detailed progress indication while a task is running, including a time remaining estimate, and file processing and transfer rates are now charted in real time during backup tasks.

Meanwhile, the menubar item has been updated, and now offers one-click access to starting, stopping and monitoring CCC tasks. It also tracks disk usage consumed by snapshots and alerts users to usage that exceeds expectations.

Carbon Copy Cloner 6 costs $39.99 for a personal and household license, or a commercial, single computer license. CCC 5 users get a 50% discount off that price, while CCC 4 users are being offered a 25% discount. CCC 5 owners who purchased the app after February 18, 2021 are eligible for a free upgrade. A 30-day trial of the software is also available on the Bombich website.

Apple's updated Apple TV 4K isn't officially supposed to launch until Friday, May 21, but it appears that UK retailer Argos has jumped the gun by offering customers in-store pickup today.

Twitter user @ApplWatcher was first to note that Argos has been allowing pre-orders to go out a day early, with many store locations offering collection "right away" or after 4:00 p.m. UK local time.

At least one customer wasted no time in taking up the offer, and provided iMore with pictures as evidence of their purchase. It's not clear why Argos is selling the new-generation ‌Apple TV‌ one day earlier than Apple's official launch date, and there could be repercussions for the retailer. But as it stands, anyone in the UK who is interested in picking up the latest set-top box (or indeed just the new Siri Remote) a little earlier than most could be in luck.

Apple customers who purchased an ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K with ‌‌Siri‌‌ Remote will start seeing deliveries on May 21, with customers in Australia and New Zealand set to receive their devices first. Yesterday we reported that one Apple customer in Finland also received their second-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K and ‌Siri‌ Remote earlier than expected.

‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K orders have already started shipping for some customers. The earliest ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ 4K orders have delivery estimates ranging from May 21 to May 27.

Update: Argos appears to have realized its error and has since updated its ‌Apple TV‌ 4K website listings to read "Watch this space: This product hasn't been released yet. Please check back soon."

Danish audio outfit Bang & Olufsen today announced the Beosound Explore, a rugged, lightweight Bluetooth speaker that's designed for taking on outdoor adventures.

Pitched as the first speaker to use a scratch resistant Type 2 anodized aluminum, the can-shaped unit is IP67 dust and waterproof, weighs 631 grams, is portable (81mm x 124mm) and offers up to 27 hours of playtime on a single charge.

"We created Beosound Explore to be our toughest speaker that can withstand the outdoor elements," says Bang & Olufsen SVP of Product Management Christoffer Poulsen. "The exceptional sound quality for its size makes Beosound Explore the perfect companion for any adventure."

With outdoor use in mind, the Beosound Explore packs dual 1.8-inch full range drivers and delivers 59 decibels of bass, while the grill is cut in 360-degree lines to ensure omnidirectional sound output. Two units can also be used for stereo pairing.

The aluminum shell features a simple user interface on top that's designed to be easy to use with gloves on for colder conditions. The speaker also comes with an aluminum carabiner for attaching to a rucksack on long hikes, and an integrated strap for hanging.

The Bluetooth 5.2 speaker uses USB-C for charging and is certified Made for iPhone (MFi), which means it's passed Apple's compliance and safety tests. Beosound Explore is available in a Black Anthracite, Green or Grey Mist, which B&O says are reminiscent of forests, glaciers and fjords typically found in Scandinavian landscapes.

The Black Anthracite and Green models are available in Bang & Olufsen stores and online from today, while the Grey Mist color will become available in Summer 2021. The speaker retails at $199USD, $299CAD, and £169GBP.

One lucky Reddit user received his second-generation Apple TV 4K and Siri Remote earlier than expected in Finland, and he shared some initial thoughts and opinions on the new set-top box.

The new trackpad on the ‌Siri‌ remote "feels good" and though the buttons are clicky, they're "still solid."

I'm almost always navigating with the trackpad. I just set the tracking speed to slow and it's feels good to me.

Rotate to seek doesn't work, at least right out of the box... Does it need to be enabled? Maybe I haven't really understood how to use it... As a good ol' click wheel as on the iPods, right? It just recognizes my input as swiping on the trackpad.

The buttons feel a bit clicky, but still solid.

As for the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K itself, the interface runs smoothly and installing apps is quick, but the Reddit user did not have a prior-generation for comparison.

Nothing to complain. Runs smooth on every corner and installing apps is so quick it's ridiculous. Can't really compare to the older Apple TVs, since that this is my first Apple TV... But smoother than my Sony Android TV software, that's for sure.

Customers who purchased an ‌Apple TV‌ 4K with ‌Siri‌ Remote from Apple will start seeing deliveries on May 21, with customers in Australia and New Zealand set to receive their devices first, so we should soon be hearing additional opinions on the redesigned ‌Siri‌ Remote and the speed improvements introduced with the A12 Bionic chip.

‌Apple TV‌ 4K orders have started shipping in Canada, though we have yet to hear from any U.S. customers that have shipping notices at this time. The earliest ‌Apple TV‌ 4K orders have delivery estimates ranging from May 21 to May 27.

Prior to the public releases of iOS 14.6, iPadOS 14.6, tvOS 14.6, watchOS 7.5, and macOS Big Sur 11.4, Apple has seeded a new series of developer betas including iOS 14.7, iPadOS 14.7, tvOS 14.7, watchOS 7.6, and macOS Big Sur 11.5.

iOS and iPadOS 14.7 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad. macOS Big Sur 11.5 can be downloaded using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

tvOS 14.7 can be downloaded onto the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode, and watchOS 7.6 can be downloaded through the dedicated ‌Apple Watch‌ app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

There's no word yet on what's new in these software updates, but we'll update this post if we find notable features or changes in the betas.

Apple today updated its Apple Store app on the iPad to introduce a refreshed design that includes a new sidebar. The sidebar on the left side of the screen offers quick access to shopping, Today at Apple sessions, favorites, order history, and more.

There are also buttons to shop by product so you can navigate to the iPhone, Mac, ‌iPad‌, Apple Watch, and other Apple device options more quickly.

Apple says that this update also makes it easier to seamlessly add a keyboard or Apple Pencil when shopping for your ‌iPad‌, and it also introduces support for virtual Today at Apple sessions.

Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi is testifying in the ongoing Apple v. Epic games trial this afternoon, providing details about iPhone security to convince the judge that any change to the App Store policies would be detrimental to iPhone users.

Epic Games wants the judge to force Apple to allow multiple app stores on iOS, similar to how it works on Mac, which would allow users to install apps that have not been reviewed by Apple. During questioning, Federighi was asked why app stores on iOS shouldn't work like the Mac, where apps can be installed via the Mac App Store or from third-party sources.

In response, Federighi said third-party app installation is often exploited on the Mac. "iOS has established a dramatically higher bar for customer protection," he said. "The Mac is not meeting that bar today."

He went on to explain that the level of malware on the Mac is not something that Apple finds acceptable, and if iOS worked similarly, it would be overrun with malware, a particular danger because there are far more iOS devices.

Sideloading apps on iOS would "dramatically" change security on iOS, according to Federighi. "No human policy review could be enforced because software could be downloaded directly." People could put an unsafe app up for sale and "no one would check that policy."

Federighi was also asked about earlier testimony that said iOS and Android have no significant security differences, leading him to point out a report from Nokia that said Android devices have 30 times more malware infections than iOS devices. "It's well understood in the security community that Android has a malware problem that iOS has succeeded in staying ahead of," he said.

Later this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook will also be testifying in the trial. Yesterday, we heard lengthy testimony from Apple Fellow Phil Schiller, who is in charge of the ‌App Store‌. Schiller focused on the inner workings of the ‌App Store‌, the ‌App Store‌'s value, and the value of Apple's SDKs for developers.

The new Apple TV 4K will begin arriving to customers this Friday, May 21, and ahead of time, orders are now beginning to be marked as "shipped" on Apple's online store. Track your order with others in the MacRumors forums.

As of Wednesday afternoon, most of the Apple TV 4K orders that have been marked as "shipped" appear to be in Canada, but orders in other countries should start shipping within the next day. Many customers who ordered the new Siri Remote separately are also seeing a May 21 delivery estimate, but we've yet to see these orders begin shipping at this time.

The new Apple TV 4K features a faster A12 Bionic chip, support for high frame rate HDR and Dolby Vision video, and a redesigned Siri Remote with a physical clickpad that is also touch-enabled for swipe gestures that Apple TV users are familiar with. The outer ring of the clickpad supports a circular gesture for finding a scene in a movie or show.

Priced at $179 with 32GB of storage or $199 with 64GB of storage, the new Apple TV 4K will also be on display and available for purchase at Apple Store locations starting May 21, although supplies may be limited on launch day.

Apple today previewed a long list of new accessibility features coming soon, including AssistiveTouch for the Apple Watch, which will allow users to control an Apple Watch without ever having to touch the display or controls.

Aided by on-device machine learning, the Apple Watch's gyroscope, accelerometer, and heart rate sensor will be able to detect subtle differences in muscle movement and tendon activity, and these movements will allow users to navigate a cursor on the Apple Watch's display through a series of hand gestures, like a pinch or a clench.

AssistiveTouch on the Apple Watch will enable customers who have limb differences to more easily answer incoming calls, control an on-screen motion pointer, access Notification Center and Control Center, and more.

Apple says AssistiveTouch for the Apple Watch will be available with a software update. The feature will likely be part of watchOS 8, which is expected to be unveiled alongside iOS 15, macOS 12, and tvOS 15 at WWDC 2021 next month.

Apple collected more than $100 million in revenue from the 30 percent cut that it takes from Fortnite in-app purchases, according to testimony provided by App Store gaming business development head Michael Schmid, who shared the detail in the ongoing Epic v. Apple trial.

As noted by Bloomberg, Schmid offered the $100 million figure as a rough estimate, and declined to provide a specific dollar amount because that would be "inappropriate."

Sensor Tower last year estimated that Fortnite players have spent $1.2 billion on in-app purchases in the ‌App Store‌, which would have netted Apple $354 million. Fortnite has been on the ‌App Store‌ since 2018, and prior to its removal, it was a highly popular iOS game.

According to Schmid, Apple spent $1 million marketing for Fortnite in its last 11 months on the ‌App Store‌.

Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi is testifying in the Epic v. Apple trial today, following Phil Schiller's testimony earlier this week. Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to take the stand on Friday, where he will answer questions for 100 minutes.

The HBO Max streaming service is gaining a new ad-supported tier that will be priced at $9.99 per month, which is $5 cheaper than the $14.99 price point of a standard HBO Max subscription.

News of a cheaper ad-supported HBO Max tier first circulated in March, and the new pricing was officially announced at a WarnerMedia event. The $9.99 tier will be available starting the first week of June.

HBO Max will feature the "lightest ad load in the streaming industry" for its ad-supported tier. It will include access to HBO's original programming plus the back catalog of content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Turner Classic Movies, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and more.

Not included is access to same-day premiere film releases from Warner Bros., a feature that will require a full $14.99 subscription.

The ad-supported tier will feature limited commercials, and in the future, pause ads that show up when a show is paused, and branded discovery, which will see ads shown in the content discovery process.

The upcoming Apple Watch Series 7 will feature a flat-edged design, similar to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, and the addition of a new green case color option, according to Apple leaker Jon Prosser.

In a video, Prosser explains that Apple is looking to redesign the Apple Watch, which has featured the same design since its launch, with the Series 7 later this year. One of the most striking new changes, according to Prosser, will be flat edges. Current Apple Watches feature curved edges, much like previous generation iPhones. However, with the iPhone 12, Apple reverted to flat edges and is even expected to do so for the upcoming MacBook Pro redesign.

In addition to the flat edges, Apple will include a new green color case option. Prosser says Apple has been testing "experimental colors" and that the green color option is not entirely set in stone. Prosser says that Apple could offer the Apple Watch 7 in a variety of additional colors.

As he has done for AirTags and AirPods Max, Prosser shared renders for the upcoming watch, which he claims are based on real-life images and CAD files he has seen from a source. Prosser says the screen size and display will remain the same but notes that he has heard that Apple has tested Apple Watch prototypes with smaller bezels and a larger display.

Prosser adds that he has only seen the design of the upcoming watch, not the specifications, which would include whether the watch will feature new sensors and health capabilities.

Apple has been rumored to be working on blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring for future Apple Watches. With the Series 6, Apple introduced Blood Oxygen tracking and previously added ECG functionality with the Apple Watch Series 4. Apple is likely to continue to push the health features on the watch, but what exactly that will entail with the Series 7 remains unknown.

It's also worth noting that Prosser says his source cannot confidently say that this specific Apple Watch design is the Series 7 and that it could even be the Apple Watch Series 8, destined for 2022. However, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously reported that the 2021 Apple Watch would see a redesign, pushing Prosser to label this design as the upcoming Apple Watch.

Apple today announced the upcoming launch of several new accessibility features that are being added to its various products and services. Apple says that these options are designed for people with mobility, vision, hearing, and cognitive disabilities, and showcase Apple's belief that accessibility is a human right.

"At Apple, we've long felt that the world's best technology should respond to everyone's needs, and our teams work relentlessly to build accessibility into everything we make," said Sarah Herrlinger, Apple's senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives. "With these new features, we're pushing the boundaries of innovation with next-generation technologies that bring the fun and function of Apple technology to even more people -- and we can't wait to share them with our users."

There are new features for communicating with support staff, operating the iPad, navigating the Apple Watch, and more, with a rundown below.

• Background Sounds - In support of neurodiversity, Apple is adding a Background Sounds feature that's designed to minimize distractions to help users stay focus, stay calm, or rest. Balanced, bright, or dark noise sounds are available, as well as ocean, rain, or stream sounds. All of the sounds can be set to play in the background to mask unwanted environmental or external noise. Apple says the sounds mix into or duck under other audio and system sounds.
• AssistiveTouch - For users with limited mobility, AssistiveTouch will allow the Apple Watch to be used without the need to touch the display or the controls. Built-in motion sensors, the optical heart rate sensor, and on-device machine learning will let Apple Watch detect subtle differences in muscle movement and tendon activity that will control a cursor on the screen through hand gestures like a pinch or a clench. AssistiveTouch launches later this year.
• iPad Eye-Tracking - Later this year, iPadOS will support third-party eye-tracking devices to let people control ‌iPad‌ with their eyes.
• SignTime - SignTime will allow customers to communicate with AppleCare and retail customer care using American Sign Language in the United States, British Sign Language (BSL) in the UK, or French Sign Language (LSF) in France using a web browser. SignTime launches May 20.
• New Memoji Customizations - New memojis are coming to better represent users with oxygen tubes, cochlear implants, and a soft helmet for headwear.
• VoiceOver Improvements - Recent updates to VoiceOver let users explore more details about people, text, table data, and other objects within images. VoiceOver can describe a person's position along with other objects in images, and with Markup, users can add image descriptions to personalize their photos.
• MFi Hearing Aid Improvements - Apple is introducing new support for bi-directional hearing aids, enabling hands-free phone and FaceTime conversations. Next-generation models from MFi partners are coming later this year.
• Audiograms for Headphone Accommodations - Headphone Accommodations will gain support for audiograms, so users can customize their audio by importing their latest hearing test results.
• Sound Actions for Switch Control - This replaces physical buttons and switches with mouth sounds -- such as a click, pop, or "ee" sound -- for users who are non-speaking and have limited mobility.
• Display and Text Size Settings - Will be customizable on a per app basis for users with colorblindness or other vision challenges to make the screen easier to see.

Apple is announcing these new features in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which takes place May 20. Apple is also celebrating through new additions to Apple Fitness+, Today at Apple, the App Store, the Apple TV app, and more.

Many of these new features are slated for release later in the year, which suggests that they'll be included in the iOS 15 update that Apple is set to introduce at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Apple's full announcement has more detail on just what's coming and when, and it's well worth checking out.