MacRumors

Apple is about to enter the "second phase of development" of an augmented reality glasses prototype, according to a paywalled preview of a DigiTimes story seen by MacRumors. The full report should be released by tomorrow with further details.

In June 2020, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is developing both an AR/VR headset and AR-only glasses. Gurman said prototypes of Apple's headset resemble a smaller version of Facebook's Oculus Quest, while the glasses would be sleeker and lightweight. In an internal meeting, Apple reportedly said the headset may be announced in 2021 and released in 2022, while the glasses are expected in 2023 at the earliest.

Gurman claimed that Apple's glasses would overlay information such as text messages and maps in front of the wearer's eyes, and he also said that users will be able to control the glasses with Siri. His report added that Apple is planning an App Store for its AR/VR headset, but he did not indicate whether the storefront will extend to the glasses.

Earlier this week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple suppliers are gearing up for an unspecified augmented reality device in 2021. Kuo also expects Apple's long-awaited AirTags item trackers, new AirPods, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple Silicon, and an iPad Pro with a Mini-LED display to be introduced throughout the year.

Update: The full report has been shared with a few more details. Following the second phase, the report claims that the glasses will go through a third phase of development a few months later. Upon completion of the prototype design, the wearable device is expected to go through a 6-9 month period for engineering verification. Apple is said to be focused on improving the device's weight and battery life.

Apple today announced that Monica Lozano, president and CEO of College Futures Foundation, has been elected to the company's board of directors.

"Monica has been a true leader and trailblazer in business, media, and an ever-widening circle of philanthropic efforts to realize a more equitable future — in our schools and in the lives of all people," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Her values and breadth of experience will help Apple continue to grow, to innovate, and to be a force for good in the lives of our teams, customers, and communities."

"I've always admired Apple's commitment to the notion that technology, at its best, should empower all people to improve their lives and build a better world," said Lozano. "I look forward to working with Tim, Art, and the other board members to help Apple carry those values forward and build on a rich and productive history."

Prior to joining College Futures Foundation, Lozano spent 30 years in media as editor and publisher of La Opinión, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the United States, according to Apple. Lozano continues to serve on the boards of Target and Bank of America, and is also a former board member of The Walt Disney Company.

Microsoft is planning to replace Outlook for Mac with a new web-based universal Outlook client, according to Windows Central.

Months after announcing a complete redesign of Outlook for Mac, Microsoft is reportedly intending to scrap its current Mac app and replace it with a new client based on the Outlook web app.

Codenamed "Monarch," the project is Microsoft's attempt to build a single Outlook client across Windows, Mac, and the web. The new client will also replace the default Mail and Calendar apps on Windows 10 and unify Microsoft's entire selection of Outlook apps.

Project Monarch is said to be based on the pre-existing Outlook web app, offering the best indication of how the replacement app will look and function when it is released. While there will apparently be some native OS integrations for the likes of offline storage and notifications, the overall goal is to remain as universal as possible across platforms.

The change allows Microsoft to use the same codebase for apps on all devices, helping it to streamline development. For users, the new single client would be smaller in size and offer the same user experience across all devices.

Microsoft will reportedly begin to preview its new Outlook client toward the end of 2021, and plans to replace the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows 10 in 2022. Outlook for Mac will presumably be deprecated at some point during this timeframe.

Apple device users spent a record $72 billion on the App Store in 2020, a 30% increase on app spending the previous year, according to a new Sensor Tower report.

Globally, consumer spending on the App Store reached $72.3 billion, up 30.3 percent Y/Y from $55.5 billion in 2019. As in previous years, this exceeded the amount users spent on Google Play, which grew 30 percent Y/Y from $29.7 billion in 2019 to $38.6 billion. The App Store generated 87.3 percent more in consumer spending than the Play store, and both platforms experienced roughly the same Y/Y growth. The spending gap between the platforms remained relatively flat compared to 2019.

Apart from games, most user spending in the ‌App Store‌ focused on the Entertainment category, which grew 29.3% year on year to $5.3 billion. TikTok was the non-game app that generated the most revenue globally in the ‌App Store‌ in 2020, growing more than 600% year on year to $1.2 billion.

First-time installs also set a new record in 2020, with the ‌App Store‌ and Google Play collectively reaching nearly 143 billion, up 23.7% from approximately 115.5 billion in 2019. This figure is about 14% higher than the year-on-year growth experienced by both stores in the previous year.

The gaming category also reached new heights, generating $79.5 billion last year across both app stores globally. The report notes that this is up 26% from slightly more than $63 billion in 2019, and represents 71.7% of all in-app spending for the year.

According to Sensor Tower data, around $47.6 billion was spent on iOS games in 2020, up 25% in 2019. Games accounted for 66% of all ‌App Store‌ revenue, and the highest grossing game on iOS was Tencent's Honor of Kings.

The report notes that the mobile market experienced "unprecedented growth" in 2020 as the global health crisis dramatically shifted consumer needs and behavior, and could even indicate a permanent change in consumer habits.

Apple has temporarily closed all of its stores in the United Kingdom, as England and most of Scotland enter new lockdowns to curb a steep rise in coronavirus cases thought to be caused by a new strain.

Announced on Monday by U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the new lockdowns close all schools and non-essential shops, and mean people must stay indoors other than for limited exceptions, such as essential medical needs, food shopping, exercise, and work that cannot be done at home.

In England, the strict rules are to be enforced until at least mid-February, while in Scotland they apply on the mainland until the end of January, and will be kept under review. Northern Ireland went into lockdown on December 26, while Wales has been in a nationwide lockdown since December 20, so Apple stores there were already closed before the holidays, as noted by 9to5Mac's Michael Steeber.

With local tiered restrictions in force since early November, many of Apple's retail locations had already been operating on a click-and-collect basis only with Express Pickup. However, the new lockdown rules are the harshest the U.K. has seen since the spring, and all non-essential stores must once again close. The new rules come after the U.K. reported a record 58,784 cases on Monday, as well as a further 407 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Update: Apple has informed MacRumors of an update to its holiday returns policy which means customers seeking to return products purchased in-store will still be able to do so whenever the lockdowns end and stores reopen.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple enterprise management company Jamf today announced that the Jamf platform powers 20 million devices worldwide and serves more than 47,000 customers, which is a new milestone.

Over the course of 2020 alone, Jamf has added more than 4 million devices and 10,000 customers, and it is now powering 24 of the 25 most valuable brands (based on Forbes' list of the most valuable technology companies).

"Coming into 2015, Jamf was 13 years old and managing less than 4 million devices for approximately 5,000 customers. That year, as the enterprise saw a growing number of professionals demanding to use Apple at work, we set an aggressive goal to empower the new workforce by running on 20 million Apple devices by the end of 2020," said Dean Hager, CEO of Jamf. "Through our mission to help organizations succeed with Apple, we are proud to have achieved this milestone, and more importantly to have enabled so many organizations to help their employees, doctors, nurses, teachers and students get the most out of their technology and be their best."

Jamf runs on all 10 of the largest U.S. banks, 10 of the top 10 global universities, 16 of the top 20 best U.S. hospitals, and 7 of the top 10 Fortune 500 technology companies.

For those unfamiliar with Jamf, it is enterprise management software that businesses, schools, hospitals, and government organizations use for Apple device management purposes.

Navitas Semiconductor is expected to obtain orders from Apple in 2021 for fast charging solutions based on gallium nitride or "GaN" technology, according to Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes. The report claims that Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC will supply Navitas with GaN chips as part of an existing partnership.

This supply chain news suggests that Apple is planning GaN versions of its USB-C power adapters, allowing them to be smaller and lighter, more power efficient, and less heat conductive compared to its current chargers, which are based on silicon. Many other brands like Anker and Belkin have introduced GaN chargers over the last few years. It's unclear if Apple's first GaN chargers would be ready for release this year.

Navitas is the creator of GaNFast, a gallium nitride solution that the company says is found in some of the most popular fast chargers in the world. GaNFast has been adopted by several brands, such as Aukey, Dell, Lenovo, and Xiaomi. Last year, the company said GaNFast-based solutions include wall chargers ranging from 24W to 300W.

Apple no longer includes power adapters in the box with iPhone and Apple Watch models that it sells, but it continues to sell a variety of power adapters on a standalone basis, including 5W and 12W USB-A options and 20W, 30W, 61W, and 96W USB-C options.

The iPhone 13 lineup may expand faster mmWave 5G connectivity to more countries outside the United States, according to Taiwanese supply chain sources cited by Patently Apple.

The report claims that a Taiwanese company called Qiqi is in the process of receiving a "large order" for mmWave antennas destined for the iPhone 13 lineup, which may explain Qiqi chairman Xie Hongbo's announcement that the company's 5G-related component shipments would increase significantly this year. Apple's mmWave antennas are currently manufactured by Japanese company Murata Manufacturing, which will apparently share orders with Qiqi for the iPhone 13.

Apple supplier Wistron reportedly invested in Qiqi, becoming its single largest shareholder, thereby helping to bring it into the iPhone supply chain for the first time. Qiqi apparently cooperates closely with Qualcomm on 5G and Wi-Fi 6 components, which was a key factor in the company being selected by Apple for mmWave parts.

In the United States, all iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro models feature both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G. While mmWave is a faster form of 5G, it is less widespread and penetrates less well than sub-6GHz 5G, so the iPhone 12 features the ability to take advantage of both, depending on which is available. Outside the U.S., however, the iPhone 12 lineup only features slower sub-6GHz 5G.

The news that Apple is looking to order a large number of mmWave antennas and double its suppliers for the component may signal that iPhone 13 models will feature faster mmWave technology in more regions. Countries such as the UK, Germany, Canada, China, and Japan all have growing mmWave networks and would be able to benefit from faster 5G with the iPhone 13.

Moreover, the report notes that Qiqi is the market leader in designing antennas for laptops, which Apple could take advantage of to add 5G connectivity to a MacBook at some point in the future. For now, however, Apple's large order from Qiqi will reportedly support iPhone 13 lineup only.

Apple plans to release its long-awaited AirTags item trackers, an unspecified augmented reality device, and other new products in 2021, according to a new research note from reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, obtained by MacRumors.

AirTags are expected to help users keep track of their personal belongings, such as their keys, wallets, and backpacks, and would notify users on their Apple devices when they are separated from a tagged item. In 2019, MacRumors obtained screenshots showing that AirTags will be managed through a new Items tab in the Find My app.

As for the augmented reality device, Apple is widely rumored to be working on an augmented reality headset, glasses, or both, but Kuo did not specify. iPhones and iPads also offer augmented reality features, so there is ambiguity here.

As expected, Kuo also said that Apple plans to release new AirPods, more Apple Silicon Macs, and its first devices with Mini-LED displays throughout the year. Previous rumors have pointed towards a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro and various MacBook models with Mini-LED displays launching in 2021, offering richer colors, improved contrast, and more.

Kuo previously said that Apple plans to release redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple Silicon and Mini-LED displays in 2021. He also previously forecasted that a new MacBook Air with Apple Silicon and a Mini-LED display will launch in 2022, but it is unclear if that notebook will also sport a new design.

Apple already announced that it plans to transition its entire Mac lineup to Apple Silicon within around two years, with other rumored models in the pipeline including a redesigned 24-inch iMac and smaller Mac Pro-like desktop.

Apple is expected to expand its LiDAR Scanner to the entire iPhone 13 lineup in 2021, rather than only the Pro and Pro Max models, according to supply chain sources cited by Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.

First introduced on the iPad Pro in March 2020, and since expanded to the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, the LiDAR Scanner is a small sensor that uses 3D sensing to measure the distance to surrounding objects up to five meters away. This technology allows for enhanced augmented reality experiences and other unique capabilities, such as the ability to measure a person's height instantly.

Apple frequently introduces new features or specs on higher-end devices before trickling them down to lower-end devices in later years. For example, while OLED displays were limited to the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, with the standard iPhone 11 using an LCD, the entire iPhone 12 lineup is equipped with OLED displays.

Apple is predicted to return to its traditional September unveiling of the iPhone 13 lineup, which is expected to include the same four models, including a 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini, 6.1-inch iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. (These names are simply placeholders and could certainly end up being different.)

2021 is expected to be the year that Apple finally releases its long-awaited AirTags item trackers, and ahead of time, YouTuber and leaker Jon Prosser has shared a 3D animation of the accessory that was allegedly created by Apple.

Prosser says he obtained the animation from a software engineer, who believes that it may be presented to users in a future iOS version. Apple shows a similar 3D animation for several other accessories during the pairing process on an iPhone or iPad, including various HomePod and AirPods models and more.

As seen in previous mockups, AirTags are expected to be small, circular tags with a polished silver metal disc on the rear.

Similar to Tile, AirTags will help users keep track of their personal belongings, such as their keys, wallets, and backpacks, with users receiving a push notification on their Apple devices when they are separated from a tagged item. In 2019, MacRumors obtained screenshots showing that AirTags will be managed through a new Items tab in the Find My app.

AirTags are expected to support Ultra Wideband for improved location accuracy, as well as Bluetooth LE for broader compatibility with devices. AirTags are also expected to offer augmented reality functionality for locating misplaced items.

Thanks to Apple accidentally referencing AirTags in a YouTube video last April, we know this accessory is the real deal, but an exact release date still remains up in the air. Apple typically holds its first event of a year in March, but with in-person events not being hosted any time soon, a virtual event or press release is possible at any time.

iPhone and iPad game "Pascal's Wager" has become the first to add support for both mouse and keyboard controls.

Pascal's Wager is a dark-fantasy action roleplaying game. With a high level of graphical fidelity, a range of unique characters, and a soundtrack performed by a "world-class" orchestra, the game has been featured by Apple in the past.

Added in update 1.6.2, Pascal's Wager now supports a mouse and keyboard on devices running iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 or later, giving players a more precise option for controlling the game. Reddit user u/AppleGamers posted a short video demonstrating how mouse and keyboard controls work for Pascal's Wager.

Apple announced keyboard, mouse, and trackpad support for games at WWDC 2020 and held a specific online session on how developers can implement it. While many developers have already added keyboard support to their games, such as "XCOM 2" and "Civilization VI," Pascal's Wager appears to be the first implementation of both mouse and keyboard controls for an iOS and iPadOS game, offering a more desktop or laptop-like experience when gaming.

After suffering substantial delays, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has completed its rollout of Apple Pay support to all buses and subway stations in the city via its OMNY contactless fare payment system.

With the OMNY contactless payment system, riders are able to hold an iPhone or Apple Watch near a contactless reader to pay their fare with no authentication necessary, allowing for speedy passage through public transit hubs.

OMNY tap-and-go fare payments with ‌Apple Pay‌ Express Transit support became available at one of New York City's major transportation hubs, Penn Station, back in December 2019, followed by a number of other stations in early 2020. The rollout was originally intended to continue, but installation of the new digital readers was paused in late March, delaying completion until December 2020.

The New York installation has now been completed network-wide, according to an OMNY announcement.

At this time, OMNY only works for individual rides and it is not yet possible to pre-pay for an unlimited ride pass. MetroCards, which predate the OMNY system, will continue to work on subway and bus systems until 2023, when it will be fully replaced by OMNY.

Apple has added several new "goal-setting workouts" to its Fitness+ subscription service, as part of a new weekly series that aims to help users keep on top of their training and stay motivated into the New Year and beyond.

A new introductory video can be found on the main Fitness+ page in the Fitness app, where trainer Kim highlights what's new in the subscription service this week and points users to the new Ring in the New Year Limited Edition Activity Challenge that can be found on their Apple Watch.

Happy New Year! It's Kim, and this is a new series to keep you on top of your Fitness+ workouts this week and keep you motivated. Make sure you check back every Monday for a new video. Whether you're just getting started with absolute beginner workouts or you've been into fitness for a while, everyone is welcome.

Let's start 2021 strong with an activity streak. To keep you in check, there's a Ring in the New Year Limited Edition award on your Apple Watch.

In the video, Kim picks out two workouts in particular that offer goal-setting motivations, including a 20-minute strength workout and a 10-minute HIIT workout, and should help users bag the Ring in the New Year Challenge award, which can be earned by closing all three rings for seven days in a row.

In all, Apple on Monday added 24 new Fitness+ workouts covering all video categories, which include cycling, strength, yoga, HIIT, core, dance, treadmill, mindful cool down, and rowing.

Fitness+ videos are set to songs pulled from Apple Music, which can be listened to even by non-Apple Music subscribers. However, if you do subscribe to ‌Apple Music‌, be sure to check out the new Fitness+ playlists that Apple has started promoting in the Music app.

‌Apple Music‌'s search page now has a new Browse category titled Fitness containing several fitness-related playlists. The category also includes a section called "Apple Fitness+ Studio Series," which contains playlists offering different styles of music or that are intended for a type of exercise.

Fitness+ costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year, which breaks down to $6.67 per month. For that price, up to six family members total can use the Fitness+ service. Fitness+ is also included in the Apple One Premier bundle, which is priced at $29.99 per month and also offers ‌‌Apple Music‌‌, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and 2TB iCloud storage

Apple's annual "Ring in the New Year" Activity Challenge has begun appearing for many users in the Fitness app on iPhone and Apple Watch over the last few days.

The challenge's rules are similar to previous New Year awards, requiring users to close all three Activity rings for seven days in a row in January.

Ring in the New Year Challenge
Start 2021 off right. This January, earn this award by closing all three rings for seven days in a row.

For the first time, Apple is also explicitly tying the Activity Challenge to its Fitness+ subscription workout service, which launched in December.

Completing the Challenge will award users with a unique badge viewable in the Awards section of the Fitness app on ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch.

Apple has shied away from offering activity challenges during 2020 as people have spent a lot more time indoors, so it's good to see the tradition returning and hopefully bodes well for the year to come.

Samsung has sent out media invites to its Galaxy Unpacked event on Thursday, January 14, when the company is expected to officially announce its new Galaxy S21 lineup.

Samsung is expected to unveil three new smartphones at the event: The Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra. The successors to last year's Galaxy S20 series will come in familiar 6.2 to 6.8-inch size options, with the S21 and S21 Plus said to be similar except for size, and the S21 Ultra offering a more premium device featuring better specs and cameras, and support for Samsung's S-Pen stylus.

According to rumors, the S21 and 21 Plus have a flat display with a centered hole-punch camera and minimal front bezels, while the rear camera is a triple camera setup arranged vertically, consisting of a 12MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra wide, and a 64MP telephoto lens.

Meanwhile, the S21 Ultra has a larger curved screen and a quad-lens camera system featuring a single periscope lens with 10MP 10x super-telephoto zoom, alongside a 108MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra wide, and a 10MP 3x telephoto camera. It also has a laser autofocus system that replaces the time-of-flight sensor found in the S20 Ultra.

Samsung is rumored to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100 chips in its new smartphones depending on the region. Like their predecessors, all the devices will offer 120Hz and 60Hz refresh rates as well as 5G connectivity.

When it became clear that the iPhone 12 lineup and other iPhone models wouldn't ship with a power adapter and headphones, Samsung mocked Apple on its social channels by pointing out that the Samsung Galaxy smartphones continue to ship with a power adapter. However, recent reports have said that Samsung may also remove the power adapter and headphones from its smartphones beginning with the Galaxy S21 lineup.

Samsung's iPhone 12 rivals are expected to come in at a cheaper price point than last year's S20 family – WinFuture cites prices of 849 euros (about $1,043 USD) for the S21 and 1,049 euros (about $1,290 USD) for the S21 Plus. The phones should be available to buy a couple of weeks after the Samsung Unpacked event.

We'll have coverage of the event as it is interesting to take a look at what new features Apple's competitors are unveiling to compete with the iPhone.