Apple device owners who participated in the Apple Hearing Study that Apple is conducting with the University of Michigan School of Public Health are today receiving emails letting them know about a bug that resulted in excess data collection.
Those who enrolled in the study consented to allow Apple and researchers to collect headphone sound level, environmental sound level, heart rate, and workout data types. The data is used to help researchers better understand the link between long-term sound exposure and the impact on hearing health.
According to the email participants are receiving, a bug in the study caused up to 30 days worth of historical data to be collected. Data collection did not fall outside of what was consented to when participants signed up, but the sign up form did not mention the collection of historical data.
Thank you for your participation in the Apple Hearing Study. When you enrolled in the study, you provided consent to collect certain headphone sound level, environmental sound level, heart rate, and workout data types during the enrollment process. This data is collected to help researchers, listed in the consent form, understand the link between long-term sound exposure and its impact on hearing health. We recently learned that due to a bug, after study enrollment, the Apple Hearing Study unintentionally collected up to 30 days of historical data for these authorized data types. The study only collected data after your consent was obtained. However, the study consent form does not state that historical data will be collected.
The bug has now been fixed with a study app update and historical data received to date have been deleted. We remain committed to your privacy and will continue to monitor for and delete any additional historical data if received until you update your Apple Research app. Please update your Apple Research app to the latest version here, to receive the fix.
At no time did Apple have access to information collected from the Apple Research app that could directly identify you. Please refer to the study informed consent form for additional details on the data that is being collected, how your data is stored, and who your data might be shared with for the purposes of the study.
Richard Neitzel, the principal investigator in the study, says that Apple did not have access to information collected from the Apple Research app that could be used for identification purposes.
The bug has been addressed with an update to the Apple Research app and historical data received to data has been deleted. To ensure no further historical data collection, participants are being asked to update their Apple Research apps.
Los Angeles County residents who receive a COVID-19 vaccination are able to add a digital record of their vaccination to the Apple Wallet app, reports Bloomberg.
The county is partnering with Healthvana to add the vaccination proof to the Wallet app on iPhone. Healthvana is a patient platform that healthcare providers can use to deliver COVID-19 test results to patients.
The vaccination record helps to ensure that those who have been vaccinated receive their second shot in the two-dose procedure, and in the future, Bloomberg speculates that it could be used as proof of vaccination to access flights, concerts, and more.
For the time being, the Wallet vaccination record will alert people who have had their first shot about their second appointment to make sure each person is fully vaccinated.
"We're really concerned. We really want people to come back for that second dose," Claire Jarashow, LA's director of vaccine preventable disease control told Bloomberg. "We just don't have the capacity to be doing hundreds of medical record requests to find people's first doses and when they need to get their second."
Immunizations are also being tracked in registries and those vaccinated receive a paper card, but that card is easily lost so the Wallet app serves as more permanent proof.
The county is planning to send data to Healthvana each night, with information stored on Amazon Web Services' HIPAA-compliant servers. Jarashow told Bloomberg that it's as "safe as we can make it," and that she would "feel comfortable using it."
As of December 22, Los Angeles had administered at least 38,850 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to health-care providers, residents of long-term care facilities, and paramedics.
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 this month announced a new Launch@Apple mentorship program that's designed for first-generation college students, with the program set to launch in early 2021.
According to a PDF describing Launch@Apple, it is aimed at first-generation college freshmen and sophomores who are majoring in finance, mathematics, economics, business, data analytics, and accounting.
It matches college students one-on-one with Apple mentors who are able to provide resources for learning and opportunities for professional growth, with the possibility of job shadowing, paid externships, and paid internships.
Apple has not publicly announced Launch@Apple, and it's not entirely clear how the word is being spread. MyHealthyAppleshared details this morning, and last week, a LinkedIn post highlighted the program. Ahead of when Launch begins in early 2021, Apple is accepting applications from students with a wide range of GPAs.
Students must be in their first or second year of college with a parent or legal guardian who has not obtained a college degree. Students must want to learn about finance in a "fast-paced, innovative environment" and must be intending to major in one of the accepted disciplines.
Apple is accepting applications through Friday, January 8, 2021, and students who want to participate must provide details on school, GPA, resume, and more, and are required to answer personal questions on life challenges, why they should be accepted, and what gives them joy. Applications must be sent to launch@apple.com.
The first third-party cases and hangers for AirPods Max containing magnets, that allow users to avoid using Apple's Smart Case, are now available for purchase.
Apple's Smart Case contains magnets that put AirPods Max into a low power mode to preserve battery life. After 18 hours in the Smart Case, the AirPods Max go into an ultra-low power mode that turns off Bluetooth and Find My.
AirPods Max have no power button, with Apple instead relying on different power modes and the Smart Case to preserve battery life. Yet the Smart Case has come under fire for its design, which some customers have criticized for offering very little protection and being impractical, and without using it, AirPods Max take longer to enter its low-power state.
Amid these criticisms, third-party companies have begun presenting solutions to address the criticisms of the Smart Case. WaterField Designs' protective "Shield Case" for AirPods Max, unlike Apple's Smart Case which only partially covers each AirPods Max ear cup, cradles the entire headset in an ultra-plush interior and offers three layers of protection. There is also an interior pocket to carry a charging brick, waterproof zippers, and a loop to attach the case to a carabiner.
The WaterField Shield Case contains a "Magnetic Leather Butterfly" that puts AirPods Max into their low power mode without Apple's Smart Case, but it is also possible to fold down these magnets to put AirPods Max together with their Smart Case into the Shield Case too.
On Etsy, a 3D-printed AirPods Max "Air Hanger" similarly uses magnets to put the headphones into low power mode without the Smart Case. The wall-mounted hanger allows AirPods Max to be hung at any band length, with a curved lip to prevent the headphones from sliding off.
The WaterField Designs Shield Case for AirPods Max is available now in a range of colors for $99. The Air Hanger is available on Etsy for $34.95.
Russian company Caviar, known for making luxury variants of popular tech gadgets, today announced that it will be releasing custom AirPods Max plated with "pure gold" for the high price of $108,000 at some point in 2021.
The custom AirPods Max will be available in white and black, with each color offered "in a single piece worldwide," suggesting that the headphones may be quite exclusive. In the words of Caviar, the pure gold design apparently "looks elegant, emphasizing the status of the owners and their impeccable taste," for people who "want to always be on top."
Caviar recently introduced a custom iPhone 12 Pro that supposedly includes a small piece of an original Apple I computer's circuit board, but this claim has been disputed.
As noted in a Reddit thread spotted by The 8-Bit, and confirmed by MacRumors, the HomePod mini now works with Apple's own 18W USB-C power adapter and select third-party 18W power adapters from brands like Aukey. One user was even able to power the HomePod mini with an 18W battery pack from Cygnett, allowing for portable use.
Previously, when attempting to use the HomePod mini with a power adapter rated below 20W, the speaker would simply display an orange light and not function. This may still be the case with certain 18W power adapters, as certain power profiles may be required.
Apple includes a 20W power adapter with the HomePod mini, but many customers may have an 18W power adapter from an iPhone 11 Pro or other device.
To check if your HomePod mini is running the 14.3 software update, open the Home app on an iPhone, tap on the house icon in the top-left corner, tap on Home Settings, and tap on Software Update. HomePod software updates are installed automatically, unless the feature is disabled, but updates can also be installed manually.
LG has started rolling out a software update that includes AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support for select 2018 smart TV models, according to multiple MacRumors readers, delivering on a promise the company made earlier this year.
AirPlay 2 enables users to stream videos, music, podcasts, and more directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to a compatible LG smart TV, with no Apple TV necessary. HomeKit allows users to control the TV's power, volume, and more using the Home app or Siri. These features are also available on select Samsung, Sony, and Vizio smart TVs.
LG initially said that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit would be limited to its 2019 and newer TV models, since it could not "guarantee" a "seamless user experience" on older models, resulting in tens of thousands of people petitioning the company to reconsider.
Tesla may soon add support for Apple Music, according to references in a Tesla software update found by Twitter user @greentheonly (via Tesla North).
Spotify has been the main way to listen to music using Tesla's infotainment system for some time, with no support for other music streaming services such as Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon Music. Tesla first announced support for other music streaming services, including Tidal in particular, during its Battery Day presentation earlier this year.
Alongside references to Tidal in the latest 2020.48.26 software update, there also appear to be options for Apple Music and Amazon Music.
they's been working on it for quite some time it's a bit of a stub now so who knows when it actually comes, the tidal is the next one I think because it actually started to get things populated. pic.twitter.com/du3TG1QYRX
— green (@greentheonly) December 27, 2020
Although Tesla has been reported to be working on Apple Music support for some time, the option hidden in the software update does not work yet. In spite of this, Tidal is expected to be the first additional music streaming service to come to Teslas.
So far, the only automaker to have directly integrated Apple Music into its infotainment system has been Porsche for its all-electric Taycan model.
In a tweet spotted by Mac Otakara, Apple says the gift cards will be worth up to ¥18,000, or roughly $175. (The promotion page has since gone live with a complete list of eligible products and gift card values.)
As expected, the promotion excludes many of Apple's newer products, including the iPhone 12 lineup, Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE, HomePod mini, and Macs with the M1 chip. Apple says gift cards will be available for products like the iPhone 11 and iPhone XR, iPad Pro and iPad mini, 16-inch MacBook Pro, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, full-size HomePod, AirPods and AirPods Pro, Beats, and Apple Watch Series 3.
Apple has also marked the Japanese New Year with a new ad highlighting how the App Store can help people get off to a good start in 2021.
Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Mini-LED display will launch in the first quarter of 2021, according to a new report from DigiTimes. The report claims that Apple has diversified its supply chain for displays and touch panels, with BOE finally gaining approval to supply OLED panels for the iPhone and GIS moving to provide touch panels for both the iPhone and the upcoming iPad Pro.
GIS approved investments of NT$2.198 billion (US$76.3 million) and NT$1.421 billion proposed by its subsidiary in Chengdu, China in August and November 2020 respectively, with the funds to focus on expanding production capacity for integrated touch modules used in tablets, the sources said. The subsidiary will invest another NT$753 million to improve production line automation. The subsidiary currently produces integrated touch modules for iPads and MacBooks, the sources said.
Besides iPhones, GIS will produce integrated touch modules for miniLED-backlit panels of 12.9-inch iPad Pro to be launched in first-quarter 2021, the sources noted.
Apple has been rumored for some time to be preparing a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a Mini-LED display, which will offer a number of improvements over current iPad displays, including darker blacks, brighter brights, richer colors, and better contrast. Using thousands of individual LEDs to light the display, the technology should deliver many of the benefits offered by OLED displays but without some of the drawbacks of that technology.
Previous reports, including from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, have indicated that the Mini-LED iPad Pro will launch sometime in the first half of 2021, but today's report from DigiTimes indicates that the debut is expected in the early part of that timeframe.
Looking beyond the next-generation iPad Pro, there have been a couple of reports claiming that Apple is looking to transition the line to OLED display technology, although it seems unlikely for Apple to only briefly shift to Mini-LED before transitioning again to OLED. One rumor claimed the OLED iPad Pro will launch in the second half of 2021, but a more recent report claims the change is unlikely to happen until 2022 at the earliest.
Apple today shared a new App Store ad on its YouTube channel in Japan ahead of the New Year. The brief 15-second video highlights various apps available on the App Store for productivity, connecting with others, and gaming.
The ad emphasizes how the App Store can help people get off to a good start in 2021, complete with colorful animations. New Year or "Shōgatsu" is widely considered the most important holiday in Japan, observed on January 1-3.
Apple also typically holds a one-day New Year's shopping event in Japan in early January, offering Apple Store gift cards with the purchase of select Apple products, but it has yet to announce an event of this kind for 2021. This year, the event took place on January 2 at Apple Stores in Japan and through the Apple Store app.
Despite mocking Apple for no longer including a charger with the iPhone, Samsung and Xiaomi are now expected to follow suit and remove the charging adapter from their upcoming smartphones.
Alongside the announcement of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, Apple announced that it would no longer include the charging adapter with all new iPhones, citing environmental concerns. The move was publicly criticized by rival smartphone makers Samsung and Xiaomi.
The day after the announcement of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, Xiaomi posted a video promoting the Mi 10T Pro on social media showing the unboxing of a charger accompanied by the comment "Don't worry, we didn't leave anything out of the box."
Samsung similarly posted an image of a charger with the text "Included with your Galaxy," and the message:
Your #Galaxy does give you what you are looking for. From the most basic as a charger, to the best camera, battery, performance, memory and even 120Hz screen.
In spite of these social media posts clearly poking fun at Apple's decision, Samsung is now believed, based on regulatory filings, to be removing the charger from the Galaxy S21, which is set to be unveiled on January 14. This may now be more likely considering that Samsung has deleted its "the most basic as a charger" post from social media entirely, as spotted by HTTech.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has also now confirmed on Weibo that the company's upcoming Mi 11 phone will not come with a charger due to environmental concerns. Jun said that smartphone users already have many chargers, so including another with the Mi 11 would contribute to an unnecessary environmental burden:
Xiaomi Mi 11 is officially unveiled with brand new packaging, so light and thin.
Behind the thinness, we made an important decision: in response to the call of technology and environmental protection, Xiaomi 11 canceled the included charger.
Today everyone has a lot of idle chargers, which is both a burden to you and on the environment. We are well aware that this decision may not be understood or even be complained about. Is there a better solution between industry practice and environmental protection?
iPhones now ship without wired EarPods or a power adapter in the box, with only a Lightning to USB-C charging cable included. With these accessories removed, all new iPhones now ship in a thinner box. Apple touts the environmental benefits of no longer bundling these accessories, noting that the move reduces carbon emissions and avoids the mining and use of rare-earth elements.
With a major competitor no longer offering accessories like the power adapter and EarPods, Samsung and Xiaomi may now believe consumers are prepared to purchase accessories separately. Samsung and Xiaomi have been known to follow similar trends set by Apple in the past. For example, Samsung made fun of Apple for removing the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 in 2016 before mirroring the decision and releasing the 2018 Galaxy A8 without a headphone jack.
In a research note today, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said that Apple Car specifications have yet to be finalized, adding that he would not be surprised if the vehicle's launch timeframe is pushed out even farther to 2028 or later:
We predicted in a previous report that Apple will launch Apple Car in 2023–2025 […] However, our latest survey indicates that the current development schedule of Apple Car is not clear, and if development starts this year and everything goes well, it will be launched in 2025–2027 at the earliest. Due to changes in the EV/self-driving market and Apple's high-quality standards, we would not be surprised if Apple Car's launch schedule is postponed to 2028 or later.
Kuo said the market is "overly bullish" about the Apple Car's launch schedule, and he has advised investors to avoid buying Apple Car-related stocks at this time.
While he does not believe that the Apple Car has no chance of success, Kuo said there is uncertainty about how competitive Apple would be in the EV/self-driving vehicle market due to the company lagging behind in deep learning/artificial intelligence:
The market has high expectations for Apple Car. Still, we remind investors that although Apple has a variety of competitive advantages, it is not always successful in new business. For example, Apple failed to enter the smart speaker market. The demand for HomePod and HomePod mini were lower than expected, and the development of new smart speaker models had been temporarily suspended. The competition in the EV/self-driving car market is fiercer than that for smart speakers, so we think it's perilous to jump to the conclusion that Apple Car will succeed.
If Apple Car wants to succeed in the future, the key success factor is big data/AI, not hardware. One of our biggest concerns about Apple Car is that when Apple Car is launched, the current self-driving car brands will have accumulated at least five years of big data and be conducive to deep learning/AI. How does Apple, a latecomer, overcome this lagging gap?
Reuters claimed that Apple's self-driving vehicle will feature a unique "monocell" battery design that "frees up space inside the battery pack by eliminating pouches and modules that hold battery materials," potentially resulting in longer range per charge.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently reacted to the Apple Car rumors on Twitter, claiming that a "monocell" battery is "electrochemically impossible." Musk also claimed that "during the darkest days" of Model 3 production, he reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla for a fraction of its current value, but Cook apparently declined the meeting.
All in all, it sounds like the Apple Car remains a distant reality.
The holiday season is in full swing, and we'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers for having joined us in another year that was jam-packed with Apple news and rumors.
The calendar will shortly be turning over to 2021, and Apple has a lot more on its plate, as we've seen in rumors over the past week about the long-rumored Apple Car, next year's iPhone 13 lineup, and a new Apple TV. For highlights on these stories and more from the past week, read on below!
Apple Car Production Slated for 2024 With 'Next Level' Battery Technology
The report claimed that Apple's self-driving vehicle will feature a unique "monocell" battery design that "frees up space inside the battery pack by eliminating pouches and modules that hold battery materials," potentially resulting in longer range per charge.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk reacted to the news on Twitter, claiming that a "monocell" battery is "electrochemically impossible." Musk also claimed that "during the darkest days" of Model 3 production, he reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla for a fraction of its current value, but Cook apparently declined the meeting.
Meanwhile, in a LinkedIn post, Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess said "we look forward to new competitors who will certainly accelerate the change in our industry again and bring new skills."
iPhone 13 Lineup May Support Wi-Fi 6E, Larger iPhone SE Unlikely in Early 2021
Following discussions with multiple Apple suppliers, Barclays analysts this week outlined a few expectations for future iPhones and iPads.
First, the analysts said iPhone 13 models may support the new Wi-Fi 6E standard, which offers the same features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 — higher performance, lower latency, and faster data rates — extended into the 6 GHz band. The additional spectrum will provide a lot more airspace beyond existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, resulting in increased bandwidth and less interference for devices that support Wi-Fi 6E.
As for the iPhone SE, the analysts believe Apple has no plans to refresh the device in the foreseeable future. While they had heard about a larger iPhone SE, rumored to feature a 5.5-inch or 6.1-inch display, the device was not mentioned in any of their discussions with Apple suppliers. In April, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the larger iPhone SE was delayed until the second half of 2021.
Video: Testing Windows on an M1 Mac With Parallels 16
Last week, Parallels launched a preview version of its virtualization software with support for Apple Silicon. Paired with a preview version of Arm-based Windows available through the Windows Insider program, it is possible to get Microsoft's operating system up and running on M1 Macs.
It remains unclear if Microsoft will ever make a licensed release version of Arm-based Windows available to customers.
Comparison: AirPods Max vs. Sony/Bose/Sennheiser Options
It's been a little over a week since the AirPods Max launched, marking Apple's entry into the higher-end over-ear headphones market.
Priced at $549, the AirPods Max are hundreds of dollars more expensive than many highly-rated noise cancelling headphones from other brands, which can make for a tough purchase decision.
AirPods Max still face lengthy shipping estimates on Apple.com, although delivery times have improved somewhat to mid-February for the Space Gray and Silver colors and 8-10 weeks for the Pink, Green, and Sky Blue options, compared to 12-14 weeks for all of the colors recently.
Apple's A14 Chip Outperforms New Snapdragon 888 Chip Coming in Future Android Phones
Qualcomm this week shared benchmark results for its new Snapdragon 888 chip that will be used in flagship Android smartphones coming out in 2021, and not only is it unable to keep pace with Apple's A14 chip in iPhone 12 models, but it is even slower than the last-generation A13 chip used for the iPhone 11 lineup.
While the Snapdragon 888 delivers significant performance improvements over the previous-generation Snapdragon chip, this means that future Android smartphones like Samsung's rumored Galaxy S21 will be slower than already-released iPhone models.
Apple's mobile processors have led the industry in performance for years, and the company recently extended this expertise to the Mac with its new M1 chip, which also delivers industry-leading performance per watt.
New Apple TV With Gaming Focus, Updated Remote, and Faster Chip Expected Next Year
Earlier this year, an anonymous leaker known as "Fudge" on Twitter indicated that Apple has prototyped new Apple TV models with variants of the A12 and A14 chips for faster performance; if true, it's unclear if Apple will ultimately settle on one chip or release two different models. The new Apple TV may also have larger 64GB and 128GB storage capacity options.
The current Apple TV 4K model was released over three years ago, so odds are looking good for an update next year.
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.
Apple's status page shows an ongoing issue with "iCloud Account and Sign In" since early Christmas morning.
The issue seems likely to be related to activation issues users having been experiencing on our forums. Most notably are a number of users complaining that their new Apple Watch is failing verification upon setup. Users have been reporting this issue in our forums. BeatCrazy writes:
I realize it's Christmas morning and Apple's activation servers are probably on overload, but this still seems unnecessarily frustrating.
I got my two kids (<18 yo) Apple Watch SE + Cellular, with plans to activate via Family Setup/sharing. They each already have Apple IDs that are used on iPads regularly.
I'm able to start the pairing process using my iPhone, sign into their Apple IDs with their passwords, but I keep getting hung when Apple wants me to enter the passcode of another device. I'm given options like their iPad passcodes, or one of my Macs. After entering any of these, the watch spins for about 2 minutes and I get the error "Verification Failed - There was an error verifying the passcode of your (or insert family member name here) iPhone (or insert iPad/Mac)." Apple gives me a choice to "reset encrypted data", which I take as an offer to destroy all their existing Apple ID passwords and data - not a good option IMO.
A number of users have responded with similar issues in that thread. Meanwhile, another user reports having trouble with HomePod setup today.
It has been getting stuck in “configuration” even after multiple resets. I have tried removing it from my iCloud account and even signed out of iCloud on the iPhone I was using to set it up. I have tried at least a dozen times and it will not configure, it just gets stuck. I just love spending my Christmas Holiday messing around with electronics that don’t work as expected. Any advice?
Similarly, it seems likely related to a high load of traffic from new Apple users logging into Apple's verification servers for the first time.
At this point, it seems the best advice would be to wait until later to try again as the traffic dies down.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Southern Straps to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Brown Leather Strap that's designed to work with the Apple Watch.
Priced at $90, the Brown Leather Strap is constructed from a full grain Horween leather and hand sewn in San Francisco. Each band is vegetable dyed for a rich, brown color, which will develop a unique patina over time.
Southern Straps uses strengthened waxed cord for stitching the Apple Watch band, which ensures its durability over time. Each band also comes with a two year warranty.
The Brown Leather Straps are available in two sizes to fit both 44/42mm Apple Watch models and 40/38mm Apple Watch models, and they are compatible with all of the Apple Watches that Apple has released to date.
Southern Straps says that the bands fit wrists sized 14 to 25cm. The bands can be ordered with black, silver, or gold hardware to match the finish of the Apple Watch.
Southern Straps also has a whole range of other Apple Watch bands for those interested, including leather bands in black and high-quality nylon Apple Watch bands in several attractive striped shades.
We have five Brown Leather Straps from Southern Straps to give away to MacRumors readers, and each winner will be able to pick hardware in the finish of their choice. To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook 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 (December 25) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on January 1. The winners will be chosen randomly on January 1 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
If you were lucky enough to receive a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or AirPods this year, you'll want to check out the extensive guides we have for new device owners. Whether you're new to a product altogether or have an upgraded version of a device with new features, we've got you covered.
Each of our guides highlights all of the how tos, guides, and videos that we've released throughout the year covering various Apple products, and they're an excellent resource for yourself or a loved one that's new to an Apple product.
You'll find even more of our guides and how tos by navigating to the Guides and How Tos section of our website.
Read the Roundups
Need more help learning about all of the features of your new device? We have a huge collection of in-depth roundups that we keep updated, and these are fantastic for learning about just what your new device can do. We've highlighted some of our most popular roundups below, but you can see them all by clicking on the Roundup tab at the top of the website or visiting the main roundup page. We've also got roundups for upcoming products, which are fun to read to get a glimpse of what to expect in 2021.
Have a question that's not answered in our guides and how tos? The forums are an excellent resource where you can get help and chat about your new Apple product with other MacRumors readers.
Apple recently introduced a new Small Business Program that reduces the App Store's commission rate to 15% for developers earning up to $1 million per calendar year in net revenue from the sale of apps and in-app purchases. For developers exceeding the $1 million threshold, Apple's standard 30% commission rate still applies.
Earlier this week, Apple began emailing eligible developers about their acceptance into the program, noting that the reduced 15% commission rate would go into effect by January 1, 2021. And as it turns out, Apple isn't waiting long to flip the switch, as some developers are already starting to see the 15% rate applied to their earnings.
A few of the developers already seeing the reduced rate include David Hodge, maker of the third-party Tesla vehicle app Nikola for the iPhone, and Jacob Gorban, a developer of the photo editing app ImageFramer for the Mac.
Apple announced the Small Business Program last month amid increasing scrutiny over its App Store practices, including an antitrust lawsuit from Fortnite maker Epic Games, which is ineligible for the reduced commission since it exceeds the $1 million earnings threshold. Apple said the program will benefit the "vast majority" of App Store developers.
Apple's website has a Small Business Program page where developers can initiate the enrollment process and learn more details.
