MacRumors

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.

Adobe in 2017 announced plans to end support for its Flash browser plug-in at the end of 2020. Now that it's officially 2021, support for the software has ended, and Adobe will begin blocking content from running in Flash Player beginning on January 12.

Flash's elimination should not heavily impact users because many popular browsers have already moved away from the format. Additionally, iPhone and iPad users are not affected by the change, as iOS and iPadOS have never supported Flash.

Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs offered his "Thoughts on Flash" in a 2010 open letter, criticizing Adobe's software for its reliability, incompatibility with mobile sites, and battery drain on mobile devices. Jobs also said that Adobe was "painfully slow to adopt enhancements to Apple's platforms" and further innovation from Apple would not be hindered by a "cross platform development tool."

In the past, Adobe's Flash Player had continually suffered from vulnerabilities that exposed Mac and PC users to malware and other security risks that caused vendors like Microsoft and Apple to work tirelessly to keep up with security fixes.

Since Flash Player will no longer receive updates, Adobe recommends that all users immediately remove the software "to help protect their systems."

Popular Mac app "Amphetamine" will remain on the Mac App Store after reportedly being threatened with removal over its name and branding, which Apple had said breached App Store guidelines.

Amphetamine is a free Mac app that helps users to keep their machine awake for a set amount of time. Launched in 2014, the app has been downloaded over 432,000 times and is highly rated on the ‌Mac App Store‌. The app has also been featured by MacRumors in the past. After six years on the ‌Mac App Store‌, Apple suddenly decided that Amphetamine has been violating ‌App Store‌ Guidelines.

The developer of Amphetamine, William Gustafson, posted an extensive report on GitHub a few days ago explaining that a representative of Apple contacted him, saying that Amphetamine would be removed from the ‌Mac App Store‌ on January 12, 2021, if a number of changes were not made to the app. The representative indicated that Amphetamine breached the following requirement:

Apps that encourage consumption of tobacco and vape products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol are not permitted on the App Store. Apps that encourage minors to consume any of these substances will be rejected. Facilitating the sale of marijuana, tobacco, or controlled substances (except for licensed pharmacies) isn't allowed.

The Apple representative reportedly said "Your app appears to promote inappropriate use of controlled substances. Specifically, your app name and icon include references to controlled substances, pills."

Gustafson argued that Amphetamine does not promote the use of illegal drugs because amphetamine is a legal, prescription medication in the United States. He also noted that "objectively speaking," Amphetamine does not encourage amphetamine to be taken "irresponsibly, illegally, or recreationally."

Just like amphetamine (the organic compound) can be legally used to keep humans awake and attentive, Amphetamine (the app) can be legally used to keep your Mac awake.

Gustafson filed an appeal and set up a Change.org petition that has garnered over 500 signatures in an effort to combat the claim against the app. And just a short time ago, he announced on Twitter that he had finished a phone call with the App Review Board and that Amphetamine will remain on the ‌Mac App Store‌.

Amphetamine has been directly promoted by Apple in a Mac App Store Story and has racked up over 1,400 reviews on the ‌Mac App Store‌, so it seems odd that the app was only being asked to change its branding now. Furthermore, Gustafson said that he has had countless interactions with Apple and its App Review Team regarding Amphetamine, but the issue was never raised before, so it is unclear what triggered the issue.

In our What to Expect article that we shared yesterday, we covered everything that we think we'll see from Apple in 2021 based on current product rumors and historical release data.

New, more powerful Apple silicon Macs with redesigns, iPhone 13 models with upgraded cameras, new Apple Watch models, and updated AirPods are in the works, plus we're expecting to finally get the AirTags and a new Apple TV.

We know what we think we'll see in 2021, but we want to hear from the MacRumors community. What are you hoping to see Apple release this year?

Are there new features you want to see in iOS 15 or macOS 12? Apple Smart Glasses? Updated iPhone features?

Let us know what you want to see in the comments, and take a look at our What to Expect article for a look at the current rumors. We'll learn more about Apple's 2021 product plans during the first months of the year, and as always, we'll have in-depth rumor coverage here at MacRumors.com.

Our MacRumors forums are also an excellent resource for discussing upcoming products and rumors, and with the most exciting Mac refreshes we've seen in years on the horizon, our forums are the place to be for discussions on what's next.

Thank you to all of our readers and our forum members for continuing to make MacRumors the number one site for Apple news, rumors, and advice on the web. We've been around for more than 20 years now, and that's all thanks to you. We look forward to another year of rumors in 2021 and all of the years to come. Happy New Year!

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Jackery to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station and two 100W SolarSaga Portable Solar Panels that can be used to charge it up when a power source isn't available.

Combined, Jackery calls this its Solar Generator 1000 set, and it's an ideal solution for camping or emergencies because as long as the sun is out, you won't run out of power. With a 1002Wh capacity, 1000W rated power, and 2000W surge power, it is powerful enough to meet the needs of most electrical appliances.

The Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station is priced at $999, and it is Jackery's highest-capacity power station option. Jackery makes a whole range of UL-certified power stations that are available at different price points.

There are multiple ports available for charging several devices at one time. The E1000 includes two 18W PD USB-C ports, two 12W USB-A ports, one DC carport, and three AC outlets. It works with cameras, TVs, computers, lamps, communication devices, grills, fans, and medical equipment like CPAP machines.

At 22 pounds, the Explorer 1000 is heavy, but it comes with a convenient handle to allow it to be moved around as needed. There's an LCD display on the front that features charge/discharge info and battery life details, and fans built into the device keep it from getting too warm.

With an optional solar charger, the Explorer 1000 can be recharged even when power is not available. It recharges in seven hours from an AC outlet or within eight hours using two 100W SolarSaga panels from Jackery. It can be stored, and should be charged every three to six months when used as an emergency backup solution.

Jackery's 100W SolarSaga panels, available for $300, connect to the Explorer 1000 or one of Jackery's other power stations to provide power while on the go. Jackery says the solar panels have a high conversion efficiency that generates more energy and perform better in hot weather than other panels. The SolarSaga panels feature a USB-C port and a USB-A port and can also be used to charge up smaller devices.

We have one Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station and two 100W SolarSaga Portable Solar Panels to give away to a MacRumors reader. 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 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.

Jackery Giveaway

The contest will run from today (January 1) at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on January 8. The winner will be chosen randomly on January 8 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

We're expecting 2021 to be an exciting year for Apple thanks to a renewed focus on the Mac. Apple debuted the first Macs with Apple silicon chip in late 2020, and Apple's M1 chips turned out to be unexpectedly powerful, leaving us looking forward to what's next.

New iMacs and MacBook Pro models are rumored for 2021, with even better Apple silicon chips in the works. We can also count on new iPhone 13 models, the Apple Watch Series 7, updated AirPods, a new Apple TV, and more. We've rounded up all of the products that we're expecting to see from Apple in 2021 based on both current rumors and past release information.

First Half of 2021

Apple Silicon iMac

Apple is working on multiple new iMac models that have Apple silicon chips, including both high-end and entry-level models. There have been rumors of a redesigned ‌iMac‌ that features an "iPad Pro design language" with thinner bezels and a 23 to 24 inch screen size.

This Mac could perhaps be a larger replacement for the current 21.5-inch model, which would likely be around the same physical size as the existing version if Apple greatly cut down on bezel size.

Apple is working on Apple silicon chip designs with as many as 16 high-power cores and four high-efficiency cores, but high-end desktop models could have as many as 32 high-performance cores, perhaps replacing the ‌iMac‌ Pro. Apple is also working on some significant GPU performance improvements.

The new iMacs are expected to be released in spring to fall 2021, so it's possible we're going to see the long-rumored 23 to 24-inch model early in the year, followed by a higher-end model later in the year.

Additional information about the upcoming ‌iMac‌ refresh can be found in our iMac roundup.

AirPods

Apple is working on third-generation AirPods that have a form factor similar to the AirPods Pro, featuring a shorter stem and replaceable silicone ear tips.

While the new AirPods are expected to look like the AirPods Pro, the third-generation earbuds will be more affordable and will lack higher-end features such as Active Noise Cancellation. Apple is said to be developing a new wireless chip that could be included in the AirPods 3, and battery life could see improvement.

We don't know much else about the AirPods at this time, but we're expecting them to launch in the first half of 2021, likely in the first quarter.

Our AirPods roundup has more on what we could see from the AirPods in the future.

iPad Pro

There have been persistent rumors suggesting Apple is working on a new version of the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, with the tablet expected to gain a mini-LED display. Most of the rumors have focused on the 12.9-inch iPad, but it's possible there's also a refreshed 11-inch model in the works too.

Apple's mini-LED displays are expected to use approximately 10,000 LEDs, with each one below 200 microns in size. Mini-LED technology will allow for thinner and lighter product designs that also offer impressive wide color gamut performance, high contrast and HDR, and local dimming, which dims the backlight behind black areas of the screen while keeping bright parts lit for blacker blacks and improved contrast.

There have also been rumors about an OLED ‌iPad Pro‌ in 2021, but it seems unlikely that Apple is going to introduce two new display technologies in the same year, and analysts have suggested an OLED ‌iPad‌ won't be coming until 2022 at the earliest.

Along with a mini-LED display, the updated ‌iPad Pro‌ could include 5G connectivity now that the iPhones have 5G chips, and it is expected to have a more powerful A14X chip that's similar to the chip used in the ‌M1‌ Macs. We've also heard some rumors of a new Apple Pencil in black, but that information has yet to be confirmed.

Production on the mini-LED ‌iPad Pro‌ supposedly began in the fourth quarter of 2020, so this is a product that's likely going to be ready to go early on in the year.

We have more information on the ‌iPad Pro‌ in our dedicated iPad Pro roundup.

June Software Updates

Apple holds the Worldwide Developers Conference every year, and in 2021, we're expecting to see iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, tvOS 8, and macOS 12.

Apple previously used incremental numbers for macOS updates, but given that we've already had software updates numbered macOS 11.1, we can assume that macOS updates will now go up an entire number similar to iOS updates.

We don't know anything about any of these software updates as of yet, but we should start hearing details in early 2021.

Second Half of 2021

14.1 and 16.1-inch MacBook Pro

Apple is developing redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ models that could come in 14.1 and 16.1-inch screen sizes, replacing the existing 13.1 and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Now that the entry-level 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ has an Apple silicon chip, Apple is expected to expand Apple silicon chips to the rest of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ lineup.

Both models could have slimmer bezels for more screen real estate. There have been rumors that the new MacBook Pros will have mini-LED displays, which could bring some major improvements in display quality.

‌Mini-LED‌ displays will use approximately 10,000 LEDs, with each one below 200 microns in size. ‌Mini-LED‌ will ultimately allow for thinner and lighter product designs, offering many of the same benefits as OLED like better wide color gamut, high contrast and dynamic range, and local dimming for truer blacks and superior contrast. ‌Mini-LED‌ displays are expensive, so it's possible that the technology will be limited to higher-end models.

Apple is working on new Apple silicon chips to be used in the next-generation notebooks. Some of the chips in development have as many as 16 power cores and four efficiency cores, with Apple also developing 16 and 32-core GPU options.

These new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are coming in 2021, but we don't know exactly when. We have more information on both the rumored 14-inch MacBook Pro and the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro in our respective roundups.

iPhone 13

In 2021, we're expecting four iPhone 13 models in the same sizes the iPhone 12 models are available in with two 6.1-inch models, a 6.7-inch model, and a 5.4-inch model. Two of those iPhones will be higher-end "Pro" models and two will be more affordable models.

Apple is expected to use the same general design, but at least one of the iPhones that's coming could potentially have a portless design with no Lightning port included. Apple has been working toward a portless iPhone and such a device would be limited to charging with Qi-based chargers or a MagSafe charger.

The new iPhones could have 120Hz "ProMotion" displays for smoother performance, along with new camera technology, a faster A15 chip, and an upgraded 5G modem chip from Qualcomm.

There have been a couple rumors indicating Apple is working on iPhones with both Face ID and under-display Touch ID and it's possible 2021 is the year we'll see that dual-biometric technology, but it is early in the rumor cycle so plans could change.

Our iPhone 13 roundup has more detail on what to expect from the new iPhone models coming in 2021.

iPhone SE 'Plus'

Apple introduced a new version of the iPhone SE with an iPhone 8-style design in 2020, and in 2021, we might get a redesigned "Plus" version of the device. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is working on an "iPhone SE Plus" that features a full-screen design, no ‌Face ID‌, and a ‌Touch ID‌ fingerprint sensor built into the power button on the side of the device.

This design would be similar to the iPad Air design which has an all-display build but without ‌Face ID‌. The ‌iPad Air‌ instead uses a ‌Touch ID‌ power button. The new device is expected to a 6.1-inch display, dual cameras, and perhaps 5G support, which would also make it similar to the iPhone 12. It was initially rumored to be coming in early 2021, but now Kuo believes it will see a launch in the second half of 2021.

Barclays analysts, however, do not believe that Apple has plans to refresh the iPhone SE in the foreseeable future, and display analyst Ross Young has said there won't be an updated version of the iPhone SE until 2022, so it's not guaranteed that we're going to see an iPhone SE this year.

For more on what to expect from the iPhone SE in 2021, we have an iPhone SE roundup with everything we know.

Apple Watch Series 7 and SE 2

Apple introduces new Apple Watch models on a yearly basis, and in 2021, we're expecting the Apple Watch Series 7. We don't know a lot about the Series 7 at this time, but new health functionality is a possibility, as is an Apple Watch design that adopts solid state buttons that don't physically click.

Apple has been researching a method for non-invasively measuring blood glucose levels, but it's not yet known if this kind of sensor will be included in the 2021 Apple Watch.

Along with the Series 7, there's a chance we could also get a new version of the Apple Watch SE. Apple introduced the Apple Watch SE in 2020 as a lower-cost alternative to the Series 7 that still has mostly modern technology inside.

Higher-End Apple Silicon iMac (Pro?)

As mentioned up above, Apple is working on multiple versions of the ‌iMac‌, including a higher-end model with a more powerful Apple silicon chip. Bloomberg has suggested that Apple will launch new ‌iMac‌ models at different times, so we could see this higher-end model later in the year.

Products With Unknown Release Dates

AirPods Pro

Apple is developing a new version of the AirPods Pro that could feature a more compact design and a new wireless chip. The next-generation version could eliminate the short stem that sticks out from the bottom, resulting in a more rounded shape that's closer in design to competing wire-free earbuds from companies like Google and Samsung.

Based on hardware leaks, there is a possibility that the AirPods Pro 2 could perhaps come in two sizes, but that has yet to be confirmed.

We have more about the next-generation AirPods Pro in our AirPods Pro roundup.

iPad Mini 6

According to Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌, Apple is working on a new version of the iPad mini that could measure in at 8.5 to 9 inches, perhaps through a reduction in the bezel size of the current 7.9-inch model.

This model could perhaps include a mini-LED display, as Apple is rumored to be bringing mini-LED technology to several iPads in the ‌iPad‌ lineup. A mini-LED display would allow for a thinner, lighter design without compromising on display quality.

Kuo and other sources have said the ‌iPad mini‌ will come in the first half of 2021, with more details available in our iPad mini roundup.

New Apple TV

The last ‌Apple TV‌ update came in 2017, so it's starting to feel like we're overdue for an update. Luckily, multiple sources have suggested we can expect to see a new model launch in 2021.

Rumors suggest the next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ could be equipped with either an A12X Bionic chip or the same A14 chip used in the 2020 iPhones. A higher-powered chip would allow the ‌Apple TV‌ to offer better performance for iOS games.

Next-generation ‌Apple TV‌ models could also have more storage, coming in 64 and 128GB storage options, and there's said to be a new remote control that will be offered alongside it. It could have a Find My feature for locating the remote when it's lost inside the house, and there are also rumors of a U1 chip, something also added to the HomePod mini. Like the ‌HomePod mini‌, the ‌Apple TV‌ serves as a Home Hub, which might be why Apple plans to include a U1 chip.

The U1 chip enables Ultra Wideband support for improved spatial awareness between devices, with the feature allowing the distance between two devices to be calculated through the time it takes for a radio wave to pass between them. It's more accurate than tracking via Bluetooth LE and WiFi and could be used for precise indoor positioning for controlling smarthome devices.

While unconfirmed, there are also some rumors that have suggested Apple could also unveil a higher-end version of the ‌Apple TV‌ that offers console-like performance, with Apple working with developers to bring console-level games to the Apple Arcade service in the future.

Additional details on what to expect from an ‌Apple TV‌ update can be found in our Apple TV roundup.

AirTags

Apple's long-rumored Tile competitor AirTags have been in the works for quite some time, and we don't know when we might be seeing them. AirTags were originally expected in 2020, and there are no rumors on a specific launch timeline.

AirTags are small trackers that are equipped with Bluetooth and are designed to attach to important but easily lost items like wallets, cameras, and keys. AirTags (and the items they're attached to) can be tracked right inside the ‌Find My‌ app alongside iPhones, iPads, and Macs, so you can keep an eye on all of your important belongings in one place.

Info about AirTags has been leaking since the release of iOS 13, but we're still not sure what the AirTags will look like. Based on some simple images found in iOS, they could be small, circular tags with built-in Bluetooth and ultra-wideband support. Ultra-wideband, a feature first introduced in the iPhone 11 lineup, is key because iPhones that have a U1 chip will be able to track AirTags with much more accuracy than Bluetooth alone.

If your keys fall down the couch cushion or your wallet gets kicked under the bed, for example, the iPhone will be able to locate the exact part of the room where they're located. This kind of functionality will make AirTags more accurate and more useful than other Bluetooth trackers on the market.

AirTags might attach to items with rings or adhesive, and the bottle cap-sized trackers are rumored to come with a keychain that has a leather pouch on it, which may be one of the attachment methods.

There have been mixed rumors on charging methods. One rumor has pointed towards a built-in rechargeable battery that works with an Apple Watch-style charging puck, while another suggests the AirTags will run on a replaceable CR2032 battery. Either way, it sounds like they'll last for a good amount of time rather than featuring a non-replaceable battery.

Anything that you lose will show up on the ‌Find My‌ map with an associated address, and when the iPhone is close to a lost item, you might see an augmented reality map with specific positioning that makes it easier to find the missing item. AirTags will also be able to play a sound when triggered in the ‌Find My‌ app.

With iOS 13, Apple introduced a feature that's designed to let Apple products communicate with one another when offline, letting a lost iPhone ping off of someone else's iPhone it comes into contact with even without a cellular or WiFi connection. This function will likely come to AirTags as well, letting millions of iPhones and Apple devices all around the world track lost items.

We have additional details on AirTags in our full AirTags guide.

Smart Glasses

We know Apple is working on some kind of augmented reality headset or smart glasses, but when this head worn AR product will launch continues to be a mystery.

There haven't been many augmented reality headset rumors as of late, but there have been rumors targeting launch dates ranging from late 2021 to 2023, so there's a chance we'll see some kind of augmented reality device this year.

Rumors indicate there are two projects in the works that include a set of smart glasses and a separate headset, with the latter device supposedly launching first. The headset is rumored to be similar to Facebook's Oculus Quest, but with a sleeker, lighter weight design.

It's said to include a high-resolution display with built-in cameras, along with technologies like 3D environmental scanning and advanced human detection. Apple is aiming to create an App Store for the headset with a focus on gaming, streaming video content, and video conferencing.

There are a lot of mixed rumors about Apple's AR and VR work given that the company has worked on several different prototypes, and our AR roundup has a great overview of everything we know.

Wrap Up

Apple has quite a few exciting products in the works for 2021 based on what we know so far, and we'll likely see some unexpected surprises as well. Make sure to follow MacRumors.com and the MacRumors roundups over the course of 2021 to keep up with all of the rumors about the upcoming products that Apple has in development through our What to Expect Guide.

Two prototype foldable iPhones have passed internal tests for durability, according to Taiwanese website Economic Daily News.

Tests of an Apple-designed folding hinge system for two different iPhones were reportedly recently completed at the Foxconn factory in Shenzhen, China.

The first foldable iPhone to undergo testing is said to be a dual-screen model, which is likely the same dual-display prototype rumored by Jon Prosser in June 2020. Prosser explained at the time that this model used two separate display panels connected by a hinge. Though the prototype ‌iPhone‌ features two separate displays connected by a hinge, Prosser claimed that the panels look "fairly continuous and seamless." It is also of note that Apple has patented a device with two separate displays that can be brought together to create a single foldable device with a hinge, which sounds strikingly similar to the rumored dual-screen Apple foldable.

The second prototype to have undergone testing is reportedly a clamshell foldable, much like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip or Lenovo's Moto RAZR. The UDN report claims that this clamshell model is set to use a flexible Samsung OLED display. Previous reports have also said that Apple ordered a "large number" of Samsung foldable mobile phone display samples for testing purposes earlier in 2020.

It is unclear if the two devices to have been tested had different hinge systems. The test units are purported to be shells with very limited internals rather than fully-working devices. This is because the main purpose of the testing was to assess the durability of the Apple-designed hinge system. The report states that now the testing has concluded, Apple is expected to evaluate which of the two foldable models to proceed with, and only one will be carried forwards into continued development.

The findings of this report also appear to have been mirrored by sources speaking to Jon Prosser. Prosser explained in a recent Front Page Tech video that there were two prototype foldable iPhones in testing, including one with two display panels and one clamshell with a single flexible OLED display. Prosser's sources also said that these units have passed durability testing and are now being evaluated by Apple.

A report from November 2020 stated that Apple had sent foldable iPhones to Foxconn to test the folding bearings with over 100,000 opening and closing tests, which appears to be analogous to the newly-concluded run of testing. Given the consistency of rumors surrounding foldable iPhones from multiple sources, particularly related to testing, they may be more credible.

UDN predicts that a foldable iPhone will not emerge until late 2022 or 2023 at the earliest. Apple has filed for a large number of patents relating to a foldable iPhone dating back to 2016, and it seems highly likely that work on a foldable iPhone is progressing.

Apple on Thursday removed nearly 39,000 apps from its Chinese App Store due to the apps lacking an official license from local regulators, reports Reuters.

The report, which cites data from research firm Qimai, says that games affected by the cull included Ubisoft title Assassin's Creed Identity and NBA 2K20. According to Qimai, only 74 of the top 1,500 paid games on the China App Store survived the purge.

In addition to the 39,000 games, the report says Apple also removed more than 46,000 apps in total from its store.

Apple in February gave app developers an initial June 30 deadline to prove they had a license for their games, and later extended the deadline to December 31. However, in July the company froze updates for thousands of iOS mobile games lacking an official license, and in August removed 30,000 apps for similar reasons.

Apple in July reportedly warned developers of app removals, should their apps not meet regulatory requirements. The removal of apps lacking official licenses is said to come from increasing government pressure on Apple to comply with local regulations that have been in place since 2016.

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.

Amazon has announced it is acquiring Wondery, the podcast startup that reportedly held talks with Apple last month as it shopped for a buyer.

In a press release, Amazon said that Wondery had signed an agreement to join Amazon Music, bringing popular podcasts like "Dirty John" and "Dr. Death" into the streaming service's existing podcast offering.

We're pleased to announce that Wondery has signed an agreement to join Amazon Music. Wondery is an innovative podcast publisher with a track record of creating and producing top-rated podcasts that entertain and educate listeners, including "Dirty John," "Dr. Death," "Business Wars," and "The Shrink Next Door." Wondery is already delighting listeners with its collection of immersive podcasts, and the company is evolving this entertainment medium into a truly new and exciting experience.

A Wondery purchase would have provided Apple with a library of original content along with a source for ideas that could be turned into TV shows in the future. Wondery is currently working on TV shows based on podcasts, including a WeWork series that will premiere on Apple TV+.

Wondery was said to be looking for $300 to $400 million, and it's possible that this price tag was too high for Apple. Regardless, Amazon's acquisition of the startup will make it another serious competitor in the podcasting space alongside the likes of Spotify.

Apple plans to better compete with Spotify when it comes to podcasts, and rumors have suggested that Apple is looking to buy original podcasts. Apple has been looking for podcasts that could be adapted into ‌‌Apple TV‌+‌ content, and it also plans to create podcasts that will augment its TV shows.

Apple has already purchased podcasting companies. In 2017, it bought Pop Up Archive to improve search, and in early 2020, it bought podcasting service Scout FM, which turns podcast shows into radio-style stations.

Amazon says that when the deal closes, nothing will change for Wondery podcast listeners, as the podcasts will continue to be available through a variety of providers, which puts the deal in contrast to other recent podcast acquisitions where the deal has been closed based on an agreement that the content becomes exclusive to the buyer.

Long-running used smartphone buyer Gazelle has announced the coming end of its trade-in program, which accepts people's old iPhones, iPads, and Macs in exchange for cash.

The company revealed the news in an email to customers, explaining that it will no longer offer its trade-in option from February 1, 2021. Customers have until January 31 to get a quote and complete a trade-in, while anyone who has already initiated a trade-in can expect it to continue as normal.

Beginning February 1st, 2021, we will no longer be offering our trade-in option on Gazelle. If you have a trade-in that is in process right now, your trade-in will continue as planned. You can also still log in to your account to view the status of your current trade-ins.

You will still be able to buy high quality used electronics for a fraction of the price from our online store. We're excited to continue to help you save with awesome prices on used smart devices!

In future, Gazelle intends to focus on its in-store ecoATM kiosks, which offer instant cash for devices, although they don't usually offer as much in return as customers would get through traditional trade-in programs.

The ecoATMs can be found in over 4,000 locations across the United States, and the company says the kiosks have collected more than 25 million devices, which equates to over 6 million pounds of e-waste.

Gazelle didn't give a reason for its decision to end its trade-in program, but several rival services have surged in popularity in recent years, including eBay's "Instant Selling" service and Apple's own trade-in program for Apple and other devices in exchange for credit toward a new Apple Store purchase.

(Thanks, Kenneth!)

Earlier this week, we highlighted a couple of third-party accessories that seek to address some of the shortcomings of Apple's AirPods Max Smart Case, including a new zippered case from WaterField Designs that does a much better job of protecting the headphones while not in use.

Our videographer Dan has had a chance to try out the new $99 leather Shield Case from WaterField, and he's come away impressed with its quality and usefulness. He does feel, however, that this is the sort of thing that should have shipped with the AirPods Max in the first place rather than necessitating a third-party accessory purchase on top of the $549 price tag for the AirPods Max themselves.

The Shield Case is certainly bulky, but there's not much WaterField could have done about that considering the design of the AirPods Max that only allows the ear cups to be turned inward and doesn't permit a more compact folded arrangement seen on many other over-ear headphones.

If you can live with the bulk, the Shield Case offers several nice features, including a zippered design that completely protects the AirPods Max, unlike Apple's Smart Case that leaves the headband and even portions of the ear cups exposed.

In addition to the main compartment for the AirPods Max, the Shield Case includes three smaller pockets for cables and other accessories: a deep, padded one with a zippered closure on the front of the case, a mesh one on the rear, and a tiny one with a velcro closure inside the case.

One of the primary benefits of Apple's Smart Case is that it can immediately put your AirPods Max into a low-power mode to conserve battery, making use of magnets embedded in the case to trigger the mode. WaterField's Shield Case does the same thing, thanks to what it calls the Magnetic Leather Butterfly, a leather flap with embedded magnets that not only triggers low-power mode but also helps keep the two AirPods Max ear cups from touching each other while in the case.

If you want to bring your Smart Case along with your AirPods Max, the Shield Case has you covered there as well, as the AirPods Max/Smart Case combo fits inside just fine and the leather butterfly folds down out of the way.

All in all, the Shield Case from WaterField Designs is a quality product that does its job well. It's a bit pricey at $99, but when you're already willing to spend $549 on the AirPods Max, it might be a worthwhile add-on to help protect your purchase.

The Shield Case is available in four styles: Chocolate Leather and Waxed Canvas, Black Leather with Ballistic Nylon, Blue Leather with Ballistic Nylon, and Crimson Leather with Ballistic Nylon. Similar to the AirPods Max themselves, the Shield Case is in short supply, with new orders scheduled to ship on February 19.

Back in August, Apple made headlines for its efforts to oppose a trademark application by the creators of the recipe and meal-planning app Prepear, with Apple objecting to the proposed Prepear logo trademark based on claimed similarity to Apple's own logo.

Despite the fact that Prepear's logo depicts an outline of a pear, Apple claimed in its filing that Prepear's logo "consists of a minimalistic fruit design with a right-angled leaf, which readily calls to mind Apple's famous Apple Logo and creates a similar commercial impression."

Super Healthy Kids, the company behind Prepear, launched a petition in an attempt to persuade Apple to drop its opposition targeting a small business trying to protect a logo that appears quite dissimilar to Apple's logo, and the petition has garnered over 250,000 signatures so far.

While Apple has not dropped its opposition, it appears a resolution to the dispute may be coming fairly soon, as filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board last week have requested that the trial proceedings be suspended for 30 days as the "parties are actively engaged in negotiations for the settlement of this matter."

Despite the official 30-day pause, either side is free to resume the proceedings at any time and the proceedings will automatically resume on January 23 if there is no further word from the two parties.

Should a settlement not be reached, the dispute appears to be set to drag on for some time, with initial pretrial disclosures set to begin in March, main trial briefs beginning in October, and a potential request for an oral hearing not coming until December 2021.