Amazon and Best Buy have introduced a few last-minute holiday deals this week, revolving around headphones and speakers. In this sale, you can save on the Powerbeats Pro, Bose and Sony headphones, AirPods, and more, all for as much as 20 percent off the original prices.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
On Amazon, customers who order today are guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve with standard shipping, but there are exceptions with certain products. Amazon Prime customers who place orders by Monday, December 23 will still be able to get their presents in time with Prime's free one-day delivery.
Here's how Lego describes the brick-based puzzle game:
Builder's Journey is a poetic puzzle that takes place in a LEGO® brick world, brought to life with the most accurately rendered LEGO® elements yet to feature on screens. Be taken through a breathtaking world filled with brick-by-brick effects, accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack.
Throughout the narrative, there will be ups and downs, challenges and celebrations. Take the time to experiment, and most importantly, to play as figuring out who we are and what we become is the Builder's Journey.
With a peaceful soundtrack, the game has quickly drawn comparisons to Monument Valley.
Apple Arcade launched in September. The subscription-based gaming service provides iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac users with access to over 100 games with no in-app purchases or ads for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
Builder's Journey is the first title from the new Lego Games studio Light Bricks.
Optical zoom will be a key upgrade to high-end smartphones in 2020, according to the latest prediction from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said the rear camera on Huawei's upcoming P40 Pro will feature a redesigned periscope telephoto lens and become the world's first smartphone with 10x optical zoom. The device is expected to launch in the first half of 2020.
Kuo said enhanced optical zoom will extend to more high-end smartphones next year, although he did not specify if that will include the iPhone, which currently maxes out at 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom. Optical zoom preserves the quality of a shot when zooming in, while digital zoom results in some blurriness.
Apple has a dedicated research team looking into new ways to beam data like internet connectivity directly to iPhones and other devices, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker has about a dozen engineers from the aerospace, satellite and antenna design industries working on the project with the goal of deploying their results within five years, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal company efforts. Work on the project is still early and could be abandoned, the people said, and a clear direction and use for satellites hasn’t been finalized.
According to the report, Apple's main aim is to beam data to a user's iPhone, potentially reducing the dependence on wireless carriers, or for linking devices together without a traditional network, thereby mitigating coverage issues. Apple could also be exploring satellites for more precise location tracking for its devices, enabling improved maps and new features.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has reportedly made the project a company priority, and Apple is said to be ramping up hiring, with new software and hardware experts being added to the team. The company has also hired additional executives from the aerospace and wireless data delivery fields, and is seeking engineers with experience in designing components for communications equipment. Apple is said to be hoping for the initiative to produce results within five years.
Back in 2017, Bloomberg reported that Apple had hired John Fenwick and Michael Trela, two Google executives who led the search giant's satellite and spacecraft operations. At the time, what the two would be doing at Apple was unclear, but Bloomberg now reports that Fenwick and Trela are leading the team dedicated to satellites and related wireless technology.
According to the report, the team has recently added people from the wireless industry, including engineer Matt Ettus, one of the foremost names in wireless technologies; Ashley Moore Williams, a longtime executive from Aerospace who focused on communication satellites; and Daniel Ellis, a former Netflix executive who helped oversee the company's Content Delivery Network. Ellis is said to have experience in building networks that can beam content and information on a global scale.
What remains unclear is whether Apple plans to develop its own satellite systems or make use of ground-based technology that could receive data from existing satellites and send it to mobile devices. Efforts by the likes of Facebook and Amazon to deploy satellites are a long way from becoming reality, but Apple could potentially look to existing satellite makers like Lockheed Martin or Boeing to provide the necessary hardware in the sky.
Coinciding with the launch of its public bug bounty program, Apple today published its new Apple Platform Security guide, offering users details about the security technology and features that are implemented within Apple platforms – including sections on Mac for the first time.
The documentation has been updated to reflect changes in iOS 13.3, iPadOS 13.3, macOS 10.15.2, tvOS 13.3, and watchOS 6.1.1. The Apple Platform Security site also covers hardware and services, providing comprehensive information in a readable format on the following topics:
Hardware Security and Biometrics: The hardware that forms the foundation for security on Apple devices, including the Secure Enclave, a dedicated AES crypto engine, Touch ID, and Face ID.
System Security: The integrated hardware and software functions that provide for the safe boot, update, and ongoing operation of Apple operating systems.
Encryption and Data Protection: The architecture and design that protects user data if the device is lost or stolen, or if an unauthorized person attempts to use or modify it.
App Security: The software and services that provide a safe app ecosystem and enable apps to run securely and without compromising platform integrity.
Services Security: Apple’s services for identification, password management, payments, communications, and finding lost devices.
Network Security: Industry-standard networking protocols that provide secure authentication and encryption of data in transmission.
Developer Kits: Frameworks for secure and private management of home and health, as well as extension of Apple device and service capabilities to third-party apps.
Secure Device Management: Methods that allow management of Apple devices, prevent unauthorized use, and enable remote wipe if a device is lost or stolen.
Security Certifications and Programs: Information on ISO certifications, Cryptographic validation, Common Criteria Certification, and the Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) Program.
The site can be browsed from the Table of Contents at the top of the page, or a PDF of the documentation can be downloaded here.
Alongside its Platform Security site, Apple maintains a separate site covering the company's approach to privacy, privacy controls on Apple devices, and the Apple privacy policy.
If users believe they have discovered a security or privacy vulnerability that affects Apple devices, software, services, or web servers, Apple encourages them to report it by sending an email to product-security@apple.com along with any relevant videos, crash logs, and system diagnosis reports. More information on reporting a security or privacy vulnerability can be found here.
Apple today officially opened its bug bounty program to all security researchers, after the company announced the expansion plan at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas earlier this year.
Prior to now, Apple's bug bounty program was invitation-based and non-iOS devices were not included. As reported by ZDNet, from today any security researcher who locates bugs in iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, or iCloud will be eligible to receive a cash payout for disclosing the vulnerability to Apple.
Apple has also increased the maximum size of the bounty from $200,000 per exploit to $1 million depending on the nature of the security flaw. A zero-click kernel code execution with persistence will earn the maximum amount.
Apple says it will add a 50 percent bonus on top of the standard payout for bugs found in beta software, which allows the company to nix the issue before the OS version goes public. It is also offering the same bonus for so-called "regression bugs" – these are bugs that Apple has patched in the past but which have been accidentally reintroduced in a later version of the software.
Apple has published more information on its website detailing the bug bounty program's rules, as well as a full breakdown of the rewards being offered to researchers based on the exploits they uncover.
When submitting reports, researchers must include a detailed description of the issue, an explanation of the state of the system when the exploit works, and enough information for Apple to reliably reproduce the issue.
Next year, Apple plans to provide vetted and trusted security researchers and hackers with "dev" iPhones, or special iPhones that provide deeper access to the underlying software and operating system that will make it easier for vulnerabilities to be discovered.
These iPhones are being provided as part of Apple's forthcoming iOS Security Research Device Program, which aims to encourage additional security researchers to disclose vulnerabilities, ultimately leading to more secure devices for consumers.
Alongside the Mac Pro, Apple launched the Pro Display XDR, a 6K professional display that's designed to be used with the Mac Pro and other high-powered Apple machines.
We picked up a Pro Display XDR alongside our Mac Pro, and it arrived today, so we thought we'd do an unboxing, hands-on, and first impressions video for MacRumors readers.
As a display designed for professional use, the Pro Display XDR has a $4,999 price tag that's not exactly consumer friendly, and Apple is charging an additional $999 for the stand that we have here, which has resulted in endless jokes.
Basically, if you want a functional display, you need to shell out $6,000, because unless you're going to mount the display using the $200 VESA mount, this is the only available stand at the current time.
The Pro Display XDR ships in an all-white pull tab box like the Mac Pro, and it comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth, a braided power cable, and a braided Thunderbolt 3 cable.
We've got the Pro Display XDR without the matte nano-texture, which is $1,000 more expensive and not shipping yet, but if you do buy that nano-texture version, it's worth noting that you can only clean it with this included cloth if you don't want to damage it.
The Pro Display XDR connects to the standalone stand using super strong magnets, and the whole setup feels sturdy and high-quality, as it should at this price point.
Design wise, the Pro Display XDR has the same lattice design as the Mac Pro for the back of the display, used for ventilation and cooling. There are four USB-C ports on the Pro Display XDR, with one serving as a Thunderbolt 3 port for connecting to the Mac Pro.
You can swivel the Pro Display XDR into portrait mode or landscape mode using a little button on the monitor stand, which is handy for those who prefer to use their displays in vertical mode. Tilt and height are also able to be adjusted.
The display itself is 32 inches in size with a resolution of 6016 x 3384, and unsurprisingly, it looks fantastic. It features 1,600 nits of peak brightness and 1,000 nits of sustained brightness, along with a super wide viewing angle and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. In a nutshell, it's an incredible display.
The color accuracy is impressive and suitable for professional use, and the HDR paired with the 1600 nits of peak brightness is excellent for those who are editing HDR content.
Apple is charging a minimum of $4,999 for this display, which sounds outrageous, but it is a display for professional use and when it comes to the quality and the feature set, it is a solid deal and competitively priced compared to other pro-level monitors.
Reference monitors used by Hollywood studios for TV and film editing, for example, can cost five times more than the Pro Display XDR with the same specs as the Pro Display XDR.
The Pro Display XDR was designed to be used with the Mac Pro, but it is also compatible with 2018 or later 15-inch MacBook Pro models, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the 2019 iMac models. You can also use it with the 2017 iMac Pro, but not at the full 6K resolution.
What do you think of the Pro Display XDR? Let us know in the comments.
iPhones from Apple and smartphones from Samsung did not violate FCC rules on maximum radiofrequency exposure levels, the FCC said today (via Bloomberg).
Back in August, an investigation launched by The Chicago Tribune suggested that some of Apple's iPhones were emitting radiofrequency radiation that exceeded federal safety limits.
The FCC's testing results for iPhone and other smartphones
The newspaper hired an accredited lab to test several smartphones, including Apple's iPhones, according to federal guidelines and found that some of Apple's iPhones violated federal guidelines.
Apple at the time disputed the results and said that the testing was inaccurate "due to the test setup not being in accordance with procedures necessary to properly assess the iPhone models."
"All iPhone models, including iPhone 7, are fully certified by the FCC and in every other country where iPhone is sold," the statement said. "After careful review and subsequent validation of all iPhone models tested in the (Tribune) report, we confirmed we are in compliance and meet all applicable ... exposure guidelines and limits."
In response to the investigation, the FCC promised to do its own testing of smartphones from Apple and Samsung, and the FCC's testing disagrees with the findings from The Chicago Tribune.
The FCC tested the iPhone 7, the iPhone X, and the iPhone XS using models that were purchased from the open market and those provided by Apple. No FCC test showed the results that The Chicago Tribune got from its independent testing.
All sample cell phones tested by the FCC Laboratory, both grantee-provided and FCC- purchased samples, produced maximum 1-g average SAR values less than the 1.6 W/kg limit specified in the FCC rules. Therefore, all tested sample devices comply with the FCC RF radiation exposure general population/uncontrolled limits for peak spatial-average SAR of 1.6 W/kg, averaged over any 1 gram of tissue as specified in 47 CFR Sn. 2.1093(d)(2), and these tests did not produce evidence of violations of any FCC rules regarding maximum RF exposure levels.
Full results from the testing can be seen in the document released today by the FCC. [PDF]
After The Chicago Tribune's report went live, law firm Fegan Scott launched its own investigation and last week said that its laboratory also found that iPhones exceeded the federal safety limits for radiofrequency radiation.
Fegan Scott filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming to use "actual use conditions" in its test, rather than "conditions set by manufacturers." The FCC modeled its testing after the testing done by The Chicago Tribune, evaluating the iPhone by using a fluid-filled head and body replica and testing RF absorption at the highest possible smartphone power levels.
The law firm did not provide details on its testing methods and it is not clear if the case will progress now that the FCC's research and testing has worked out in Apple's favor.
When the Mac Pro was released on December 10, Apple promised that an 8TB SSD option would be available in the near future, and as of today, it's possible to choose the 8TB upgrade option when customizing a Mac Pro on Apple's site.
The 8TB SSD upgrade option is priced at $2,600 when adding it to the base Mac Pro model, which ships with a 256GB SSD. The previous top tier SSD was a 4TB upgrade that cost $1,400.
It's not entirely clear why Apple needed to delay the 8TB SSD storage option for the Mac Pro as it became available just a little over a week after the Mac Pro launched.
Apple has also promised that Radeon Pro W5700X and dual Radeon Pro W5700X GPU options are also coming soon, but those did not get released along with the 8TB SSD upgrade option.
Apple is working to bolster its Apple TV+ offerings and has been exploring deals for MGM Holdings content and college sports rights, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Apple executives met with MGM representatives and the Pac-12 Conference this year for preliminary talks that have "yet to reach an advanced stage." Inking a Pac-12 deal would give Apple its first live sports content, allowing the company to better compete with other streaming video services. MGM, meanwhile, has a huge catalog of content, though it's not known if a deal with Apple would focus on new, original content or would include existing content offerings.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple's meeting with MGM and Pac-12 suggest that Apple is open to major content deals to improve its Apple TV+ service, which means that in the future, third-party content could be added to Apple TV+ alongside Apple's own original content.
At the current time, Apple TV+ features just a handful of Apple's original TV shows, such as "The Morning Show," "For All Mankind," "Servant," and "See." Some of the shows have received praise and have been nominated for awards, but Apple's content offerings cannot compete with the large catalogs available on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.
Apple is charging $4.99 per month for Apple TV+, and while many subscribers have a free year after purchasing an Apple device, Apple will need to make Apple TV+ worth the subscription fee in the future. It's not clear if consumers will want to pay a $4.99 per month fee for limited content.
B&H Photo is discounting the 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro to a new low price today. You can get the 2.3 GHz 8-Core model with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD for $2,199.00, down from $2,799.00. This was one of Apple's base configurations of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, and at this price it's only available in Space Gray.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
At $600 off, B&H Photo's sale is currently the best price for this configuration of the 15-inch MacBook Pro available online, and it comes in $100 below the previous best price we tracked for this model. The new sale will last through tomorrow, December 20 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
This notebook also has a 2880 x 1800 Retina Display, Apple T2 chip with "Hey Siri" functionality, a Touch Bar with Touch ID, and more. Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.
Update 7:28 p.m.: Amazon is now matching B&H's pricing, knocking $600 off the original price of this model to bring it down to $2199.
Apple has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Sharon Horgan, known for "Divorce" and "Catastrophe," reports Deadline.
The multi-year agreement covers all future projects that Horgan writes, and it follows the end of her deal with Amazon.
Apple's UK television division spearheaded the deal, with Apple's creative director of worldwide video, Jay Hunt, overseeing the project. Hunt has been previously linked to Horgan, as he commissioned "Catastrophe" for Channel 4 in the UK and Amazon in the U.S.
"Catastrophe" followed an Irish primary school teacher (played by Horgan) who meets an advertising executive. They have a short fling, and she later finds out that she's pregnant.
"Divorce," also created by Horgan, starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church as a middle-aged divorcing couple.
Horgan is already working on "Shining Vale," a half hour horror comedy and HBO Max show "Delilah," projects she had in the works prior to her deal with Apple. She is also set to star in "Game Night," an upcoming Amazon TV show.
Apple today shared the first trailer for "Little America," an immigrant anthology series created by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon.
Set to launch on Friday, January 17, 2020, the show will feature eight half hour episodes that each focus on a different story, from a 12-year-old who has to run a Utah motel on his own after his parents are deported back to India to a Nigerian grad student who becomes a cowboy.
Nanjiani and Gordon are best known for "The Big Sick," and each story in the series they've created is based on a real life tale pulled from Epic Magazine.
Lee Eisenberg, known for his work on "The Office," is writing and executive producing the show alongside Nanjiani and Gordon. "Master of None" co-creator Alan Yang is also an executive producer.
Zachary Quinto, known for "Star Trek," will star in the fourth episode, and other cast members will include Jearnest Corchado, John Ortiz, Angela Lin, Kai To, Sophia Xu, Shaun Toub, Shila Vosough Ommi, Eshan Inamdar, Priyanka Bose, and Conphidance. Though not launching until January, "Little America" has already been renewed for a second season.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
The New York Times today claimed that it has obtained a file with the precise location of over 12 million smartphones over a period of several months in 2016 and 2017. While this data is technically anonymized, the report details how easy it is to associate specific data points with specific individuals.
With the help of publicly available information, like home addresses, The New York Times said it easily identified and then tracked military officials, law enforcement officers, lawyers, tech employees, and others:
In one case, we observed a change in the regular movements of a Microsoft engineer. He made a visit one Tuesday afternoon to the main Seattle campus of a Microsoft competitor, Amazon. The following month, he started a new job at Amazon. It took minutes to identify him as Ben Broili, a manager now for Amazon Prime Air, a drone delivery service.
The report explains that location data is collected from third-party smartphone apps that have integrated SDKs from location data companies like Gimbal, NinthDecimal, Reveal Mobile, Skyhook, PlaceIQ, and others, adding that it is currently legal to collect and sell all this information in the United States.
Apple also requires that apps provide users with a detailed explanation as to how location data is being used when prompted.
iPhone users who are concerned about their privacy can better protect themselves by navigating to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and disabling access to location data for unessential apps, or choosing the "while using the app" option at a minimum. We also recommend reviewing the privacy policies of apps.
A spokesperson said Apple had no comment on The New York Times report when contacted by MacRumors.
Best Buy and Amazon are offering big discounts across Apple's range of iPads, providing last-minute holiday shoppers with a chance to save on an iPad before Christmas. Models discounted include the 10.2-inch iPad, iPad Air, and 11-inch iPad Pro.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Some of these sales include lowest-ever prices, including the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad ($429.00, $100 off), the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air ($649.00, $100 off), and the 64GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro ($649.99, $100 off). There are plenty more sales to browse this week, so check out all of them in the lists below.
Each configuration below represents a sale at Best Buy, and where it's appropriate we've also provided matching sales happening on Amazon. Both Amazon and Best Buy are offering a form of expedited shipping, be it free two-day or next-day delivery, but delays can happen and stock is low for some models, so be sure to shop soon.
The charger is equipped with a USB-C connector that can be plugged directly into USB-C devices like recent MacBook and iPad Pro models. Or, if some distance is needed, the charger can be paired with the included female-to-male USB-C cable and then plugged into devices, docks, battery packs, and so forth.
The charger, certified by Apple, is compatible with all Apple Watch models and sizes. It is available now in Space Gray for $44.99 on Satechi's website. From today through December 26, Satechi is offering customers 20 percent off when entering the code GIFTSATECHI at checkout.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Satechi and may receive a commission from sales, which helps to keep the site running.
Earlier this year, I spent some time in a 2019 Nissan Altima, checking out how CarPlay interfaces with the native NissanConnect infotainment system, and I came away fairly impressed with the flexibility and ease-of-use of NissanConnect and the carmaker's decision to make CarPlay standard across all trims.
Looking to show off more of its technology and how some of it integrates with iPhones, Nissan recently asked me to take a look at the 2019 Leaf, specifically the Leaf Plus, a new-for-2019 extended-range version of the popular electric vehicle that's been on the market for nearly a decade.
The base Leaf starts at $30,000 before tax credits that can knock $7,500 off the price, and it comes with a 40 kWh battery that delivers up to 150 miles of range. There are three trims of the regular Leaf, with only the entry-level S model lacking CarPlay support. In fact, that base model comes with a basic 5-inch non-touchscreen display for the infotainment system, so most technology-heavy users will want to step up to at least the second-level SV trim on the regular Leaf.
The Leaf Plus begins at $36,550 before tax credits and upgrades to a 62 kWh battery that offers up to 226 miles of range. The extended-range Plus lineup also comes in three trims, all of which include CarPlay and Android Auto support.
My test vehicle was the top-of-the-line Leaf SL Plus, which checks in at an MSRP of $42,550 before tax credits, with a couple of minor add-ons like floor mats and splash guards pushing my vehicle's sticker price to just under $44,000. For those looking to squeeze out every last mile of range, it's worth noting that only the lowest S trim of the Leaf Plus can reach the 226 miles of rated range, with the SV and SL trims dropping back a bit to 215 miles due to some of the additional technology in the car sapping some of the battery's energy.
All Leaf Plus models come with an 8-inch touchscreen very similar to that I experienced on the Altima, albeit with the hardware buttons located in clusters on either side of the display rather than in a strip below. The 8-inch display is plenty big for showing off NissanConnect and CarPlay making it easy to hit the desired icons on the screen, while the hardware knobs and buttons help you get a few common tasks done more by feel.
Behind the steering wheel, there's a combination analog speedometer and digital information display, with the display offering a number of different views to suit your preferences, including such features as digital speedometer, compass, and current audio information (including CarPlay track information).
Importantly, all views also include a digital readout of your current battery level and estimated range, as well as a digital power meter to help you understand real-time power consumption and regeneration. One of the customizable views also lets you see the battery temperature, as charging times can vary significantly depending on the temperature of the battery.
My top-level trim naturally came with all of the tech bells and whistles, including Nissan's Intelligent Around View Monitor for a bird's eye view of your vehicle, intelligent cruise control, and ProPILOT Assist, which not only helps maintain a safe following distance automatically but also keeps your car centered in the lane, even on curves.
Intelligent Around View Monitor
NissanConnect
I covered NissanConnect and CarPlay in my review of the Altima earlier this year, and the experience on the Leaf is very similar. As on the Altima and most other vehicles, the Leaf's CarPlay implementation is a wired one, so you'll need to plug your phone into a USB port.
There is a single USB-A port near the base of the center stack, right next to the start button, and there's a convenient phone cubby located right below the port. Unfortunately, this is the only USB port included on the Leaf, with nothing in the center console compartment or for rear passengers.
One of up to three customizable NissanConnect home screens
From there, it's a relatively traditional infotainment experience. The 8-inch touchscreen is bright, with enough color to help individual items on the screen stand out a bit. NissanConnect allows for multiple customizable home screens with shortcuts and informational widgets for functions like the clock, audio, and phone. Unlike the Altima that I tested earlier, my Leaf Plus tester came with built-in navigation that performed well as an alternative to mapping apps available through CarPlay.
NissanConnect audio app with CarPlay icon in dock for easy access
CarPlay
When you plug in your phone and activate CarPlay, NissanConnect makes it fairly easy to hop back and forth between the two systems as needed, with a dedicated CarPlay icon in the dock at the bottom of the NissanConnect's screens. When you're in CarPlay, you can use either the Nissan app icon on the CarPlay home screen or the convenient Home/Menu hardware button to jump back into Nissan Connect.
CarPlay home screen
When active, CarPlay takes over the entire display of the infotainment system, and while I do prefer systems that offer at least minimal dual-system function with an app strip or even a small supplemental information screen on a widescreen setup, Nissan's system certainly isn't bad. The hardware buttons, steering wheel controls, and driver's information display all help ease interactions with the systems, whether it be moving between CarPlay and NissanConnect or adjusting/viewing details for one while the other is active on the main screen.
Google Maps in CarPlay
EV Features
As an EV, the Leaf has a lot of technology built-in for managing the battery and its charge level. The Leaf has a pair of charging ports located under a cover on the front center of the car. On the right is a standard port that lets you connect a Level 2 charger (220-240V) for normal charging that can give you a full charge in 11-12 hours or a Level 1 charger for trickle charging from a standard 110-120V outlet, although that would take on the order of two and a half days to fully charge the car's battery.
CHAdeMO quick charge port (left) and standard L1/L2 charging port (right)
On the left is a CHAdeMO quick charge port that lets you use higher-powered chargers often found at public charging stations to recharge to 80 percent in as little as 45 minutes under ideal temperature conditions and when connected to a 100kW quick charger.
One welcome feature of most EVs is the ability to schedule charging, letting users take advantage of cheaper energy rates during certain times of the day if their electric utility charges variable rates, and the schedule can be managed either right in the vehicle after you park it, or from your phone.
App Control
With an EV, your phone can become a crucial tool since you can refuel your car from home or work without needing to stop by a gas station. Your phone gives you nearly instant access to information about your car's charge level without needing to go out to the vehicle, so you can judge when your car has been fully charged or manage charging right from your phone.
Nissan offers an iOS and Android app to manage much of this from your phone, not only for battery management but for other features like remote start, car finder, plug-in reminders, and climate control remote start/stop so you can be sure your car is comfortable when you hop in. There's even an Apple Watch app to let you perform most of those functions right from your wrist.
Unfortunately, the app has received many poor reviews from users, with numerous complaints about sluggish response times within the app, difficulty getting a connection to the car that sometimes results in commands failing to register, and other issues. Nissan regularly updates the app with bug fixes, but hopefully a more comprehensive overall is in the works to improve functionality.
NissanConnect EV also integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant to let you check on the car's status and activate functions with your voice.
A basic set of NissanConnect EV features including remote charge start, remote climate control, and more is complimentary for the first three years of ownership, but there are a couple of paid upgrade tiers that offer additional functionality on 2018 and 2019 Leaf models. A Select tier includes remote lock/unlock, maintenance alerts, and Alexa/Google Assistant support and is priced at $11.99/month after a three-year trial.
A Premium tier adds features like remote horn/lights, valet alert, curfew and speed alerts, automatic collision notification with emergency calling, roadside assistance calls, and stolen vehicle locator. After a free six-month trial, the Premium tier is priced at $8.00/month and requires the Select tier, so once the three-year Select trial ends you'd be paying a total of $19.99/month for the full suite of NissanConnect services.
Wrap-up
Overall, I remain a fan of the NissanConnect infotainment system and the useful combination of hardware and software controls that make it easy to interact with. It plays quite nicely with CarPlay on the large 8-inch screen, and touch response is good.
For an EV where technology is a major focus, though, the phone app integration seems like it really needs some improvement, including app performance and perhaps some additional features like managing the charging schedule rather than limiting remote charge controls to manually starting a charge cycle.
I'd also like to see a bit more connectivity in the car, such as more USB ports or even an option for wireless phone charging. I realize that every power-drawing feature has the potential to impact the range of an EV, and manufacturers are generally trying to eke out every last mile from their batteries, but more and more of these technology features are becoming expected equipment on cars that can hit $30,000 or more like the Leaf Plus.
The Leaf has proven to be a popular EV, and the fact that it is still supported by the full federal EV tax credit makes it a competitive vehicle. The Plus lineup costs a good bit more than the regular version, but pushing the range above 200 miles is a significant improvement to the EV experience and lets even longer distance commuters rely on it for a full day without needing to worry about running low on charge, and makes longer road trips more palatable with fewer charging stops required.
Anyone on the hunt for Apple's new 16-inch MacBook Pro should check out Amazon today, which is discounting the notebook by as much as $250. As with most Amazon sales, some models have low stock, so if you're interested be sure to check them out soon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
With these sales, you'll find lowest-ever prices on the 1TB model of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which is available for $2,549.00, down from $2,799.00. There are also a few 512GB models being discounted on Amazon, available for $2,199.00, down from $2,399.00. You can find them all in the list below.
Amazon is also discounting the 27-inch iMac from early 2019 (3.7 GHz, 8GB RAM, 2TB), available for $1,999.00, down from $2,299.00. This $300 discount is the lowest we've tracked on this model of the new Retina iMac.
For more sales and offers, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
