MacRumors

Apple yesterday announced a new 27-inch iMac with faster 10th-generation Intel Core processor options, next-generation AMD graphics, and up to a whopping 128GB of RAM.

To max out the RAM at checkout, Apple charges an additional $2,600, which is like buying another whole ‌iMac‌. Fortunately, the memory in the 27-inch ‌iMac‌ is user-replaceable thanks to the easily-accessible memory backdoor slot, and there are far more affordable options available from third parties.

OWC offers 128GB of DDR4 PC4-21300 RAM that's compatible with the 27-inch ‌iMac‌. The total cost on Amazon is $599.99, or $2,000 less than Apple charges its customers. These are the OWC memory upgrade kits available, compared to the prices that you'd pay when purchasing an ‌iMac‌ from Apple:

• 128GB (4 x 32GB DIMMs) – $599 at Amazon ($2,600 at Apple checkout).
• 64GB (4 x 16GB DIMMs) - $269 at Amazon ($1,000 at Apple checkout).
• 32GB (2 x 16GB DIMMs) - $135 at Amazon ($400 at Apple checkout).

Apple provides instructions for users wanting to install memory in an ‌iMac‌. Note that the RAM in the 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ models, which were not updated yesterday other than a change to the base storage configuration, is not user-accessible.

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Rumors suggest an updated MacBook Air could be launching sooner rather than later, and we've already seen certifications for a possible ‌MacBook Air‌ battery recently filed in China and Denmark. Now the same battery has appeared on Safety Korea Certification, along with an image of the battery that strongly suggests it's for a new ‌MacBook Air‌ model (via 91mobiles).

The current ‌MacBook Air‌ has a 49.9Wh battery, which is matched in this new model type (A2389) featuring a 4380mAh capacity. The model number A1965 has been used in the last few ‌‌MacBook Air‌‌ generations.

We're still none the wiser about exactly when a new ‌MacBook Air‌ might launch, because regulatory bodies sometimes approve and test new hardware months before a new product comes out. However, several rumors have suggested that the ‌‌MacBook Air‌‌ will be one of the first Macs to get an Apple Silicon chip, and the new Arm-based machine could come before the end of 2020.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ will be one of the first Macs to be updated with an ‌Apple Silicon‌ chip, with an update set to come in the fourth quarter of 2020 or the first quarter of 2021. DigiTimes also believes the Arm-based ‌MacBook Air‌ will be released in 2020.

Apple has confirmed that it will be transitioning to its own custom ‌Apple Silicon‌ processors, and said we can expect new Arm-based Macs before the end of the year, but it didn't give away which Mac model would be the first Apple Silicon-powered machine.

Apple already updated the ‌MacBook Air‌ in March 2020 with more internal storage, 10th-generation Intel processors, and a more reliable scissor-switch keyboard, but it's not out of the question that a second update could come this year given the swap to ‌‌Apple Silicon‌‌ chips.

In addition to performance benefits, ‌Apple Silicon‌‌ chips are expected to be much more power efficient than the current Intel chips used in the ‌‌MacBook Air‌‌ lineup. That could see the same 49.9Wh battery improve upon the current ‌MacBook Air‌'s 11 hours of battery life when browsing the web and up to 12 hours when using the Apple TV app for watching movies.

For more on what we're expecting for the next ‌‌MacBook Air‌‌, check out our MacBook Air roundup, and for details on Apple's transition to ‌‌Apple Silicon‌‌ chips, read our in-depth guide.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of the upcoming macOS Big Sur update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the third beta and over a month after the new update was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

The macOS Big Sur beta can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, subsequent betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.

macOS Big Sur introduces a refreshed design to the Mac operating system, overhauling the entire look from the curvature of the window corners to the dock icons to the system sounds. Everything feels fresh but familiar, with a lighter and more modern appearance. There's a new customizable Control Center that mirrors the Control Center on iOS devices, putting key system controls right at your fingertips.

The Notification Center has been redesigned with iOS-style widgets that are available in multiple sizes, plus there are more interactive notifications that are now grouped by app to make it easier to see what's going on.

Safari is faster and more battery efficient, plus there's a new start page that can be customized with wallpapers and sections that include Reading List and iCloud Tabs, which makes Safari more tailored to your individual usage needs.

Tabs have been redesigned, there's a built-in language translation feature, and Chrome and Firefox Extensions can be ported to Safari. There's also an option to choose which sites an extension works with for greater privacy. Speaking of privacy, a new Privacy Report feature lets users know the trackers Safari is blocking when you visit websites.

Messages is more similar to the Messages app on iOS with support for pinned conversations, mentions, inline replies, and Memoji creation, plus the built-in search feature has been overhauled to make it easier to find links, photos, and conversations in the app.

Apple redesigned the Maps app to add support for Look Around, indoor maps, and Guides, which are lists of notable attractions, restaurants, and more created by trusted sources. Maps can also be used to generate directions for cycling routes and electric vehicle trips that can be sent to iPhone, and shared ETA updates are now viewable on the Mac.

Photos includes a better Retouch tool, Apple Music's For You section has been replaced with a Listen Now section, HomeKit Secure Video cameras support Face Recognition and Activity zones, and Siri can answer a wider range of questions than before.

As of macOS Big Sur beta 2, Apple Pay support is available for Mac Catalyst apps. Developers will now be able to easily get ‌Apple Pay‌ up and running in Mac Catalyst apps. From the iOS 14 release notes: "‌Apple Pay‌ support is now available to Mac Catalyst apps. Two methods have been added to existing delegate protocols. No changes are required for iPad apps, but one or both of these methods must be implemented when building for Catalyst."

In the future, the macOS Big Sur App Store will help users better understand privacy practices with clear info on the information that an app collects, and after installing macOS Big Sur, you'll see faster updates that begin in the background and then finish more quickly to make it easier to keep your Mac up to date.

Apple in the third beta of macOS Big Sur changed the battery icon for the Battery section in System Preferences, refining the design to make it look more clean and streamlined. There update also brought a new design for the Music app icon (it's red), and some color changes to the buttons and icons inside the music app.

Today's beta adds 4K support for YouTube videos in Safari. For more on everything that's new in macOS Big Sur, make sure to check out our roundup.

Disney's streaming television and movie service Disney+ boasts 57.5 million paid subscribers worldwide as of June 27, up three million from the 54.5 million subscribers it had in May 2020.

By early 2020, Disney+ had already hit 50 million subscribers, marking impressive growth since it launched in November. When Disney+ launched, Disney estimated that it would see 60 to 90 million subscribers worldwide by the end of 2024, but the company is already well on its way to hitting the lower end of that target in 2020.

Disney+ launched right around the same time that Apple introduced Apple TV+, but because Apple does not provide subscriber numbers for the service, there's no direct comparison to make.

Apple has been offering a free year of ‌Apple TV‌+ service to those who purchase a new Apple device and has been doing so since late 2019, so it will still be some time before those free accounts convert into paid subscriptions.

Disney+ has an edge over ‌Apple TV‌+ because Disney has an established catalog of content along with popular Star Wars and Marvel content. ‌Apple TV‌+ has been working to build up new content offerings and has added many TV shows and movies, but it still trails Disney in terms of sheer content.

Most recently, Apple picked up Tom Hanks WWII movie "Greyhound," which reportedly saw large numbers of people watching. The movie allegedly had the largest opening weekend release ever on ‌Apple TV‌+, with a viewing audience commensurate with a summer box office hit.

Across all of its services, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, Disney said that it has more than 100 million paying subscribers worldwide. Disney today also said that it plans to bring Mulan to Disney+ on September 4, but it will cost an additional $29.99.

Look Around, an Apple Maps feature introduced in iOS 13, has today rolled out in some cities in Japan, allowing for a close-up street-level view of various locations and landmarks. Look Around is available in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya.

The new feature was noticed by Ata Distance, who also says some areas like Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine now feature the ‌Apple Maps‌ 2.0 data with more information.

Apple introduced Look Around with iOS 13, but it has been limited to a handful of cities like Boston, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more.

Apple is slowly introducing Look Around in more cities, with a list of where Look Around can be found available on Apple's website. Note that Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka have not yet been added to the list.

Update: Justin O'Beirne, who often shares details on updates made in ‌Apple Maps‌, took a look at the new map updates in Japan, which show new detail added to ‌Apple Maps‌ across the country.

The blog post features before and after shots that give a clear picture of how ‌Apple Maps‌ changed, better highlighting parks, trees, landmarks, waterways, walking paths, and more. It's well worth checking out if you want to see the difference.

Apple is teaming up with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to launch a three-year study to understand how sleep, physical activity, heart rate, and daily routine can impact anxiety and depression (via CNBC).

Kicking off this week, the study was co-designed by researchers at UCLA and Apple, and it will utilize the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Beddit sleep tracker that Apple owns and sells. UCLA and Apple hope the study will "revolutionize detection and treatment of depression."

Connecting quantifiable data like heart rate, sleep, and physical activity to anxiety and depression symptoms has the potential to allow health care providers to note warning signs and prevent the onset of depressive episodes, track treatments, and find depression causes. From UCLA psychiatry professor Dr. Nelson Freimer, who is the study's principal investigator:

"This collaboration, which harnesses UCLA's deep research expertise and Apple's innovative technology, has the potential to transform behavioral health research and clinical care. Current approaches to treating depression rely almost entirely on the subjective recollections of depression sufferers. This is an important step for obtaining objective and precise measurements that guide both diagnosis and treatment."

"UCLA and Apple have designed this study so that all aspects of participation can be accomplished remotely. The pandemic has heightened anxiety and depression globally, and has increased awareness of the importance of behavioral health to overall wellbeing. At the same time, physical distancing requirements have limited in-person mental health assessment and treatment, leading to expanded use and acceptance of telehealth. These changes highlight the importance of incorporating technologies like those to be tested in this study into clinical research and eventually into practice."

The pilot phase of the study begins this week and will involve 150 participants recruited from UCLA Health patients. The main phases of the study will take place from 2021 through 2023 and will involve 3,000 participants drawn from UCLA Health patients and the UCLA student body, so this is not a study that can be undertaken using Apple's Health app.

Study participants will download a UCLA research app on their iPhones and will receive an Apple Watch and Beddit sleep monitor as part of the study.

Data from study participants will be kept safe with access limited to members of the UCLA research team. Data will be analyzed by Apple and UCLA after being coded and stripped of names and other contact information.

Apple today released the fourth developer betas of iOS and iPadOS 14 for testing purposes, tweaking and refining some of the features and design changes included in the update.

Changes get smaller and less notable as the beta testing period goes on, but there are still some noteworthy new features in the fourth beta, which we've highlighted below.

- Apple TV widget - There's a new Apple TV widget available in the fourth beta.

- Search improvements - When searching for in-app content or questions, top hits are now displayed underneath web suggestions, as noted by Federico Vittici. The app displays apps, Siri Knowledge, ‌Siri‌ suggestions, News, and more up top, with an option to get more results. Search in App remains available at the bottom of the interface.

- 3D Touch - 3D Touch, which was unavailable in the last beta, is again working on compatible devices.

- Exposure Notification API - The Exposure Notification API has been added to this beta, so iOS 14 users can download apps that use ‌Exposure Notification‌.

Have you found any other changes in iOS 14 beta 4 not listed here? Let us know in the comments and we'll add them to the list.

As of today, the iOS 14 beta supports the Exposure Notification API, which will let iOS 14 users download ‌Exposure Notification‌ and COVID tracking apps in countries where those apps are available.

‌Exposure Notification‌ support was added in the fourth beta released this morning, and it is listed as a feature in the update's release notes.

‌Exposure Notification‌ was released as an iOS 13.5 update back in May, but the API was not added to iOS 14 until today, which prevented iOS 14 users from being able to download and use apps that take advantage of the ‌Exposure Notification‌ API.

That wasn't a major issue when only developers were able to download iOS 14, but it became a problem when the public beta was released and more people had iOS 14 installed as none of those people could use contact tracing apps.

‌Exposure Notification‌ now works on both iOS 13 and iOS 14, with apps that use the API available in Canada, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Croatia, Denmark, and more.

For more on ‌Exposure Notification‌ and how it works, make sure to check out our Exposure Notification guide.

Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 updates to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the third betas and more than a month after unveiling the new software at the WWDC keynote.

Registered developers can download the betas over the air after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

iOS 14 introduces a redesigned Home Screen that supports widgets on iPhone for the first time, plus widgets have been redesigned and can now be customized in three sizes through the new widgets gallery.

An App Library shows all of the apps installed on an iPhone in one place, both in an icon view and in an alphabetical list. With all of the apps in the App Library, app icons and ‌Home Screen‌ pages can be hidden for a cleaner look.

Incoming phone calls and FaceTime calls no longer take up the entire iPhone/iPad display, and Siri requests have also been minimized so summoning ‌Siri‌ doesn't monopolize the screen. ‌Siri‌ is smarter in iOS 14 and can send audio messages, and dictation can now run on device. A Picture in Picture mode allows users to watch videos or use ‌FaceTime‌ while using other apps.

App Clips lets users take advantage of some app features without needing to download a full app, useful for quick actions like purchasing a coffee, making a restaurant reservation, or renting a scooter, where downloading an entire app would be a hassle. App Clips can be scanned from QR codes, NFC tags, or Apple-designed App Clip Codes, plus they can be shared in Messages or accessed from Safari.

In the Messages app you can now pin important conversations, use @mentions in group chats, and take advantage of inline replies to keep multi-person conversations better organized. There are new Memoji options and group chats can be assigned icons with photos, emoji, or Memoji.

The Health app supports the Apple Watch's new Sleep Tracking feature and there's a Health Checklist for managing health settings, and in the Weather app, there's more info on precipitation and severe weather events.

Cycling directions are available in the Maps app with directions incorporating elevation, how busy a street is, and stairs, plus for those who own electric vehicles, there are options for routes with EV charging stops.

Digital Car Keys let an iPhone be used in lieu of a physical key, a feature that's coming soon to BMWs, and CarPlay now lets users set wallpapers.

A new translate app provides text and voice translations to and from 11 languages, and there are tons of new privacy protections. Developers need to get user permission before accessing devices on a local network, limiting access to photos, and providing apps with approximate locations instead of exact locations.

Safari has a Privacy Report that lets you know which websites have trackers, and there are new icons on the Home screen that let you know when an app is using a camera or microphone. Third-party browser and mail apps can be set as default for the first time, and Apple added new AirPods capabilities.

As for the ‌iPad‌, the Apple Pencil can now be used in any text field, with handwritten text converted automatically to typed text thanks to the new Scribble feature.

There are tons more features in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, so make sure to check out our iOS 14 roundup and our iPadOS 14 roundup for a full list of everything new. We also highlight all of the new feature tweaks and changes introduced with each beta iteration, and you can see the changes from beta 2 and beta 3 in our beta 2 and beta 3 tidbits articles.

Beta 3 brought a new red Music icon, changes to the design of the Music Library in the Music app, a Clock widget, an updated Screen Time widget, and more.

We'll be doing a separate article featuring the changes in beta 4 after we download the update and discover what's new.

iOS and iPadOS 14 are available to registered developers and public beta testers at this time. Beta testing for ‌iOS 14‌ will last for a couple of months, with the update set to be released in the fall.

Apple's Phil Schiller is moving on to become an "Apple Fellow," Apple announced today, while Greg Joswiak will take over as Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

Schiller will continue to lead the App Store and Apple Events, but will no longer be in charge of marketing.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said he is "thrilled" that Joswiak will be leading the marketing team, and that his experience will ensure a seamless transition.

"Phil has helped make Apple the company it is today and his contributions are broad, vast, and run deep. In this new role he will continue to provide the incredible thought partnership, and guidance that have defined his decades at Apple," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Joz's many years of leadership in the Product Marketing organization make him perfectly suited to this new role and will ensure a seamless transition at a moment when the team is engaged in such important and exciting work. I'm thrilled that the whole executive team will benefit from his collaboration, ideas, and energy."

Schiller said that he'll work at Apple for "as long as they will have me," but that he also wants to make some time for family, friends, and personal projects.

"It has been a dream come true for me to work at Apple, on so many products I love, with all of these great friends -- Steve, Tim, and so many more," said Schiller. "I first started at Apple when I was 27, this year I turned 60 and it is time for some planned changes in my life. I'll keep working here as long as they will have me, I bleed six colors, but I also want to make some time in the years ahead for my family, friends, and a few personal projects I care deeply about."

Going forward, Joswiak will be in charge of Apple's product management and product marketing, developer relations, market research, business management, and education, enterprise, and international marketing.

Joswiak has been serving as vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing for the past four years and has been at Apple for more than 20 years.

Alongside the launch of updated iMacs, Apple today also made a minor update to the iMac Pro, equipping the base configuration with the 10-core 3.0 GHz Xeon W chip that was previously an upgrade option.

All other specs appear to remain the same, with 14-core and 18-core processors available as upgrades. The starting price also remains at $4,999, although the stepped-up base processor essentially results in an $800 price cut on upgraded models.

Notably, the ‌iMac‌ Pro is not getting the $500 nano-texture glass option that was made available on the regular 27-inch ‌iMac‌ today.

Apple today announced a new 27-inch iMac with faster 10th-generation Intel Core processor options, next-generation AMD graphics, up to 128GB of RAM, a higher-resolution 1080p front-facing FaceTime camera, a True Tone display with a nano-texture glass option, a T2 chip, higher fidelity speakers, studio-quality microphones, and more.

A breakdown of the new 27-inch iMac's features and specs:

• 10th-generation Intel Core processors for up to 65 percent faster CPU performance, according to Apple. This includes up to a 10-core option with a 3.6GHz base clock speed and Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz, whereas the previous-generation iMac used 9th-generation Intel processors with up to eight cores.
• Next-generation AMD Radeon Pro 5000 series graphics options with up to 55 percent faster performance than the previous generation, according to Apple.
• Up to 128GB of RAM, compared with up to 64GB with the previous generation.
• Up to 8TB of SSD storage, compared with up to 2TB with the previous generation.
• True Tone technology that automatically adjusts the white balance of the iMac display to match the color temperature of the light around you. Apple says this provides a more natural viewing experience.
• Nano-Texture glass is available as a $500 upgrade option. Also available on the Pro Display XDR, Apple says this finish "maintains contrast while scattering light to reduce glare to the barest minimum."
• 1080p front-facing FaceTime camera, up from 720p on previous generation.
• Apple's custom-designed T2 Security chip for encryption. The chip checks that software loaded during the boot process has not been tampered with.
• Apple says the T2 Security Chip also works with the speakers to enable variable EQ for better balance, higher fidelity, and deeper bass.
• A new studio-quality microphone array for higher-quality audio.

Starting at $1,799, the new 27-inch iMac is available to order today on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app. It will begin arriving to customers and will be in select Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers starting this week.

The new 27-inch iMac features the same design used since the 2012 model, with a redesigned, Apple Silicon-based iMac expected later this year.

Apple today also made a minor update to the iMac Pro, equipping the base configuration with the 10-core 3.0 GHz Xeon W chip that was previously an upgrade option. In addition, the smaller 21.5-inch iMac now comes standard with SSDs across the line for the first time. Customers can still choose to configure their 21.5-inch iMac with a Fusion Drive.

T-Mobile today announced that it has launched the first nationwide standalone 5G network in the United States, with the carrier's 5G footprint expanding by 30 percent across the country effective immediately.

Whereas non-standalone 5G relies on mid-band 4G LTE architecture, standalone 5G allows signals to travel further, covering hundreds of square miles from a single tower and going deeper into buildings than before. In standalone 5G areas, T-Mobile says it has also seen up to a 40 percent reduction in latency during testing for improved responsiveness.

T-Mobile brags that its 5G network is more than two times larger than AT&T's and more than 10,000 times larger than Verizon's, now covering 1.3 million square miles in more than 7,500 cities and towns across the United States.

This news comes one day after the T-Mobile and Sprint brands completed their unification under the T-Mobile brand nationwide.

Apple plans to announce a refresh of its iMac lineup today, but it will be a spec bump to existing models rather than a redesign, according to leaker Jon Prosser.

Update: Apple has indeed announced a new 27-inch iMac with faster 10th-generation Intel Core processor options, next-generation AMD graphics, up to 128GB of RAM, up to 8TB of SSD storage, a higher-resolution 1080p FaceTime camera, a True Tone display, a T2 chip, higher fidelity speakers, studio-quality microphones, and more.

Apple has expressed interest in purchasing video-sharing social media platform TikTok, according to a newsletter snippet from Axios' Dan Primack:

Multiple sources tell me that Apple has expressed interest, albeit no sources inside of Apple, and that at least one other strategic has expressed interest. Yes, it would be an unusual deal for Apple, given that TikTok is a cross-platform app, and a bigger political headache than Tim Cook may want (both here and in China). But if anyone has the cash on hand...

In a follow-up tweet, Primack described Apple's interest as "serious."

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said that he would shut down TikTok in the United States unless it finds an American buyer by September 15. Trump has also indicated that the U.S. Treasury should receive a "substantial amount of money" from the proposed sale, although there is some confusion as to what he exactly means by those comments.

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that it is "prepared to continue discussions to explore a purchase of TikTok in the United States."

Update - 7:57 a.m.: Axios has updated its report to note that "an Apple spokesperson tells Axios that there are no discussions about buying TikTok and the company isn't interested."

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.

Last year, Apple and Oprah Winfrey launched Oprah's Book Club in the Apple Books app, providing readers with a curated selection of "stories that truly matter by today's most thought-provoking authors."

Oprah today announced that her latest selection is "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author. The book is available now on Apple Books in both written and audiobook formats on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The audiobook can also be listened to on the Apple Watch and through CarPlay.

Later this month, Apple says users will be able to read a collection of articles related to "Caste" on Apple News, curated by Oprah as the app's first-ever guest editor. Oprah is also interviewing Wilkerson about her book, and this will be available for free on Apple TV+ in the fall as part of her companion Oprah's Book Club video series.

"This might be the most important book I've ever chosen for my book club," said Oprah in an Apple Newsroom press release. "'Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents' provides a new way of seeing racial inequality, giving rise to countless aha moments and helping us truly understand America as it is now and how we hope it will be."

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.