On Amazon, a new Anker sale has kicked off today and it's offering solid discounts on a range of Anker's best portable batteries. You can get everything from the PowerCore 5,000 mAh to the 26,800 mAh model at a discount this week.
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.
Most of the accessories will remain on sale through December 29, making this a perfect opportunity to purchase a reliable portable battery for anyone preparing for a trip over the holidays.
Apple is planning to offer some kind of holiday App Store promotion that may see the company giving away free apps and games.
In Australia, where it is December 24, App Store users are waking up to an App Store story that mentions a "surprise" for Tuesday and explains that users can expect a treat every day from December 24 to December 29.
Tuesday's surprise isn't live yet, but it will be shortly! Make sure you come back soon to check it out.
Have you seen today's goodies? Look for the unwrapped presents on the App Store's Today, Games, and Apps tabs.
From December 24 to 29, you'll find a new surprise every day on the App Store. Come back daily to discover which treat we have waiting for you!
The wording of the story suggests that Apple is planning to give away free apps and games in a promotion similar to the 12 Days of Christmas promotion that the company used to run several years back.
We don't know yet what app or game Apple plans to give away on December 24, but we should find out soon from Australian users. App Store users in other countries like the United States can expect to see the same promotions when December 24 rolls around.
Update 10:39 a.m.: The surprises have gone live in New Zealand, and MacRumors readers tonyduffe and @Ldeverell report that the deals include a special in-app purchase bundle Looney Tunes World of Mayhem and a three-month subscription for the price of one month in Canva. We'll have to see if offers are the same around the world.
Update 2: Based on reader reports, the daily surprises appear to only be available in Australia and New Zealand, with a subset of them also seen in India.
Apple is offering free two hour delivery when customers purchase any Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone, or Mac, which is ideal for last minute shoppers.
Through December 24 at 4:00 p.m. local time, customers who live in an area where courier delivery is available can get their orders for free. Apple normally charges $9 for same-day courier delivery.
Apple says that its courier delivery is available "in most metros," and it applies to the total order whenever an Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone, or Mac is ordered. AirPods aren't available for free courier delivery on a standalone order basis, but can be included with other purchases.
For deliveries that do not include an Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone, or Mac, courier options are still available, but Apple is charging the standard $9 fee. Delivery cutoff is December 24 in most areas, but Apple says that December 25th delivery is available in New York City, Las Vegas, and Hawaii.
Those who are not in an area where courier delivery is available can still get items before Christmas by using in-store pickup options.
Software developer and composer Stephen Coyle published a new article on his blog recently, intent on measuring the Bluetooth latency of Apple's new AirPods Pro and comparing their performance to previous-generation AirPods. As Coyle pointed out, Bluetooth audio latency in wireless earphones can cheapen the user experience of these devices, and can particularly cause major issues for certain accessibility features reliant upon audio accuracy.
Coyle measured latency by testing how much time passes between a user triggering a sound and when they hear it in the earphones. The developer pointed out that these user-initiated sounds "are the most commonly encountered example" of Bluetooth audio latency, because they are unpredictable and therefore difficult for most platforms to respond to with finesse. These include keyboard clicks, accessibility features like VoiceOver, and sound effects in games.
Image via Stephen Coyle
Using the default iOS keyboard and his own game Tapt as means of measuring this latency, Coyle discovered that the AirPods Pro have the lowest average audio latency (measured in milliseconds) among the entire AirPods line. AirPods 1 measured in at 274ms between the time the sound was triggered and the time the sound was heard, then AirPods 2 was at 178ms, and AirPods Pro clocked in at 144ms. Coyle called this "tantalizingly close to seamless."
If it's possible for the trend line to continue in the same direction, the next generation or two of AirPods will be very exciting. Not being a VoiceOver user, I'm unsure how much AirPods Pro improve its user experience in real terms, but I think this general trend can only be for the good. Similarly, for mobile gaming and general user experience, this trend means that what is, in my opinion, the primary downside of Bluetooth earphones may be gradually disappearing.
Coyle's test also included the Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones and Sony WH-CH700N, which measured in around 250ms and 225ms, respectively. The developer included these two devices for context and explained that they represent the general state of Bluetooth headphones as it stands right now, with devices like the third-generation Amazon Echo and a JBL Bluetooth speaker also measuring in at about the same level as the Beats and Sony devices.
Check out Coyle's full article on the AirPods Pro Bluetooth audio latency right here.
PayPal has returned with the latest 15 percent discount on App Store and iTunes gift cards this week, offering customers a chance to get the $100 gift card for $85 on eBay. This could be your last chance to save on iTunes gift cards before Christmas, and with e-mail delivery you will get the card delivered to your inbox within four hours.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with eBay. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To get the discount, head to eBay and click "Buy it Now" on the iTunes gift card's page. The 15 percent discount is automatically applied, and once you complete your order it will be delivered to the e-mail address of your choice within a few hours. The sale is only available to customers in the United States.
App Store and iTunes gift cards can be used to pay for iCloud storage, to rent films on iTunes Movies, and even on subscriptions to Apple Music, Netflix, Hulu, and more. Thanks to sales on the gift cards, you're able to save a little bit of money on these purchases, so be sure to visit PayPal on eBay this week if you've been looking to stock up on iTunes credit.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
Apple is offering up to six months of Apple Music for free to Shazam users, in what looks like a limited-time deal for the holdays.
First spotted by Macworld UK, the trial offer currently available appears to vary in length depending on where you're located and whether you've redeemed a free trial of Apple Music in the past.
However, if you're in the U.S., Canada, or the United Kingdom, then you should be able to get at least a month of free access out of it – and perhaps more – even if you've used an Apple Music free trial before. Here's how it works.
Swipe right to enter the Library screen, or tap the Library icon in the top-left corner of the screen.
Tap the Try Now pane offering a free trial of Apple Music for a 'Limited Time.'
Tap the Try it Free button.
You'll be switched to the App Store to redeem a pre-entered code. Tap Redeem, and you'll be notified of the length of your free trial and the date from which you'll make your first monthly payment if you continue with the subscription.
If you're wary of over-running the free trial, put a date in your diary to remind you when to cancel it. For steps on how to cancel an Apple Music subscription, click here.
A 22-year-old man who claimed to be the spokesman for a hacker group called the "Turkish Crime Family" has pleaded guilty in London to trying to blackmail Apple, reports Bloomberg.
In March 2017, Kerem Albayrak claimed to have access to several million iCloud accounts and demanded that Apple pay $75,000 in cryptocurrencies, or he would reset a number of the accounts and make the database available online. He later raised his demand to $100,000.
Apple responded to the ransom threat at the time by saying there had been no breaches of its systems. Indeed, according to the U.K.'s National Crime Agency (NCA), the data Albayrak claimed to have was from previously compromised third-party services which were mostly inactive, as Apple originally claimed.
A senior investigative officer at the NCA said in a statement that during the investigation, "it became clear that Albayrak was seeking fame and fortune."
Branded a "fame-hungry cyber-criminal" by the NCA, Albayrak told investigators that "when you have power on the internet it's like fame and everyone respects you, and everyone is chasing that right now."
Albayrak avoided prison time and instead was given a two-year suspended sentence following the NCA investigation. He was also sentenced to a six-month electronic curfew and 300 hours of unpaid work.
Apple has removed messaging app "ToTok" from the App Store after an investigation by the New York Times concluded that the app was actually a spying tool being used by the United Arab Emirates government to mass surveil its citizens.
According to the report, which cites U.S. officials familiar with a classified intelligence assessment, the app was being used to mine data from users' contact lists and track locations by offering a localized weather forecast.
ToTok's privacy policy notes that it "may share your personal data with group companies," but it turns out that the app is linked to Abu Dhabi-based cybersecurity firm DarkMatter, which is under investigation by the FBI for possible cybercrimes. A U.S. intelligence assessment also linked ToTok to Pax AI, an Abu Dhabi-based data mining firm.
In the time that it was available on the App Store and the Google Play store, the app was downloaded by millions of users in the Middle East, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The app was particularly popular in the UAE, where other messaging apps like WhatsApp and Skype are partially blocked. Users who installed the app on their devices are being advised to remove it, as any surveillance capacity could still potentially operate unhindered.
The UAE has reportedly been using surveillance technology to crack down on internal dissent in the country, including hacking Western journalists and holding human rights activists in solitary confinement over Facebook posts.
It's not the first time we've heard reports that apparently legitimate apps are being used as fronts for governments to spy on their citizens. An October report from the Open Technology Fund (OTF), an initiative funded by the U.S. government, revealed that an "educational" app teaching the Chinese Communist Party's policies includes code that amounts to a backdoor into users' Android devices.
A separate report elaborating on the findings said that the app, known as "Study Xi, Strong Nation," essentially gives the Chinese government the capacity to determine "the location of every citizen at any single point in time."
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.
Following last week's launch of Mac Pro orders, the first deliveries have started, allowing us to go hands-on with the new powerhouse workstation and 6K display. And of course, there's lots more to come as we explore Apple's newest Mac.
Aside from the Mac Pro, the pace of news has slowed as we've started getting into the holiday season, but this week did see the start of a new cycle of beta releases for Apple's operating systems, an announcement about a smart home alliance involving Apple, Amazon, Google, and Zigbee, and a few other items of note. Read on for all of the details!
Hands-On With Apple's New 2019 Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR
Apple designed the new Mac Pro to be modular and upgradeable, making it possible to swap in many new components. In another YouTube video, we've walked through the RAM upgrade process.
iFixit Shares 2019 Mac Pro Teardown: 'A Masterclass in Repairability'
As with any new Apple product, the folks at repair website iFixit have torn down the new Mac Pro, which they describe as "beautiful, amazingly well put together, and a masterclass in repairability."
Given its modular design, the new Mac Pro unsurprisingly earned a nearly perfect repairability score of 9/10, with iFixit noting that basic repairs and upgrades can be performed with standard tools or even no tools at all.
Apple Releases iOS 13.3.1 Beta 1, AirPods Firmware Update, and More
The new connectivity standard will be open source and royalty free, with code to be maintained on GitHub, according to Apple. The newly established working group has a goal to release a draft specification and a preliminary reference implementation in late 2020.
iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods Named to Time Magazine's Best Gadgets of the Decade
Steve Jobs introduced the iPad in 2010, while the Apple Watch and AirPods are part of the Tim Cook era, having been released in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Apple Arcade provides access to over 100 premium games across the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac, with no ads or in-app purchases.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Satechi to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of Satechi’s newly released Compact Backlit Bluetooth Keyboards for use with Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Priced at $80, Satechi's Compact Backlit Bluetooth Keyboard is a full-sized keyboard with backlit keys that have 10 levels of brightness and an included number pad on the right. It has attractive square keys with rounded edges, and the same satisfying typing experience offered by other Satechi keyboards.
The Compact Bluetooth Keyboard is made from a space gray aluminum that’s designed to match Apple’s devices with keys that are a matching shade of black. The keyboard connects to an Apple device using Bluetooth 5.0, and can be recharged using a built-in USB-C port.
The keyboard is designed to last for up to 600 hours before needing to be recharged, though that will vary based on the backlighting level.
Up to three Bluetooth devices can be connected to the keyboard at one time, with swapping between each device possible through the press of button. So you can connect the keyboard to a Mac and an iPad, for example, and swap connections quickly.
There are macOS shortcuts designed specifically for Apple’s Macs, for controlling brightness, accessing Spotlight and Mission Control, controlling media playback, and more.
Satechi says the keyboard is compatible with 2016 and later MacBook Pro models, the 2018 and later MacBook Air Models, the 2018 iPad Pro, the 2018 iMac and later, the iMac Pro, and the iPhone 8 and later. It is also compatible with most 2011 and later macOS devices.
We have six of the Compact Backlit Bluetooth Keyboards from Satechi to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (December 20) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on December 27. The winners will be chosen randomly on December 27 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
As we enter the last weekend before Christmas, last-minute holiday shopping is in full swing. For our readers, we have a collection of exclusive discounts that remain ongoing this season, offering the perfect chance to do some quick online Christmas shopping this weekend.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
These sales largely focus on accessories for Apple products, including those from Pad & Quill, Mophie, Twelve South, Nimble, and Zagg. On these websites, you can shop for iPhone cases, MacBook sleeves, Apple Watch bands, screen protectors, leather bags, and much more.
Each sale has a different end date, and shipping will vary from site-to-site, so be sure to read on for more information. Most brands are still offering delivery for Christmas, as long as you place orders by the end of the day today.
Save 20 percent on any Apple-related product with MR20
Save 15 percent on everything else with MR15
At Pad & Quill, our readers have a chance to save on Apple accessories all the way through Christmas day. With our first discount code, you can save 20 percent on any Apple related product, including those for iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and MacBook. Enter the code MR20 to access this sale.
Otherwise, you can use the code MR15 to take 15 percent off Pad & Quill's other products, like its premium leather bags, wallets, and desk accessories. These two codes essentially cover the entirety of Pad & Quill's website, and are a perfect opportunity to shop for anyone on your holiday list who loves high-quality accessories for their Apple devices.
Eco-friendly brand Nimble is offering our readers 30 percent off sitewide this holiday season with the exclusive promo code MACRUMORS30. With this promotion you can save on Nimble's portable chargers, wireless chargers, iPhone cases, and more.
Nimble's products are made from highly sustainable materials and come inside plastic-free packaging. The company also runs a one-for-one tech recovery project, placing a disposable bag with every product it sells. In these bags, customers can send back their old or unused tech so that it can be recycled responsibly.
In terms of shipping, Nimble offers free two-day shipping and returns, so be sure to browse the retailer's website soon to place your order in enough time before Christmas.
Mophie is giving our readers a chance to save 25 percent on one item on Mophie's website using the code MACRUMORS25.
If you place multiple items in your cart, the code will take 25 percent off of the highest-priced item, so if you've been waiting to buy one of Mophie's portable batteries, wireless charging mats, or battery cases, now is the perfect time. This new discount will run through New Year's Eve.
At Twelve South, you can get 15 percent off your entire order with the promo code MacRumors15. This promo code will last through December 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET for users in the United States.
Twelve South has numerous accessories that are specifically made for Apple products, like AirSnap for AirPods, HiRise Wireless for iPhone, and BookBook Vol. 2 for iPad Pro. You can browse for some holiday shopping ideas of your own in Twelve South's gift guide.
Save 20 percent across Zagg's brands with RUMORS20
On Zagg's other brands, you can get 20 percent off sitewide, including Zagg itself, Braven, Invisible Shield, iFrogz, Gear4, and Halo. This sale covers the gamut of Apple product accessories, including screen protectors, portable batteries, battery cases, charging cables, and more.
To get the discount, head to one of Zagg's websites, browse for an item, add it to your bag, and when you do you'll notice a pop-up on the right where you can view your bag. Here you can enter the promo code RUMORS20 and click apply to see the 20 percent discount taken off the most expensive item in your cart.
This discount can be applied across all of Zagg's brands, and it can be used twice per customer. You'll have until December 31, 2019 to use the code, so it should be a great way to save some money during your holiday shopping this season.
Although Mophie is included in this deal, our Mophie-specific code (mentioned above) is providing a deeper discount, so only look to use this Zagg code if you're shopping on the company's other product brands like Invisible Shield or Braven.
Apple today shared a new Apple Arcade video that focuses on great games to play during the holidays in an effort to get new users to try out its gaming service.
Get Apple Arcade for the holidays, and your whole family can play with you. Tap the joystick icon on the App Store to start your one-month free trial.
Apple highlights top Apple Arcade games like What the Golf (which has been updated with new December levels), Cat Quest II, Super Impossible Road, Sneaky Sasquatch, Steven Universe Unleash the Light, Patterned, and Exit the Dungeon.
Apple Arcade is priced at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, and one subscription allows up to six family members to play through Family Sharing. For those who have not yet given Apple Arcade a try, there is a one-month free trial available.
Update: MacRumors has obtained what appears to be a legitimate internal bulletin from Apple that indicates both Apple Store and AppleCare support employees from levels S1-S5 will be eligible to receive free access to Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ starting January 6. The bulletin does not mention Apple Music.
Original story follows.
At least some Apple Store employees will receive free access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade starting in January, according to 9to5Mac.
The report claims the perk will be limited to individual use by the employees themselves, so if they wanted to use Family Sharing for any of the services, they would have to pay for a subscription on their own.
It is unclear based on the report if every Apple Store employee will be offered this perk or if the perk will available globally.
Apple can benefit from offering this perk by having more of its employees gain first-hand experience with three of its major services, which can be useful when interacting with customers. It's unclear how long it will last.
Apple continues to authorize free display repairs for eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro models with anti-reflective coating issues for up to four years after the affected notebook's original purchase date, the company said in an internal memo distributed to Apple Authorized Service Providers this week.
Models that remain eligible for the repair program:
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2015)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2015)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
MacBook (12-inch, Early 2015)
MacBook (12-inch, Early 2016)
MacBook (12-inch, Early 2017)
Apple has not added any MacBook Pro or MacBook Air models released in 2018 or later to the eligibility list at this time.
In its memo, obtained by MacRumors, Apple adds that MacBook Pro models released in 2014 and earlier are no longer eligible for the program. Most of those units should be well past the repair program's four-year coverage window, but perhaps some were sold by resellers at a later date and were still eligible until now.
Apple's internal service guide for this issue continues to state that customers who already incurred out-of-warranty costs related to this issue are eligible for a refund, which can be initiated by contacting Apple support.
Affected customers can schedule an appointment at an Apple Store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider on Apple's support website by selecting Mac → Mac Notebooks → Hardware Issues → Display Issue. Apple advises technicians to quote customers a 3-5 business day turnaround time.
Apple's high-end 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones in 2020 will adopt sensor-shift image stabilization technology, according to a paywalled report today from hit-or-miss Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.
While details are slim, sensor-shift technology could bring image stabilization to the ultra-wide lens on high-end 2020 iPhones.
iPhone 11 Pro models feature optical image stabilization for both photo and video, but only when using the wide-angle or telephoto lenses. Sensor-shift technology could change this, as the stabilization would apply to the camera sensor itself and not be dependant on any specific lens.
Sensor-shifting image stabilization could also result in better shots with attachable lens accessories like the OlloClip.
The report backs rumors that the high-end 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones will each sport a triple-lens rear camera system with time-of-flight 3D sensing. Largan Precision is said to be the primary supplier of the lenses, fulfilling 80 percent of orders, with Genius Electric Optical picking up the remaining 20 percent.
Taiwan-based ALPS will supply motors for the sensor-shifting stabilization, and Sony will offer CMOS image sensors, the report adds.
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.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
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.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with eBay. 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 some of 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 these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
