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.
Hong Kong transit riders will not be able to use their Octopus card with Apple Pay this year as originally promised.
As noted by the blog Ata Distance, Octopus Cards Limited today announced that Apple Pay support has been delayed until later in 2020, after previously indicating that the rollout would be completed by the end of 2019.
Apple Pay support will allow the Octopus card to be added to the Wallet app for contactless fare payment using an iPhone or Apple Watch. Express Transit mode will likely be supported, allowing for tap-and-go payment without needing to authenticate the iPhone or Apple Watch with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
Apple has released an open-source version of its HomeKit Accessory Development Kit (ADK), following news that it is joining a new industry effort to create an open standard for smart home devices.
On Wednesday, Apple, Amazon, Google, and the Zigbee Alliance announced the formation of a new working group that plans to develop and promote the adoption of a new IP-based connectivity standard for smart home products, with a focus on increased compatibility, security, and simplified development for manufacturers.
In a news post on its developer website, Apple said the release of the open-source HomeKit ADK is designed to accelerate development of the new universal smart home standard:
To accelerate the development of the new universal standard, Apple is open-sourcing portions of its HomeKit Accessory Development Kit (ADK). HomeKit has grown to become the most extensive, powerful and secure smart home platform available on more than a billion iOS and iPadOS devices. Built from the ground up to protect customer data, HomeKit and the Home app use innovative privacy technologies and techniques to help minimize the amount of data anyone — including Apple — can access as well as powerful security features that protect personal information. By open-sourcing its HomeKit technology, Apple will be helping to jump-start the initiative and ultimately deliver an even better experience to customers.
The release of the ADK means anyone can start developing non-commercial smart home accessories and even build HomeKit devices for their own home, while accessory manufacturers can use it to test products before officially joining the HomeKit MFi program, which can be a time-consuming process, not to mention an expensive undertaking.
Apple says it will contribute its HomeKit Accessory Protocol to the new consortium, and noted that anyone planning to sell HomeKit-compatible accessories must use the commercial version of the kit supplied by the Apple MFi program. The company also confirmed that existing HomeKit accessories will remain compatible with the new protocol when it's eventually released.
Leaked images allegedly showing Samsung's next folding smartphone have appeared on Weibo, offering a preview of what the company's Galaxy Fold successor could look like.
Images via Wang Benhong - Weibo
First spotted by mobile leaker Ice Universe, the images depict a clamshell-like device reminiscent of a traditional flip phone that folds up into a compact palm-sized phone, making it small enough to easily fit into a pocket. Two cameras can be seen on the back next to a digital clock readout.
Bloomberg first reported in March that Samsung plans on releasing two additional folding smartphone models to succeed the Galaxy Fold. One was described as a clamshell-like device that folds from top to bottom, like the one shown in the images. Another, high-end folding smartphone is also reportedly in the works.
Samsung actually shared concept images of its clamshell device in October, and these images do bear a resemblance to them. Samsung offered no details at the time on when it planned to bring the handset to market, but earlier this month Bloomberg reported that the Galaxy Fold clamshell device would be launched in February alongside the Galaxy S11.
Images via Wang Benhong - Weibo
Here's where some of the details don't add up though. Bloomberg's latest report claimed the Galaxy Fold successor will get the same five-camera setup that's coming to the Galaxy S11, but the device in these leaked images appears to have only two cameras. It could be that Samsung decided having a giant photographic arsenal strapped onto the back of a flip phone wasn't a good look, but we'll just have to wait and see.
The new clamshell-like Galaxy Fold is expected to be more affordable than its book-style predecessor, which costs $1,980 in the U.S. Last month, Motorola announced the resurrection of its Razr brand in the form of a similar-looking vertically folding Android phone. The new mid-range Razr will cost $1,499 when it's released in January, so it'll be interesting to see if Samsung is willing or able to keep the price down on its next flagship foldable.
There are no rumors suggesting that Apple has plans to release a foldable smartphone in the near future, but Apple is undoubtedly looking into foldable devices given that its major competitors are coming out with them. In the past, Apple has patented some foldable display technology, and a rumor earlier this year suggested Samsung has provided folding display samples to Apple.
Twitter today updated its official Twitter app for iPad with a redesigned interface that makes better use of the iOS device's larger screen.
The new Twitter interface on iPad, first spotted by Applesfera
Up until now, Twitter on iPad adopted the exact same interface as on the iPhone, which meant iPad users were presented with a single timeline with two big white unused spaces on either side of it.
Fortunately, the update sees Twitter for iPad ditch the single timeline layout of the previous version and replace it with a multi-column view that works in both portrait and landscape mode and puts a lot more content at the user's fingertips.
If the design looks familiar, that's because it's pretty similar to the Twitter web app layout. The menu bar has been relocated from the bottom of the screen to the left side of the timeline, while trending topics and other variable content appear on the right side of the timeline.
Unlike third-party clients, Twitter has seemingly opted to keep things simple in its official app, as there's no way to customize the three-column view to display things like additional timelines, direct messages, or mentions. But the update at least means the additional screen real estate of iPad is no longer being under-utilized.
Twitter on iPad is a free download available on the App Store, while existing users of the app can update to the new version today. [Direct Link]
Westpac, the second largest bank in Australia, has announced plans to implement support for Apple Pay across its brands in 2020, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
Apple Pay is now available for the St. George, BankSA, and Bank of Melbourne brands. Customers of these banks with an eligible Visa debit or credit card can now use Apple Pay for contactless payments and online purchases in Australia.
Westpac customers will have access to Apple Pay by June 2020, and the rollout to the main Westpac brand is said to take longer because Westpac currently uses a different banking platform. As the Westpac system is updated, Apple Pay will be rolling out for its regional brands.
"We want to assure Westpac customers we are working to bring them Apple Pay as quickly as possible, while we roll-out the technology across our different banking platforms," said chief executive of consumer banking David Lindberg.
Westpac has been a notable Apple Pay holdout and is the fourth of Australia's "big four" banks to implement support for Apple Pay. Along with NAB and Commonwealth Bank, Westpac attempted to collectively bargain with Apple in an attempt to force Apple to open up the iPhone's NFC capabilities to support other digital wallets, like those offered by Westpac itself.
Apple argued that this would be harmful to consumers and would stifle innovation, and Australian regulators took Apple's side in the dispute. The banks were not provided with authorization to collectively bargain with Apple.
ANZ, one of the four major banks, has supported Apple Pay since it launched in Australia. Commonwealth Bank, Australia's largest bank, has supported Apple Pay since January 2019, and NAB implemented support in May 2019.
Apple designed the Mac Pro to be modular and upgradeable, and it's possible to upgrade components that include the SSD and the RAM.
We purchased a base model Mac Pro with the intention of upgrading the RAM after the fact using hardware from OWC, and in our latest YouTube video, we demo swapping out the RAM, which is a straightforward process, but still needs to be done carefully.
The base model Mac Pro ships with 32GB 2933MHz RAM, but the machine supports up to 1.5TB and has a total of 12 DIMM slots. For the maximum amount of RAM, you do need the 24 or 28-core processors, as the 8, 12, and 16-core options are limited to 768GB of RAM.
Upgrading RAM can be done with other LR-DIMMs or R-DIMMs, but the different memory types can't be mixed with one another. Apple recommends Mac Pro owners make sure to use the same type of memory when installing additional DIMMs or replacing DIMMs.
Apple also recommends using Apple-approved DIMMs purchased by visiting an Apple retail store or an Apple Authorized Reseller, but Apple RAM is super expensive and most upgraders are likely going to want to go with something that saves some cash.
DIMMs can be installed in configurations of 4, 6, 8, or 12, and Apple has a visual aid on how different setups should work in its support document.
Swapping out or adding RAM to the Mac Pro requires the machine to be off, cool, and unplugged. Pulling off the outer aluminum casing is required, and then from there, the DIMM slots are accessible. Existing DIMMs can be accessed by unlocking the DIMM covers, sliding them open, and then using the DIMM ejectors to push it out of the slot.
Putting in new DIMMs can be done by adding a DIMM to an empty slot, seating it in place, and then making sure the DIMM ejectors click closed.
Apple has a very detailed support document that outlines replacing the RAM, and for Mac Pro owners, we recommend reading it thoroughly and following each of Apple's specific steps. Apple warns that causing damage by replacing components in the wrong way won't be covered under warranty, so it's best to use caution and be thorough when upgrading a part.
Apple has a bunch of support documents and tutorial videos dedicated to the Mac Pro, which we've rounded up. Apple covers everything from installing new RAM to swapping out GPU modules to replacing the power supply and I/O card.
"Mythic Quest" was created by Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day, known for their work on long running series "Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Day won't star in the show, but McElhenney will.
The series is a live-action comedy that will feature nine half-hour episodes, all of which will be available on the February 7 launch date.
"Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet" will follow a team of video game developers as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game. McElhenney will play the role of the company's creative director, while other cast members will include F. Murray Abraham, Danny Pudi, Imani Hakim, Charlotte Nicdao, David Hornsby, Ashly Burch, and Jessie Ennis.
The new comedy series will be one of the first comedy shows on Apple TV+, joining existing shows like "Dickinson," "For All Mankind," "See," "Servant," and "The Morning Show."
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced three years ago in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 97 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Resize Observer, WebAuthn, Web Animations, Web Inspector, Rendering, Back-Forward Cache, SVG, Clipboard API, CSS, Remote Playback API, Media, JavaScript, Picture-in-Picture Web API, WebAssembly, and Web API.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS Mojave and MacOS Catalina, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was released in October.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Best Buy's 12 Days of Deals shopping event is still going on as we get closer to Christmas. Today, that includes solid discounts on the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom speaker and the Philips Hue Play Starter Kit.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Regarding the latter accessory, you can get this starter kit for $119.99, which is a $30 discount on its usual $149.99 price. But, Best Buy is also throwing in a free $50 Best Buy e-gift card, making the Hue Play starter kit a solid chance to get some extra credit to put towards your other holiday purchases at the retailer.
Like other days in the Best Buy event, all of the deals listed in this article will expire later tonight at 11:59 p.m. CT, and some have limited quantities. Head to our full Deals Roundup for more sales and bargains.
Amazon has the AirPods Pro in stock and is discounting the earphones to $236.55, down from an original price of $249.00. You won't see the sale price until you add the AirPods Pro to your cart and head to the checkout screen, but the discount will be applied automatically.
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.
Amazon's sales on the AirPods Pro typically result in the earphones selling out fast, so if you're interested be sure to head to Amazon soon to make your purchase. With Amazon Prime delivery, you'll also get the AirPods Pro in time for Christmas.
AirPods Pro have been discounted to around $235 in the past, so while this sale isn't quite as good, it's still a nice opportunity to save some money on the brand-new earphones.
For more holiday shopping ideas, check out our full Deals Roundup.
Apple is seeking additional office spaces in Pittsburgh and New York City, according to a pair of reports this week.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Apple is in talks about taking up to 90,000 square feet of space in the 111-year-old Pittsburgh Athletic Association building in the city's Oakland neighborhood, across the street from the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning.
Bloomberg meanwhile reported that Apple has also recently looked at Essex Crossing, a mixed-use development in Manhattan's Lower East Side that will have 350,000 square feet of office space upon completion.
In a December 2018 press release, Apple revealed plans to grow its employee base in regions across the United States over the following three years, expanding to over 1,000 employees in Seattle, San Diego and Culver City each, and adding hundreds of new jobs in Pittsburgh, New York, Boulder, Boston, and Portland.
Anker this week kicked off a big accessory sale on Amazon, with discounts on everything from Soundcore earphones to Lightning cables, PowerWave wireless charging mats, and PowerCore portable batteries.
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.
We've listed all of the devices in Anker's new sale below, along with the dates when the discounts expire. Most of the sales will end on December 22, which makes this one of Anker's last big discount events of 2019.
Nine months ago, Apple unveiled its Apple News+ service, designed to let Apple News users access over 200 magazines and some paywalled news content for a $9.99 per month fee. Apple keeps 50 percent of this fee and the remaining revenue is split among publishers based on the amount of time readers spend with each publisher's content.
However, a new report by Digiday looking at the popularity of Apple News+ suggests that most publishers remain underwhelmed by the paid subscription service and so far aren't seeing the results they'd hoped for.
According to the report, the news service is having little impact on publishers' bottom lines, and although it has generated some additional revenue and enabled them to reach more international audiences, overall publisher revenues generated from Apple News+ are modest.
One publisher told Digiday that revenue was less than $20,000 a month, but the desire to keep the subscription numbers up meant it was worth renewing the contract with Apple next year.
"We're happy to be on there because it's another way to increase subscription revenue, but it's not like it's a huge boon for our business or anything like that," one magazine exec said. "It's not really relevant."
Another publisher said they were "encouraged" by the results since joining Apple News+ and that it had helped them grow their audience outside of the U.S., but declined to say how many subscriptions they'd added because of the platform.
"I think the jury is out," said Roger Lynch, Condé Nast CEO said at Code Media in November, about Apple News+. "I think that … the paid side of it has had some adoption and I think Apple will continue to focus on that. Whether it's good for publishers like us or not is to be determined."
Two days after the service's launch in March, Apple reported 200,000 new subscriptions for Apple News+, but hasn't offered any more subscription numbers. One report last month suggested that Apple has struggled to attract subscribers to its news service, although the company isn't expected to dramatically change its Apple News+ strategy.
That said, Bloomberg reported in November that Apple is considering bundling Apple News+ with Apple TV+ and Apple Music, which could mean users see perceive it as offering better value for money. Have you signed up for Apple News+ and do you plan to keep the subscription? Let us know in the comments.
The case has a cutout for the Lightning port on the AirPods Pro, but it also supports wireless charging on compatible Qi mats. The accessory comes with a nylon wristlet that can be used to hold your AirPods Pro on walks or runs, as well as an included S-clip that can be used to attach the AirSnap Pro to a backpack or purse.
You can get the AirSnap Pro for $39.99 in Cognac, Black, or Slate Blue, and pre-orders are up today on Twelve South's website. The company says that the new product won't begin shipping until the week of December 30, 2019.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Twelve South. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple, Amazon, Google, and the Zigbee Alliance today announced a new working group that plans to develop and promote the adoption of a new IP-based connectivity standard for smart home products, with a focus on increased compatibility, security, and simplified development for manufacturers.
Zigbee Alliance board member companies such as IKEA, Legrand, NXP Semiconductors, Resideo, SmartThings, Schneider Electric, Signify, Silicon Labs, Somfy, and Wulian will also contribute to the project.
The so-called "Project Connected Home over IP" aims to make it easier for device manufacturers to build devices that are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, and others by defining a specific set of IP-based networking technologies for device certification.
The new standard will incorporate existing smart home technologies, such as Apple's HomeKit and Google's Weave and Thread:
We're contributing two of our market-tested and open-source smart home technologies, Weave and Thread. Both are built on IP and have been integrated into millions of homes around the world. Weave, an application protocol, works over many networks like Thread, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, and even cellular. Even when devices are on different networks, Weave allows them all to securely work with each other.
The new connectivity standard will be open source and royalty free, with code to be maintained on GitHub. The working group has a goal to release a draft specification and a preliminary reference implementation in late 2020.
For consumers, this should ultimately lead to more smart home accessories that support multiple platforms like HomeKit and Alexa.
Update: Resideo, maker of Honeywell-branded smart home products, has announced that it has joined the Zigbee Alliance. Alongside other members, Resideo will play a role in the Connected Home over IP project.
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.
Apple today 
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. 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.
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.
