Facebook today announced a new set of Portal video chat devices, including one that is aimed to compete in the streaming TV market. This device is called the Portal TV, and it connects to a TV set with a standard HDMI cable and can stream content as well as enable video calls through Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
According to Facebook, video calling is the primary feature of Portal TV, because there aren't many supported streaming apps announced as of today. Customers will be able to stream Amazon Prime Video, listen to Spotify, and download apps like Showtime, CBS All Access, Starz, Pluto TV, Red Bull TV, and Neverthink.
More apps are said to be coming soon, but Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and other popular platforms will not be on Portal TV at launch.
Speaking with Bloomberg, Facebook executive Andrew Bosworth said that the ability to video call friends and family on a TV-based device will make it unique in a crowded market. Bosworth went on to suggest that people will likely switch on alternative devices for their video streaming when they're done video calling on Portal TV.
Otherwise, Facebook is also launching updated Portal devices in two new sizes: an 8-inch "Portal Mini" and 10-inch regular "Portal." The new Portals have improved speakers, and a physical shutter so users can easily disable the camera and microphone.
Of course, with any news related to Facebook, the company has attempted to double down on privacy assurances. With the new Portal models, it said that users can opt out of the company accessing voice recordings collected by the Portal in their home. Facebook will transcribe some "Hey Portal" audio clips if users don't opt out of it, however.
Bloomberg posted a separate story about this earlier today, detailing how Facebook "paused human review of audio" in August, while it worked on a way to give customers more control over the feature. The default option will still be for Facebook to automatically collect and transcribe "Hey Portal" commands, so users will have to be aware of this and navigate into their settings to opt out.
The Portal TV will cost $149, the Portal Mini will cost $129, and the Portal will cost $179. The Portal Mini and Portal will launch October 15, while the Portal TV is set to launch on November 5.
Apple this week published environmental reports for the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, revealing that the Taptic Engine in all three devices is made of 100 percent recycled rare earth elements.
The Taptic Engine, which powers haptic feedback, represents around 25 percent of the total rare earth elements used in each iPhone.
"This is one of those happy coincidences where what is good for the planet is really good for business at the same time," Apple's environmental chief Lisa Jackson told Reuters. "One of the things we talk about a lot internally, just in general, is how much more resilient this makes our supply chain."
Apple is able to recover and sort some rare earth elements using its recycling robot Daisy.
The Apple Watch Series 5 is set to launch this Friday, September 20, but the embargo for the first reviews of Apple's latest smartwatch ended this morning. Several journalists and media outlets were provided with review units, so we've gathered together some key takeaways and highlights.
Not a lot is new with the Apple Watch Series 5, and it's identical in design to the Series 4. The exception is the display, which uses a lower power (LTPO) OLED screen that enables Apple's new always-on display feature.
To accommodate the new always-on display, Apple has created new battery-optimized watch face options that allow you to see the time and your complications at all times. Apart from a new built-in compass and a new international emergency calling feature for LTE models that contacts the local emergency services when SOS is activated, other new features are software-based and will come courtesy of watchOS 6.
As you'd expect, the focus of many of the reviews is on that always-on display. TechCrunch's Catherine Shu says it "addresses a longstanding issue with the device," but one that has been understandable because of battery considerations. To get around this, Apple has "made a bit of a compromise" by offering an always-on watch that lasts the same stated 18 hours as its predecessors.
Apple's employed some clever fixes to ensure that the new feature won’t totally sap battery life. Each of the faces gets a low-power, always-on version. In the case of the Meridian face that I've been using (new for WatchOS 6), it's white text on a black background. Hold the watch up to your face, however, and the colors invert. The active version is easier to see, and the always-on version uses less power.
While complications and other features are still on display, they're simplified, removing any power-hungry features. That means the second hand disappears on the standard watch face, and when the watch is in workout mode, the milliseconds will disappear until you bring the watch back up to your face.
Ultimately, Shu reckons "there's probably not enough here to warrant an upgrade from last year’s model, but some welcome new features like the always-on help keep the line fresh."
Daring Fireball's John Gruber says that the always-on display "solves my single biggest complaint about Apple Watch since day one. Its not perfect," he says, "but it's more than good enough. No other feature or improvement to Apple Watch to date has ever made me this happy."
As for the built-in compass, Gruber says that "while it's fun to play with, I don’t recall ever needing a compass in my entire life." However, he was impressed by the way it overcomes the problem that magnets pose to traditional compasses.
Traditional compasses spin randomly when you bring a magnet near them. Series 5's compass won't do this, because it uses the gyroscope to see if you're actually moving. The compass won't be fooled by a magnet because it can tell the watch itself isn't spinning around. Smart.
The Verge's Dieter Bohn starts his review by covering the new materials for the Apple Watch casing, specifically the more expensive titanium and ceramic.
There are some subtle weight differences on the more expensive materials, and they also have sapphire glass on the front of the Watch. But you should not spend the extra money on those more premium materials in the hope that they’ll be better from a feature perspective. They're the same Apple Watch; you'd just be paying more for something fancier. Some people like doing that!
Bohn also admits his long-running desire for an always-on screen, which is made possible by the low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO for short) display that Apple has designed.
I love the always-on screen on the Series 5. Apple's implementation is better than other smartwatches I've used for two reasons: it legitimately doesn't hurt the battery life as much, and Apple keeps a little color visible in ambient mode.
For whatever reason, I've never been able to get earlier Apple Watches to show their screens with subtle wrist movements. I've always had to cartoonishly raise my arm. An always-on screen means I am a little bit less of a jerk in conversations and meetings.
Bohn confirms that the display doesn't deplete the battery faster than the stated 18 hours, although he notes that "the Series 4 usually outperformed that estimate."
Apart from the new compass and LTE-based Emergency Call features, Bohn sees little else to recommend existing Apple Watch Series 4 owners and admits he's more excited about features coming with watchOS 6, like the new health features and the dedicated App Store, which he thinks are worth checking out first before anyone thinks of upgrading.
Apple's new 2019 iPhone lineup uses modems from Intel rather than Qualcomm, PCMag confirmed today thanks to the devices' field test screens.
We already expected Apple to use Intel modems in the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro because Apple's renewed relationship with Qualcomm came too late in the year for it to swap over to Qualcomm modems, so PCMag's news isn't a huge surprise, but it's useful to have confirmation.
PCMag says that Intel and Qualcomm-based devices have different menu configurations for the field test screens, and Apple's newest devices use the Intel layout.
We figured this out because the field test menus on Intel-based and Qualcomm-based iPhones have different menu items, and the menu items have stayed consistent through the generations. (I checked on models from the 6s generation up to the XR.)
According to Apple, there is one model of each of the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max sold in the US. With one of each device in hand, I went to the field test mode and found that it had an Intel layout.
The field test information does not specify which Intel modem Apple is using, but the new iPhones are most likely equipped with the XMM 7660, the final modem that Intel produced before shutting down.
PCMag says that it expects the new iPhones will feature 20 percent faster LTE speeds than last year's model, but testing will need to be done to confirm. The iPhone 11 will be somewhat slower than the iPhone 11 Pro because while it features Gigabit-class LTE support this year, it has 2x2 MIMO instead of 4x4 MIMO.
Early tests shared just after the iPhone event on September 10 suggested the iPhone 11 Pro was 13 percent faster than the iPhone XS, but there was no information on how the speed comparison was conducted.
Apple has used Intel modems exclusively in recent iPhones due to its legal battle with Qualcomm, but earlier this year, Apple and Qualcomm settled their differences and inked a new deal that will see Apple using Qualcomm modems in its devices for the next few years.
Apple plans to use Qualcomm technology in the 2020 iPhone that's expected to feature 5G support, but Apple is also developing its own modem technology and purchased much of Intel's modem division to further its goals. Apple's ultimate aim is to craft its own modem chips in house, reducing its reliance on Qualcomm, and the company has reportedly set a 2021 goal for itself.
A U.S. District Judge in San Jose today certified a class action lawsuit that accuses Apple of using "inferior" refurbished products as replacements for its AppleCare and AppleCare+ protection plans despite promising consumers new or equivalent to new replacements. [PDF]
The class action lawsuit was first filed against Apple in July 2016 by customers in California who were unhappy that their iPhones and iPads were replaced by refurbished devices under Apple's AppleCare or AppleCare+ plan.
The plaintiffs, Vicky Maldondo and Joanne McRight, claimed that Apple's decision to offer refurbished devices violate its own AppleCare Terms and Conditions and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act. From the original lawsuit:
The Apple Plans purport to provide consumers with Devices that are "equivalent to new in performance and reliability." What that phrase means is 'new' as refurbished devices can never be the equivalent to new in performance and reliability. Plaintiffs allege that it means refurbished. Refurbished is synonymous with the term "reconditioned," that is, a secondhand unit that has been modified to appear to be new for all purposes relevant to this litigation.
"New" means a Device that has never been utilized or previously sold and consists of all new parts. The word "refurbished" appears only once in the AppleCare+ terms and conditions even though the printed booklet is 33 pages long.
The lawsuit seeks compensation for iPhone, iPad, or iPod owners who purchased AppleCare or AppleCare+ coverage.
The law firm behind the lawsuit says that Apple customers who paid for AppleCare should have received new Apple devices that Apple promised, and is aiming for the difference in value "between devices that work like new and the inferior devices Apple provided class members."
Likely-accurate battery and RAM specifications for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max have surfaced in filings submitted to Chinese regulatory agency TENAA and uncovered by MacRumors.
Note that Apple filed the Chinese models of each iPhone with TENAA, but as in previous years, the battery capacities and RAM specifications should be consistent with the models sold in the United States and other countries.
Here's how that stacks up with last year's iPhones:
iPhone XR: 2,942 mAh battery and 3GB of RAM
iPhone XS: 2,658 mAh battery and 4GB of RAM
iPhone XS Max: 3,174 mAh battery and 4GB of RAM
Based on these figures, the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max have 5.7 percent, 14.5 percent, and 25 percent larger battery capacities than the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, respectively.
TENAA filing for iPhone 11 Pro Max
Apple says that the iPhone 11 lasts up to one hour longer than the iPhone XR, while the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max last up to four and five hours longer than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively. Many reviews found the devices to have excellent battery life that does last hours longer.
Two of the battery capacities were previously rumored. In June, Korean website The Elec claimed the successor to the iPhone XR would have a 3,110 mAh battery. And a month later, an alleged Foxconn employee claimed the successor to the iPhone XS Max would sport a 3,969 mAh battery.
4GB of RAM across the entire iPhone 11 lineup is also consistent with benchmark results that have surfaced in reviews of the devices. There has been some discussion that at least some iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max configurations have 6GB of RAM, but the TENAA filings do not reflect this.
Apple never discloses battery capacities or RAM in iPhones, but teardowns of the new devices should confirm these details in the coming days.
Apple provided iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max review units to members of the media following its September 10 event, and today, those reviews were published, giving us some insight into the new devices.
Apple this afternoon highlighted several of the reviews, focusing on the positives of the iPhones, including the upgraded camera tech and the improved battery life.
Apple shared key passages from sites that include TechCrunch, The Verge, Mashable, Refinery29, Engadget, Tom's Guide, Esquire, CNBC, GQ UK, 9News, Hardware Zone Singapore, and New Straits Time.
TechCrunch, for example, praised Night mode, calling the exposure and color "best in class" compared to other low-light cameras, and Refinery29 said it can double as a flash light.
"The best new feature here is Night mode, which pretty impressively brightens dark photos ... it's automatic in low-light settings. You can even use it as a flashlight. When you shine it at something dark, the screen will display it with more light than you can see with your own eye."
The Verge called the new devices the "most capable phones" ever made.
"[iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max] are some of the most well-balanced, most capable phones Apple -- or anyone -- has ever made. They have excellent battery life, processors that should keep them relevant for years to come, absolutely beautiful displays and a new camera system that generally outperforms every other phone, which should get even better with a promised software update later this fall."
Engadget praised the affordable $699 price of the iPhone 11, CNBC said Apple's portrait mode is the best, and HardwareZone said the A13 bionic "wipes the floor" with the competition.
While Apple highlighted the most positive bits of each review, on the whole, most praised the new iPhone anyway. Some reviews, though, did see the updates as mostly iterative without a whole lot of innovative new features with the exception of the camera improvements.
Our full review roundups of the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro go into more detail about what to expect from the new iPhones and are worth checking out for those who want to know more.
It's always interesting to get a look back at Apple's past, especially when it comes to prototype devices that were never actually released to the public, so we thought we'd share some photos of a restored Macintosh Portable M5120, sent to us by Sonny Dickson.
Unlike the launch version of the Macintosh Portable, which was sold in the late 1980s in a beige color, this model is a prototype made from a clear plastic material. It's been restored and it is one of only six that are known to exist.
When it was released, the Macintosh Portable was priced at $7,300 and it was the first Mac powered by a battery. Despite the name, the Macintosh Portable weighed in at a whopping 16 pounds, but it was still more transportable than standard computers of the era.
There are no screws in the Macintosh Portable and it was designed to be taken apart with just the hands, a feat not possible with current laptop computers. It featured a 9.8-inch black and white active matrix LCD display, 9MB SRAM, a 1.44MB floppy disk drive, a typewriter-style keyboard, and a trackball setup that allowed the trackball to be positioned at either the left or the right.
A hinged design let the display be closed up over the keyboard when not in use, reminiscent of more modern laptop designs, and there's a built-in handle. The battery inside was a lead-acid battery, which, when the machines were launched, was able to last for approximately 8 to 10 hours.
Apple sold the Macintosh Portable alongside the Apple IIci, and it never really caught on due to its high price tag. After launching it in 1989, Apple made one followup version, the Macintosh Portable M5126, but it was discontinued just six months later, with Apple nixing the Portable line entirely in 1991.
After the Macintosh Portable was discontinued, Apple moved on to the PowerBook, which came out later that year.
Amazon this week is discounting numerous Apple notebooks and tablets, offering new all-time-low prices in each instance. You can save as much as $400 in these sales, which relate to the 2019 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and the 2018 iPad Pro and iPad.
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.
To start off, there's a unique coupon available for the 13-inch MacBook Pro this week on Amazon. The retailer has discounted the all-new 2019 MacBook Pro with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD to $1,599.99, down from $1,799.00, which in and of itself is an all-time-low price.
But, when you clip the on-page coupon to take an additional $200 off (totaling $400 off), you can get the computer for just $1,399.99, easily beating the prices found on Best Buy and B&H Photo.
This is the model that Apple updated in May 2019, with an eighth-generation Intel processor and new butterfly keyboard technology. Head to Amazon to check out the sale before it ends soon.
You can also save on the 11-inch iPad Pro from 2018 this week, with Amazon offering another all-time-low price. The 1TB Wi-Fi iPad Pro is available for $1,149.99, down from $1,349.00 ($200 off).
If you prefer the 12.9-inch model, Amazon has the 1TB 12.9-inch iPad Pro at $1,349.99, down from $1,549.00 ($200 off), which is another lowest-ever price. These are the iPad Pros that received a major design overhaul last fall, with slim bezels, Face ID, USB-C, and support for the Apple Pencil 2.
Lastly, you can save on the 32GB cellular 9.7-inch iPad, priced at $379.00, down from $459.00 ($80 off). As with every other sale today, this is the lowest price we've tracked among the major Apple resellers online.
This iPad comes with a 9.7-inch Retina display, A10 Fusion chip, Touch ID support, 8MP back camera and 1.2MP front camera, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and up to 10 hours of battery life.
For a limited time, this MacBook Air is priced at $899.97, down from $1,099.00. At nearly $200 off, this is the lowest price the new MacBook Air has ever reached, and stock appears to be tight. Amazon says that this model will be in stock on October 17, but it may ship sooner depending on supplies.
Apple updated the MacBook Air in July with a True Tone display, updated butterfly keyboard, and a more affordable price tag starting at $1,099 (down even lower today). This line also includes a Retina display, slim bezels, Touch ID, 8th-gen Intel chips, up to 16GB RAM, and up to a 1TB SSD.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup for all of the latest Apple-related discounts and offers.
Yesterday, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max pre-orders have been better than expected so far, noting that demand for the higher-end iPhone 11 Pro models is particularly strong in the United States due to trade-in and financing options.
In a follow-up research note with TF International Securities today, seen by MacRumors, Kuo now specifies that the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max models have accounted for 55 percent of pre-orders to date. By extension, that would mean the lower-priced iPhone 11 has comprised 45 percent of pre-orders.
Kuo notes that shipment volumes of the higher-end OLED display models are "better than last year." A year ago, he estimated the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max would account for a combined 40-45 percent of 2018 iPhone lineup shipments.
While the iPhone 11 should be the best-selling iPhone of the 2019 lineup, Apple's push towards monthly installments like the iPhone Upgrade Program may be convincing more customers to opt for the higher-priced models, as the $999-plus price tags are less steep when they are spread out over two years.
Apple no longer shares iPhone pre-order figures, nor has it ever disclosed iPhone sales on a model-by-model basis, so it is unclear how Kuo's "survey" results are determined, but Apple's online shipping estimates are one factor.
NBCUniversal today revealed that the name of its upcoming streaming television service is "Peacock," a reference to the company's logo. The service is still set to launch in April 2020, and NBC also provided more information on the content users will see at launch and beyond (via Vulture).
We knew that Peacock would be getting The Office to stream exclusively, but NBC today revealed that its service will also be the only place you can stream Parks and Recreation starting next fall. Parks and Rec is currently available on a multitude of streaming platforms, including Netflix and Hulu, but come fall 2020 it will be removed from those services.
“The name Peacock pays homage to the quality content that audiences have come to expect from NBCUniversal,” said Bonnie Hammer, who’s overseeing the service in her role as chairman of NBC’s direct-to-consumer and digital-enterprises division. And while there was nothing official in the release Tuesday, Hammer seemed to indicate Peacock will also have news and sports content. “Peacock will be the go-to place for both the timely and timeless — from can’t-miss Olympic moments and the 2020 election to classic fan favorites like The Office,” she said.
Peacock will also house exclusive original shows, including a reboot of Battlestar Galactica from the creator of Mr. Robot, a Saved by the Bell revival, a Punky Brewster revival, a spin-off of one of The Real Housewives shows, and a new comedy from Mike Schur, creator of The Good Place.
Former NBC shows on Peacock include: SNL, Cheers, 30 Rock, Frasier, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Superstore, Will & Grace, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. There will also be NBCUniversal properties from the USA and Bravo networks.
In terms of movies, NBC said that the service will have dozens of films from the NBCUniversal library, as well as new animated shows from DreamWorks Animation, and episodes of Downton Abbey. Additionally, there will be premium programming from Telemundo, featuring over 3,000 hours of content from the Spanish-language network.
The price hasn't yet been detailed, but NBC said Peacock will be supported by ads, and suggested that anyone who subscribes to a cable package (including OTT services like YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV) will be able to watch for free. Otherwise, there will be a standalone subscription price, but it's not clear if there will be an ad-free tier.
Essentially, Peacock will be NBC's answer to CBS All Access, which provides subscribers a back catalog of the network's classics and modern TV shows, along with all-new scripted series that are exclusive to the platform.
Streaming TV has become more and more fragmented over the years, with each company, broadcaster, and brand offering a service of its own. Apple is getting into the market itself this year with Apple TV+, which will launch this November for $4.99/month and offer a catalog of exclusive TV shows and films. For anyone who purchases an Apple device, the service will be free for an entire year.
Amazon today introduced a new tier of Amazon Music, called Amazon Music HD, which offers lossless versions of audio files for streaming or downloading. This tier will cost $14.99/month, or $12.99/month for Amazon Prime members (via The Verge).
Amazon is offering a catalog of over 50 million songs in "High Definition," which are songs with CD-quality bit depth of 16 bits and a 44.1kHz sample rate. Then, there are "millions" of songs in Ultra HD, meaning they have 24-bit and sample rates that range from 44.1kHz up to 192kHz.
All of these songs will be delivered in a lossless FLAC file format. Amazon is hoping that being the first of the so-called big three streaming music services (Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Spotify) to offer lossless streaming will win some converts. Tidal has always offered lossless streaming as one of its main selling points, but its price is $19.99/month, which Amazon is now undercutting.
Amazon’s VP of Music, Steve Boom says that “It’s a pretty big deal that one of the big three global streaming services is doing this — we’re the first one.” Amazon Music isn’t often in the conversation about music streaming competition, which usually ends up following a Spotify vs. Apple Music narrative. But Amazon considers itself in their company, and with the new HD offering it’s looking to differentiate itself and perhaps raise its profile.
The iPhone 11 is set to launch this Friday, September 20, and in advance of that release date the first reviews for the smartphone have begun appearing online. Apple has provided review units of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max to media outlets, but this article will focus only on the iPhone 11 and you can check out our separate iPhone 11 Pro review roundup right here.
As the lower-cost device, the iPhone 11 lacks some of the hardware and software features of the Pro line, but numerous reviewers pointed out that the line between the 11 and the 11 Pro has blurred even more this year. In short, this will likely be the iPhone that is the best choice for most customers this season.
Wired echoed many of these sentiments, calling it the iPhone for "just about everybody" and applauding the smartphone's camera upgrade, solid battery life, low cost, and the speed of the A13 Bionic processor. The site particularly appreciated Apple's no-nonsense UI design for the camera app, pointing out how this improves the camera as a whole, even if it might not be as good as others on the market.
Image via Wired
It would be a stretch to say that the camera on the iPhone 11 has wowed me or has set a new standard that other phone makers will have to race to match. The iPhone 11 Pro, with its funky three-lens camera module on the back, is noticeably better. But one area where Apple deserves credit is in the overall packaging of its camera features and the design of the app’s interface.
Smartphones are now cluttered with so many features that it can be hard to figure out what’s what, which can actively discourage people from trying all the newfangled things. On many premium Android phones, for example, the wide-angle icon is a cluster of—trees? When you select the Pro mode on Samsung’s Galaxy Note10+, there are no fewer than 17 photo options available, some of which cut into the frame of the viewfinder.
Ultimately, Wired noted that the iPhone 11 is an impressive device but Apple hasn't done anything innovative with the base model iPhone this year. The site pointed out last-generation LCD technology, the lack of an in-display fingerprint sensor, and other features, but still described the iPhone 11 as a "very good phone" that will have more than enough features to sway people to upgrade.
The Verge kicked off its review by stating simply, "the iPhone 11 is the phone most people who are upgrading to a new iPhone this year should get." The site particularly liked the iPhone 11's camera upgrade, including the ultra-wide lens and Night Mode. With the upgrades, The Verge said that the iPhone 11 goes so far as to make photos taken on the iPhone X "look downright bad."
Image via The Verge
So, is it worth upgrading to the iPhone 11? If you’ve got an iPhone older than the XR and you’re looking to upgrade, I think the answer is yes. The camera is substantially improved, and you will get vastly better battery life than anything aside from a XR. That’s what most people care about, and Apple has really delivered here.
I’d only spend the extra money on the iPhone 11 Pro if you really care about the display. I don’t think you’re missing out on much by not having a telephoto camera lens, to be honest. I personally care quite a bit about displays, so I’m getting a Pro, but I think most people will be very happy with the iPhone 11.
Engadget discussed the display quality on the iPhone 11, pointing out that its LCD display is the same one found in last year's iPhone XR. While this is a lower quality display compared to the OLED in the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, "in day-to-day use, the differences don't matter," according to the site.
Image via Chris Velazco/Engadget
Engadget also favors the 6.1-inch display size of the iPhone 11, calling it the sweet spot between the too-small 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro and large 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max. The site also commended the iPhone 11's battery life, which lasted close to 17 hours on average.
In some ways, the iPhone 11 is subject to the same fundamental shortcomings as the XR: It has one less camera than Apple's more-premium models, and its screen isn't nearly as nice. To that, I say, "Big whoop."
The one thought that stuck in my head during my testing was that the gulf in functionality between this phone and the Pros has become surprisingly narrow. There are advantages to splurging on the Pros, but after getting a feel for what the iPhone 11 is capable of, those benefits won't always justify spending the extra $300. Like I said before, the iPhone 11 is the best new iPhone for most people, and it's unquestionably the one I would buy for myself.
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max reviews are in. The consensus is that the devices are quite familiar and relatively iterative updates as a whole, but with significant advancements to cameras and battery life.
The Verge
Battery Life
Apple claims that the iPhone 11 Pro has up to four hours longer battery life than the iPhone XS, and that the larger iPhone 11 Pro Max lasts up to five hours longer than the iPhone XS Max, and reviews support those figures.
Engadget's Chris Velazco says the iPhone 11 Pro lasted nearly 12 hours per charge, up from 9-9.5 hours with the iPhone XS:
When I tested the brand-new XS last year, it would run for between 9 to 9.5 hours off a single charge on days with heavy use. This year, the smaller Pro dealt with the same general workloads and lasted for closer to 12 hours before needing a charge. The larger Pro Max, meanwhile, routinely stuck around for between 13 to 14 hours on a single charge, compared to the 11 to 12 hours I squeezed out of the iPhone XS Max.
The Verge's Nilay Patel says his iPhone 11 Pro Max has consistently lasted 12-14 hours, up from 8-10 hours with the iPhone XS Max:
So the best I can tell you is that Apple has historically been good about meeting its battery life claims, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max I've been using every day for a week has consistently run for 12 to 14 hours on a single charge, with over 10 hours of screen-on time reported in the battery settings per 24-hour period.
That's compared to 8 to 10 hours of battery life at most for my iPhone XS Max, which is a marked improvement. It's not enough to make me stop charging at my desk throughout the day, and I'll definitely still carry a battery pack on trips. But it's a big bump, and it's better than most Android phones we've tested.
Cameras and Night Mode
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max models share the same triple-lens rear camera system with a new ultra-wide-angle sensor complementing the existing wide-angle and telephoto lenses on last year's high-end models.
Patel believes the iPhone 11 Pro models have "the best smartphone camera on the market right now":
It appears Apple took all of those criticisms to heart because the iPhone 11 Pro cameras are an enormous improvement over the XS, and they beat the Pixel and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 Plus in most of our side-by-side comparisons. In fact, I think the iPhone 11 Pro is the best smartphone camera on the market right now.
Mashable's Raymond Wong believes that the iPhone 11 lineup's new low-light Night Mode, activated automatically when necessary, is both better and more convenient than the similar Night Sight mode on Google's latest Pixel smartphones:
Sure, Google did night mode first, but the feature is more intuitive on the iPhone 11 Pro. On a Pixel, a spinning exposure ring blocks the entire viewfinder while you're holding still, but on the iPhone 11 Pro, you can see in real time an exposure getting brighter as the timer counts down.
And the iPhone 11 Pro's night mode also produces better photos in my opinion — sharper details from corner to corner, and better tones and contrast to preserve a scene's mood. Whereas night mode on other phones brighten a scene to the point it looks artificial or flat, the iPhone 11 Pro's night mode more delicately balances the light and dark areas in both the foreground and background.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of Night Mode on the iPhone 11 Pro and Night Sight on Google's Pixel 3 from The Verge:
Pixel 3 on left, iPhone 11 Pro on right
Design
TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino says the iPhone 11 Pro's new Midnight Green color actually looks more like dark gray in most lighting conditions:
The green looks nearly nothing like any of the photographs I've seen of it on Apple’s site.
In person, the Deep Green is reads as dark grey in anything but the most direct indoor light. Outdoors, the treated stainless band has an "80's Mall Green" hue that I actually really like. The back also opens up quite a bit, presenting as far more forest green than it does inside. Overall, though, this is a very muted color that is pretty buttoned up. It sits comfortably alongside neutral-to-staid colors like the Space Gray, Silver and Gold.
iPhone 11 Pro Max in Midnight Green
Panzarino adds that the new matte glass casing makes the iPhone 11 Pro models grippier than the glossy-backed iPhone XS models:
I'm happy to report that the iPhone 11 Pro's matte finish back increases the grippyness of the phone on its own. The smooth back of the iPhone 11 and the iPhone XS always required a bit of finger oil to get into a condition where you could reliably pivot them with one hand going in and out of a pocket.
As Wired's Lauren Goode notes, all three iPhone 11 models have what Apple claims is the most durable glass on any iPhone:
All three new iPhones have what Apple claims is the most durable glass on any iPhone. However, the back of the Pro phones have a textured and less slippery matte finish, and it's one that I prefer, given my track record for shattering phones. The Pro phones also come in colors that are more understated than the iPhone 11's pastels, contributing to the gravitas of the Pro's.
iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max models are available to pre-order in the United States and many other countries, with deliveries to customers and in-store availability beginning Friday, September 20.
Signify today announced a new device for its Philip Hue line of lights, debuting the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, designed to allow Hue users to sync their lights to their home entertainment systems.
The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is designed to connect between a television set and HDMI devices like the Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, video game consoles, and Blu-Ray players with the purpose of syncing lights with TV shows, movies, games, and music.
Signify says the box will work with any HDMI device that you have to take your content "to the next level with surround lighting." You can connect up to four HDMI devices to the Sync Box, and swap between them as needed when watching TV, gaming, and more.
The Sync Box is able to automatically switch between each device depending on which one is in use, so there's no need to worry about fiddling with settings every time you use a different device.
The Sync Box is compatible with all color-capable Philips Hue light bulbs, fixtures, and light bars that are paired to a Hue bridge. Up to 10 color-capable lights can be synced to whatever content is being played.
"People love to escape the pressures of everyday life by getting lost in their entertainment," said Jasper Vervoort, Business Leader, Home Systems & Luminaires, Philips Hue at Signify. "We are proud to present the new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box and give them a simple way to make that possible. Philips Hue users can now easily connect the color-capable lights in their room with their home entertainment systems, taking their movie- and TV-watching, listening and gaming experience to a completely new level."
There is a dedicated Philips Hue Mobile Sync app that works with the Sync Box, allowing users to control and personalize the lighting experience. Brightness, speed, and intensity of the lighting effects can all be tweaked, and there are options to configure the default settings to better suit your needs.
You can get the Philips Hue Play Sync Box for $229.99 starting in October, but it is available for pre-order from the Hue website today.
We've heard rumors that Apple plans to release refreshed versions of the iPad Pro this fall, and a new alleged leak today is fueling speculation that a triple-camera system similar to the iPhone 11 Pro is coming to Apple's most advanced iPads.
The website of tech leaker and Apple blogger Sonny Dickson has posted an image of a "final design mockup" of Apple's upcoming iPad Pro, coming from a source that has apparently been "repeatedly reliable about previous iPad hardware." The photo clearly shows a triple-lens array housed in a square bump in the rear top-corner of the device.
Author of the post, J Glenn Künzler, notes that the camera bump lacks the glass surface covering found on Apple's latest Pro smartphones, which could indicate something unique about the iPad's version of the new camera hardware or "just a minor omission in a device intended to showcase the final physical form of the device remains to be seen."
Japanese site Mac Otakara has previously claimed that Apple will introduce a triple-lens camera in the 2019 iPad Pro. Mac Otakara's information was said to come from a source in the Chinese supply chain, with the source also citing October as a launch date.
Mac Otakara has a mixed record when it comes to Apple rumors, but Dickson has proven reliable at times in the past, and presumably he signs off on what gets posted on his blog.
Dickson had early line of sight on the AirPower's development challenges, and the wireless charging mat was eventually canceled. His sources also recently claimed the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro include hardware for bilateral charging that has been software-disabled, although we'll have to wait for device teardowns to corroborate that.
Taking out an iPad to shoot photos and video is sometimes frowned upon, and users who do so have often found themselves the butt of online jokes.
On the flip side, Künzler's argument for the inclusion of a triple-lens camera system on the iPad Pro is that Apple wants creative video professionals to be able to shoot and edit 4K quality video all from the one device, so they don't have to bring along extra hardware.
The existing iPad Pro models use a similar single-lens camera system to the 2018 iPhone XR, so adding a triple-lens camera would also bring them in line with Apple's latest iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Still, other rumors have suggested no significant updates will be included in the 2019 iPad Pro models, so it's worth taking this leak with a grain of salt, at least for now.
Apple today announced it is awarding its longtime iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch glass supplier Corning an additional $250 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund, building on its $200 million award in 2017.
The combined $450 million investment will support Corning's research and development into "state-of-the-art glass processes, equipment and materials integral to the delivery of next-generation consumer devices," including the upcoming iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro lineup, according to Apple.
Apple COO Jeff Williams:
Apple and Corning's rich history dates back more than a decade, and our partnership revolutionized glass and transformed the technology industry with the first iPhone. This award underscores Apple and Corning's shared belief in the vital role that ingenuity plays in creating industry-leading products, and the pride that both companies take in applying American innovation and advanced manufacturing to solve some of the world's toughest technology challenges.
Apple says it Advanced Manufacturing Fund was designed to "foster and support the innovative production and high-skill jobs that will help fuel a new era of technology-driven manufacturing" in the United States. To date, Apple has invested over $1 billion in American companies from the fund.
Apple says it spent a collective $60 billion with 9,000 American suppliers in 2018, supporting 450,000 jobs in all 50 states and manufacturing locations in 36 states. iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max use glass manufactured at Corning's factory in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.
Corning has partnered with Apple since 2007 to provide glass for every generation of the iPhone and Apple Watch, and many generations of the iPad, all manufactured in the Harrodsburg facility. Since the iPhone launched in 2007, Apple has spent nearly $3 billion with Corning on the glass used in those devices.
Apple on Tuesday argued that the European Union's order for it to pay 13 billion euros ($14.3 billion) in back taxes to Ireland "defies reality and common sense," as it kicked off its legal challenge against the ruling.
According to Reuters, Apple also said the European Commission was using its powers "to retrofit changes to national law," which would create legal uncertainty for businesses.
Apple sent a six-person delegation led by its CFO Luca Maestri to the two-day court hearing taking place over Tuesday and Wednesday in Luxembourg. The company is arguing the same case that CEO Tim Cook made in a public letter about the tax ruling three years ago; namely, that Apple follows the law and pays all the taxes it owes in every country where it operates, including Ireland.
Apple also argues that nearly all of its research and development takes place in the United States, which is where the company pays the majority of its taxes.
"The Commission contends that essentially all of Apple's profits from all of its sales outside the Americas must be attributed to two branches in Ireland," Apple's lawyer Daniel Beard told the court.
He said the fact the iPhone, the iPad, the App Store, other Apple products and services and key intellectual property rights were developed in the United States, and not in Ireland, showed the flaws in the Commission's case.
"The branches' activities did not involve creating, developing or managing those rights. Based on the facts of this case, the primary line defies reality and common sense," Beard said.
"The activities of these two branches in Ireland simply could not be responsible for generating almost all of Apple's profits outside the Americas."
In 2016, the European Commission found Apple received illegal state aid from Ireland. Apple and Ireland both appealed the ruling, but the European Commission opened litigation against Ireland in October 2017 for its failure to procure Apple's back taxes, and Apple has already almost finished paying the back taxes it owes. If the order is overturned, the money will be returned to Apple.
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.
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