Hulu today launched support for 4K streaming on the Apple TV 4K and Chromecast Ultra, after first removing 4K content from its service in the summer of 2018 (via The Streamable).
With the return of the feature, and its new availability on Apple TV 4K, Hulu subscribers can now watch Hulu Originals like The Handmaid's Tale, Castle Rock, and Catch-22 in 4K.
According to The Streamable, Hulu shows in 4K stream at 16 Mbps and only support SDR, lacking HDR or Dolby Vision. At this time only Hulu Originals are available in 4K, but the company has said that more shows will gain the 4K treatment in the future.
Hulu also introduced a new guide for its live TV streaming service Hulu With Live TV (via Engadget). The new guide offers an extended look at what's coming up on every channel in the next two weeks, including which episodes are new and how long they last.
Image via Engadget
Earlier this year, Disney gained full operational control of Hulu in the wake of a deal made with Comcast. Disney has previously said that it plans to keep Hulu as it is and focus its own properties on the Disney+ streaming service. According to CEO Bob Iger, Disney's full ownership of Hulu will create an "even more compelling" service.
The teardown reveals a larger battery with a 58.2 Wh capacity, which slightly exceeds the 54.5 Wh battery found in the previous-generation function key model. iFixit guesses this is how the 2019 model manages to power the Touch Bar, Touch ID, and T2 chip while keeping the same 10-hour battery life.
To make room for the Touch ID sensor alongside the Touch Bar, iFixit notes that Apple appears to be using a slightly smaller heat sink. The speaker opposite the fan also looks to have been shrunk in size.
While the previous-generation entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro had a modular SSD, storage is soldered down in the 2019 model. However, there are some newly modular components, including the Thunderbolt board and the speakers. This configuration is in line with other modern MacBook Pro designs.
As we confirmed earlier this week, the notebook has the same third-generation butterfly keyboard with updated material as the higher-end 2019 MacBook Pro models introduced in May, with Apple promising improved reliability.
Like most other modern MacBooks, this model earned a low repairability score from iFixit due to the usual concerns, such as Apple's use of proprietary pentalobe screws, a glued-in battery, and soldered-down storage and RAM. One positive is that the trackpad can be replaced without touching the battery.
As in other countries, the headphones are only available in black at launch. Ivory, moss, and navy colors will be released later this year.
Powerbeats Pro first launched in the United States and Canada in early May, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, and China later in the month. The headphones have faced tight availability, with orders placed today estimated for delivery in between 10 and 20 days in many countries.
Powerbeats Pro are Apple's first totally wireless Beats earphones, equipped with the same H1 chip as the second-generation AirPods for hands-free "Hey Siri" and faster connection speeds between the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other devices.
Like the Powerbeats3, the Powerbeats Pro feature adjustable, secure-fit ear hooks and earbud tips with four size options. They're essentially sportier AirPods, complete with a durable design and sweat resistance. They'll last up to nine hours per charge, with more battery life via an included charging case.
Powerbeats Pro are priced at $249.95 in the United States and at €249.95 in many European countries.
Amazon is developing a higher-quality version of its popular Echo smart speaker, according to a new report today by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Prototypes of the cylindrical speaker are wider than the current Echo to squeeze in additional components including at least four tweeters, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss an internal matter.
The speaker is reportedly being developed to include improved audio to rival Apple's HomePod and other competing speakers on the market. According to Gurman, the Echo has lost some ground to more premium smart speakers that are marketed as offering superior sound.
The Echo, which went on sale in 2015, will grab 63% of the U.S. market this year, according to EMarketer. But it has lost some ground to the Sonos One, Apple Inc. HomePod and Google Home Max -- all of which claim to deliver superior audio. Google now has 31% of the market, while the rest have a combined 12%. The HomePod isn't selling as well as Apple expected, and the company recently dropped the price.
The development of a higher-quality Echo marks a new phase in Amazon's attempt to gain ground in the smart speaker segment. The company has previously introduced halfway-house solutions to improve the audio of the existing cylindrical Echo by offering a standalone subwoofer and connections to link the speakers to a hi-fi stereo system. The Echo range will also receive minor updates this fall, people familiar with the plans told Bloomberg.
In addition, Gurman's report includes details on Amazon's effort to ramp up work on its home robot, which has wheels and can be controlled by Alexa voice commands.
People familiar with the project have reportedly described prototypes that are about waist-high and navigate with the help of an array of computer-vision cameras, but it still isn't clear what purpose the robot would serve.
Amazon originally intended to reveal the robot, known internally as "Vesta," as early as this year, but the machine isn't quite ready for mass production, according to the report.
Apple will soon allow hardware developers to manufacture additional Made for iPhone (MFi) certified adapters including USB-C to Lightning audio adapters, reports Japanese site Mac Otakara. Apple is said to have recently informed developers who participate in the MFi program about the change.
MFi program members were informed of the changes in Apple's "MFi Accessory Interface Specifications Release R31," which specifies support for new adapter types compatible with iOS devices.
Apple is designating an MFi certification for Lightning to USB-C audio adapters, such as the one Anker announced in May, designed for Macs with USB-C ports and the new iPad Pro. The adapter allows Lightning headphones to be plugged into a USB-C port.
Also among the additions are Lightning-to-Ethernet adapters, of which Belkin's Ethernet + Power Adapter with Lightning Connector is the only currently MFi-approved accessory available to buy on Apple's online store.
The Belkin cable offers both Power over Ethernet (PoE) and Lightning ports, allowing users to connect to a secure network while continuing to charge their iOS device. The PoE compatibility also provides an additional way to connect and charge simultaneously with a single cable.
According to the report, Apple's latest Lightning-to-Ethernet adapter specification includes the Realtek Gigabit Ethernet Controller "Realtek RLT8111EPU".
As a result of the new specifications, additional third-party options for USB-C to Lightning audio adapters and Lightning-to-Ethernet cables are expected to appear on the market.
Apple has several original TV shows in the works for its upcoming Apple TV+ streaming service, and a new report by The Wall Street Journal looks at the big budgets involved in these productions as competition hots up among rival streaming services eager to win over audiences in a market dominated by the likes of Netflix and HBO.
According to the report, Amazon and Netflix have increased budgets for original content in the last few years. Netflix originally spent $4.5 million per episode on "House of Cards," but now many newcomers are having to spend between $8 million and $15 million per episode on original content to compete with established services.
For example, Disney's Star Wars spinoff "The Mandalorian" costs nearly $15 million per episode, according to people who spoke to WSJ. As for Apple, it is said to be spending nearly $15 million per episode to produce sci-fi drama "See," which stars Jason Momoa of "Game of Thrones" and Aquaman fame.
In the case of Apple's "See," the cost has neared $15 million for each roughly 60-minute episode, according to a person familiar with the matter. That is more than the cost of a typical independent feature film.
"See," set centuries in the future after a virus has wiped out much of Earth's population and left survivors blind, appears to be taking cues from the "Game of Thrones" playbook of cinematic world-building. Footage shown at Apple’s programming event featured Mr. Momoa ready-set for battle alongside dozens of actors in sweeping vistas filmed in the fields and forests of British Columbia.
These kinds of figures per episode mean shows can easily exceed $150 million per season – or as much as a typical big-budget movie. One driving factor, according to the report, is that high-profile TV shows are offered up next to theatrical films available to stream on the same service, so "original programming can't risk looking like B-material next to the movies."
Apple is working on dozens of original TV shows and movies with high-profile directors, producers, and actors. The company was reported to have a budget of about $1 billion for its original content and TV shows in 2017.
It's unclear if Apple's budget has risen since that time, but as the WSJ report concludes, a certain power comes with paying big money for A-list actors, since it signals to other top actors and directors that Apple is committed to writing big checks for its top shows.
For example, Apple has signed a deal for two seasons of morning talk show drama "The Morning Show," starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. According to a report in January 2018, the two key stars are set to earn $1.25 million per episode.
Apple TV+, Apple's new streaming television service, is coming this fall. It will be available on all devices where the TV app is available, which includes iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV, along with the Mac. There's no TV app for Mac right now, but Apple plans to introduce one later this year.
Apple has not yet announced pricing for the service, but it is ad free and shows will be available to watch on demand. For more information on Apple TV+, make sure to check out our Apple TV+ guide.
Prominent research firms Gartner and IDC attempt to estimate shipments of computers around the world on a quarterly basis, and both firms today released their estimates for the second calendar quarter.
Gartner's and IDC's estimates are just that — estimates – and with Apple no longer reporting unit sales of Macs and other products, we won't know how accurate these estimates end up being. But as revealed in today's releases, they can differ quite a bit.
Gartner's Preliminary Worldwide PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2Q19 (Thousands of Units)
Gartner says worldwide PC shipments were up 1.5 percent year-over-year, with Lenovo leading the way on strong growth and HP and Dell sitting in second and third places respectively. Apple registered in fourth place with an estimated 3.711 million Macs shipped, a 0.2 percent decline over the previous year, while Acer and Asus rounded out the top vendors on a global basis.
“Worldwide PC shipments growth was driven by demand from the Windows 10 refresh in the business market in the second quarter of 2019. Desktop PC growth was strong, which offset a decline in mobile PC shipments,” said Mikako Kitagawa, senior principal analyst at Gartner.
“Additionally, there are signs that the Intel CPU shortage is easing, which has been an ongoing impact to the market for the past 18 months. The shortage mainly impacted small and midsize vendors as large vendors took advantage and continued to grow, taking market share away from the smaller vendors that struggled to secure CPUs.”
Turning to the U.S., the overall market saw a slight 0.4 percent decline compared to the second quarter of 2018, but Apple's shipments dropped by an estimated 5.6 percent to 1.585 million. Apple maintained its fourth-place ranking in the U.S. behind HP, Dell, and Lenovo, and well ahead of Microsoft and Acer.
Gartner's Preliminary U.S. Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 2Q19 (Thousands of Units)
If accurate, Gartner's estimates would put Apple with its lowest share of the U.S. PC market since the first quarter of 2014 and the lowest recorded on a global basis since Gartner started including Apple as a top global vendor in the third quarter of 2014.
Apple's Market Share Trend: 1Q06–1Q19 (Gartner)
IDC's estimates paint a much different picture, however, projecting worldwide PC shipment growth of 4.7 percent compared to the second quarter of 2018. IDC pegs Apple as having shipped 4.011 million Macs in the quarter for nearly 10 percent year-over-year growth.
IDC says Apple benefited from increased inventory levels due not only to the launch of new MacBook Pro models but also some proactive shipments into the distribution channels to guard against potential upcoming tariffs.
Belkin today announced a new range of charging cables, called the Boost Charge made with DuraTek collection. The company said these cables were built with durability and strength in mind, and each one comes with a leather strap for organization.
Each cable comes in two color options (white and black), while the USB-C to USB-C cable includes a pink color option. For the basic Lightning to USB-A cable, you can choose between 4ft, 6ft, and 10ft sizes.
The USB-C to Lightning cable supports fast charging on iPhone, which can charge up your iPhone 8 or later by up to 50 percent in 30 minutes. All the cables in the new range are touted as having a strengthened design that lasts 10 times longer than standard cables.
The new cables are available to purchase now on Belkin.com, but some of the cables haven't gone live for purchase yet. The Boost Charge cables will also be on Apple.com.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Belkin. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple this week updated its entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar and Intel's latest 8th-generation Core quad-core processors, and benchmarks for the 2019 model are now beginning to surface.
Geekbench 4 scores indicate the base 2019 model with an 8th-generation 1.4GHz quad-core Core i5 processor has up to a 6.8 percent increase in single-core performance, and up to 83.4 percent faster multi-core performance, compared to the base 2017 model with a 7th-generation 2.3GHz dual-core Core i5 processor.
The new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro is powered by Intel's Core i5-8257U processor, which appears to be a custom variation of its Core i5-8250U processor designed for Apple. The 15W chip is part of the Coffee Lake family and has a max Turbo Boost frequency of up to 3.9GHz.
The notebook can also be upgraded to an 8th-generation 1.7GHz quad-core Core i7 processor. This configuration uses Intel's Core i7-8557U, which is likewise believed to be a custom variation of its Core i7-8550U processor, with a TDP of 15W and a max Turbo Boost frequency of up to 4.5GHz.
Only one Geekbench result is available for the 1.7GHz configuration so far with single-core and multi-core scores of 4,835 and 15,515 respectively. There is room for variance here as more results come in, but this would be a performance increase of up to around 60 percent compared to the equivalent 2017 model.
Apple advertises the new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro as "two times more powerful" than the previous generation. The benchmarks approach this at up to 83 percent, but performance in real-world usage will vary.
Apple did not update the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro in 2018, which is why 2017 models serve as the previous-generation comparisons.
Walmart has a new 50 percent discount on Apple's official Sport Loop and Sport Band for the Apple Watch, only in 44mm sizes. These accessories usually sell for $49.00, but you can get select colors for just $24.99 during Walmart's sale.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
As of writing, Sport Loop colors available include Hibiscus and Nectarine; Sport Band colors include Blue Horizon and Lavender Gray. As previously noted, the discounts today are focused on the 44mm sizes, which will fit both 42mm and 44mm Apple Watches.
Any Walmart orders over $35 qualify for free shipping, or you can opt for free in-store pickup. If you're on the hunt for more deals and bargains, be sure to head to our full Deals Roundup.
Update: As noted by Jeremy Horwitz, more details are now available on DigiTimes Taiwan, which reports that Apple has "temporarily stopped developing AR/VR headsets." The report claims the team working on them was disbanded in May and reassigned to other product developments. Original story below.
Apple has reportedly "terminated" development of its widely rumored augmented reality glasses project, according to DigiTimes.
MacRumors concept of Apple Glasses
Multiple sources have claimed that Apple plans to release augmented reality glasses as early as 2020, including well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and CNET, so the DigiTimes report if accurate reflects a cancellation of a major hardware project on Apple's roadmap.
DigiTimes preliminary headline
DigiTimes has a mixed track record in relation to reporting on Apple's future plans, but it appears to be citing another report in this case. However, the DigiTimes story is currently paywalled behind its "Before Going to Press" section, so we'll have to wait for specific details to be made public.
Kuo said Apple's glasses would be marketed as an iPhone accessory and primarily take a display role while wirelessly offloading computing, networking, and positioning to the iPhone. He believed mass production could begin at some point between the fourth quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020.
In November 2017, Gurman reported that Apple's headset would run a custom iOS-based operating system dubbed "rOS" for "reality operating system." At the time, he said Apple had not finalized how users would control the headset, but possibilities included touchscreens, Siri voice activation, and head gestures.
In April 2018, CNET said Apple was developing an augmented reality headset that features an 8K display for each eye and would be untethered from either a computer or a smartphone. The report claimed the headset would instead connect to a "dedicated box" using high-speed short-range 60GHz WiGig technology.
Apple has been exploring virtual reality and augmented reality technologies for more than 10 years based on patent filings. The company is also rumored to have a secretive research unit comprising hundreds of employees working on AR and VR, exploring ways the technologies could be used in future Apple products.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked up the prospect of augmented reality several times, saying he views AR as "profound" because the technology "amplifies human performance instead of isolating humans."
Over two years after the first iPhone SE devices were assembled in India, Apple is now exporting some India-made iPhones to European markets. The news comes from three people aware of Apple's plans, who stated that iPhone assembler Wistron recently began exporting some iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 models from India to Europe (via The Economic Times).
The iPhones are first being built in Wistron's facility in Bangalore, and about 100,000 units per month are being exported. Apple first began this process a few months ago, in a move that should further cement India as one of the company's assembly and manufacturing hubs outside of China.
The other two people, who are senior executives in the industry said that the export volumes were about 70-80% of the total capacity at the facility. Wistron has been making iPhone 6 since the year before and iPhone 7 since the beginning of this year.
According to industry watchers, Apple is said to be treating India "more as a production hub than a significant market" for device sales. The company will start manufacturing higher-end iPhone models locally in India through Foxconn, and as much as 70 to 80 percent of the output of those devices might be exported elsewhere.
Apple has been re-focusing efforts in India in hopes of expanding production outside of China in the wake of the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. Last summer, Apple detailed a new India strategy with official retail stores, overhauled relationships with independent retailers, more frequent sales, and improved apps and services.
Some of these plans have started to come to fruition, as Apple has now finalized a list of locations for its first retail store in India.
Update - Jul 11: Octopus Cards Limited has now confirmed that customers will be able to use their Octopus cards on their iPhone or Apple Watch for transit and retail payment with Apple Pay later this year. Original story below.
(Hong Kong,11 Jul 2019) Octopus Cards Limited is excited to announce that customers will be able to use their Octopus on their iPhone or Apple Watch for transit and retail payment with Apple Pay later this year. More details will be shared soon. @MacRumors@9to5mac@appleinsiderpic.twitter.com/e2wurzcKgs
— ST (@TWaIIk) July 11, 2019
iOS 13 may come with built-in support for Hong Kong's Octopus contactless payment system, if a few lines of code discovered on Apple's servers are any indication.
Tech blog Ata Distance spotted the code snippet in Apple's online JSON-based Apple Pay pass identifier (link now removed), which shows references to Octopus in iOS 13.
The discovery also tallies with specific references to Octopus on Apple Pay in the iOS 13 beta, according to the Japan-focused site.
Octopus is based on the same FeliCa NFC standard used for the Japanese Suica card, and is used by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents for making transit payments and retail transactions.
Originally launched in 1997 as a physical contactless card, the FeliCa-based version made the transition to electronic payment solution when the company unveiled Smart Octopus for Samsung Pay in December 2017.
The exclusive deal with Samsung left Apple Pay users without a way to take advantage Smart Octopus, despite it being technically compatible with iPhone 7 and later models, so today's find should make for good news for those hoping to digitize the popular transit and retail payment card, which should also support Apple's Express Transit mode.
iOS 13 for iPhone is expected to be released in the fall.
The first official photos of Samsung's flagship Galaxy Note 10 device appear to have been leaked onto the web, courtesy of MySmartPrice's Ishan Agarwal. After the Galaxy S10 and S10+, the Galaxy Note line is Samsung's larger smartphone equipped with a stylus. The Note 10's unveiling will come on August 7, so about a month ahead of when we're expecting to see Apple's 2019 iPhone lineup.
The image shown above reveals the Galaxy Note 10 will come in a pearlescent silvery-blue color, while a second leaked image reveals an additional black version will also be available. Otherwise, as per previous rumors, the Galaxy Note 10 adopts the same curved-screen, glass-body design used in previous Note devices, but the front now features an edge-to-edge display with a single center hole punch camera.
Over on the back of the device we can see a triple-camera array. This suggests either that rumors of a quad-camera setup – including a fourth time-of-flight (ToF) 3D depth camera – are wide of the mark, or that what we're looking at is the smaller 6.28-inch model, as claimed by WinFuture's Roland Quandt.
Samsung is said to be releasing a second, larger 6.75-inch Note 10 next month. If that model does include the quad-camera array with ToF, the company will be debuting the world-facing 3D depth-sensing tech a full year in advance of Apple, which is rumored to be introducing it in its 2020 iPhone line-up. If the bigger device additionally features 5G support (also rumored), that will be two tech flags that Samsung can raise at least one year ahead of Apple.
There's no visible fingerprint sensor in these images, suggesting the Note 10 will inherit an under-display fingerprint sensor from the Galaxy S10. Another notable change is that this device has one less button than the Note 9, suggesting either a relocated power button below the volume rockers or a lack of a Bixby button.
We can't see from these leaked images if the Note 10 is ditching the headphone jack, as has also been rumored. If so, users will have to decide for themselves whether that jives with Samsung's claim that these new devices are "designed to take the Galaxy ecosystem's connectivity to the next level." (Samsung famously killed the headphone jack in 2018's Galaxy A8s after years of mocking Apple for doing the same thing.)
In addition to debuting the Note 10, Samsung may also use its upcoming August event to provide more detail on when we can expect the delayed Galaxy Fold to launch. Samsung planned to release it earlier this year but then canceled its debut after multiple poor reviews from media sites.
We don't know exactly when Apple will unveil its own 2019 smartphone lineup, but based on past years, we can expect the Cupertino-based company to hold an event somewhere around the first or second week of September, with September 9 or September 10 being likely possible candidates.
Apple plans to offer its 2019 iPhones in three sizes, identical to the current iPhone lineup. The two higher-end devices will continue to use OLED, while the iPhone XR successor will feature an LCD and a cheaper price tag.
The iPhone XS and XS Max successors will use triple-lens cameras, while the XR successor will feature a dual-lens camera. The camera updates will be the biggest changes to the iPhones in 2019. As suggested, no 5G connectivity is coming this year, but faster WiFi and LTE is expected. For more on the 2019 iPhones, make sure to check out our roundup.
Google has killed its Nest app for Apple Watch, meaning Nest smart thermostat owners can no longer control the device's target temperature and operating mode directly from their wrist.
The deprecation of the wearable apps for both Apple Watch and Wear OS coincides with version 5.37 of the Nest mobile app, which was released on Tuesday.
Any mention of the Apple Watch app has since been removed from the Nest App Store listing, while Wear OS device users who try to launch the app from their watch are now met with the message "Nest is no longer supported for Wear OS" and are advised to uninstall the app.
Google's reason for the watch app's demise is simple. According to the company (via 9to5Google), "only a small number of people" used the watch apps, therefore Nest will focus on developing its full mobile app and Wear OS-only Google Assistant functions going forward.
We took a look at Nest app users on smart watches and found that only a small number of people were using it. Moving forward our team will spend more time focusing on delivering high quality experiences through mobile apps and voice interactions.
Google advises Nest owners that they can no longer adjust their thermostat or change the Home/Away mode from their Apple Watch, but these actions can still be controlled remotely via the Nest mobile app, which can also still deliver notifications to their watch.
The Nest app joins a long line of high-profile Apple Watch apps that have met their demise over the last two years. Beginning in 2017, Twitter, Google Maps, Amazon, and eBay all quietly removed their Apple Watch apps from the App Store, after seemingly concluding their continued development was no longer worth the effort because not enough people were using them.
In a bid to rekindle interest in developing Apple Watch apps, Apple has added an App Store in its upcoming watchOS 6 that can be accessed right on your wrist, allowing apps to be downloaded on the Apple Watch independent of an iPhone.
This means developers won't need to create Apple Watch client extensions as part of their iPhone apps, and can instead create truly standalone versions for Apple Watch, or even create watch apps that don't have iPhone versions at all. Still currently in beta testing, watchOS 6 is due to be released in the fall.
The company issued a statement noting that it was just notified about the vulnerability and has temporarily disabled the Walkie-Talkie functionality while a fix is developed. The Walkie-Talkie app will remain installed on users' Apple Watches, but it will not be functional until the fix is deployed.
Apple's statement:
We were just made aware of a vulnerability related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch and have disabled the function as we quickly fix the issue. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and will restore the functionality as soon as possible. Although we are not aware of any use of the vulnerability against a customer and specific conditions and sequences of events are required to exploit it, we take the security and privacy of our customers extremely seriously. We concluded that disabling the app was the right course of action as this bug could allow someone to listen through another customer’s iPhone without consent. We apologize again for this issue and the inconvenience.
Walkie-Talkie debuted last fall in watchOS 5, and it allows users to easily communicate with each other via voice from their wrists using a push-to-talk function.
As TechCrunch points out, the issue is reminiscent of a serious Group FaceTime bug discovered early this year that could allow callers to hear a user's audio without the call being accepted. In that scenario, Apple remotely disabled Group FaceTime once the issue was discovered, and pushed out an emergency bug fix a week and a half later as part of iOS 12.1.4.
The vulnerability was particularly notable because Zoom had installed a hidden web server on users' computers in order to allow for automatic answering of incoming calls, and that web server was not only the weak point that could be exploited, but it also was not removed upon deletion of the app. As a result, users who had previously deleted Zoom might not even realize they were vulnerable to this potential attack.
After initially defending the decision to install a web server on users' machines to work around changes in Safari 12 that would have required users to click to accept incoming calls, Zoom later backtracked and released a patch to remove the web server from users' computers.
Apple has now taken things one step further and pushed out a silent macOS update that removes the web server, reports TechCrunch. The update is deployed automatically, so users don't have to manually apply it in order for it to take effect.
Although Zoom released a fixed app version on Tuesday, Apple said its actions will protect users both past and present from the undocumented web server vulnerability without affecting or hindering the functionality of the Zoom app itself.
The update will now prompt users if they want to open the app, whereas before it would open automatically.
Zoom told TechCrunch it was "happy to have worked with Apple on testing this update" and that it should resolve all issues with the web server.
In a blog post, Zoom says it will take further action this weekend by automatically having first-time users who select "Always turn off my video" default to having video off for all future meetings. In addition, Zoom will be improving its bug bounty program and security-related issue escalation process.
Apple may be gearing up to slim down and then completely remove the notch from iPhones over the next two years.
First, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a new research note today via Chinese website MyDrivers in which he claims that at least one new iPhone in 2020 will be equipped with a smaller front camera lens for an improved screen-to-bezel ratio, suggesting the notch will be slimmer.
Second, the China Times cites an analyst at investment firm Credit Suisse in Asia who believes Apple plans to release one new iPhone model without a notch or Face ID in 2020. The analyst claims the iPhone will instead feature an under-screen front camera and full-screen acoustic fingerprint authentication, which sounds like a version of Touch ID that would work anywhere on the iPhone's display.
The analyst believes all three new iPhones will be notch-less in 2021, completing the transition to under-screen front cameras and full-screen fingerprint authentication. The report claims Apple is likely to develop its own under-screen fingerprinting technology rather than rely on a third-party provider.
Together, these rumors paint the following timeline:
The notch has been a controversial design decision since it debuted on the iPhone X in 2017, and it has always felt like a stopgap on the way to an iPhone with a truly edge-to-edge display, so these rumors certainly have some plausibility. However, these reports should still be viewed with some skepticism until they are corroborated by other sources. It is also early, so these plans could change.
Samsung has so far taken a different approach to avoid the notch, with its Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ smartphones featuring circular and pill-shaped front camera cutouts respectively in the top-right corner of the display.
Apple's exact approach if any remains to be seen, but it is certainly starting to sound like the notch might not be around for too much longer.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
iOS 13 may come with built-in support for Hong Kong's 
