Apple has joined the Fast Identity Online (FIDO) Alliance, an open industry association whose mission is to develop and promote stronger authentication standards and help reduce the world's over-reliance on passwords.
Apple joins existing members Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung and others in a common goal to secure online connections and support the adoption of the U2F authentication standard, which the alliance hosts.
Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) is an open standard that strengthens and simplifies two-factor authentication (2FA) using specialized USB or near-field communication (NFC) devices based on similar security technology found in smart cards. U2F security keys can be used as an additional method of two-step verification in online services that support the U2F protocol, such as Google, Dropbox, and Facebook.
Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera browsers natively support U2F. With iOS 13.3, Apple's Safari also supports FIDO2-compliant physical security keys like the Lightning-equipped YubiKey.
With Safari support, the YubiKey 5Ci is a useful tool that can be more convenient than software-based two-factor authentication because there's no need to enter a security code -- you simply plug it in to an iPhone or Mac (there's also a USB-C connector) to authenticate. Support for FIDO2-compliant USB security keys using WebAuthn was previously added to Safari 13 in macOS.
FIDO was founded in 2013 by a group including Lenovo and Paypal to address the lack of interoperability among strong authentication. MacGeneration was first to spot Apple's logo added to the list of board members.
A judge overseeing a lawsuit aiming to stop the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint is planning to rule in favor of allowing the deal to go forward, reports The New York Times.
The FCC formally approved the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint in November 2019, but attorneys general from 13 states and the District of Columbia filed an antitrust lawsuit aiming to block it. The states argued that combining the two companies was not in the public's interest as it would reduce competition and lead to higher smartphone bills.
Final arguments in the antitrust suit took place last month, and sources that spoke to The New York Times said that none of the parties involved have read the judge's ruling yet, so there could be conditions or restrictions attached.
Both Sprint and T-Mobile are planning to make announcements related to the merger on Tuesday, as the lawsuit was the final roadblock preventing it from moving forward. If the judge does indeed rule in favor of Sprint and T-Mobile, the newly combined company will be known as T-Mobile and it will have 100 million customers.
The two companies have committed to building a nationwide 5G network covering 97 percent of the U.S. population in three years and 99 percent within six years. They have also promised not to raise their prices for three years following the merger's completion.
Under the terms of the deal, both T-Mobile and Sprint were required to sell some of their assets to Dish, as the FCC wants to see Dish become the fourth nationwide facilities-based wireless carrier in the United States.
Apple is rumored to be working on a low-cost iPhone that could launch within the next few months, and as with any new imminent iPhone launch, case makers are already scrambling to get cases ready for the new devices.
Case manufacturers often pre-design cases for new iPhones well in advance of when the devices launch, basing designs on rumors, leaked schematics, renders, and other details. Most often this information is accurate enough that these pre-designed cases fit well, and there's a lot of money in being one of the first companies to have a case available for a freshly released iPhone.
With the new low-cost iPhone rumored to be identical in design to the 4.7-inch iPhone iPhone 8, it's not much of a stretch for case makers to take advantage of this fact and offer cases for sale early.
Totallee, for example, has already launched pre-orders for an "iPhone SE 2" case, and sites like Alibaba and Amazon also have similar case listings. We can expect pre-sales of cases for the low-cost iPhone to pick up its launch date approaches.
Totallee and other case manufacturers do not have specific information on the new iPhone direct from Apple, and these early case designs (and the March release date details) are based on circulating rumors. Totallee says the cases will be available on March 24, but that's just the date that iPhone SE preorders began back in 2017 and a decent guess as to when an event could potentially be held.
The low-cost iPhone, which has been referred to as the "iPhone SE 2" due to its prospective $399 price point, is not expected to resemble the 2016 iPhone SE at all. Instead, rumors suggest it will be an updated iPhone 8.
The new iPhone will feature a 4.7-inch display, a single-lens rear camera, thick top and bottom bezels, and a Touch ID Home button. It is expected to come in space gray, silver, and red color options, and we're expecting 64 and 128GB storage capacities.
Recent rumors have suggested that Apple could unveil the new low-cost iPhone early in the year, perhaps in March. Apple does often hold an event in March, and if there are going to be new product announcements coming at a specific event, we could be hearing details soon.
YouTube is considering offering a feature that would let people sign up for subscription services from third-party entertainment companies through YouTube, reports The Information.
Such a feature would be similar to Apple TV Channels and the Amazon Channels option from Amazon, both of which allow users to sign up for paid video services through their Apple ID and Amazon accounts, respectively.
Apple in March 2019 unveiled a revamped Apple TV app with the Apple TV Channels option, which lets Apple TV owners sign up for services like CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, Comedy Central Now, HBO, and more right in the TV app without having to open up another app. Amazon has offered a similar feature since 2015.
YouTube is said to be in talks with "several entertainment companies" about adding their services to YouTube, but the status of the talks is unknown at this time.
A subscription channel offering would add value to YouTube TV, YouTube's current streaming television service. YouTube TV, priced at $50 per month, offers live and on-demand cable access and has attracted two million subscribers.
It's unclear if the new subscription channel offering would be linked to YouTube TV specifically or would be a separate endeavor available to a broader range of YouTube users.
According to The Information, offering stand-alone subscriptions could help YouTube improve profit margins on YouTube TV as it would get a cut of sales on its platform. Apple and Amazon, for example, take a cut of 30 to 50 percent of subscription fees from their channel partners, a lucrative addition to their own streaming services.
Abdul Dremali, a MacRumors reader who goes by Advil on the MacRumors forums, shared a Night Mode image captured with one of Apple's newest iPhones on the forums back in September 2019.
The photo depicted a lighthouse and a sky full of stars, as Dremali is an astrophotographer. Apple spotted Dremali's image after it was featured on the forums and recently used it in a new video showing off Night Mode.
Dremali has shared several Night Mode photos on the MacRumors forums and on his website, but the lighthouse image proved to be his most popular. According to EXIF info shared in the thread, the photo was a 20 second exposure using Night Mode with the standard lens and no other equipment except for a tripod.
Apple typically requires photographers and artists that it works with to sign non-disclosure agreements, so Dremali declined to comment on Apple's usage of his picture, but his astrophotography images offer up a great example of the benefits of Apple's Night Mode feature.
Night Mode uses long exposure capture techniques, machine learning, and other technologies to produce vivid, bright pictures even when lighting conditions are poor. Night Mode allows iPhone users to take photos in the dark that were not possible with prior versions of the iPhone.
Amazon's Echo speakers continue to be the most popular smart speakers in the United States, and will remain in the dominant spot through at least 2021, according to new smart speaker user estimates shared today by eMarketer (via TechCrunch).
An estimated 69.7 percent of U.S. smart speaker users will use an Amazon Echo product in 2020, a number that's down slightly from the estimated 72.9 percent of smart speaker owners who used an Echo in 2019. In 2021, Amazon is estimated to see another small drop in usage, with eMarketer suggesting 68.2 percent of smart speaker owners will use an Echo.
Note: eMarketer says the percentages total over 100 percent because some smart speaker owners have more than one brand.
Google is expected to make some headway against Amazon, but eMarketer does not believe that the "Other" category, which includes Apple's HomePod, the Sonos One, and other smart speakers, will gain significant ground over the next two years.
An estimated 31.7 percent of smart speaker owners will use a Google device in 2020, while 18.4 percent will use speakers in the Other category. In 2021, that number is expected to grow to 32 percent for Google and 18.8 percent for the Other category.
Since Amazon first introduced the Echo, it has built a convincing lead in the U.S. and continues to beat back challenges from top competitors," said Victoria Petrock, a principal analyst at eMarketer. "We had previously expected Google and Apple to make more inroads in this market, but Amazon has remained aggressive. By offering affordable devices and building out the number of Alexa skills, the company has maintained Echo's appeal," she added.
eMarketer expects the number of U.S. smart speaker owners to grow over the next several years, but ownership numbers will rise slowly. 28.9 percent of internet users also have a smart speaker, a number that will grow to 30.5 percent next year.
Though Apple's HomePod recently turned two, Apple has had some difficulty securing a foothold in the smart speaker market. Apple's HomePod was priced at $349 when it launched in February 2018, but Apple dropped the price to $299 in April 2019. Even at $299, the HomePod is significantly more expensive than Amazon's Echo lineup, which includes smart speakers at multiple price points. Amazon's lowest priced device, the Echo Dot, sells for $30 and sometimes dips even lower.
Apple was hoping that the superior sound of the HomePod would draw customers to pay extra for sound quality, but the more affordable prices of the Amazon Echo and Google Home have been more appealing to most consumers. Amazon doesn't have quite the same advantage in non-U.S. markets because it supports fewer non-English languages than other speakers like the Google Home, so that is an area where Apple could make inroads into the smart speaker market.
HomePod rollout has been slow, though, with the device limited to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan
Apple is rumored to be working on a new, more affordable version of the HomePod with reduced tweeters, which could be released at some point in 2020. A lower price point will help the HomePod better compete with the Amazon Echo and the Google Home, but it will likely be difficult for Apple to catch up given the lead Amazon and Google have in the smart speaker market.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.4 update to its public beta testing group, with the new public beta coming five days after the release of the first developer beta.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the new macOS Catalina beta through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile.
Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
The macOS Catalina 10.15.4 update introduces Screen Time Communication Limits, a feature that was brought to the iPhone in the iOS 13.3 update. Screen Time Communication Limits allow parents to limit who their children contact and when communication apps are available.
The update also includes a new Head Pointer Accessibility option that allows the mouse cursor to be controlled with head movements using the Mac's built-in camera.
References to new AMD processors were discovered in the macOS 10.15.4 beta, leading to speculation that Apple is working on AMD-based Macs, but it's not clear if these references are simply for internal testing rather than evidence of an AMD Mac.
Though not directly related to macOS Catalina 10.15.4, Apple is adding a new universal purchase option for macOS and iOS apps, which will allow Apple device users to purchase one app that works across multiple platforms.
Intellithings today announced that its Bluetooth-based smart home occupancy sensor RoomMe now supports Siri Shortcuts.
RoomMe, successfully funded on Indiegogo in 2017, leverages the unique Bluetooth signature of a person's smartphone or smartwatch to identify who that person is and which room they are in, and automatically adjust settings such as temperature, lighting, music, and more to that person's preferences.
Now, RoomMe users can create a Siri Shortcut to manually execute "charms" on demand. This gives users the flexibility to take advantage of their pre-defined room settings without walking into that room. Intellithings has provided instructions on how to enable Siri integration with RoomMe in its FAQ under Voice Assistants.
RoomMe sensors are $69 each, with discounted pricing available for bundles of two or more sensors. Siri Shortcuts functionality requires version 1.5.0 of the RoomMe app, released yesterday.
Now that we're close to Valentine's Day on February 14, many third-party Apple resellers and accessory companies have opened up notable discounts on Apple products and accessories this month. To keep track of all the sales and offers, we've accumulated each retailer's offer in this article, ranging on sales from useful portable battery packs to Bluetooth trackers and much more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Most of the sales tracked below will last through February 14, unless otherwise noted.
Tile
Tile has a few "Sweetheart Deals" this week, offering a 4-pack of Tile Mate or 4-pack of Tile Sticker Bluetooth trackers that you can share with your significant other. You can save up to $20 in this sale, with both tracker packs priced at $49.99.
Twelve South is joining in on the Valentine's Day sales, offering special bundles that include two complimentary products at a discounted price. Be sure to visit Twelve South's website to shop for every bundle, and you can check the prices for each listed below.
BookBook for iPhone + HiRise Wireless Charging Stand - $109.99, down from $149.99
AirFly Duo + AirSnap - $63.99-$74.99, down from $84.99-$99.99
TimePorter + PlugBug Duo - $79.99, down from $109.99
PowerPic BOGO Free - $79.99, down from $159.99
Journal products - 20 percent off
Pad & Quill
Pad & Quill's Valentine's Day sale is discounting a variety of iPhone cases, MacBook cases, iPad cases, Apple Watch bands, and more. These products have their discounts automatically applied, but you can add the code "Valentine" to get an additional 15 percent off during the event.
You can also use the code "BAGS20" for 20 percent off any leather bag.
HomePod
OWC has a solid sale going on for the HomePod this week, discounting the White speaker to $204.99, from $299.00. This is a brand-new HomePod in non-retail packaging, and with OWC's own 1-Year Fulfilled Limited Warranty.
You can also get the Space Gray HomePod for $207.99 during this sale.
Apple Watch Series 5
eBay has the current best price on the 40mm GPS Apple Watch Series 5, priced at $379.99, down from $399.00. While this isn't the lowest price we've ever seen this model of the Apple Watch, it is one of the best sales happening online right now for the new wearable.
You can get the Apple Watch in Space Gray Aluminum with a Black Sport Band or Gold Aluminum with a Pink Sand Sport Band. As of writing, Silver Aluminum options are out of stock, so visit eBay soon if you're interested.
Official iPhone 11 Cases
On Amazon this week, you can save on Apple's own official leather and silicone iPhone cases. Silicone cases start at around $30 for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models, which is around $10 in savings.
Similarly, you can save about $10 on the leather cases for the latest iPhones, with many of these models priced around $40. Not every color option is on sale, and the new Smart Battery Case options are also not being discounted, but for everything else we've provided links below to find the case for your iPhone 11 model.
However, if you have an older model iPhone, you do have a chance to get a Smart Battery Case at a discount. Amazon has this accessory for the iPhone XR and iPhone XS at $99.99, down from $129.00. That's a lowest-ever price, and the best sale currently available online. The iPhone XS Max Smart Battery Case is on sale for $102.
Anker
On its own website, Anker is offering up to 30 percent off multi-colored 10,000 mAh capacity portable chargers. You can get the PowerCore Slim (classic finish) for $31.99, down from $41.99 in Arctic White, Terracotta Rose, Deep Sea Indigo, and Dark Olive.
Additionally, the PowerCore III (fabric finish) is available for $34.99, down from $49.99 in Sun Kissed Coral, Venetian Red, and Winter Sage. Anker noted that this sale has limited quantities and it will expire this Friday, February 14.
On Amazon, Anker also has a few solid power bank discounts happening this week, which we've listed below.
Casetify has its usual range of colorful iPhone cases on sale this Valentine's week. If you buy two cases, you'll get 20 percent off your order and free shipping by using the code "WITHLOVE". This sale only lasts today.
Beyond iPhone cases, Casetify also offers Apple Watch Bands, AirPods cases, Lightning cables, and wireless charging pads in its Valentine's sale.
Nimble
Nimble is selling a few limited edition 5-Day Portable Chargers for Valentine's Day, and they come with free engravings related to the holiday. You can get these for $89.95, down from $99.95. You can also get 20 percent off any two products with the promo code "VDAY".
Otherwise, Nimble also has a sale going on for its Upgrade Kits, which include portable chargers, cables, car chargers, and wall chargers, and start at $94.95, with savings reaching up to $54.80 off original prices.
Mophie
Mophie this week is discounting older models of the Juice Pack Air, including for the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, XR, XS, and XS Max. All of these models are on sale for $59.95, down from $99.95. If you use our exclusive promo code "MACRUMORS25", you can take an additional 25 percent off one item.
You can also get the 7.5W Wireless Charging Base for $19.95, down from $59.95, and the 10W Charge Stream Desk Stand is on sale for $29.95, down from $69.95. More accessories are marked down on Mophie's sale page, including screen protectors and power banks.
Harber London
Harber London is offering our readers a chance to take 15 percent off all Nomad organizers with the code "MACRNOMAD". These accessories offer space for you iPad, Apple Pencil, notebooks, cables, chargers, and more.
You can also save on Harber London with the retailer's sitewide Valentine's Day sale, which takes 20 percent off your order when you buy two items.
Other Valentine's Day Sales
Adorama - Save on DualShock 4 controllers, Bose speakers, Fitbits, and more
Bose - Save on headphones and speakers, with free shipping and free returns
Harman Audio/JBL - Save on Bluetooth speakers, headphones, sound bars, and more
Apple will not be able to get a rehearing in its ongoing patent battle with VirnetX to argue that the patents it is accused of infringing are invalid, reports Bloomberg.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit today rejected Apple's request to reconsider a November ruling that confirmed Apple infringed on two VirnetX patents.
The patent dispute between VirnetX and Apple dates back to 2010 when VirnetX accused Apple's FaceTime feature of infringing on its intellectual property, and there are multiple lawsuits involved.
In this particular case, VirnetX was awarded $502.6 million in April 2018 after a court ruled that Apple's FaceTime, iMessage, and VPN on Demand features infringed on four VirnetX patents related to communications security.
An appeals court later reexamined the ruling and determined that Apple had infringed on two VirnetX patents, but the other two counts were reversed in November 2019 and the $502.6 million award was vacated. The case was sent back to a lower court to determine whether revised damages can be calculated or if there will be a new damages trial, but the ruling was ultimately in favor of VirnetX.
At this time, with Apple's request for a rehearing on patent validity denied, Apple and VirnetX are awaiting details on the new damages Apple will be required to pay.
In a separate case, Apple was ordered to pay $440 million to VirnetX for similar patent infringement issues. Apple appealed that ruling multiple times as well, but an appeals court in January 2019 ruled in VirnetX's favor, leaving Apple responsible for a $440 million patent infringement fee.
Apple today seeded the first public betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.4 updates to its public beta testing group, a few days after releasing the updates for developers.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the iOS/iPadOS 13.4 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.
iOS and iPadOS 13.4 introduce some useful and notable new features and changes. There's a new Mail toolbar that separates the reply button from the delete button to make it harder to accidentally delete emails, there's a new "Shazam It" shortcut in the Shortcuts app for identifying songs, and some tweaks have been made to CarPlay controls for calls and third-party navigation apps.
The update includes support for iCloud Folder Sharing, a long-awaited iOS 13 feature. iCloud Folder Sharing allows iCloud Drive files to be shared with other people, making the folders accessible to multiple users.
There are a total of nine new Memoji/Animoji stickers that can be used wherever emoji can be used, and Apple has made minor changes to Location Services to appease app developers who want to encourage customers to turn on the "Always" option for Location Services for apps that need it.
Apple has added support for universal app purchases, which means developers can sell a single app across iOS, tvOS, and macOS. For apps that enable this feature, customers will be able to make one purchase and then download an app across all applicable platforms.
There are hints of a new "CarKey" API, which is designed to allow the iPhone or the Apple Watch to be used in lieu of a traditional car key in vehicles that support NFC.
For the iPad specifically, Apple has introduced new keyboard shortcuts for the Photos app for navigating between tabs, search, creating albums, deleting photos, and entering Edit mode, plus there's a new feature for hardware key remapping in iPadOS.
Update: Apple has also seeded a new public beta of tvOS 13.4 for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 13.4 brings Family Sharing integration to the Apple TV app.
A report today from Motherboard highlights several email apps that sell anonymized or pseudonymised data collected from users' inboxes, including Edison Mail, Cleanfox, and Slice, adding that many users are unaware of this practice.
An excerpt from the report:
The popular Edison email app, which is in the top 100 productivity apps on the Apple app store, scrapes users' email inboxes and sells products based off that information to clients in the finance, travel, and e-Commerce sectors. The contents of Edison users' inboxes are of particular interest to companies who can buy the data to make better investment decisions, according to a J.P. Morgan document obtained by Motherboard.
Data obtained by Motherboard reveals what some of the information scraped from emails can look like, using Slice as an example:
A spreadsheet containing data from Rakuten's Slice, an app that scrapes a user's inbox so they can better track packages or get their money back once a product goes down in price, contains the item that an app user bought from a specific brand, what they paid, and an unique identification code for each buyer.
The report serves as a good reminder to review the privacy policies of apps that you use. Edison Mail is transparent about its data collection in its privacy policy, for example, noting that it uses "non-personal data such as seller, product and price extracted from information we collect" to help its Edison Trends business partners "aggregate and understand commerce trends."
Edison's privacy policy and support website also indicate that users can opt out of having their anonymized data shared with Edison Trends partners by navigating to Account > Settings > Manage Privacy in the app.
Most importantly, Edison Mail requires users to accept or decline Edison Trends data collection during initial setup of the app.
To keep our Edison Mail app free, and to protect your privacy by rejecting an advertising-based business model, our company Edison Software, measures e-commerce through a technology that automatically recognizes commercial emails and extracts anonymous purchase information from them. Our technology is designed to ignore personal and work email, which does not help us measure market trends.
Edison puts privacy first in everything we do as a company and that includes making our users aware of how we use their data in our products. You have complete control over how your information is used and we allow you to opt-out of data sharing in our research product, without impacting your app experience. We strive to be as transparent as possible about our business practices in our press communications, Edison Mail website, Edison Trends website, privacy policy, blog posts, on our app store pages, on social media, and of course, in our app itself. We do not participate in any ad targeting of our users and do not allow others to do ad targeting of our users.
Update: Cleanfox parent company Foxintelligence has also responded to the report:
Since the very creation of Foxintelligence, we have chosen to be even more demanding than what is required by the General Regulations on the Protection of Personal Data (GDPR):
- We have always been completely transparent on the business model of Cleanfox and Foxintelligence. Nothing is hidden in illegible pages like Privacy Policy or Terms of Use. On the contrary, the business model is clearly and simply indicated when the user gives us his consent.
- We are also committed to never resell the personal data of our users, not to participate in any advertising targeting device and not to cause any harm to our users. Foxintelligence creates and resells anonymized and aggregated statistics, like any survey institute does.
- We believe in a model in which the service is free and the user is not the product.
Home security startup Abode today announced that its Smart Security Kit is now compatible with HomeKit. The kit includes a gateway, a motion sensor, a door/window sensor, and a key fob.
HomeKit compatibility enables users to add the Smart Security Kit gateway directly to the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, in addition to any Abode sensors connected to the gateway. HomeKit also allows the system to be controlled with Siri voice commands using an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or HomePod.
Through the Home app, users can arm or disarm their Abode security system and receive notifications of motion events triggered by motion sensors, as well as open or close events triggered by Abode door or window sensors.
Abode is releasing a firmware update today with HomeKit support for its second-generation gateway, while its first-generation gateway remains in the HomeKit certification process. Abode says it remains committed to bringing HomeKit compatibility to even more devices within its portfolio over time.
Abode's Smart Security Kit is currently on sale, with prices ranging from $179 to $279. Visit its HomeKit page for more details.
Microsoft today updated its Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps for the iPhone with a simplified three-tab layout.
The three tabs include Home, New, and Open:
Home: Sign in to your Microsoft account and view recent documents, spreadsheets, or presentations
New: Create a new document, spreadsheet, or presentation with various templates to choose from
Open: Open an existing document, spreadsheet, or presentation stored on your iPhone, in the Files app, or on a supported cloud service
The redesigned Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps are available on the App Store.
Microsoft recently introduced a new Office app for iOS that provides access to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint through a single app with a smaller download size. The app remains in beta testing via TestFlight.
Amazon today has knocked down the price of the 2019 MacBook Air by $200 for both the 128GB and 256GB SSD storage options. This means that prices start at $899.00 for the low-end MacBook Air and increase to $1,099.00 for the higher-end model.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Every color is being discounted on Amazon at the time of writing, so you can get the 13-inch MacBook Air in Gold, Silver, or Space Gray. Additionally, Best Buy is matching the price on all of these models for its shoppers.
Smartphone sales in China could be reduced by as much as 50 percent in the first quarter of 2020 because of the impact the coronavirus outbreak is having on the retail and manufacturing sectors, according to new research.
Speaking to Reuters, research firm Canalys said that the closure of production facilities and retail stores by Apple and other tech companies will not only hit smartphone sales, but also impact product launches scheduled to take place in the first quarter of this year.
"Vendors' planned product launches will be canceled or delayed, given that large public events are not allowed in China," said Canalys researchers. "It will take time for vendors to change their product launch roadmaps in China, which is likely to dampen 5G shipments."
Apple isn't expected to unveil a 5G phone until September, when the "iPhone 12" series is expected to be announced, but other vendors like Huawei reportedly hoped to see a boost in sales on the back of China's 5G network rollout.
Apple in early February closed all of its corporate offices, stores, and contact centers in China due to the coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan. The stores aren't expected to reopen as planned on February 10 because of ongoing concerns.
Meanwhile, Foxconn's Zhengzhou site, which is the most critical production site for the iPhone 11 and the upcoming low-cost iPhone, is seeing significant delays. The plant originally planned to resume work on February 2, but that has been postponed by at least one week.
There have already been multiple reports suggesting these closures will have an impact on Apple device production, and we could see dwindling device supplies and lengthening shipping times in the near future.
According to one report, Apple's ability to meet supply/demand balance of AirPods and AirPods Pro is in jeopardy due to the outbreak. The delays may also affect the upcoming low-cost iPhone that Apple is expected to launch as early as this March.
In his most recent report, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo declined to provide new shipment forecasts in light of the coronavirus outbreak because "there are still many uncertainties" but last week he lowered his iPhone shipment forecast by 10 percent to 36 to 40 million units during Q1 2020 due to the coronavirus.
In an ad break during last night's Academy Awards, Samsung gave viewers an unexpected first look at its yet-to-be-announced Galaxy Z Flip foldable phone, which the company is supposed to officially unveil on Tuesday.
_ The look of the phone in Samsung's commercial matches up with previous leaks, with the device being shown folded up, opened at various angles as well as opened completely flat. At one point, the ad shows the phone sitting on a flat surface at a 90-degree angle while a Google Duo video call takes place on the screen.
The ad also provides a first glimpse of the phone's small full-color digital screen on the back that can show a caller's ID and includes touch sliders for accepting and rejecting calls when the phone is folded up. Two colors of phone are shown – purple and black. The commercial ends with the tagline "Change the shape of the future."
The Galaxy Z Flip is rumored to feature an ultra-thin glass screen that Samsung is said to have developed in an effort to avoid the display issues that plagued the Galaxy Fold. Even so, it looks like Samsung hasn't been able to iron out a common wrinkle of foldable phones – "You may notice a small crease in the center of the main screen, which is a natural characteristic of the screen," reads the ad's small print.
The 6.7-inch Galaxy Z Flip is expected to be more affordable than the Galaxy Fold, which costs $1,980 in the U.S. The original Fold was beleaguered with display issues from the off, and Samsung will be hoping the Flip doesn't suffer a similar fate. There have already been reports of hinge problems with Motorola's just-released $1,499 Razr flip phone.
The Galaxy Z Flip will be officially announced alongside the Galaxy S20 – of which three models are expected – at Samsung's Unpacked event in San Francisco on February 11.
There are no rumors suggesting that Apple has plans to release a foldable smartphone anytime soon, but Apple is undoubtedly looking into foldable devices and has patented some foldable display technology.
Apple's butterfly keyboards came in for criticism at last night's Academy Awards. Talking to press backstage after winning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Jojo Rabbit director Taika Waititi took the opportunity to voice his frustration with the controversial MacBook keyboards (via The Verge).
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
"Apple needs to fix those keyboards," he said. "They are impossible to write on — they've gotten worse. It makes me want to go back to PCs. Because PC keyboards, the bounce-back for your fingers is way better. Hands up who still uses a PC? You know what I'm talking about. It's a way better keyboard. Those Apple keyboards are horrendous."
"I've got some shoulder problems," Waititi continued. "I've got OOS [Occupational Overuse Syndrome, a term used in New Zealand for RSI] — I don't know what you call it over here, this sort of thing here (gestures to arm), that tendon which goes down your forearm down into the thumb? You know what I'm talking about, if you guys are ever writing. And what happens is you open the laptop and you're like this (makes uncomfortable hunched-over-laptop pose) — we've just got to fix those keyboards. The WGA needs to step in and actually do something."
It's unclear if Waititi has any experience with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, which features a redesigned scissor switch keyboard, largely based on the standalone Magic Keyboard for the iMac. Given the tried-and-tested design, the keyboard should prove far more reliable than the troublesome butterfly keyboards used across the MacBook lineup in recent years.
Apple is expected to launch a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a scissor keyboard in the first half of 2020, following in the footsteps of the 16-inch MacBook Pro last October. There is some hope that the 13-inch model will become a 14-inch model, but that remains uncertain.
Taika Waititi jokes about what writers should be asking for in the next round of talks with producers: “Apple needs to fix those keyboards. They are impossible to write on. They’ve gotten worse. It makes me want to go back to PCs” #Oscarspic.twitter.com/vlFTSjCfZm
— Variety (@Variety) February 10, 2020
It wouldn't be surprising if Apple completely does away with its butterfly keyboards, which have suffered from issues with sticky, repeating, or nonfunctional keys since their inception in 2016. Apple continues to offer free repairs to affected customers as part of its worldwide service program.
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