The team behind the "unc0ver" jailbreaking tool for iOS has announced an upcoming version of its software that can patch "every signed iOS version on every device" using a zero-day kernel vulnerability by Pwn20wnd, a renowned iOS hacker.
If the claims are true, that would mean Apple's latest flagship devices like the iPhone 11, iPhone SE, and 2020 iPad Pro can be jailbroken, even if they're running iOS 13.5, which was released only yesterday.
This would be a significant development in the jailbreaking community, second only to last year's surprise announcement of "checkm8," an exploit found on nearly every chip made by Apple, which paved the way for a permanent, non-patchable jailbreak on hundreds of millions of affected iOS devices.
"Checkm8" was the first publicly available boot room exploit for iOS devices since the iPhone 4 in 2010.
We are going to release #unc0ver 5.0.0 with support for every signed iOS version on every device using a 0day kernel vulnerability from @Pwn20wnd in sponsorship with https://t.co/l4SDOTDUla very soon. Update your devices to 13.5 and follow our progress on https://t.co/cNIUANaJr2.
— unc0ver Team (@unc0verTeam) May 21, 2020
The unc0ver team didn't say when the updated tool would be released, but final stability tests are currently being performed, according to their website.
"Checkra1n," another jailbreaking tool made by the same security researcher responsible for the "checkm8" exploit, is presently the only way to unlock devices up to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, which use Apple's A11 Bionic chip.
Apple on Friday will release a special quarantine episode of "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet," which the cast and crew shot using iPhones. Ahead of the premiere of the episode, show creator and star Rob McElhenney did an interview with The Hollywood Reporter where he shared some details on how the filming was done.
According to McElhenney, he came up with the idea for the quarantine episode three weeks ago when bored while stuck at home. He pitched the idea to his bosses at Apple, who were "immediately on board." Apple's Cupertino team sent 40 new iPhones and 20 sets of earbuds later that same week, and McElhenney teamed up with David Hornsby (who also stars in the show) and Megan Ganz (the show's co-creator) to write the episode.
It took just three weeks to write the script, shoot the new episode, edit it, and get it ready to air. Despite the short filming time, the producers at Apple liked the episode so much that it's being submitted it for Emmy consideration. "It happened very, very fast," said McElhenney.
It was important for the episode to "feel like it was a shared experience" without recycling content. "We knew right away that we can't just get away with doing Zoom jokes for 30 minutes," said McElhenney. It was also important to get the episode out while it was still something that was going on in the moment, and McElhenney was surprised Apple agreed to the concept.
Honestly, I thought they were probably going to say no because it's just technically difficult. There are a few shows that subsequently have come out. Parks and Rec had not [aired] when we conceived of this, but I found out that Mike [Schur] was doing it, and I called him and asked him a bunch of questions. I thought, "If we're going to do it, I'd like it to look and feel as if this was a creative choice, not a choice that was created by limitation." That's what Apple responded to. Once I walked them through it, we shot a little test and said, "This is what it could look like and sound like and feel like." They pulled the trigger, and we got to work.
All of the actors in the show were forced to get into the "minutia" of details they're not normally concerned with. There were no people on hand for filming, no makeup artists, no hairstylists, no one to adjust the sound, and so on. Everyone had to consider lenses, applications, sound quality, frame rate, and other aspects of filming that actors normally don't do.
During filming, the crew used Zoom to communicate, with five to 45 people on the call depending on the scene or situation. Each actor had three iPhones, and one iPhone was used at a time. After a scene wrapped, the phone was sterilized, packaged, put in a secure area, picked up by a courier, brought to the editorial team, sterilized again, and then footage was uploaded for the editors who were working from home. When asked why three iPhones were used, this is what McElhenney had to say:
To get [footage] through to editorial as fast as possible, because we wanted to get this episode done and out while we were still in quarantine. The way we'd do each scene is they'd take their laptop/desktop cameras that you would see normally for a teleconferencing thing and they'd put the iPhone directly in front of that camera, so I essentially had video village from my house. I could see what every actor's camera is picking up and you could also see the readings for the audio. Mike, the cinematographer, could double check all the settings and make sure that everything was running at the right revolution, frame rate, etc. Then we would run the scene, and the actors would be talking to one another the same way we're talking right now [by phone], through our AirPods.
The quarantine episode of "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet" features pandemic-related plotlines such as Poppy struggling with forced solitude and C.W. struggling with teleconferencing technology, while Ian Grimm, in his lavish house, has a hard time understanding everyone else's struggles.
There's also a storyline about a charitable donation, which is being replicated in real life, with the show raising $600,000 to date for the global NGO Mercy Corps COVID-19 relief program. The episode will air this Friday.
Back in October, Microsoft decided to get into the wire-free earbuds market with the debut of the Surface Earbuds, designed to compete with Apple's AirPods, Google's Pixel Buds, and Samsung's Galaxy Buds.
We picked up a pair of Microsoft's Surface Earbuds to check out the feature set and see how they measure up to Apple's AirPods.
Priced at $199, the Surface Earbuds have a design that's rather... unique. There's an AirPods-style earpiece that fits into the ear, along with a circular exterior portion that's rather large and noticeable, designed primarily for touch gestures. The Surface Earbuds are not low-key, hard to see headphones -- it's obvious when you're wearing them.
When it comes to fit, the Surface Earbuds are relatively comfortable. The AirPods kind of rest on the outside of the ears, while the Surface Earbuds are designed to fit a bit deeper in the ear canal, though not as deep as the AirPods Pro.
Surface Earbuds come with small, medium, and large tips, so most people should be able to get a decent fit. We found them to be uncomfortable to wear at first, but after they settled in for a few hours, the Surface Earbuds were more comfortable to wear.
The design of the Surface Earbuds definitely looks a bit funky, but it's functional because of the simple and effective gesture set, which uses the large surface area of each earbud.
A double tap plays/pauses music, a swipe on the left earbud skips tracks, and a swipe on the right earbud controls the volume. AirPods don't have gesture controls for volume, which is one of the major negatives when it comes to AirPods gestures.
There are also controls for accessing voice-based help and answering/ending phone calls, plus several Microsoft apps can take advantage of Surface Earbuds gestures. On an Android phone, for example, a triple tap on either earbud opens up the Spotify app. On iOS, you can listen to, delete, and reply to emails with touch and voice using the Outlook app, and in PowerPoint, you can swipe to advance slides, enable live captions and subtitles, and have what you're saying be translated into one of 60 languages.
Sound quality on the Surface Earbuds was somewhat unimpressive. The low end was disappointing and on the whole, music playback had a tinny quality. There is an app that accompanies the Surface Earbuds for EQ adjustments, which helps improve the sound somewhat. There's no Active Noise Cancellation, so the only sound isolating comes from the fit of the Surface Earbuds in the ear.
The Surface Earbuds have a six to eight hour battery life, which is extended to 24 hours with the included USB-C charging case, which has a rectangular design reminiscent of a little coffin. The case charges over USB-C, and there's no wireless charging included.
When paired with a Surface device or a Windows PC running Windows 10, which is what the Surface Earbuds are designed to work with, there's a Swift Pair feature for fast pairing, but on iOS devices, the connection will need to be done through Bluetooth settings.
Surface Earbuds are fine if you plan to use them with a PC or a Surface device, but there's no reason to pick these up if you're planning to use them with a Mac or an iPhone because the full feature set is restricted to Windows. Given the $199 price point, these are best for those who are in Microsoft's ecosystem rather than Apple's.
Apple is adding a 192-room hotel to the campus that it is developing in Austin, Texas, according to revised construction plans shared by Culturemap.
The hotel will span 75,500 feet and will have six stories, but there's no information on branding. The updated plans were approved in late April, with the hotel as a new addition. The original plans, filed in December 2018, did not include a hotel.
None of Apple's other campuses have hotels on site, but the addition of a hotel will give employees traveling to the Austin campus for training and other purposes a place to stay.
The $1 billion Austin campus will span three million square feet, with two million square feet dedicated to office space. Apple started construction on the campus in November 2019, and is set to finish it up in 2022.
When the campus opens, it will have space for 5,000 employees, but eventually, it will be able to accommodate 15,000 employees.
Twitter today announced that it has started testing new conversation settings that were first outlined earlier this year at CES.
A "Conversation Participants" option in the window where a tweet is composed will allow users to select who can reply to a tweet. Options include everyone, people you follow, and only people you mention.
The "everyone" represents how Twitter traditionally works and it's the default setting that's selected, while the other two options will limit replies. Tweets that have limited replies will be labeled and the reply icon will be grayed out so it's clear to people that they're unable to reply.
Even when replies are limited to followers or people mentioned in a tweet, people unable to reply will be able to view, Retweet, Retweet with Comment, and like the tweets.
Being able to participate and understand what's happening is key for useful public conversation. So, we're exploring how we can improve these settings to give people more opportunities to weigh in while still giving people control over the conversations they start.
One thing we know for sure is that you'll be creative with this update. Maybe you'll host a debate on the benefits of pineapple on pizza (#TeamPineapple) with fellow pizza pals or invite a panel of distinguished guests for a fireside chat. You could even play a game of tic-tac-toe for people to follow along without messing up your moves. We're excited to see what you do!
Twitter says that the feature is rolling out to a limited group of people globally on Twitter for iOS, Android, and twitter.com, and only those with the setting available will be able to tweet using the new options. Should the test prove successful, the feature will roll out to everyone.
Hulu today announced the launch of an updated interface that offers up content in a tiled view, similar to Netflix and other streaming services.
Hulu in 2017 unveiled a simplified user interface that eliminated the horizontal tiled view for TV shows and movies, instead adopting a vertically oriented design that focused on a single TV show or movie at a time with full-screen artwork.
On the Apple TV, Hulu's current design displays just three or four show listings at a time, making it difficult to browse through content to find something to watch, and it's an interface that many Hulu customers have not been satisfied with.
The updated interface that Hulu is rolling out as of today is designed to make it easier to navigate and discover new content. Navigating through collections is done vertically, but there's now an option to explore within a collection through horizontal tiles.
Hulu says that this design is something that viewers are accustomed to and that matches the navigation pattern in Disney+ and ESPN+, so it will make navigation easier for customers who have the bundle that includes all three services.
Categories of content like TV, Movies, and Sports will be moved to the master navigation menu, and Hulu says that navigating through content will take fewer clicks than before.
Hulu plans to use tile size to highlight new shows and movies, while "Keep Watching" tiles might be smaller so viewers can see more of their content at a glance and return to favorites more quickly.
There have also been some changes to improve how recommendations work, with fine tuning to make curated collections more personalized for each viewer.
With this change, a viewer who may be a fan of medical dramas will see those titles first in a curated drama collection. In that same collection, a fan of romantic dramas may see those prioritized instead.
Hulu's redesigned interface will come first to some viewers on Roku and Apple TV devices before rolling out more broadly over the course of the next few months.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the fourth beta and over a month after releasing macOS Catalina 10.15.4 with Screen Time Communication Limits, iCloud Folder Sharing, and real-time Apple Music lyrics.
The new macOS Catalina beta can be downloaded from the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper software from the Developer Center.
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 introduces a new Battery Health Management feature for Mac notebooks, which is designed to extend the overall lifespan of a Mac’s battery by reducing the rate of chemical aging.
The Battery Health Management feature analyzes the battery health of a laptop and its charging pattern, and in some cases, will preserve battery longevity and health by not charging a MacBook to its full capacity, which can reduce battery life.
When a Mac is used plugged in and the battery is largely kept full, Battery Health Management will kick in and will stop short of a full charge. The feature can be enabled and disabled in the Energy Saver section of the System Preferences app.
The macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update also addresses an issue that caused large data transfers to RAID volumes to freeze up the Finder app. With the update, large data transfers will no longer cause Finder to become unresponsive.
After installing macOS Catalina 10.15.4, some Mac users began experiencing occasional system crashes, primarily caused by large file transfers. The new update should successfully fix the problem.
Alongside iOS and iPadOS 13.5, Apple today released new 13.4.5 software for the HomePod. According to Apple's release notes, the update includes general improvements for stability and quality, with no new features mentioned.
The HomePod update is 13.4.5 and not 13.5, like the accompanying iOS update. When the beta testing period for iOS 13.5 first started, Apple released the betas as iOS 13.4.5, but swapped to iOS 13.5 due to a necessary SDK update for the Exposure Notification API.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod, but the HomePod can also be manually updated by following the instructions in our HomePod update how to.
Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 13.5, major updates that come more than a month after the launch of iOS and iPadOS 13.4.1. iOS 13.5 is a major health-related update that brings many features related to the ongoing public health crisis.
The iOS and iPadOS 13.5 updates are available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 12.4.7 for older devices, with the update bringing security fixes.
The iOS 13.5 update introduces the Exposure Notification API created by Apple and Google, which is designed to allow public health authorities to create COVID-19 contact tracing apps with the aim of slowing the spread of the virus.
Exposure Notification is a behind-the-scenes Bluetooth-based API that will be incorporated into apps created by public health authorities in each country. It does not work without an accompanying app installed, but Apple has added details about Exposure Logging in the Privacy section of the Settings app.
There is an Exposure Logging toggle that will let users opt out of participating in COVID-19 exposure notifications if a COVID-19 app is installed, and the section will provide details on which public health app a user has downloaded.
iOS 13.5 lays the groundwork for Exposure Notifications, and now that the update has been released to the public, health apps from governments and health authorities will be able to be released. So far, more than 22 countries have signed up to participate, and apps that use the API should be coming in the near future. From Apple and Google:
What we’ve built is not an app — rather public health agencies will incorporate the API into their own apps that people install. Our technology is designed to make these apps work better. Each user gets to decide whether or not to opt-in to Exposure Notifications; the system does not collect or use location from the device; and if a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, it is up to them whether or not to report that in the public health app. User adoption is key to success and we believe that these strong privacy protections are also the best way to encourage use of these apps.
Today, this technology is in the hands of public health agencies across the world who will take the lead and we will continue to support their efforts.
Apps that take advantage of the Exposure Notification API will use Bluetooth to communicate with the smartphones of the people around you, and you will be provided with notifications should you come into contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 that chooses to share that information. Google and Apple have focused heavily on privacy with the Exposure Notification API, and full details on how Exposure Notification works can be found in our guide.
In addition to creating a foundation for apps to use the Exposure Notification API, iOS (and iPadOS) 13.5 make it easier to unlock an iPhone or iPad with a passcode when wearing a mask, due to the large number of people that are regularly wearing face coverings.
With the update, the passcode interface is displayed more quickly when an iOS device detects that a user is wearing a mask that obscures the face after the person swipes up, so it's quicker getting into an iPhone using a passcode than before.
Apple has tweaked Group FaceTime, adding a new toggle to disable the feature that automatically enlarges the tile of the person who is speaking. By default, Group FaceTime features a dynamic view with a tile for each person in the conversation, and the person speaking has a larger tile while the tiles representing the other people fade into the background.
A new "Automatic Prominence" section in the FaceTime part of the Settings app allows the shifting tile sizes to be disabled, displaying all of the people in a Group FaceTime chat in a grid with equal-sized windows regardless who of speaking. A tile can be enlarged with a tap.
There's a new feature in iOS 13.5 for sharing Medical ID information automatically with emergency dispatchers when placing an emergency call. A toggle lets this feature be turned on or off, and there's also a new toggle in the Health app for showing Medical ID info on the Lock screen when an iPhone is locked.
For Apple Music, there's a new feature that lets Apple Music songs be shared directly to Instagram Stories. Tapping the Share button on a song in Apple Music creates a story with a song title, album name, and animated background, but there's no way to get to Apple Music from the shared information.
The update patches two security vulnerabilities that affect the Mail app on the iPhone and the iPad. One of the vulnerabilities allowed an attacker to remotely infect an iOS device by sending emails that consume a significant amount of memory, while another allowed remote code executions.
There are additional bug fixes and features included, as outlined in Apple's release notes:
iOS 13.5 speeds up access to the passcode field on devices with Face ID when you are wearing a face mask and introduces the Exposure Notification API to support COVID-19 contact tracing apps from public health authorities. This update also introduces an option to control automatic prominence of video tiles on Group FaceTime calls and includes bug fixes and other improvements.
Face ID and Passcode - Simplified unlock process for devices with Face ID when you are wearing a face mask - Passcode field automatically presented after swiping up from the bottom of the Lock screen when you are wearing a face mask - Also works when authenticating with the App Store, Apple Books, Apple Pay, iTunes, and other apps that support signing in with Face ID
Exposure Notification - Exposure Notification API to support COVID-19 contact tracing apps from public health authorities
FaceTime - Option to control automatic prominence on Group FaceTime calls so video tiles do not change size when a participant speaks
Emergency Services - Option to automatically share health and other essential information from your Medical ID with emergency services when you place an emergency call (US only)
This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. - Fixes an issue where users may see a black screen when trying to play streaming video from some websites - Addresses an issue in the share sheet where suggestions and actions may not load
Apple has separate release notes for iPadOS:
iPadOS 13.5 speeds up access to the passcode field on devices with Face ID when you are wearing a face mask and introduces an option to control automatic prominence of video tiles on Group FaceTime calls. This update includes bug fixes and other improvements.
Face ID and Passcode - Simplified unlock process for devices with Face ID when you are wearing a face mask - Passcode field automatically presented after swiping up from the bottom of the Lock screen when you are wearing a face mask - Also works when authenticating with the App Store, Apple Books, Apple Pay, iTunes, and other apps that support signing in with Face ID
FaceTime - Option to control automatic prominence on Group FaceTime calls so video tiles do not change size when a participant speaks
This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. - Fixes an issue where users may see a black screen when trying to play streaming video from some websites - Addresses an issue in the share sheet where suggestions and actions may not load
iOS 13.5 could be one of the last updates to the iOS 13 operating system as Apple prepares to shift its focus to iOS 14. Apple will unveil iOS 14 on June 22, when its virtual WWDC event kicks off.
Apple and Google today launched their Exposure Notification API to assist public health authorities around the world with slowing the spread of COVID-19.
On the Apple side, the API is available in the iOS 13.5 software update released today. Apple said that several U.S. states and 22 countries around the world have requested and received access to the API to date, with more expected to join in the coming weeks. A few of the committed states so far include Alabama, South Carolina, and North Dakota.
Apple and Google have consulted with a number of public health authorities on the API, including the CDC, the Association of Public Health Laboratories, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the Public Health Informatics Institute of the Taskforce for Global Health.
Apple and Google said that the API is intended to supplement rather than substitute for traditional contact tracing. In a statement, the companies said that the API is designed to make contact tracing apps work better:
One of the most effective techniques that public health officials have used during outbreaks is called contact tracing. Through this approach, public health officials contact, test, treat and advise people who may have been exposed to an affected person. One new element of contact tracing is Exposure Notifications: using privacy-preserving digital technology to tell someone they may have been exposed to the virus. Exposure Notification has the specific goal of rapid notification, which is especially important to slowing the spread of the disease with a virus that can be spread asymptomatically.
To help, Apple and Google cooperated to build Exposure Notifications technology that will enable apps created by public health agencies to work more accurately, reliably and effectively across both Android phones and iPhones. Over the last several weeks, our two companies have worked together, reaching out to public health officials scientists, privacy groups and government leaders all over the world to get their input and guidance.
Starting today, our Exposure Notifications technology is available to public health agencies on both iOS and Android. What we’ve built is not an app — rather public health agencies will incorporate the API into their own apps that people install. Our technology is designed to make these apps work better. Each user gets to decide whether or not to opt-in to Exposure Notifications; the system does not collect or use location from the device; and if a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, it is up to them whether or not to report that in the public health app. User adoption is key to success and we believe that these strong privacy protections are also the best way to encourage use of these apps.
Today, this technology is in the hands of public health agencies across the world who will take the lead and we will continue to support their efforts.
Governor Doug Burgum, North Dakota:
North Dakota is excited to be among the first states in the nation to utilize the exposure notification technology built by Apple and Google to help keep our citizens safe. The CARE19 Exposure app will help us improve contact tracing and continue our ND Smart Restart by notifying people who may have been exposed to COVID-19, reaching the greatest number of people in a way that protects their privacy. As we respond to this unprecedented public health emergency, we invite other states to join us in leveraging smartphone technologies to strengthen existing contact tracing efforts, which are critical to getting communities and economies back up and running.
Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama State Health Officer:
The State of Alabama's priority as we fight the COVID-19 pandemic together is the health and safety of its citizens as well as their privacy. In partnership with Apple and Google, the Alabama Department of Public Health, University of Alabama System, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, we are harnessing technology to accelerate exposure notification to slow the spread of COVID-19 so that we can all be safe together.
Leslie A. Lenert, MD, Assistant Provost for Data Science and Informatics and Chief Research Information Officer, Medical University of South Carolina:
The Department of Health and Environment Concerns (DHEC) and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) are building the SC-Safer-Together COVID-19 risk management app, which is designed to let people know anonymously that they may have been exposed to the virus and giving them the option to connect with public health officials. Built to tough medical privacy protection standards by health care providers, the SC Safer Together app, using the Apple-Google system, protects users’ privacy and will help South Carolina safely get back to work. MUSC is also proud to be working with Clemson University and the University of California San Diego on smart and private extensions that will further enhance the app’s capabilities.
Apple today released tvOS 13.4.5, the fourth major update to the tvOS operating system that runs on the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 13.4.5 comes two months after the launch of tvOS 13.4.
tvOS 13.4.5, a free update, can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System > Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates enabled will be upgraded to tvOS 13.4.5 automatically.
tvOS updates are almost always minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and small feature tweaks rather than major outward-facing changes.
We didn't find new features during the beta testing period, so it's not entirely clear what's new in the updates. Apple will share details on the tvOS 13.4.5 update in its tvOS support document, but release notes often state little more than general performance and stability improvements.
Apple today announced the upcoming launch of "Greatness Code," a new short-form sports docuseries that will feature stories from athletes like LeBron James, Tom Brady, Shaun White, Usain Bolt, and more.
"Greatness Code" was co-produced by Uninterrupted and Religion of Sports, and was directed by Gotham Chopra. The first season will feature seven mini episodes, each examining a pivotal moment that defined an athlete's career. Episodes feature the following athletes:
Four-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist LeBron James
Six-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady
Olympic gold medalist and co-captain of the US Women's National Soccer Team Alex Morgan
Record-holding Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Shaun White
World's fastest man and eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt
Five-time Olympic gold medalist and 15-time world champion swimmer Katie Ledecky
11-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater
"Greatness Code" is set to premiere exclusively on Apple TV+ on Friday, July 10. It will join other documentary-style content such as "Home," and "The Beastie Boys Story."
Apple TV+ provides original movies and TV shows for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, plus there's a free year of service for those who have recently purchased an Apple device. For those who don't qualify for the free year, Apple offers a one-week free trial. Check out our step-by-step instructions for getting up and running from various devices.
Following a challenge from T-Mobile, the National Advertising Review Board today announced that it has recommended that AT&T discontinue its "5G Evolution" or "5GE" marketing claims, noting that they may be misleading to consumers.
"5G Evolution" is the branding that AT&T has been using in areas where the latest 4G LTE technologies like three-way carrier aggregation, 4x4 MIMO, and 256-QAM are available. Since the release of iOS 12.2, AT&T has been displaying a "5GE" label in place of "LTE" on iPhones that connect to its network in areas where those technologies are available.
In a statement shared with MacRumors, AT&T said that it "respectfully disagrees" with the decision, but will comply as a "supporter of the self-regulatory process." AT&T added that it is not currently using "5G Evolution" branding in its advertising, but it did not confirm whether it will stop using the "5GE" label on smartphones.
AT&T respectfully disagrees with the reasoning and result reached by the Panel majority. AT&T's customers nationwide continue to benefit from dramatically superior speeds and performance that its current network provides. As a supporter of the self-regulatory process, however, AT&T will comply with the NARB's decision.
AT&T has since launched its actual 5G network in select cities in the United States. The first 5G-enabled iPhones are expected to launch later this year.
Update 1:29 p.m.: AT&T has told LightReading that it does not plan to remove the 5GE icon from phones because it is not considered advertising and thus falls outside of the NARB's recommendation.
But AT&T said the NARB's recommendation only applies to its advertising and therefore will not affect the one element that really matters: Its service icon.
First introduced in April 2019, the Powerbeats Pro were Apple's first totally wireless Beats earphones, equipped with the same H1 chip as the second-generation AirPods for "Hey Siri" and faster connection speeds between the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other devices. Existing color options include Black, Ivory, Moss, and Navy.
Rumors suggest that Apple plans to expand its AirPods lineup with two new models later this year, including high-end, over-ear "AirPods Studio" and in-ear "AirPods X" with a BeatsX-like design for running and exercising. This would be followed by refreshes to both the regular AirPods and the AirPods Pro in 2021.
AirPods X — Fall 2020: Last month, Prosser claimed that Apple was planning to release so-called "AirPods X" around September or October with a BeatsX-like design for running and exercising. Kuo acknowledged this rumor, noting that any new AirPods model coming in the second half of 2020 is "more likely to be the new Beats model."
AirPods — Spring 2021: Third-generation AirPods will enter mass production in the first half of 2021, according to Kuo, suggesting that the regular AirPods will not be refreshed until next year. Kuo expects internal design changes, but he did not indicate if there will be any external changes. The original AirPods launched in December 2016, followed by a second-generation refresh in March 2019.
AirPods Pro — Fall 2021: Second-generation AirPods Pro will enter mass production between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022, according to Kuo, suggesting that a refresh is well over a year away. No further details are known. The current AirPods Pro launched at the end of October 2019.
Keep track of our various AirPods roundups linked below for the latest rumors.
Apple subsidiary Claris today announced the launch of FileMaker 19, marking the debut of its first open platform for developers to build custom apps that leverage JavaScript integrations, drag-and-drop add-ons, AI through Core ML, and more.
Claris says that with FileMaker 19, developers are able to be more productive and businesses are able to leverage Claris' global community of developers, add-on marketplace, and existing developer resources to collaboratively solve complex digital programs.
FileMaker 19 includes access to plug-and-play add-ons, JavaScript libraries, and more, as outlined by Claris:
FileMaker 19 enables Claris' global developer community to use the platform they already know to deliver powerful custom apps to more than 1.3 million active users faster than ever before. With FileMaker 19, developers can:
Create in a snap with plug-and-play add-ons -- Use add-ons like Kanban boards and photo galleries to snap together robust apps faster than ever before, or leverage JavaScript, web services, native FileMaker code and more to create sharable add-ons to sell in the Claris Marketplace.
Use readily-available JavaScript libraries -- Use readily-available JavaScript libraries or create custom code to directly embed maps, animated graphics, data visualization, and more into their apps.
Build smarter apps -- Enable rich user experiences with Core ML machine learning models, support for Siri Shortcuts, and NFC (near field communication) tag reading. Unlock the potential of data with image classification, sentiment analysis, object detection and more.
Create directly in the cloud -- Fast track app deployment by creating apps directly in FileMaker Cloud, skipping the multi-step configuration process and making apps instantly sharable.
Host where you want -- In addition to Mac and Windows, FileMaker Server can now be hosted on Linux, an industry standard OS, for high availability and reliability.
A fresh set of discounts on the 16-inch MacBook Pro have returned today, with low prices on both the 512GB and 1TB models of Apple's high-end notebook. The sales today can be found across numerous retailers, including Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Tiger Direct.
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.
The 512GB 16-inch MacBook Pro (2.6 GHz 6-Core, 16GB RAM) is on sale for $2,099.00, down from $2,399.00. This $300 discount is a sale we've tracked a few times since the notebook's launch last year, and it represents the lowest price we've ever tracked for a new model. It's available at Amazon, B&H Photo, and Tiger Direct.
The 1TB 16-inch MacBook Pro (2.3 GHz 8-Core, 16GB RAM) is on sale for $2,499.00, down from $2,799.00. This is another sale that we've seen often throughout the past few months, and it's now expanded across more retailers, remaining the best price on this model. You can find the $300 discount on Amazon, Adorama, and B&H Photo.
As one final note, there is a small sale on a new 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2020 on Amazon. You can get the 512GB notebook (1.4 GHz, 8GB RAM) for $1,444.94, down from $1,499.00 ($54 off). You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.
Apple Stores in Canada will begin reopening their doors to the public today, starting with six locations in the Vancouver area, one in Winnipeg, and one in Halifax. Enhanced health and safety measures will be in place, such as social distancing and reduced operating hours. Apple is also requiring that all employees and customers wear a face covering while inside the store and will provide one to customers who do not bring one.
The following locations will reopen today, most at 11 a.m. local time:
Apple Pacific Centre in Vancouver
Apple Oakridge Centre in Vancouver
Apple Coquitlam Centre in Coquitlam
Apple Richmond Centre in Richmond
Apple Metrotown in Burnaby
Apple Guildford Town Centre in Surrey
Apple Halifax Shopping Centre in Halifax
Apple Polo Park in Winnipeg
Apple's four stores in Alberta will follow on Thursday:
Apple Chinook Centre in Calgary
Apple Market Mall in Calgary
Apple West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton
Apple Southgate Centre in Edmonton
Apple Stores across Ontario and Quebec remain closed for the time being.
In a letter to customers this week, Apple said that it looks at all available data before deciding to reopen a store, including local cases, near and long‑term trends, and guidance from national and local health officials. Apple also said that it would not rule out the possibility of closing a store again should local conditions warrant.
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.
