Apple has recently shared a new support document on how to make your own face shield. The support document does mention that the manufacturing of face shields should only be carried out by an expert.
In the support document, Apple specifies the materials and their respective thickness values needed for the fabrication of the shield, forehead band, and strap. Additionally, the support document highlights laser cutting, water jetting, and die cutting as potential fabrication methods that can be used in the production of the face shield.
Apple also provides several design files that are to be used in the fabrication process itself. The design files available include instructions for the overall process, 2D cut files, and specific manufacturing files for each component of the face shield. Apple has also set up the email address faceshieldmake@apple.com should anyone need further assistance with the fabrication process.
There have since been four videos in English by YouTube user MrExitStrategy, covering many of the new key features. The first of these shows the hinge system of the case, which provides a "floating" cantilevered design for smooth viewing angle adjustments of up to 130 degrees.
There is also a look at the preferences pane of the Magic Keyboard in the Settings app, revealing that the keyboard backlighting brightness may be changed manually or automatically adjusted based on ambient lighting conditions.
The most recent video offers a more detailed comparison of the Magic Keyboard with the Smart Folio Keyboard, and walks through some of the new trackpad gestures in iPadOS 13.4. This video suggests that the trackpad uses a mechanical click rather than haptic feedback. The cantilevered design is tested for stability, including for use with Apple Pencil.
Earlier this week, the Magic Keyboard became available for order online alongside the new iPhone SE, and most deliveries are expected to begin arriving next week.
OnePlus this week launched its newest flagship smartphones, the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro, offering high-end specs and features at a cheaper price than many of its competitors.
We got our hands on one of the OnePlus 8 Pro devices and thought we'd see how it measures up to the iPhone 11 Pro Max in our latest YouTube video.
There are a few models at different price points, but for our video, we're comparing the $899 OnePlus 8 Pro with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, plus a pretty nice looking exclusive "glacial green" color, to the mostly comparable $1249 iPhone 11 Pro Max with 4GB RAM and 256GB storage, which is a $350 premium.
Both smartphones are attractive, well-designed, and have a premium look. The OnePlus 8 Pro features a frosted back much like the iPhone 11 Pro, and it looks attractive in the glacial green shade. OnePlus gets an edge over Apple when it comes to fun colors, as Apple is rather conservative with its Pro lineup.
The 11 Pro and the OnePlus 8 both have large camera bumps at the back. Apple's is in a square shape housing triple-lens cameras, while OnePlus opted for a vertical camera bump that's right in the middle of the smartphone. It too has a triple-lens camera.
On the side, the OnePlus 8 Pro has an alert slider that can be toggled between silent, vibrate, and ringer on, one more option than the iPhone provides with its vibrate and ringer on options.
The OnePlus 8 Pro features a 6.7-inch display, which is just a bit bigger than the iPhone 11 Pro Max's 6.5-inch display. It's an OLED display with a 120Hz refresh date and a 3168 x 1440 resolution. Apple hasn't yet brought 120Hz refresh rates to the iPhone, but there have been rumors of a 120Hz iPhone display ever since Apple added the feature to the iPad Pro.
Samsung's latest flagship smartphone, the S20 Ultra, also has a 120Hz display but limited it to only 1080p. The new OnePlus 8 Pro supports 120Hz at the full resolution of the display, though at the cost of some battery life.
The OnePlus 8 Pro doesn't have anything like the TrueDepth Camera System or Face ID, so there's just a single hole punch camera cutout at the front on the right side, and it's otherwise all display.
With no Face ID, the OnePlus 8 Pro uses an optical fingerprint sensor, which is built into the display and seems to work fine. There have been some rumors that Apple is working on optical fingerprint sensor technology, but if it's a feature in development, it isn't something we're expecting in the 2020 iPhone lineup.
New to the OnePlus 8 Pro this year is wireless charging, a feature that iPhones have had for years now. It supports 30W fast wireless charging with a $70 charger, which means it can be charged from 0 to 50 percent in about 30 minutes (any other Qi charger is 5W, though). A 30W power adapter is included for fast wired charging though. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is limited to 7.5W wireless charging while wired fast charging requires a Lightning to USB-C cable and 18W+ power adapter.
Battery life between the two phones isn't too different. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969 mAh battery, and the OnePlus 8 Pro has a 4,500 mAh battery.
When it comes to camera quality, the OnePlus 8 Pro usually falls behind other smartphone manufacturers, and Apple is usually at the top of the pack, but OnePlus appears to have improved somewhat. This year, the OnePlus 8 Pro features a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 48-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto camera, and a 5-megapixel depth camera.
We can only test around the house at the current time so we didn't do a deep dive into the camera, but the OnePlus 8 Pro is more on par with the iPhone. Most of the time, the iPhone images still look more natural, but OnePlus does a better job at ultra wide-angle image quality, and some portrait mode photos look better.
The OnePlus 8 Pro still lags behind when it comes to low-light photography (such as indoor lighting), but the longer exposure night mode images are on par with Night Mode images from the iPhone. There's also a macro photo mode, which works well and captures images with quite a lot of detail.
High-end smartphones are all so fast now that it's not useful to compare performance, and both the OnePlus 8 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max perform at a level expected of a premium smartphone.
Even though the OnePlus 8 Pro is able to offer a comparable feature set to the iPhone 11 Pro Max, operating system is such a huge factor when purchasing a smartphone. A person deep in the iOS ecosystem (like many of us here at MacRumors) isn't going to swap over to Android, and the same goes for Android users who are used to that operating system.
The OnePlus 8 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max are both great smartphones, and if you are in the Android ecosystem, OnePlus' new device is worth checking out. If you're someone without a strong operating system preference, the OnePlus 8 Pro is a solid iPhone competitor that has a lot to offer at a lower price.
An investigation by Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk has revealed that backwards-compatible support for HTTP in iOS and Android is allowing data from popular apps such as TikTok to be intercepted and altered.
While most apps have made the transition to HTTPS, the research discovered that TikTok on iOS and Android still uses unencrypted HTTP to download media content. Consequently, TikTok inherits all of the known and well-documented HTTP vulnerabilities.
Apple introduced App Transport Security in iOS 9, requiring all HTTP connections to use encrypted HTTPS. Google similarly changed the default network security configuration in Android Pie to block all plaintext HTTP traffic. HTTP vulnerabilities still exist, however, since Apple and Google continue provide a way for developers to opt-out of HTTPS for backwards-compatibility.
The investigation proved that it is possible to successfully intercept TikTok traffic and fool the app to show fake videos as if they were published by popular and verified accounts. Any router between the TikTok app and TikTok's servers can easily expose a user's watch history, and change profile photos and videos. While only users connected to the router will see the malicious content, the research suggests that if a popular DNS server was hacked to include a corrupt DNS record, media data could be changed on a large scale.
The long-awaited return of the iPhone SE is finally here! It's not as small as the original version, but it packs modern internals into an iPhone 8 design and comes at a very competitive starting price of $399.
That certainly wasn't the only news from this week, as Apple also began taking orders for the new iPad Pro Magic Keyboard several weeks ahead of its previously announced May launch date, and we saw a number of rumors about Apple's upcoming product pipeline. Apple also began testing a new battery health management feature for its recent notebook models, which will ship as part of macOS 10.15.5.
Read on for those stories and more from a very busy week in Apple news and rumors!
Apple Launches New iPhone SE With a 4.7-Inch Display, A13 Chip, and Touch ID, Starts at $399
Following nearly a year of rumors, Apple this week finally introduced its second-generation iPhone SE this week with pre-orders available now ahead of an April 24 launch. The device looks similar to the iPhone 8, with a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button, but it has the latest A13 Bionic chip like iPhone 11 models.
Other key features include a 12MP Wide rear camera, up to 256GB of storage, wireless charging, and Wi-Fi 6. Pricing starts at $399 in the United States, with black, white, and (RED) color options, but some carriers and retailers are offering discounts and bonuses.
Apple previously said the keyboard would launch in May, so this early availability was unexpected.
The Magic Keyboard attaches magnetically to iPad Pro with a floating cantilevered design. Like on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the full-size keyboard has backlit scissor-switch keys with 1mm of key travel. There's also a built-in trackpad to take advantage of trackpad support in iPadOS 13.4.
5G iPhones With Flat Edges and Slimmer Notch, Smaller HomePod, AirTags, and High-End Apple Headphones Also Expected This Year
iPhone 12 models are still expected to feature a notch for the front camera and Face ID sensors, but it will likely be reduced in size. Apple's end goal is to remove the notch entirely.
Apple traditionally launches its flagship iPhone lineup in September each year, but there is some uncertainty given the current economic situation, and some analysts have been predicting a staggered launch that could see some models not launch until as late as January 2021.
Apple is also expected to release a smaller HomePod, AirTags item trackers, and high-end, over-ear headphones later this year.
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Beta Includes Battery Health Management Feature for Macs
Battery Health Management is designed to extend the overall lifespan of a Mac notebook by reducing chemical aging. The feature will analyze the health of a Mac's battery and, in some cases, will preserve battery health by not charging a MacBook to full capacity.
When a Mac is used plugged in and the battery is kept full for the most part, the Battery Health Management feature will kick in and it will stop short of a full charge, although battery life may still be listed as 100%.
Leaked iPhone 12 Pro Max Schematics Show Thinner Design, Smaller Bezels, LiDAR Camera, and More
The key thing about the CADs is they line up with rumors suggesting that Apple's new iPhone will take many design cues from the iPad Pro. The schematics show a square-edged stainless steel frame between two pieces of glass, replacing the rounded stainless steel frame of the iPhone 11 series.
12.9-Inch iPad Pro With Mini-LED Display Possibly 'Delayed' Until Early 2021
The launch of a new high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a Mini-LED display may be "delayed" until early 2021 due to the device's "complex panel design," analyst Jeff Pu said in a research note this week.
Back in December, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was developing up to six Mini-LED products, including a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an A14X chip for release in the third quarter of 2020. This was before the global health crisis began, however, so it would be understandable if the timeframe has been pushed back due to supply chain disruptions and Apple engineers working from home.
Apple just updated the iPad Pro last month with an A12Z Bionic chip, Ultra Wide camera, LiDAR Scanner, and improved microphones.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
California Governor Gavin Newsom today unveiled a new business recovery task force intended to guide the state as it gets its economy back up and running as coronavirus shutdowns begin to ease in the coming weeks and months, reports CNBC.
The task force will be co-chaired by philanthropist Tom Steyer and Newsom's chief of staff Ann O'Leary, and it will be composed of more than 70 members including Apple CEO Tim Cook and Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger.
The task force will reportedly meet twice a month through the end of the year.
Cook's participation on the task force comes just after a virtual company-wide meeting for Apple employees where Cook outlined some details on the current situation and how things will likely evolve going forward. Cook reiterated that Apple is in a strong financial position and that it will keep investing in its research and development efforts "in a really significant way" as it seeks to maintain as much momentum as possible coming out of the crisis.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Beats president Luke Wood is stepping down at the end of this month, and Apple Music chief Oliver Schusser will be adding oversight of Beats hardware to his responsibilities, according to CNET.
Apple has not publicly announced the upcoming change, but Apple's services chief Eddy Cue recently sent an email to Apple employees confirming it. Cue noted in his email that the transition has been in the works for a while and that Apple remains "committed to the Beats brand."
The move has been in the works for a while, Cue said in his note to employees: "In the last year, Luke Wood told me about his desire to do something new. I appreciated the heads up so that it allowed us to plan for this transition." [...]
Cue wrote that he was sensitive to making a management change in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, remarking that "the timing of the announcement isn't ideal." However, the best thing for Beats is "to keep the business moving forward," he said, affirming that Apple remains "committed to the Beats brand and the importance of maintaining its role firmly in the music portfolio."
Wood officially joined Beats as president and chief operating officer in 2011, and has continued to oversee the Beats hardware business since Apple's acquisition of Beats in 2014.
While Beats Music quickly transitioned to become Apple Music, Apple has kept the valuable Beats hardware brand separate so far, releasing several new and updated headphone models including Powerbeats, Powerbeats Pro, and Solo Pro in recent months.
Apple itself has, however, increasingly ventured into the headphone market with AirPods, AirPods Pro, and rumors of additional upcoming products including over-ear headphones that would directly compete with some of Beats' higher-end flagship products.
Apple, Rogers, and the Canadian province of Ontario have partnered to help meet the educational needs of students and families during the global health crisis.
This week, school boards across Ontario began purchasing and distributing iPads pre-equipped with free Rogers LTE wireless data to students who do not have either the technology or the internet they need to access at-home learning. To date, over 21,000 iPads are being sent to the homes of families in need, according to the Ontario government.
Apple is providing ongoing support and resources in English and French to teachers, parents, and students to support at-home learning, including videos, apps, and e-books to help teachers with lesson planning, creative activities that kids and families can do on the iPad, and free one-to-one virtual coaching by Apple Professional Learning Specialists.
The free Rogers wireless data will be available until the end of June.
Students and teachers everywhere are doing incredible things. We are glad to work alongside Ontario’s Ministry of Education and school boards to help students access the technology they need to stay connected and #LearnAtHomehttps://t.co/RVq47Kiq4s
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 17, 2020
Priced at $449, the Laptop Briefcase from WaterField Designs fits all of Apple's MacBook models, including the new 16-inch MacBook Pro that came out in October.
The briefcase is made from full grain American Bison (black) or full grain cowhide (brown), both available at the same price point. The bison version has a pebbled texture that makes each bag unique, while the cowhide version will develop a unique patina and wear pattern over time. These bags are designed to last for many years and have been built to be tough, functional, and minimalist.
According to WaterField Designs, the bison leather is thicker, more durable, and stronger than standard leather. Full-grain cowhide leather has a tighter grain that's more resistant to moisture, while also being strong and durable.
Laden with pockets and storage space, the briefcase can hold not only your MacBook, but also an iPad and all of your necessary accessories. There's a padded laptop compartment, a padded tablet compartment, and a deep pocket at the front for easy access to items you need on hand.
There are also multiple pockets for organization, an easy access key fob, and a pass through slot at the back for attaching it to luggage. The bag can also be carried using the leather handles or the removable shoulder strap. The whole thing is lined with a gold fabric that's meant to make it easy to find the interior contents, and your devices are protected with water resistant zippers.
We have one of the Executive Leather Laptop Briefcases to give away to a MacRumors reader. To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (April 17) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 24. The winner will be chosen randomly on April 24 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
Leaked images obtained by TechCrunch show that Google is developing its own debit card offering in partnership with banks in the United States.
The debit card would be available in both virtual and physical formats for making purchases. The leaked screenshots reveal that users would be able to add or remove funds from the card after connecting a bank account, with a fingerprint and PIN for account security. Users would also have a virtual card number and CVC code for online or in-app payments.
As a debit card, the so-called Google Card would not be a full-fledged Apple Card competitor, but it would have many similarities. Google's card would be more similar to the Apple Cash card, which is effectively a bank account-linked debit card in the Wallet app that allows users to send and receive money with Apple Pay.
The physical Google Card could look quite similar to the Apple Card based on the image above, although it might not be representative of the final design.
It is unclear when Google plans to launch its card.
Apple began accepting pre-orders for the new iPhone SE on Friday morning, and hours later, delivery estimates for the device have slipped to the first week of May in the United States for any color, storage, and carrier combination.
The new iPhone SE remains available for Friday, April 24 launch day delivery in some other countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom.
While the extended shipping estimates could be interpreted as a sign of strong demand, there is simply no way of knowing how many iPhone SE units that Apple stockpiled before announcing the device, especially since the global health crisis significantly disrupted the company's supply chain in February and part of March.
The new iPhone SE can be pre-ordered on Apple.com in the United States and more than 40 other countries and regions. Pricing starts at $399 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB and 256GB options available for $449 and $549 respectively.
The second-generation iPhone SE has a similar design as the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button, but it has a faster A13 Bionic chip. Other features of the device include a single-lens 12-megapixel Wide rear camera with Portrait mode support, wireless charging, IP67-rated water resistance, and Wi-Fi 6.
Blackmagic today informed MacRumors that it is no longer manufacturing its Blackmagic eGPU Pro due to AMD discontinuing its Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics chip.
Apple removed the Blackmagic eGPU Pro from its online store earlier this week, just days after marking the product as temporarily out of stock. The standard Blackmagic eGPU with AMD Radeon Pro 580 graphics remains available to purchase for the time being, but with a lengthy shipping estimate of 10-12 weeks.
Priced at $1,199, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro first came out in October 2018 alongside refreshed Mac mini and MacBook Air models.
It is unclear if the Blackmagic eGPU Pro will return with a newer graphics chip at a later date.
AirPods Pro have hit a new all-time-low today thanks to the latest discount from Verizon Wireless. After you add the AirPods Pro to your shopping cart, you'll see a $24 discount reflected, dropping the price of the wireless headphones to $224.99, down from $249.00.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is around $10 cheaper than the usual discount we see on the AirPods Pro, which is currently going on right now on Amazon. There you can get the AirPods Pro for $234.98, representing around a $15 discount. Verizon's price is the best price for a new pair of AirPods Pro that we've tracked to date.
Head to our Best Deals guide on AirPods to shop for discounts on all of Apple's AirPods, including the 2019 models with and without a Wireless Charging Case.
Apple is expected to unveil its first 5G-enabled iPhones in September, but some analysts believe that models with support for ultra-fast mmWave technology will likely launch after sub-6GHz models due to production challenges and the global health crisis.
Apple is believed to be designing its own antenna-in-package or "AiP" module for mmWave iPhones, potentially contributing to the staggered rollout.
"Apart from the epidemic, the power consumption of the AiP module may also affect the launch schedule of the mmWave version," analyst Jeff Pu wrote in a research note with Chinese investor firm GF Securities this week, suggesting that Apple's custom antenna-in-package may be more of a drain on battery life than desired.
Likewise, Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Thomas O'Malley today said "recent data points" suggest that Apple may not be able to ship mmWave iPhones this year. This lines up with information shared by Susquehanna analyst Mehdi Hosseini, who previously said that mmWave iPhones could launch as late as January 2021.
Prior to the global health crisis, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was still on track to release both sub-6GHz and sub-6GHz-plus-mmWave iPhone models simultaneously in the second half of 2020, with shipments beginning in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter. Kuo has not indicated whether those plans have since changed.
Kuo said iPhone models with mmWave would be available in five markets, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom, adding that Apple may disable 5G functionality in countries that do not offer 5G service or have a shallow 5G penetration rate to reduce production costs.
As a refresher, mmWave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, making it best suited for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas.
Apple Arcade has received two new games today on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, including deep sea adventure "Beyond Blue" by E-Line Media and the emotional puzzle game "A Fold Apart" by Lightning Rod Games.
Beyond Blue takes you into the near future, where you'll have the opportunity to explore the mysteries of our ocean through the eyes of Mirai, a deep sea explorer and scientist. You and your newly-formed research team will use groundbreaking technologies to see, hear, and interact with the ocean in a more meaningful way than has ever been attempted. The game features an evocative narrative, exploration of an untouched world, and adventure that challenges the player to make high-stakes decisions during the crew's expedition.
After career choices force them along separate paths, a Teacher and Architect vow to make their long-distance relationship work at any cost. Experience both sides of their story as the couple navigates the complexities of (mis)communication and the emotional ups and downs that separation brings. By flipping, folding, and unfolding the paper puzzles in their handcrafted worlds, you can help the couple overcome the emotional barriers of their relationship — but will love endure...?
Both games are available on the App Store with an Apple Arcade subscription. The service provides iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac users with access to over 100 games with no in-app purchases or ads for $4.99 per month.
Apple on Wednesday announced the new second-generation iPhone SE, which includes a 4.7-inch display, A13 Bionic chip, Touch ID home button, and up to 256GB of storage. This new device adopts the name of the previous 2016 iPhone SE, but updates it with a design similar to the iPhone 8 and improved internals.
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.
Pre-orders for the smartphone went up this morning across numerous retailers online. In terms of pricing, the 64GB iPhone SE costs $399, the 128GB model costs $449, and the 256GB model costs $549. The newest iPhone also comes in three colors: White, Black, and (Product) Red.
Now that the iPhone SE is up for pre-order, some cellular carriers are offering bargains and discounts related to upgrading to the new iPhone, switching carriers, and more. In this post, we've accumulated all of the best deals you'll find online for pre-ordering a new iPhone SE, also including retailers like Walmart and Best Buy.
AT&T
AT&T is offering the 64GB iPhone SE for $5/month when signing up for a new line on a qualifying installment plan with a 30-month agreement. You can also opt for the 128GB model for $10/month, or the 256GB model for $15/month. There's a $30 activation fee for this offer as well.
Verizon
Verizon doesn't offer direct monthly discounts on the price of the iPhone SE, but it will waive your activation fee of the device if you order in its My Verizon app or online.
T-Mobile
In one of the best bargains, T-Mobile is offering the iPhone SE for free with an eligible trade-in and new line activation. Specifically, you'll need to activate a new qualifying voice line, buy the 64GB iPhone SE on a monthly payment plan, and trade in an eligible device in good condition.
Eligible devices include the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, 7, and 7 Plus; these will provide enough trade-in value to get you the new iPhone SE at no extra cost. You can also trade in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus to get $300 off the iPhone SE.
After this, T-Mobile will apply the balance of the promotion by crediting your bill every month over 24 months. As with promotions at other carriers, this offer can be used for all three colors of the iPhone SE, including White, Black, and (Product) Red.
Sprint
Sprint is giving customers who switch from another carrier and purchase the iPhone SE a $100 prepaid Mastercard card. You'll need to lease the iPhone SE and port your number to Sprint from another carrier.
The company is also offering the iPhone SE for $5/month after $11.67/month is applied as credit over 18 months. This sale requires a new line of service.
Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Mobile provides a $200 discount on a new and eligible iPhone, including the iPhone SE. To get this, you'll need to port in your number from another carrier within 30 days of purchasing the iPhone SE and sign up for a 24 month Xfinity Mobile device payment plan agreement.
As with all other cellular carrier discounts, this $200 offer will be applied to your account on a monthly basis over 24 months.
Walmart
Walmart is providing shoppers a $200 discount on the iPhone SE when purchased on an installment plan.
Best Buy
At Best Buy, you can get a $50 gift card when you purchase and activate the new iPhone SE on a qualified cellular plan. While this isn't a straight cash discount on the price of the monthly cost of the smartphone, any Best Buy shoppers should see a benefit to the gift card promotion.
Shoppers should note that this promo is only compatible with qualified cellular carrier plans, and will not work on unlocked devices. Monthly prices vary depending on storage capacity and carrier, but you can expect prices to start around $13.34/month for 30 months for 64GB and increase from there.
Additionally, Best Buy offers a specific discount if you choose to go with Sprint activation. You can get the 64GB iPhone SE for $299.99, down from $399.99 when purchasing and activating on a new line, or for $369.99 if you're upgrading on an existing account. If you're upgrading, you can also save $50 on monthly installments from Sprint through Best Buy.
Of course, with all of these options, you'll get Best Buy's $50 gift card as well.
Sam's Club
Sam's Club is offering a $100 gift card when you purchase the new 64GB iPhone SE online and activate it through AT&T. This deal is only available for people who are upgrading to an iPhone SE on AT&T, and they'll receive both $100 off the installment price in addition to the $100 Sam's Club gift card.
Visible
The Verizon-owned brand Visible is offering customers up to a $200 prepaid Mastercard Virtual Account when you buy an iPhone SE and pay for two months of service. This also includes other smartphones, and any over $400 will net you a $200 Mastercard card via email.
If you purchase a device under $400 (and more than $50) you can get a $100 Mastercard card. For more details on the promotion, visit Visible's website.
More Deals
Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
The new iPhone SE is now available to pre-order from Apple in the United States and more than 40 other countries and regions. Pricing starts at $399 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB and 256GB options available for $449 and $549 respectively. The first deliveries to customers and in-store availability at select resellers will begin Friday, April 24.
The second-generation iPhone SE has a similar design as the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button, but it has a faster A13 Bionic chip. Other features of the device include a single-lens 12-megapixel Wide rear camera with Portrait mode support, wireless charging, IP67-rated water resistance, and Wi-Fi 6.
Given its lower price point, the new iPhone SE lacks some premium features of iPhone 11 Pro models, including an OLED display, stainless steel frame, Face ID, and a triple-lens rear camera. The device also lacks a headphone jack.
The new iPhone SE is available to pre-order on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in black, white, or (PRODUCT)RED. Customers can get 3% Daily Cash when they buy the device from Apple using the Apple Card.
Apple and Google are said to be in a "standoff" with the UK's health service over its plans to build an app that alerts users when they have been in contact with someone with coronavirus.
Apple and Google announced on Friday that they are working together on Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus around the world.
Apple says that user privacy and security will be central to the design of the project, which will use a decentralized API to prevent governments from building a surveillance-style centralized database of contacts.
However, according to The Guardian, that means if the NHS goes ahead with its original plans, its app would face severe limitations in its operation.
NHSX – the British health service's digital innovation unit – reportedly wasn't aware of Apple and Google's project before it was announced, and it now looks like the usefulness of its own app will be severely hampered or even rendered non-functional if it doesn't implement the protocol.
That's because without adhering to the Apple and Google API, a contact tracing app won't be able to access Bluetooth when it's running in the background, and would only work when the app was open and the phone unlocked.
Similar limitations have been demonstrated in Singapore's contact tracing app, TraceTogether, which requires the user to leave their phone unlocked to work properly. The app has a three-star rating on the App Store and has been installed by just 12 percent of the country's population.
For its part, a spokesperson for NHSX denied claims of a "standoff," telling The Guardian: "This suggestion is completely wrong. Everyone is in agreement that user privacy is paramount, and while our app is not dependent on the changes they are making, we believe they will be helpful and complementary."
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with 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.
