MacRumors

Apple's upcoming watchOS 7 update is expected to include a Kids Mode that's aimed at children who have an Apple Watch for activity tracking purposes, with parents able to control and manage their children's devices.

According to code found in iOS 14 by 9to5Mac, when placed in Kids Mode, an Apple Watch will have different Activity Ring labels and goals than an Apple Watch in a normal adult mode.

While adults see Activity Rings for active calories burned (red), minutes exercised (green), and hours with standing movement (blue), an Apple Watch in Kids Mode will not focus on calories burned.

Instead, the red Activity Ring will track move time alongside exercise time and hours spent with some stand activity. So, for example, the Apple Watch will track a movement goal of 90 minutes instead of 500 active calories burned, providing children with a healthy target to achieve that does not focus on body image.

The new Kids Mode, which will include parental controls limiting access to certain Apple Watch features during school hours, is expected to be included in the watchOS 7 and iOS 14 updates.

Apple's development of upcoming products is progressing as usual despite the fact that Apple employees around the world are working from home, according to a new report today out from Bloomberg.

Apple is still working on new versions of the HomePod, Apple TV, MacBook Pro, budget iPads, Apple Watch, iPhone, and iMac, all of which could be released "as early as later this year" and have been previously rumored for release in 2020. Apple's software updates are also on track and are expected to be debuted in June at a digital version of WWDC.

Along with this information about Apple's product development plans, Bloomberg highlights many of the same telecommuting challenges shared earlier this morning in a report from The Information. Though work is progressing on new products, there have been some minor hardware development setbacks.

Some employees who do work that requires hands-on development are still being allowed into Apple's Silicon Valley offices, but in other parts of the world like Italy, Germany, and Asia, stricter work restrictions have prevented that from happening. Apple has put a heavy emphasis on confidentiality while employees are working from home, letting them know that it's "critical to keep confidential work confidential."

Apple has been allowing engineers to take home early versions of future devices since March, which is normally not allowed, and there is heavy oversight.

Taking home a future product requires the green light from the vice president of an employee's organization. That list of staff with future devices at their homes also is sometimes reviewed by Apple's senior vice presidents, the management team run by Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook.

Apple has also "clamped down" on which employees are able to take home future versions of new software, including iOS 14, which has already leaked. Employees working on iOS 14 and other software updates must also receive approval from Apple's executive team.

Employees at Apple Park, Infinite Loop, and other Bay Area offices could be working at home through at least May 1, as the Bay Area is expected to extend its shelter in place mandate. When other offices around the world reopen will depend on local guidelines.

Apple employees in Silicon Valley and other parts of the world have been working from home since early March, and a new report from The Information outlines how one of the most secretive companies conducts business when its workforce is telecommuting, based on interviews with a dozen current and former employees.

Apple normally requires all of its employees to work in-office and places a high value on in-person meetings and communications. While people are working from home, Apple encourages them to use Apple-designed tools like FaceTime and iCloud Drive for security purposes, but tools like Slack, WebEx, and Box are permitted as Apple employees have not found it easy to work with Apple's own apps due to their consumer rather than enterprise focus.

Working on hardware has proven difficult because it typically requires touching and viewing parts in person. Apple engineers often travel to China when gearing up to produce new devices to finalize component designs and other particulars, which hasn't been possible, leaving them to rely on grainy photographs to make hardware decisions, with Apple closely controlling who in the factory gets access to the cameras, which have no wireless functionality and sealed removable storage.

Given the time differences in China, it can take many hours of back and forth emailing for Apple's teams to receive the photos they need from the factories in China, which has led to some Bay Area employees working on a "night shift" so there's someone available to respond to suppliers in China during their workday.

Employees who rely on prototypes for their work have been unable to access Apple's secure labs, which has caused prototyping work to grind to a halt.

Employees can no longer use Apple's 3-D printers and milling machines, nor can they conduct stress and drop tests of their designs. One employee said prototyping in Cupertino had mostly stopped. At first, Apple didn't have a protocol in place for employees to bring components from future products home with them, but more recently it has established a process for doing so in some instances, two employees said.

Other employees have been able to replicate what they do at home, accessing confidential documents using corporate VPNs or accessing desktops remotely. Apple has reportedly sent regular updates advising employees on how best to work at home, and is allowing them to expense office supplies and bring items home from their workplaces. Apple has also attempted to maintain security protocols for work from home employees, such as making sure other people in the household can't see their screens.

Despite the difficulties Apple employees have to overcome to work remotely, one Apple supplier that The Information spoke to said that there are "no signs" of slowdown. Apple has continued to place a steady stream of orders for components, and has increased orders for iPhone 11 and 11 Pro orders.

The Information's full article has much more detail on how Apple employees are handling working at home and is well worth a read.

Apple recently considered acquiring British company Plessey Semiconductors, a maker of Micro-LED displays for augmented reality devices, according to The Information.

The paywalled report claims that Plessey has instead reached a licensing deal with Facebook, which in a statement said it wants to build "a glasses form factor that lets devices melt away so we can be more present with our friends, families, and surroundings":

Facebook has struck a deal to buy all of the augmented reality displays made by British firm Plessey, as the social network looks to build AR glasses capable of overlaying virtual objects onto the real world. The deal could give Facebook an edge over Apple, which recently looked at buying Plessey, one of the few makers of AR displays, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Apple has expressed a profound interest in augmented reality in recent years, making a major push into the space with frameworks like ARKit and RealityKit, creative tools like Reality Composer and Reality Converter, and hardware like the LiDAR Scanner on the new iPad Pro and likely some iPhone 12 models.

Multiple reports have indicated that Apple plans to release a combination AR/VR headset by 2021 or 2022, followed by a sleeker pair of AR glasses in 2022 or 2023. Last week, MacRumors obtained a photo of a generic HTC Vive Focus-like controller that Apple appears to be using to test its AR/VR headset.

The U.S. government is using smartphone location data from the mobile ad industry to track people's movements amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Local governments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have received the anonymized data about people in areas of "geographic interest," with the aim being to create a portal of geolocation information for 500 cities across the country.

The information will be used to learn how well people are complying with stay-at-home orders, according to WSJ. Citing an example, the report says researchers discovered large numbers of people were gathering in a New York City park, which led them to notify local authorities.

Even though the data is anonymized, WSJ says that privacy advocates want "strong legal safeguards" to limit how it can be used, in order to prevent its use for other purposes. Cellular carriers told the news outlet they have not been asked by the government to provide location data.

The development follows reports of other countries using cellphone data to monitor citizens and see if they are complying with curbs on movement to defeat the viral outbreak.

European mobile carriers have reportedly been sharing data with health authorities in Italy, Germany and Austria, while at the same time respecting Europe's privacy laws. Earlier this month, Israel passed emergency measures that allow security agencies to track the smartphone data of people with suspected COVID-19 and find others they may have come into contact with.

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.

Britain's big telecoms providers have agreed to lift the data caps on all fixed-line broadband services to help people isolated at home following the coronavirus epidemic, reports Reuters.

The companies, which include BT, Virgin Media, Sky, O2, Vodafone, Three, and TalkTalk, committed to support and protect vulnerable customers during the pandemic following talks with the government and telecoms regulator Ofcom.

The ISPs are also introducing additional measures, which include helping customers who find it difficult to pay bills because of the viral outbreak, improving mobile and landline packages, and prioritizing repairs for vulnerabile customers.

"It is essential that people stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. This package helps people to stay connected whilst they stay home," Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said in the government statement.

The U.K. government last week imposed strict measures on public movement, including social distancing, a ban on gatherings of more than two people, and the closure of all shops selling non-essential goods.

People have also been told they should only leave the house to shop for basic necessities, exercise, medical needs and traveling to work if they can't work from home. The measures are expect to remain in place for at least 13 weeks, and possibly longer.

Apple's 5G iPhone is still on track to launch within the company's typical annual fall release schedule, according to a new Bloomberg report on filed on Monday.

Signs are that Apple's Chinese-centric manufacturing -- of which Hon Hai is the linchpin -- is slowly getting back on track. The next iPhones with 5G wireless capabilities remain on schedule to launch in the fall, partly because mass production isn't slated to begin until the summer, people familiar with matter have said.

Foxconn (aka Hon Hai) was forced to postpone the reopening of its main iPhone-assembly plant in Zhengzhou as strict quarantine measures remained in force, however the iPhone maker has reportedly raised signing bonuses significantly in order to attract the new workers it needs to assemble its products.

The report aligns with another one published by Bloomberg earlier the month that claimed Apple's next flagship iPhone launch is still on schedule, partly because mass production isn't due to begin until May.

Since then, we've seen mixed reports on the current state of Apple's ‌5G iPhone‌ production timeline. Last week, Reuters reported that production ramp-up for the new phones has been postponed, but included the caveat that it was still possible that the iPhones could launch as scheduled.

An earlier report from Nikkei suggested that Apple is considering delaying the 2020 iPhone launch by months, but that no decision had been made yet, while DigiTimes claimed suppliers who make printed circuit boards for the ‌iPhone‌ had not been asked to postpone volume production for components designed for the 2020 ‌iPhone.

Apple is expected to release four so-called iPhone 12 models in the fall, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model. All of the devices are rumored to include OLED displays and support 5G, and they may sport a new design that includes more of a flat edged metal frame like the iPad Pro or ‌iPhone‌ 4.

Beyond the 2020 iPhone, today's report cautions that future Apple devices could yet be delayed because of disruptions to Apple's wider supply chain network – Foxconn is just one part of Apple's manufacturing partners, while the tech giant usually spends "months or even years" sourcing components around the world, notes Bloomberg.

According to a prediction made in December by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple plans to launch a high-end iPhone without a Lightning connector in the second half of 2021. The device will supposedly offer a "completely wireless experience," although given the current state of play around the globe, whether it will arrive on schedule is another matter.

In other news, Foxconn posted a $1.58 billion profit for the fourth quarter of 2019, down 24 percent year on year. The decline was linked to trade tensions between the U.S. and China and weakened smartphone demand globally, coming before China's manufacturing industry felt the impact of the viral outbreak.

Update: Apple has replaced the Logic Pro X image with an older version. Original story follows.

A seemingly unreleased version of Logic Pro X has appeared on Apple's education site, as spotted by a Reddit user.

The image from Apple's education products page shows a 16-inch MacBook Pro running Logic Pro X, but with a familiar interface that looks extremely similar to GarageBand's Live Loops sessions on iOS. Since Logic Pro X does not currently contain this feature, an update with GarageBand-style Live Loops sessions may be planned.

At present, the only way to use Live Loops in Logic Pro X, albeit with substantially less functionality, is to share a Live Loops project from GarageBand for iOS. Live Loops was added to GarageBand for iOS in January 2016, as a new feature for creating music by tapping cells and columns in a grid to trigger different looped instruments and samples. Live Loops includes a library of Apple-designed loop templates in multiple genres, including EDM, Hip Hop, Dubstep and Rock, or you can create your own. Since then, Apple has introduced downloadable Sound Packs to expand the Live Loops sound library.

Logic Pro X was last updated three months ago with version 10.4.8, which included minor bug fixes. Apple tends to update Logic Pro X around every three months, which gives further credibility to the likelihood of an impending update.

Earlier this week, Apple began offering 90-day free trials of Logic Pro X and Final Cut Pro X.

iFixit today shared a video teardown of the new iPad Pro, which Apple unveiled earlier this month.

iFixit found that most of the internals of the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ are the same as the 2018 model, confirming that the device is a relatively incremental update.

The most notable new feature seen inside the new ‌iPad Pro‌ was the LiDAR scanner, which measures the distance to surrounding objects up to five meters away, and enables enhanced experiences with augmented reality.

iFixit also took a look at the new A12Z Bionic chip, which contains an eight-core GPU, enhanced thermal architecture, and tuned performance controllers. The A12Z is paired with 6GB of RAM, upgraded from 4GB on all but the 1TB 2018 model. Earlier this week, it was reported that the A12Z chip is essentially a renamed A12X chip with an extra GPU core enabled.

The USB-C port continues to be modular and can be independently replaced, but adhesive holds almost everything in place, making all repairs more difficult.

Overall, the 2020 ‌iPad Pro‌ earned an iFixit repairability score of three out of 10, the same as the 2018 model, due to the device's "pretty abysmal repair procedures."

Earlier this week, iFixit completed a teardown of the new scissor keys in the 2020 MacBook Air.

Apple's new ‌iPad Pro‌ can be purchased from the online Apple Store and is priced starting at $799.

After last week's flurry of product launches, Apple's new iPad Pro and MacBook Air have started to make their way into consumers' hands, and we've gone hands-on with both of them this week. Apple this week also released iOS and iPadOS 13.4 (as well as macOS, watchOS, and tvOS updates) with a number of new features and improvements.

On the rumor side of things, we're starting to hear about the possibliity of a delayed launch of the iPhone 12 later this year, some details on Apple's iPhone camera plans, new Apple TV hardware and software rumors, and an update on Apple's rumored Mac transition from Intel to Arm-based chips. Finally, we shared a look at some prototype hardware and software related to Apple's AR/VR headset project.

Read on for all of the details, and check out our video above for even more from this week's news cycle.

Hands-On With the New iPad Pro and MacBook Air

Apple last week announced new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, and as of this week, orders are beginning to arrive to customers. We picked up one of the new 12.9-inch models and checked it out to see just what's new and whether it's worth buying.

The new iPad Pro features an A12Z Bionic chip with faster graphics performance, an Ultra Wide camera for 0.5x zoom, a LiDAR Scanner for enhanced augmented reality, better sounding microphones, and compatibility with Apple's upcoming Magic Keyboard with a built-in trackpad. Pricing continues to start at $799 for the 11-inch model with 128GB of storage, while the 12.9-inch model begins at $999.

Keep in mind that rumors suggest that Apple may be planning another iPad Pro refresh towards the end of 2020, with expected features including a faster A14X chip, 5G support, and a Mini-LED display.

We also spent some time going hands-on with the new MacBook Air, which features a lower starting price, more storage, faster 10th-generation processors, and most importantly an updated keyboard.

iOS and iPadOS 13.4 Released With iCloud Folder Sharing, Trackpad Support for iPad, and More

Apple this week released iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 with several new features, including iCloud Folder Sharing, a redesigned Mail app toolbar, and support for Bluetooth mice and trackpads on many iPads.

Apple will be releasing its own Magic Keyboard case with a built-in trackpad in May for 2018 and later iPad Pro models, and we have put together a guide with everything you need to know. Third-party options like Logitech's new trackpad keyboards for the 10.5-inch iPad Air and 10.2-inch iPad are also supported.

Apple Considering Delaying iPhone 12 Launch 'by Months'

Apple has reportedly held internal discussions about the possibility of delaying the release of new iPhone 12 models "by months" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply chain sources also believe that "practical hurdles" could push back what was expected to be a normal September launch, although other suppliers say they have not been asked to push back production.

Apple is widely rumored to be planning four new iPhone models, including a 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and a 6.7-inch model. All of the devices are expected to have OLED displays, 5G support, A14 chips, and rear 3D sensing like the LiDAR Scanner on the new iPad Pro.

6.7" iPhone 12 May Have Sensor-Shift Stabilization in 2020, Periscope Lens to Follow in 2022

Apple's rumored 6.7-inch iPhone 12 model will feature sensor-shift image stabilization, according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

While details are slim, sensor-shift technology could bring optical image stabilization to the Ultra Wide lens on the 6.7-inch iPhone, as already exists for the Wide and Telephoto lenses on iPhone 11 Pro models.

Kuo also predicted that at least one 2022 iPhone model will feature a periscope lens, which could allow for 5x optical zoom like Huawei's P30 Pro or even 10x optical zoom as is rumored for the device's P40 Pro successor.

Apple Testing AR/VR Headset With HTC Vive-Like Controller, Crosswalk Bowling Game, and More

MacRumors has obtained a photo from iOS 14 of what appears to be a generic looking test controller for Apple's rumored AR/VR headset, which reports suggest will be released by 2021 or 2022. The controller has a very similar design as the controller for the HTC Vive Focus headset, released in 2018.

Apple is testing a variety of augmented reality experiences on its headset, including a "crosswalk bowling game" that appears to allow Apple engineers to roll a virtual bowling ball across the crosswalk to knock down virtual bowling pins on the other side of the street.

Apple is also rumored to be working on a pair of sleeker AR glasses that could be released as early as 2022 or 2023.

Apple to Launch Several Macs With Arm-Based Processors in 2021, USB4 Support Coming to Macs in 2022

Apple plans to launch several Mac notebooks and desktop computers with its own custom designed Arm-based processors in 2021, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said this week in a research note obtained by MacRumors.

Kuo believes that Arm-based processors will significantly enhance the competitive advantage of the Mac lineup, allow Apple to refresh its Mac models without relying on Intel's processor roadmap, reduce processor costs by 40 to 60 percent, and provide Macs with more hardware differentiation from Windows PCs.

Apple Allegedly Adding Kids Mode and Screen Time to tvOS, Launching Apple TV With Up to 128GB Storage

Apple is reportedly planning to launch a new Apple TV and add new features like Kids Mode and Screen Time options to a future version of tvOS.

The new ‌Apple TV‌ is said to feature an A11 or A12 processor and 64/128GB storage capacities, up from the current 32/64GB options.

The source of the report has shared some previously accurate tvOS rumors, including a picture-in-picture feature and multiple user support, but it has been wrong about some other Apple rumors.

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.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Most of the factories in China that supply devices and components to Apple are back to churning out products, but Apple suppliers are said to be worried about how much demand there will be for the current iPhone models and the new iPhones expected in the fall.

According to Reuters, a senior official at one of Apple's major supply companies said that orders for quarter ending in March are likely to drop 18 percent compared with the previous year. Production ramp-up for new 5G iPhones has also been postponed, though the official said it is still possible iPhones could launch as scheduled.

"No one is talking about manpower or material shortage (in China) anymore. Now everyone is looking at whether demand from U.S. and Europe could keep up," said the person, who has direct knowledge of the matter. "The focus now is the demand from consumers in the U.S. and Europe."

An Apple display supplier that had anticipated shipping 70 million iPhone displays to Apple is considering lowering that target to 58 million as well as reducing the workforce at its Apple production lines in Vietnam.

One supplier in Malaysia, a country now facing shutdowns, says that things are changing "on a day by day basis" because of ongoing supply chain disruptions.

Some suppliers are not expecting a drop in demand, however. An iPhone sensor supplier told Reuters that the current quarter was better than last year, and that the second quarter will also likely see a higher volume of shipments. "We are still producing as per the forecast given to us," said the source.

A report from Nikkei earlier this week suggested that Apple is considering delaying the 2020 iPhone launch by months, but that no decision had been made yet. The same report suggested that some suppliers have been asked to defer mass production schedules for two to three months, which is also mentioned in Reuters' report.

DigiTimes this morning said that suppliers who make printed circuit boards for the iPhone had not been asked to postpone volume production for components designed for the 2020 iPhone, so there seem to be mixed reports coming from the supply chain at this time.

A week ago, Bloomberg said that the iPhone 12 models are still on course for a fall launch, so whether there will be changes to Apple's typical September iPhone launch plans remains to be seen.

Zoom, a video conferencing app that many people are using at the current time to keep in touch with coworkers while working from home, was sending data to Facebook without disclosing the data sharing to customers.

As of today, Zoom has updated its iOS app to remove the SDK that was providing data to Facebook through the Login with Facebook feature, according to Motherboard, the site that first discovered Zoom's data sharing practices.

Zoom was providing Facebook with data that included when a user opened the app, plus their timezone, city, and device details. Zoom's privacy policy did not make it clear that the data was shared with Facebook.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Zoom said that Zoom was unaware that the Facebook SDK was collecting unnecessary device data.

"Zoom takes its users' privacy extremely seriously. We originally implemented the 'Login with Facebook' feature using the Facebook SDK in order to provide our users with another convenient way to access our platform. However, we were recently made aware that the Facebook SDK was collecting unnecessary device data."

"The data collected by the Facebook SDK did not include any personal user information, but rather included data about users' devices such as the mobile OS type and version, the device time zone, device OS, device model and carrier, screen size, processor cores, and disk space."

"We will be removing the Facebook SDK and reconfiguring the feature so that users will still be able to login with Facebook via their browser. Users will need to update to the latest version of our application once it becomes available in order for these changes to take hold, and we encourage them to do so. We sincerely apologize for this oversight, and remain firmly committed to the protection of our users' data."

Motherboard has since verified that the iOS app is no longer sending data to Facebook when it is opened.

Across the United States and other countries, adults and children alike are stuck in their homes for work, school, and more amid the ongoing pandemic, so Apple has is offering a collection of curated content across all of its apps that's aimed at families.

In the Apple TV app, Apple has a Kids tab available that sorts TV shows and content by age, plus there are a number of children's shows on ‌Apple TV‌+, including "Snoopy in Space," "Helpsters" and "Ghostwriter."

In Apple Music, curators have put together a number of playlists and radio stations aimed at children and families, listed below.

• Family Pop
• Family Dance Party
• Kids Dance Party
• Disney Essentials
• Lullaby Essentials
• Para los Niños
• Cool Kids Radio
• Disney Channel Music Radio
• Kids Bop Radio

Apple Podcasts is featuring a number of podcasts designed for kids, such as "Get Smart, Stay Smart" and "Stories and Adventures."

As Apple announced earlier this month, the Apple Books app also has a number of free books and audiobooks that are for children, including "Winnie the Pooh," "The Secret Garden," "Sesame Street Classics," and more.

The App Store also has quite a few apps that offer free content that can keep children entertained.

• Kinedu - A baby development app that's free until April 15th.
• Epic! - Offers more than 35,000 ebooks, audiobooks, videos, and more for kids 12 and under. Free until the end of the school year.
• Kahoot! - Learning and trivia app Kahoot is offering its premium version for free. It lets users create practice quizzes for learning new content.
• Headspace - Meditation app Headspace is offering free access to all K-12 teachers, school administrators, and supporting staff in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. A selection of content called "Weathering the Storm" is also available.
• GoNoodle - A fitness app for kids, GoNoodle offers ad-free content.
• Cosmic Kids - Cosmic Kids is a free app offering yoga routines for children.
• Khan Academy - A free app that offers classes on math, science, history, economics, and tons more.
• Quizlet - Lets students study and practice what they're learning with create-your-own flashcards.

All of the above listed content can be found in Apple's ‌App Store‌, Music, Books, Podcasts, and TV apps.

Chris Lattner, known for his work on Xcode and Swift during his time at Apple, this week joined the Accidental Tech Podcast (ATP) hosted by Marco Arment, Casey Liss, and John Siracusa.

In a two hour and thirty minute long conversation, Lattner and the ATP team talked about Swift, the work that went into preparing for WWDC while he was at Apple, Apple's 2020 digital WWDC event, and more.

Lattner said that he's very interested to see how Apple handles the online version of WWDC, which is set to take place sometime in June.

Apple's a very strategic and very smart company and has a lot of very smart people. I'm sure they're looking at how to turn this into a new opportunity and what new things they can do with the format and how they can delight people in new ways.

As to whether the virtual WWDC event might result in physical WWDC events canceled in future years, Lattner speculated that it was a wait and see kind of situation.

I think that if they do WWDC virtually this year and it sucks then it's probably going to go physical again. I don't know. I would wager that it doesn't return to its original format. If it does, if there is an in-person event, I think it will be significantly different than what the historical events have been.

Chris Lattner was at Apple for 11 years before he left in 2017, and he also spent time at Tesla working on autopilot software and at Google working on TensorFlow. He's now the SVP of Platform Engineering at SiFive.

Lattner's full discussion about WWDC, TensorFlow, SiFive, Swift, and more can be listened to on the web.