MacRumors

Toyota recently announced plans to bring CarPlay to 2018 Toyota Camry sedans and 2018 Toyota Sienna minivans through a new retrofitting program that will be available through Toyota dealers.

According to CNET, 2018 Toyota Sienna minivans and Camry sedans will soon be able to visit a dealership to add ‌CarPlay‌ support to their vehicles. Amazon Alexa compatibility is also included.

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Visiting a Toyota dealership will be required to install the ‌CarPlay‌ update, which will be made available through new software. Toyota has not yet confirmed if the ‌CarPlay‌ update will be free or if there will be a fee.

Toyota has introduced ‌CarPlay‌ in quite a few of its 2019 and 2020 models, but to date, ‌CarPlay‌ has been limited to newer vehicles, so this is the first time Toyota is making it available in a 2018 vehicle.

Other Toyota vehicles equipped with ‌CarPlay‌ include the 2019 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2019 Sienna, 2019 Camry, 2020 Tacoma, 2020 Tundra, 2020 Sequoia, 2020 Corolla, 2020 Yaris Hatchback, and 2020 Highlander.

It's not known if Toyota will, in the future, provide similar ‌CarPlay‌ retrofitting options for other Toyota vehicles.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 12.3 update to developers, one week after releasing the third beta and a month after the launch of iOS 12.2, an update that introduced Apple News+, new Animoji, and more.

Registered developers will be able to download the new iOS 12.3 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

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iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 introduce a new version of Apple's TV app, which has been updated with a new look and fresh functionality.

In the new TV app, "Watch Now" and "Up Next" are still front and center for keeping track of what you're watching, but there's a new machine learning-based recommendation engine that will suggest content based on your viewing preferences and history.

The app's interface has been streamlined with sections for movies, TV shows, sports, and kids content, and on iOS, there's a separate bottom bar for the library, search, and Watch Now options.

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There's a new "Channels" feature in the TV app, which is one of the major new components of Apple's services push. Channels are subscription services that you can sign up for and watch within the TV app without having to open up another app.

So, for example, if you come across a show you want to watch on your iPhone or Apple TV that's on Showtime or Starz, you can tap to subscribe right in the TV app, and then you can watch that show without having to open another app.

Some of the new Channels that will be supported include CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, HBO, Nickelodeon, Mubi, The History Channel Vault, and Comedy Central Now. During the beta, though, users can subscribe to Showtime, Starz, Smithsonian, EPIX, and Tastemade.

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You'll still get recommendations for content from services that aren't a part of the Channels feature, but non-channel content will need to be watched in a third-party app. The TV app also houses iTunes TV shows and movies.

When Apple debuts its ‌Apple TV‌+ service this fall, all of the company's original TV shows and movies will also be accessible in the TV app. iOS 12.3 will be in beta testing for the next few weeks ahead of a May launch, the month when Apple said the new TV app will be released.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.5 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the third beta and a month after the launch of macOS Mojave 10.14.4.

The new macOS Mojave 10.14.5 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center.

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It's not yet clear if there are new features in macOS Mojave 10.14.5, but it likely includes bug fixes and performance improvements to address issues that weren't able to be fixed in the macOS Mojave 10.14.4 update.

This update will make macOS more secure because after macOS 10.14.5, new Mac apps released outside of the Mac App Store that want to have Apple's seal of approval will need to go through Apple's notarization security process.

There were no major changes to macOS discovered in the first three macOS Mojave 10.14.5 betas, but if we discover anything new in this beta, we'll update this post.

The prior update, macOS Mojave 10.14.4, brought the Apple News+ subscription service, expanded ‌Apple News‌ to Canada, and introduced a new automatic Safari Dark Mode feature for websites.

Related Forum: macOS Mojave

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.2.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the third beta and a month after the release of the watchOS 5.2 update, which introduced AirPods 2 support and expanded the ECG feature to Europe.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software update.

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To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the ‌iPhone‌.

It's not yet clear what features will be introduced in the watchOS 5.2.1 update, but as 5.x.x software, it's likely to focus on bug fixes and other under-the-hood performance improvements rather than significant feature updates.

No changes were found in the first three watchOS 5.2.1 betas, but should we find new features in the fourth watchOS 5.2.1 beta, we'll update this post with details.

Update: There appear to be issues with the fourth beta of watchOS 5.2.1 preventing users from installing it. Those who try are getting an error message reading "Not connected to Internet," so it may be best to hold off on installing watchOS 5.2.1 beta 4 until the issue is resolved.

Update 2: Several MacRumors readers have had success installing the update, suggesting the problem is now resolved.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.3 update to developers, one week seeding the third beta and a month after releasing tvOS 12.2).

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.3 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌Apple TV‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode. Apple has also released new 7.3 beta software for the third-generation ‌Apple TV‌.

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tvOS 12.3 brings a revamped TV app that was first shown off at Apple's March 25 services-focused event. The TV app is an updated version of the original TV app, providing access to TV shows, movies, sports, news, and more, along with a dedicated section for children's programming.

The TV app offers an updated interface with a fresh look and feel that's more modern. It still has the "Watch Now" section with the "Up Next" feature for keeping track of the TV shows and movies you're watching, and there's a new machine-learning based "For You" feature that surfaces content based on what you've previously watched.

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There's a new "Channels" option built in to the app, which is a major part of Apple's new services push. Channels are subscription services that you can subscribe to and watch right in the TV app without having to swap over to a third-party app.

During the beta, you can subscribe to Showtime, Starz, Smithsonian, Tastemade, and EPIX, but additional Channels will be available when the new TV app launches.

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In the future, Apple plans to add its new TV+ subscription service to the TV app, with TV+ offering all of Apple's original TV shows and movies. The TV app is available on the ‌Apple TV‌ and iOS devices so you can pick up whatever you're watching no matter which device you're on.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Walmart is planning to expand Vudu by introducing original television shows over the next year, according to a report by Bloomberg. As it currently stands, Vudu offers users a way to rent and purchase movies and television shows, akin to iTunes.

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Now, the Walmart-owned service is planning to launch family-friendly television shows as a way to become a competitor in the ever-growing streaming TV market. These include a reboot of the 1983 comedy "Mr. Mom" (debuting as early as June 2019), a science-fiction show, and a police procedural drama similar to "CSI."

The difference is that Walmart won't require a monthly subscription to access these shows, but will instead generate money through "new advertising technology." This is described as "shoppable" content, with television shows that can directly lead to customers buying products online: "Not only will viewers see ads, they will have the option to buy products seen in shows, such as paper towels or soft drinks."

Although there are differences, Vudu will become one of many streaming services producing its own original TV shows. These include Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Apple coming later this year. Apple's service will be called Apple TV+ and will include shows created and produced by Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, and Oprah.

Comparatively, Walmart is "not in the running to produce the next 'Game of Thrones'," according to Bloomberg. In total, Walmart will produce at least a half-dozen original shows over the course of the next year, and will be meeting with advertisers in New York this week to pitch its plans.

Tags: VUDU, Walmart

Apple is widely expected to release three new iPhone models later this year, and each device will "likely" include a faster 18W USB-C power adapter and a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box, according to Japanese blog Mac Otakara.

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18W USB-C power adapter bundled with 2018 iPad Pro, also sold separately

This rumor is a big "finally" if true. Despite adding fast charging support to the ‌iPhone‌ 8 and newer, allowing for a 50 percent charge in just 30 minutes via USB-C Power Delivery, Apple has continued to include the same old 5W power adapter and Lightning to USB-A cable with iPhones for many years.

For now, to take advantage of fast charging, customers have to spend a total of $48 to purchase a standalone 18W USB-C power adapter and Lightning to USB-C cable from Apple, although cheaper options are available on Amazon.

A bundled Lightning to USB-C cable would also mean that customers who paid at least $749 for a new ‌iPhone‌ would finally have a cable that connects with the latest MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models out of the box.

Last year, we heard a similar rumor about Apple bundling a faster 18W USB-C power adapter with 2018 iPhones, but it ended up being for 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ models. This is the second time Mac Otakara has shared this rumor in as many months, so hopefully there is truth to it this time around.

Mac Otakara also rehashes several other rumors we've heard before, including the next ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max having triple-lens rear cameras, and the next ‌iPhone‌ XR having a dual-lens rear camera. All three iPhones are also expected to feature two-way wireless charging like the Galaxy S10.

Related Forum: iPhone

Best Buy is continuing its recent string of sales with new flash sales on the MacBook Pro, iMac, iPad Pro, iPhone X, and more. All of these deals are lasting for today only, so be sure to check out everything that's on sale below before the discounts expire tonight at 11:59 p.m. CT.

BB 429 saleNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

For the MacBook Pro sale, Best Buy is discounting the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar and offering the best prices available online for these models among the major Apple resellers. The same is true for the iPad Pro sale, which also includes numerous all-time-low prices on the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models from 2018.

Best Buy Flash Sale 4/29

13-Inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar

11-Inch iPad Pro (2018)

12.9-Inch iPad Pro (2018)

Other Sales

Check out our full Deals Roundup for even more sales going on this week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Spotify now has 100 million paid subscribers around the world as of the first quarter of 2019 (via The Verge). The company announced the major milestone today, confirming that Spotify Premium subscribers grew 32 percent year-over-year. In total, there are 217 million monthly active users on Spotify (including the ad-supported tier).

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Spotify said that there were numerous reasons behind the growth in Q1 2019, namely including its Spotify Premium + Hulu bundle offered in the United States. Spotify launched this new bundle in March, offering a free subscription to Hulu with Limited Commercials at no extra cost for all U.S. Spotify subscribers.

In the United Kingdom and France, Spotify offers all premium Family Plan subscribers a free Google Home Mini smart speaker. This offer is still ongoing and ends on May 14, 2019. According to Spotify, "voice speakers are a critical area of growth, particularly for music and podcasts." The company said that it plans to continue to pursue opportunities to expand its presence in this area.

Spotify's update comes nearly six months after the company reported that it had reached 87 million paid subscribers and 191 million monthly active users. While Spotify is far ahead of Apple Music's over 50 million paid subscriber count, The Wall Street Journal earlier this month reported that ‌Apple Music‌ has surpassed Spotify's paid subscriber count in the United States.

Tag: Spotify

The all-new Powerbeats Pro will be available to pre-order from Apple.com starting Friday, May 3 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States and Canada, followed by in-store availability starting Friday, May 10, according to 9to5Mac.

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Powerbeats Pro are essentially sportier AirPods, complete with a totally wireless design and Apple's new H1 chip for hands-free "Hey Siri" control. Like the existing Powerbeats3 Wireless, they also feature adjustable ear hooks, four sizes of ear tips, and sweat resistance, in addition to playback controls on each earbud.

The earphones deliver up to nine hours of listening time per charge, and it is possible to get more more than 24 hours of combined playback with the included charging case, according to Apple. There is also a Fast Fuel feature that provides 1.5 hours of playback with just a five-minute charge.

‌Powerbeats Pro‌ will be available in black at launch, followed by ivory, moss, and navy later this summer. They are priced at $249.95 in the United States and $329.95 in Canada on Apple.com, compared to $159 to $199 for the second-generation AirPods and a regular $199.95 for the Powerbeats3 Wireless.

overcastOvercast has been updated with support for sharing video and audio clips of podcasts, streamlining the process for both podcast creators and listeners.

In a blog post on his website, Overcast developer Marco Arment explains why he created the clip-sharing feature:

Podcast sharing has been limited to audio and links, but today's social networks are more reliant on images and video, especially Instagram. Podcasts need video clips to be shared more easily today.

I've seen some video clips from tools specific to certain podcast networks or hosts, but they were never available to everyone, or for every show. So people mostly just haven't shared podcast clips, understandably, because it has been too hard.

Not anymore.

The new clip-sharing feature can be found in the Share menu, accessed by tapping the share icon in the top-right corner of the player interface.

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Image via Marco.org

Tapping Share Clip... brings up options to generate an audio clip, or portrait, landscape, or square video, up to a minute long using the current Overcast theme setting. Adding a "Shared with Overcast" badge is optional.

Overcast 2019.4 is available as a free ad-supported app for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Following an email from Phil Schiller to a MacRumors reader yesterday addressing a report from The New York Times on Apple's removal of a number of App Store apps focused on screen time monitoring and parental controls, Apple has issued a public statement sharing additional perspective on the situation.

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The statement, entitled "The facts about parental control apps," is very similar in its details to the email from Schiller, highlighting how Apple "became aware" over the last year that these apps were using Mobile Device Management (MDM) technology to monitor all of the activity occurring on the user's device or devices used by their family members.

MDM technology is intended for enterprise users to manage their company-owned devices, and Apple says the use of MDM by consumer-focused apps carries privacy and security concerns that resulted in Apple addressing the situation in its ‌App Store‌ review guidelines in mid-2017.

Apple says that it notified developers of apps affected by its crackdown on this disallowed usage of MDM, giving them 30 days to modify their apps before pulling them from the ‌App Store‌.

Parents shouldn’t have to trade their fears of their children’s device usage for risks to privacy and security, and the App Store should not be a platform to force this choice. No one, except you, should have unrestricted access to manage your child’s device.

When we found out about these guideline violations, we communicated these violations to the app developers, giving them 30 days to submit an updated app to avoid availability interruption in the App Store. Several developers released updates to bring their apps in line with these policies. Those that didn’t were removed from the App Store.

Apple also directly addressed observations in this weekend's report that the move gives the appearance of anticompetitive behavior:

Apple has always supported third-party apps on the App Store that help parents manage their kids’ devices. Contrary to what The New York Times reported over the weekend, this isn’t a matter of competition. It’s a matter of security.

While Apple is firm in stating that competition did not play a role in its crackdown on these apps, the timing is certainly curious. Apple began the crackdown shortly after rolling out its Screen Time feature in iOS 12 last September, despite several of these apps having used MDM for a number of years.


Developers quoted in The New York Times and who have spoken to MacRumors have also expressed frustration with Apple's original communication on the issue. The developers detailed multiple attempts to obtain more information on exactly what changes needed to be made to their apps, but Apple's support staff reportedly either failed to respond or provided unhelpful and non-specific responses before pulling the affected apps.

Earlier today, a report from The New York Times highlighted Apple's removal of a number of App Store apps that had allowed users to monitor usage of their devices or those used by their children. The report suggests that Apple's move to pull the apps is related to having rolled out its own Screen Time feature in iOS 12 that competes in some ways with these apps, raising concerns over anticompetitive behavior.

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Over the past year, Apple has removed or restricted at least 11 of the 17 most downloaded screen-time and parental-control apps, according to an analysis by The New York Times and Sensor Tower, an app-data firm. Apple has also clamped down on a number of lesser-known apps.

In some cases, Apple forced companies to remove features that allowed parents to control their children’s devices or that blocked children’s access to certain apps and adult content. In other cases, it simply pulled the apps from its App Store.

The report quotes several developers who had their apps removed, including one who says the removal came "out of the blue with no warning." Apple is facing several complaints related to the moves, with a pair of developers filing with the European Union's competition office and Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab filing an antitrust complaint in that country.

The New York Times shared a brief statement from an Apple spokeswoman saying that Apple treats "all apps the same," including ones that compete with Apple's own features like Screen Time. The spokeswoman stated that the affected apps "could gain too much information from users' devices."

After reading the article, MacRumors reader Zachary Robinson emailed Tim Cook to express concern over the situation, and earlier today he received a thorough response from Phil Schiller outlining that Apple's removal of these apps is due to their use of Mobile Device Management (MDM) technology to monitor everything that happens on the user's phone.

Schiller notes that MDM technology is intended for enterprise users to install on company-owned devices, giving them easy access to and control over those devices for management purposes. The alternative usage of MDM technology by third-party developers for screen time monitoring or parental controls raises significant privacy and security concerns, however, and Apple has moved to address those issues.

The full email from Schiller, which appears to be authentic based on our examination of the included headers:

Thank you for being a fan of Apple and for your email.

I would like to assure you that the App Store team has acted extremely responsibly in this matter, helping to protect our children from technologies that could be used to violate their privacy and security. After you learn of some of the facts I hope that you agree.

Unfortunately the New York Times article you reference did not share our complete statement, nor explain the risks to children had Apple not acted on their behalf. Apple has long supported providing apps on the App Store, that work like our ScreenTime feature, to help parents manage their children’s access to technology and we will continue to encourage development of these apps. There are many great apps for parents on the App Store, like “Moment - Balance Screen Time” by Moment Health and “Verizon Smart Family” by Verizon Wireless.

However, over the last year we became aware that some parental management apps were using a technology called Mobile Device Management or “MDM” and installing an MDM Profile as a method to limit and control use of these devices. MDM is a technology that gives one party access to and control over many devices, it was meant to be used by a company on it’s own mobile devices as a management tool, where that company has a right to all of the data and use of the devices. The MDM technology is not intended to enable a developer to have access to and control over consumers’ data and devices, but the apps we removed from the store did just that. No one, except you, should have unrestricted access to manage your child’s device, know their location, track their app use, control their mail accounts, web surfing, camera use, network access, and even remotely erase their devices. Further, security research has shown that there is risk that MDM profiles could be used as a technology for hacker attacks by assisting them in installing apps for malicious purposes on users’ devices.

When the App Store team investigated the use of MDM technology by some developers of apps for managing kids devices and learned the risk they create to user privacy and security, we asked these developers to stop using MDM technology in their apps. Protecting user privacy and security is paramount in the Apple ecosystem and we have important App Store guidelines to not allow apps that could pose a threat to consumers privacy and security. We will continue to provide features, like ScreenTime, designed to help parents manage their children’s access to technology and we will work with developers to offer many great apps on the App Store for these uses, using technologies that are safe and private for us and our children.

Thank you,

Phil

Apple's dedication to privacy and security is well-known, so it's unsurprising the company took steps to address concerns related to how these apps were monitoring device usage. But for some users who had come to prefer the capabilities of these apps such as cross-platform compatibility with Android devices in their households and more robust app controls, Apple's Screen Time feature feels like a step backward.

Apple had discussions with Intel about potentially acquiring parts of Intel's smartphone modem chip business, reports The Wall Street Journal. Apple was interested in Intel's technology to speed up its own efforts to build modem chips for smartphones.

Intel and Apple entered into discussions last summer and the talks continued for months, but ended right around the time Apple settled its legal dispute and reached a supply agreement with Qualcomm.

Intel 5G Modem
Sources at Intel that spoke to The Wall Street Journal said that Intel is exploring "strategic alternatives" for its smartphone modem chip business, and is still interested in a sale to Apple or another company.

In an interview yesterday, Intel CEO Bob Swan confirmed that Intel is considering alternatives "based on what's best" for Intel's IP and employees.

Selling the modem business would allow Intel to unload a costly operation that was losing about $1 billion annually, according to another person familiar with its performance. Any sale would likely include staff, a portfolio of patents and modem designs related to multiple generations of wireless technology, said Patrick Moorhead, principal at Moor Insights & Strategy, a technology firm.

Intel announced earlier this month that it was exiting the 5G smartphone business, just hours after Apple and Qualcomm announced a resolution to their legal troubles and a new supply deal.

Apple had been planning to use Intel's 5G chips in its 2020 iPhones, but rumors suggested Intel was having trouble meeting design deadlines and that the relationship between Apple and Intel was souring. Just yesterday, Swan also confirmed that Apple's deal with Qualcomm was the reason why Intel decided to stop making 5G chips.

Apple is now planning to use Qualcomm's 5G modem chips in its 2020 5G iPhones. Intel has said that it is going to continue to supply 4G LTE chips to meet already established orders, which means that Apple's 2019 iPhone lineup will likely continue to use Intel chips rather than Qualcomm chips. It is too late in the design cycle for Apple to swap chips for this year's upcoming devices.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Sphero to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win Specdrums, a finger-worn ring that's designed to turn colors into sounds and music.

Specdrums, priced at $65, fit on your index finger and have an optical sensor built into the front that can recognize colors and translate them into sound using the accompanying Specdrums app.


A simple tap makes a sound, and the sound sets can be customized in the Specdrums app with dozens of options available. For maximum creativity, you can also record your own sounds, and then put them together using finger taps on different colors. Red is one sound, orange is another, yellow is a third sound, and so on.

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The app has hundreds of built-in sounds, from drums and other simple musical instruments to rainforest sounds, pop music, hip hop, house music, retro mixes, video game sounds, and dozens of other options.

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Specdrums come with a color mat that you can use to make music, but as long as you have the app on an iPhone or an iPad, you can tap the Specdrums against anything colored - rugs, clothing, walls, drawings, and more - to play sounds.


Songs can be recorded in the Specdrums app, so the music you're making can be shared and imported into other apps and software. Specdrums are also designed to work with Bluetooth MIDI apps on your ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac.

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Specdrums have a two hour battery life before needing to be recharged using a standard micro-USB cable, and if you want to make music with friends, more than one ring can be used together. As we said in our review, Specdrums are the perfect music making device for creative kids, but adults will enjoy the Specdrums too.

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If you want to buy Specdrums, you can get them from Sphero or from the Apple Store, and we also have seven Specdrums to give away to MacRumors readers. 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 MacRumors Facebook 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 26) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 3. The winners will be chosen randomly on May 3 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Indian blog CashKaro has collaborated with OnLeaks to share new renders of the so-called "iPhone XI" and "‌iPhone‌ XI Max," providing a side-by-side comparison of the expected successors to the ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max.

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Both new iPhones are expected to stick with the same 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED displays as the ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, but the thickness of each device is said to increase to 8.1mm and 7.8mm respectively as previously reported. Both the ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max are 7.7mm thick.

Apple's depth measurement does not include the camera bump, so with the slight reduction in size expected there, the change in overall thickness between 2018 iPhones and 2019 iPhones may be negligible.

iPhone XI vs iPhone XI Max 2
As widely rumored by now, the new iPhones are expected to feature a triple-lens rear camera system in a triangular arrangement. While the camera bump has a larger square-shaped design, it appears to be less protruding, as the rear panel of each device is said to be formed out of a "single piece of glass."

The renders also suggest that 2019 versions of the ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max will feature a redesigned circular-shaped mute switch within a pill-shaped cutout, similar to the one on older-generation iPads.

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Beyond that, the renders suggest that 2019 iPhones will be similar to 2018 iPhones in many ways, complete with the same notch, bezels, stainless steel frame, Lightning connector, speaker grilles, and volume buttons. This would be more or less the same design as Apple has used since the ‌iPhone‌ X in 2017.

In addition to the static images, CashKaro and OnLeaks teamed up to create a 360-degree video of the renders:


Apple should unveil its next-generation ‌iPhone‌ lineup in September as usual alongside Apple Watch Series 5 models and other announcements. While not shown here, a new iPhone XR is also widely expected with a dual-lens rear camera system, up from a single lens on the current model.

Tag: OnLeaks
Related Forum: iPhone

Last week's surprise Apple and Qualcomm settlement and multiyear chipset supply agreement was the driving force behind Intel exiting the 5G smartphone modem business, according to Intel CEO Bob Swan.

Intel 5G Modem
"In light of the announcement of Apple and Qualcomm, we assessed the prospects for us to make money while delivering this technology for smartphones and concluded at the time that we just didn't see a path," Swan said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, as noted by The Verge.

Swan's comment suggests that Intel was surprised by the Apple-Qualcomm settlement and acted reactively when it announced its exit from the 5G smartphone modem business just hours later, but multiple reports indicate that Intel was unable to meet Apple's demands for 5G modems in 2020 iPhones.

It's hard to imagine that Apple and Qualcomm would have suddenly settled their bitter legal battle if Intel was able to supply 5G modems for 2020 iPhones, but Intel was reportedly struggling with its 5G modem development, possibly leaving Apple with little to no choice but to settle with Qualcomm.

iPhones have a long development cycle, so it was likely crunch time for Apple to choose a 5G modem supplier for its 2020 iPhones. Given this long lead time, Intel is still expected to supply LTE modems for 2019 iPhones.

Amazon is reportedly readying a high-fidelity music streaming service that's set to launch by the end of the year. According to Music Business Worldwide, Amazon is in discussions with various large music rights-holders regarding the upcoming launch of the new streaming platform, which is likely to cost $15 per month.

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"It's a better bit rate, better than CD quality," one source told MBW. "Amazon is working on it as we speak: they're currently scoping out how much catalog they can get from everyone and how they'll ingest it."

Probably the best known hi-def music streaming service currently is Tidal's HiFi plan, which costs $19.99 per month and offers CD-quality lossless streams at 44.1 kHz / 16 bit. Subscribers to the plan also benefit from Tidal's partnership with MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) to deliver guaranteed master-quality recordings directly from the master source, which is billed as "an audio experience that the artist intended."

The rationale behind this is that while HiFi audio is a superior sound, it's still limited to 44.1 kHz / 16 bit resolution, whereas MQA audio is the highest possible resolution (typically 96 kHz / 24 bit). MBW understands that Amazon has not partnered with MQA for its own HD tier, suggesting it will use a different audio technology. It's not clear though whether the hi-fi service will be a standalone platform or a new tier option to be offered as part of Amazon's Music Unlimited service.

Apple Music streams 256kbps AAC files across the board and doesn't offer users a higher sound quality price plan, while Spotify uses the Ogg Vorbis format and lets Premium subscribers choose the bitrate depending on how they're listening. On mobile you can elect to stream in Low (24 kbit/s), Normal (96 kbit/s), High (160 kbit/s) or Very High (320 kbit/s) quality, which is handy if you're worried about using up your cellular data, but none of these options could be called "hi-fidelity" streaming.

News of Amazon's plans for a hi-fi audio streaming service comes a week after Amazon launched a free, ad-supported music streaming service for owners of devices that support Alexa, but who are otherwise not Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers.

Tag: Amazon