Apple today sent out emails advertising its latest Apple Pay promo, which is back to school themed. Several apps and websites are offering discounts on merchandise for customers who use Apple Pay, with a list available below.
Adidas - 20% off Apple Pay purchases in the Adidas app
BJ's - $5 off when spending $50 or more on the BJ's website or app
Oakley - $25 off the next purchase of $100 or more
Plae - $20 off when spending $50 or more with promo code APPLEPAY 20
Shutterfly - $25 off when spending $25 or more in the Shutterfly app with promo code APPLE25
Toms - $15% off Apple Pay purchases on Toms.com with promo code TOMSAPPLEPAY
Additional details for each deal can be found on Apple's partner websites. The promos require customers to make their purchases using Apple Pay either within partner apps or on partner websites. All of the deals are available in the United States only.
IKEA teamed up with Sonos to launch a new line of smart speakers called "Symfonisk," and as of today, those speakers are available for purchase in IKEA retail stores across the United States.
The Symfonisk Table Lamp functions as a standard lamp but it's also got a smart speaker base, with "rich and vibrant sound" according to IKEA. It comes in both black and white and is designed to save space by combining a lamp with speaker functionality.
The Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker also has a dual purpose, attaching to a wall with a speaker bracket and serving as a bookshelf for small items. The rectangular speaker can also be as a standard speaker or hung up on Symfonisk speaker hooks.
Both of the speakers can be controlled through the Sonos app and both support AirPlay 2, allowing them to be used for multi-room audio with other AirPlay 2 devices. As with all Sonos devices, music, podcasts, radio, and more can be streamed over Wi-Fi even without a smartphone or tablet nearby.
Purchasing two of the same speakers allows for stereo sound to be set up, and Sonos also says that two speakers paired together can be used for a Sonos home theatre system.
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence previously suggested that the Symfonisk Table Lamp's audio quality would be similar to the Sonos One speaker, and reviews have thus far been decent.
The speakers are in IKEA stores today and can be located using the website's store locator, and they should also be available online in the near future.
Apple today shared a new video in its ongoing "Behind the Mac" series that highlights the various ways creators use the Mac for art, education, music making, coding, and more.
Today's video, "Test the Impossible," is a short 38 second spot that shows brief clips of the Mac being used for various creative pursuits, with a voiceover about what's possible when you don't know what's impossible.
You have no idea what you're doing. This is great. People who know what they're doing know the rules and know what is possible and what is impossible. You do not. The rules on what is possible and what is impossible in the arts were made by people who had not tested the bounds of the possible by going beyond them. And you can.
Apple has shared multiple videos in its Behind the Mac series so far, with the goal of highlighting its Mac lineup, from the iMac to the Mac notebooks.
In the Music Lab, customers will have a chance to go hands-on with Eilish's song "you should see me in a crown." Participants will be able to create their own mixes of the track and find out what inspired Eilish to write the song from her latest album, "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?"
Exclusively in Apple Stores, get hands-on with tracks direct from your favorite Apple Music artists. In this session, you’ll deconstruct Billie Eilish’s song “you should see me in a crown,” find out what inspired her, and create your own version of the song using GarageBand on iPhone. Devices will be provided.
Apple announced the new Music Lab today, and sessions will begin worldwide tomorrow, August 2. Head to Apple.com to check out more information on the Billie Eilish Music Lab and find an Apple Store near you that will be hosting the session.
Apple is now selling LEGO's "Hidden Side" LEGO kits that are designed to offer a mixed physical and augmented reality experience.
Hidden Side is a new series of LEGO sets that are based on a "chilling, creative world of ghosts," providing kids with a building toy that comes to life thanks to augmented reality on a smartphone.
Kids can build up the sets and then view the sets on an iOS device for interactive augmented reality gameplay that varies based on the set. With the Wrecked Shrimp Boat set, for example, kids explore a sunken boat that has "strange, surreal secrets," and then engage in a boss fight.
All of the sets have unique interactions, with mysteries to solve, items to find, games to play, ghosts to collect, and a ghost boss battle. Apple is selling four of the LEGO Hidden Side sets:
Like traditional LEGO sets, all of these kits come with mini figures, animals, and other accessories that fit the theme along with all of the building materials to create the intended design.
All of the sets are available from the Apple online store as of today, and may soon be available in Apple retail stores as well.
Apple today released a new macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update, which comes a week and a half after the initial release of the macOS Mojave 10.14.6 update.
The macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update can be downloaded by going to the "Software Update" section of System Preferences and selecting the Update Now option.
Today's Supplemental Update addresses an issue that could prevent certain Macs from waking up from sleep properly. Apple recommends that all users install the new Supplemental Update to fix this problem.
The macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update fixes an issue that may prevent certain Macs from waking from sleep properly.
The original macOS Mojave 10.14.6 also addressed a bug that could cause a graphics issue when waking from sleep, and it included multiple other bug fixes. It also offered up several improvements to the Apple News+ service in the Apple News app.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina update to its public beta testing group, two weeks after seeding the third public beta and a day after seeding the fifth macOS Catalina developer beta.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the macOS Catalina beta through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile. Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
Potential beta testers should make a full Time Machine backup before installing macOS Catalina, and it may not be wise to install it on a primary machine because betas can be unstable and often have many bugs.
macOS Catalina eliminates the iTunes app, which has been a key Mac feature since 2001. In Catalina, iTunes has been replaced by Music, Podcasts, and TV apps. The new apps can do everything that iTunes can do, so Mac users aren't going to be losing any functionality, and device management capabilities are now handled by the Finder app.
macOS Catalina has a useful new Sidecar feature, designed to turn the iPad into a secondary display for the Mac. It can work as a traditional second display or with a mirroring feature. Apple Pencil support works with Sidecar, so you can turn your iPad into a drawing tablet using apps like Photoshop.
For those with an Apple Watch set up to unlock the Mac, there's now an option to approve security prompts in Catalina by tapping on the side button of the watch. Macs with a T2 chip in them also support Activation Lock, making them useless to thieves much as it does on the iPhone.
There's a new Find My app that lets you track your lost devices, and previously, this functionality was only available via iCloud on the Mac. There's even a new option to find your devices even when they're offline by leveraging Bluetooth connections to other nearby devices, something that's particularly handy on the Mac because it doesn't have a cellular connection.
Apple is expanding Screen Time to the Mac in Catalina, letting Apple users track their device usage across Mac, iOS, and iPad for a better overall picture of time spent using electronics.
For developers, a "Project Catalyst" feature lets apps designed for the iPad be ported over to the Mac with just a few clicks in Xcode and some minor tweaks. Apple's ultimate goal with Project Catalyst is to bring more apps to the Mac.
Photos features an updated interface that better highlights your best pictures, Safari includes a new start page with Siri Suggestions, Mail has a new feature for blocking emails and another new option for muting threads, and the Reminders app has been overhauled and is now more useful.
Before installing macOS Catalina, be aware that it does not support 32-bit apps, so some older apps that have not been updated in some time may stop working. For more on macOS Catalina, make sure to check out our macOS Catalina roundup.
Intel says the Ice Lake chips have increased board integration, allowing manufacturers like Apple to release notebooks with sleeker designs. The chips also feature Intel's all-new Gen11 graphics architecture for up to double the graphics performance, and integrated Thunderbolt 3 and Wi-Fi 6, aka 802.11ax.
The lineup of 11 new processors includes six U-series chips and five Y-series chips:
Intel is also introducing a new processor number naming structure starting with this first set of 10th-generation Core processors, doing away with Y and U series identifiers and instead emphasizing graphics. The new structure is a bit confusing, but The Verge has a nice breakdown for deciphering them.
Intel expects the first notebooks with Ice Lake chips to be available in time for the holiday shopping season.
Netgear's Orbi Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi Systems are now available for purchase from Apple retail stores as of July, joining the existing Linksys Velop routers that Apple has been offering ever since it discontinued its own AirPort line of router options.
Apple is selling the RBK23 three pack Orbi Mesh System for $300 and the RBK50, the higher end model, in a two pack for $329.95.
These routers all work in a similar way, offering up a main Orbi router and satellite nodes to extend WiFi throughout the whole house. Maximum Wi-Fi speeds differ between the two models, as do the number of satellites, so some research is required to find the Orbi system that best fits your needs.
The RBK50, which includes one router and one satellite, covers up to 5,000 square feet of space and offers Wi-Fi speeds of up to 3Gb/s. The RBK23 triple pack with one router and two satellites covers up to 6,000 square feet and offers Wi-Fi speeds up to 2.2Gb/s.
With the Orbi system, the idea is to put a single router in a main area like a living room, outfitting other areas further in the house with their own satellite routers so all areas of the house get the same Wi-Fi coverage with no dead zones. You can add additional Orbi satellites to a home setup at any time.
Along with the RBK50 and the RBK23, Apple also sells the CBK40, an Orbi router system that has a built-in cable modem that works with Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, and others. It comes in a single router version that covers 2,000 square feet or a router plus satellite version that covers up to 4,000 square feet.
All of the Orbi routers are available from Apple retail stores and the Apple online store.
Apple's online store is now offering a 3-meter USB-A to Lightning cable made by Mophie, adding to the 1 meter and 2 meter Mophie cables that were previously available.
Priced at $30, the new Lightning cable from Mophie features a braided nylon construction and reinforced connectors that Mophie says are designed to stand up to "daily wear and tear," avoiding fraying, breaking, and other issues.
At 3 meters or close to 10 feet, this is one of the longest Lightning cables that Apple offers, and it is ideal in situations where you need to charge but don't have easy access to a nearby outlet.
The 3 meter Lightning cable is Made for iPhone certified and will work with iPhones, iPads, and AirPods. It's available from the online Apple Store starting today, and may be in Apple retail stores in the future.
Apple is also now selling new USB-C cables from Belkin, priced starting at $20. The Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE USB-C to USB-C Cable + Strap comes in pink, white, and black, and measures in at 1.2 meters (4 feet).
It also features a durable braided nylon design and is reinforced at major stress points for improved strength. The included leather strap keeps the cable neatly wound up for transport.
A group of 18 individuals have filed a class action lawsuit against Apple this week in a Northern California federal court, accusing the company of "secretly throttling" older iPhones starting in January 2017.
The complaint, seen by MacRumors, refers to the iPhone slowdown saga as "one of the largest consumer frauds in history, affecting hundreds of millions of mobile devices across the globe," adding that Apple intentionally degraded devices as part of a planned obsolescence scheme to maximize profits:
While Plaintiffs and the class need not attribute any motive behind Apple's intentional degradation of the Devices, it is evident that Apple continued to do so for the simple reason most frauds are committed: money.
Apple previously denied any kind of planned obsolescence by flat out stating that it never has and never would do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience, to drive customer upgrades:
We have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.
Apple faces over 60 class action lawsuits worldwide over this matter. The first was filed in December 2017, after Apple revealed that it throttles the maximum performance of some older iPhone models with chemically aged batteries when necessary in order to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down.
This latest lawsuit will likely be consolidated with the others in Northern California district court for streamlined proceedings.
Apple introduced the performance management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it did not initially mention the change in the update's release notes. Likewise, in a statement issued a month later, Apple still only mentioned vague "improvements" resulting in a significant reduction in unexpected iPhone shutdowns.
Apple only revealed exactly what the so-called "improvements" were after Primate Labs founder John Poole visualized that some iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 devices suddenly had lower benchmark scores starting with iOS 10.2.1 and iOS 11.2 respectively, despite operating at maximum performance on previous versions.
Apple apologized for its lack of communication in December 2017, and reduced the price of battery replacements to $29 for iPhone 6 and newer through the end of 2018. Apple then released iOS 11.3 with a new feature that enables users to track their iPhone battery's health and performance status.
The performance management system has also been disabled by default since iOS 11.3, and it is only enabled if an iPhone suffers an unexpected shutdown. The performance management can be manually disabled by users as well.
Following a few images of the upcoming Galaxy Note 10 smartphone and ahead of the device's official unveiling in New York City next week, leaked images today revealed a new dongle accessory for the Note 10. The dongle is a 3.5mm to USB-C accessory, apparently confirming that Samsung is removing the headphone jack from the Galaxy Note line (via SamMobile).
Image via SamMobile
Similar to Apple's Lightning to 3.5mm dongle, Samsung's accessory is a simple miniature cable that would let users attach a pair of wired headphones into the Note 10's USB-C port. The accessory is believed to come in the box with the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus, and is likely to be sold separately as well.
Samsung began removing the headphone jack in its smartphones starting with the Galaxy A8 line last year, so this wouldn't be too much of a surprise if it happened to the company's main line of Note devices.
Apple itself removed the headphone jack from the iPhone beginning with the iPhone 7 in 2016, a decision that has been met with heated debate online. The trend continued with every iPhone release since, up to last year's iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR devices.
After Apple's decision, Samsung began making fun of the company in numerous ways, including mocking Apple's excessive use of dongles in one of its "Ingenius" ads. During the reveal of the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7, Samsung executive Justin Denison emphasized that the device came with a headphone jack, mocking Apple.
More information about the Galaxy Note 10 will come out of its full unveiling event next Wednesday, August 7.
Apple is widely expected to release a new 10.2-inch iPad later this year as a replacement for its $329 entry-level 9.7-inch iPad, and hit-or-miss Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes has now added its weight to this rumor, claiming that the tablet will be released in the "late third quarter."
If accurate, that timeframe means the 10.2-inch iPad would be released by the end of September, suggesting that the device might be unveiled alongside new iPhones at Apple's usual September event.
iPad releases in the fall have typically occurred in October, including in 2012 through 2014 and again in 2018. September would not be totally out of the ordinary, however, as Apple unveiled the original iPad Pro and the iPad mini 4 at its September 2015 event without hosting an October event that year.
The 10.2-inch iPad would have a modestly larger display than the 9.7-inch iPad, possibly in tandem with narrower bezels.
A reasonable assumption would be that Apple will unveil new iPhones and Apple Watches in September and save the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro, 10.2-inch iPad, and iPad Pro refresh for October, but Apple could always break with tradition.
Nanoleaf today introduced a useful new capability for its Nanoleaf Canvas Smarter Kit, allowing individual Canvas squares to serve as touch controls to activate HomeKit scenes.
For those unfamiliar with the Nanoleaf Canvas, it's a set of light-up panels that attach to the wall or the ceiling, providing accent lighting. The Canvas tiles are touch-compatible and support different touch gestures, which is what enables this new feature.
Touch Actions lets a Canvas light square double as a smart button to activate different HomeKit scenes, such as turning off the lights or getting a bedtime scene ready. Three actions are available for each of the squares, including a single press, double press, and long press.
More than one button can have scenes assigned, so the Nanoleaf Canvas can double as a control panel for all of your HomeKit scenes.
Setting up Touch Actions requires a Home Hub for HomeKit, which can be an Apple TV, a HomePod, or an iPad. Scenes need to be set up, and from there, you can turn Canvas panels into buttons by opening up the Nanoleaf app, selecting My Devices, choosing the Canvas, tapping the gear icon for more settings, and then selecting Touch Actions. It's a little bit complicated, but Nanoleaf has created a tutorial video.
Touch Actions are available today following a firmware update for the Nanoleaf Canvas. The Nanoleaf Canvas can be purchased from the Nanoleaf website starting at $119.99.
Microsoft has come out with a new marketing campaign that features a man called Mackenzie Book (read: Mac Book) explaining why a Surface Laptop 2 is a better option than an Apple MacBook, in his humble opinion.
The 30-second ad consists of a quick-fire Q&A session between a voiceover narrator and the man-Mac himself, who proceeds to explain why he thinks the Microsoft machine beats Apple's notebook in various departments.
"So Mac, which laptop lasts longer?" the narrator asks.
"Surface laptop lasts longer," Book responds.
The actor's answers are accompanied by the text "Mac Book says Surface laptop ... [lasts longer / is faster / has a better touchscreen.]" The latter response is qualified by the narrator with the remark "Oh right, because MacBooks don't have touchscreens."
The ad ends with two thumbs up from Mr Book and his recommendation: "You should get a Surface. Trust me, I'm Mac Book." His sign-off is followed by the tagline, "Mac Book says get a Surface Laptop."
Microsoft and Apple have often taken aim at each other over the years with jokey Mac vs. PC ads. From 2006 to 2009, Justin Long played a Mac computer in Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign, alongside John Hodgman, who played a PC.
The commercials always started out with the tagline "Hello, I'm a Mac," and were some of Apple's most iconic ads, featuring Long as the cool, casual Mac and Hodgman as a stuffy PC in a suit and tie.
However, Microsoft's latest effort is a decidedly left-field take on the man/Mac concept.
Last year, Microsoft released a holiday ad promoting its Surface Go over Apple's iPad, using the tagline "Big dreams need a real computer."
Microsoft's 2018 ad was aimed at Apple's own "What's a Computer?" ad campaign, which began in 2016 and showed off some things that the iPad Pro can do as a replacement to a traditional laptop computer.
Microsoft released the Surface Laptop 2 in October 2018 and is expected to launch refreshed Surface Pro and Surface Book models later this year.
Google parent company Alphabet has overtaken Apple to become the world's most cash-rich company, reports The Financial Times this morning.
According to the FT, Apple’s cash hoard has fallen to $102 billion, down from a peak of $163 billion at the end of 2017. Meanwhile, Alphabet's $117 billion cash reserve has risen by almost $20 billion over the same period.
However, as FT notes, Alphabet's new title as "king of cash" may be somewhat of a poisoned chalice, as it could antagonize investors who would rather see the cash being used to reward shareholders with buybacks or dividends.
The leadership switch is said to be a result of Apple's own efforts to reduce its liquidity, by taking advantage of US tax reforms to repatriate overseas reserves and pay out to investors. The company has spent $122 billion on buying back stock and paying dividends in the past 18 months.
Alphabet's stock buybacks, by contrast, have been paltry. In the nearly four years since it began repurchasing its own stock, it has spent an average of only $1.7bn a quarter.
In that time, it has handed out more new shares in the form of employee stock benefits than it has bought back through its repurchase programme. As a result, the payments have done nothing to lift its earnings per share — the reason investors generally welcome buybacks.
Alphabet's new cash-rich status also comes at a time when it is under more intensive scrutiny than ever before. Google and its parent company have received over $9 billion in antitrust fines by the EU in the past two years. It is now facing a new antitrust investigation by the Justice Department.
Alphabet's cash reserves have actually increased despite the parent company's heavy investment in real estate for new office builds and data centers, which will form part of the infrastructure supporting Google's increasing AI endeavors.
In terms of most valuable company on the planet, Apple has been overtaken by both Amazon and Microsoft, with the latter now taking that particular crown. Microsoft is now worth nearly $1.1 trillion, after soaring on the back of optimism about its cloud business.
Following the release of iOS 12.4 on July 22, Apple has stopped signing iOS 12.3.1 and iOS 12.3 the previous versions of iOS that were available to consumers. Apple is also no longer signing iOS 12.3.2, an update exclusive to the iPhone 8 Plus.
iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners who have upgraded to iOS 12.4 will no longer be able to downgrade to iOS 12.3, 12.3.1, or 12.3.2.
iOS 12.4, available on all devices able to run iOS 12, was a major update with Apple News+ improvements and a new device-to-device data migration option when setting up a new iPhone.
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date.
iOS 12.4 is now the only version of iOS that can be installed on iPhones and iPads, but developers and public beta testers can download iOS 13, an upcoming update that's currently being beta tested.
The CBS All Access subscription service can now be purchased through the Channels feature in the Apple TV app, following news that it would be launching earlier this week.
Apple in March unveiled a redesigned TV app with the "Apple TV Channels" feature, designed to let users sign up for and watch third-party subscription services right in the TV app on iOS and tvOS.
CBS All Access was listed as one of the upcoming channels, but the channel wasn't available when the TV app first launched.
Apple users who want to sign up for CBS All Access can now do so through the Apple TV app. The service is priced at $9.99 per month, but there is a 7-day free trial available.
With a CBS All Access subscription purchased through the Channels feature, CBS All Access content can be watched directly in the TV app. The service offers access to live TV shows, sporting events, and more than 10,000 on-demand episodes from CBS shows.
Many other subscription services also work with the TV app channels feature, including Cinemax, EPIX, HBO, MTV Hits, Showtime, Smithsonian, Starz, Tastemade, and more.
Following the 
