MacRumors

Apple has been offering certified refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro models in the United States for a couple of weeks now, but today it started selling refurb 16-inch models through its international online stores for the first time since the notebook was released in November 2019. All of the refurbished configurations are discounted by 15 percent compared to the equivalent brand new models.

In the United Kingdom for example, a Silver 16-inch MacBook Pro 2.6GHz 6-core Intel Core i7 is listed for £2,039, down from £2,399, offering a £360 saving on the original price. The same savings are being offered on a Space Grey 16-inch MacBook Pro with matching specs.

Refurbished 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models have also been spotted in Apple's online refurb stores in Germany and Japan.

Apple says refurbished 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged with a 96W USB-C power adapter and USB-C cable in the box. In our view, a refurbished ‌MacBook Pro‌ is virtually indistinguishable from a brand new model, so this represents a good opportunity for savings.

Keep in mind that third-party resellers frequently offer better deals than Apple's refurbished prices, so be sure to shop around.

A refurbished ‌MacBook Pro‌ comes with Apple's standard one-year warranty effective on the date the notebook is delivered. The warranty can be extended to three years from the refurbished purchase date with AppleCare+ for Mac, which costs £399 for the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ in the U.K.

(Thanks, Tommy!)

In an interview with Vanity Fair today, Rian Johnson, who directed the popular movie "Knives Out," shared an interesting tidbit about iPhone product placement deals for films. Apple, he says, allows iPhones to be used in movies, but bad guys aren't allowed to have iPhones on camera.

Also another funny thing, I don't know if I should say this or not... Not cause it's like lascivious or something, but because it's going to screw me on the next mystery movie that I write, but forget it, I'll say it. It's very interesting.

Apple... they let you use iPhones in movies but -- and this is very pivotal if you're ever watching a mystery movie - bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera.

So oh nooooooo, every single filmmaker that has a bad guy in their movie that's supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now.

Apple is known for having strict rules about how devices are used, portrayed, and photographed. As part of its guidelines for using Apple trademarks and copyrights, for example, Apple says that Apple products should only be shown "in the best light, in a manner or context that reflects favorably on the Apple products and on Apple Inc."

As noted by our forum members, people have in the past pointed out that it's the good guys that use Apple products in TV shows in movies. When "24" was on the air, Wired wrote about a fan theory that the good guys use Macs while the bad guys use PCs, which turned out to be accurate.

Given this tidbit from Johnson, who is a well-respected director, many people may be watching movies with a much keener eye on the devices that actors and actresses are using to suss out hidden details.

The iPhone XR was the world's most popular smartphone in 2019, with Apple outshipping all other smartphone models, according to new data shared today by research firm Omdia.

Apple shipped an estimated 46.3 million iPhone XR units in 2019, which is more than double the 23.1 million units shipped in 2018. iPhone XR shipments were also nine million units higher than the second most popular model, which was Apple's iPhone 11. Apple shipped an estimated 37.3 million iPhone 11 models.

After the iPhone XR and iPhone 11, the Galaxy A10 was the third most popular smartphone, with Samsung shipping 30.3 million units. The Samsung A50, Samsung A20, and iPhone 11 Pro Max came in fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.

"Apple has consistently owned the first and second positions in the global smartphone model shipment ranking, with the company maintaining this dominant position for more than five years running," said Jusy Hong, smartphone research and analysis director at Omdia. "The company's continued dominance on this front is all the more remarkable when considering that Apple's price hikes caused overall iPhone shipments to decline last year. By limiting the number of models it offers compared to its top competitors, Apple has been able to concentrate its sales on a few smartphones that have broad appeal, like the iPhone XR."

Apple has continued selling the iPhone XR alongside the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Pro as a lower cost option, priced starting at $599. The iPhone XR is $100 cheaper than the $699 starting price point of the iPhone 11.

Omdia is a research firm that was established following the merger of the research division of Informa Tech and the IHS Markit technology research portfolio.

At this time of year, Apple engineers and executives typically visit China as Apple's suppliers start getting ready to manufacture new iPhones, but that preparation process is delayed this year due to coronavirus travel restrictions, reports Reuters.

Production of new devices usually kicks off in the summer, but during the first months of the year, Apple employees visit China to perfect assembly processes with manufacturing partners like Foxconn. Reuters spoke to former Apple employees who said that it "could be bad" if Apple's engineers haven't been able to meet up with Foxconn engineers in China to plan iPhone 12 production.

"They probably have one assembly line they're trying things out on," said one of the former employees who asked not to be named discussing production matters.

"Are Apple's engineers with the Foxconn engineers? If they are, they're probably making progress. But if they're not, if they're quarantined, that could be bad."

People familiar with Apple's process for device prototyping to manufacturing said that work typically picks up after the Lunar New Year. By February, Apple is normally in the late stages of engineering validation, where Foxconn workers assemble a small number of devices and the manufacturing process is reviewed.

Reuters says that delays at this stage can eat into the time Apple needs to finalize orders for chips and other iPhone components that need to be made well in advance of when full production begins.

In March and April, Apple and Foxconn engineers work together to set up assembly lines and do trial runs, with final adjustments coming in April and May. One person familiar with Apple's process told Reuters that it's "very complicated" and there are "so many variables in the environment."

Supply chain experts have said that Apple still has time to keep the iPhone schedule on track, but the travel restrictions have made it difficult.

"There is no face-to-face work being done," an executive at a semiconductor firm that supplies smartphone companies and works with teams in China said, speaking generally about phone production cycles.

"And the word is, that's probably not going to change for another month at best. You're really talking about two lost months, which in the consumer electronics cycle is huge."

Foxconn and other Apple suppliers were shut down for multiple days in February and while factories are now up and running, they're not operating at full production capacity due to labor shortages, travel restrictions, and quarantines. Senior Foxconn officials are working remotely from Taipei and have not returned to China on a large scale.

U.S. airlines like United, which Apple often uses, have also suspended many flights to China. United will not be resuming flights to Beijing, Chengdu, Hong Kong, and Shanghai until April 24. People who do visit China are also subjected to health screenings and other restrictions when returning to the United States.

Apple has already warned investors that it will not be able to meet revenue goals for the March quarter due to device shortages and store closures in China, which have impacted device sales, and the company will provide additional info on the impact of the coronavirus during its April earnings call.

The United States Federal Trade Commission today announced that it is sending out refund checks totaling over $1.7 million to people who fell victim to tech support scams.

Click4Support representatives would convince people into providing them with remote access to their computers for identifying non-existent viruses and malware. The fake services were sold both on a one time fee basis or with a long-term service plan, with the fake company charging from $69 to thousands of dollars.

The FTC shut down Click4Support and other similar companies back in 2015 and filed legal action at that time, with refunds finally available for customer who were tricked into shelling out money.

The FTC is providing refunds averaging approximately $30 each to victims, and most recipients will receive their refunds through PayPal, though some will receive checks. The money is sourced from Click4Support after a federal court in 2018 ruled that its assets should be used to reimburse customers who lost money due to the scams.

While this is a small victory for some users who have been tricked by scammers, scams have unfortunately grown much more sophisticated over the course of the last five years.

Apple maintains a dedicated support page that instructs customers on how to avoid phishing emails, fake virus alerts, fake phone calls, and other similar scams. These tips are well worth reading for anyone who owns an Apple device.

The United States National Transportation Safety Board today conducted a hearing dissecting the fatal 2018 crash of Apple engineer Walter Huang, who was using the autopilot feature of a Tesla Model X, reports CNBC.

The NTSB called Tesla's Autosteer feature "completely inadequate" and said that Tesla's forward collision warning system did not provide an alert, nor did the automatic emergency braking system activate, but the board also had some choice words for Apple.

At the time of the crash, Huang was playing a game on his company-issued development iPhone. He was not paying attention to the road and likely did not have his hands on the steering wheel as the Tesla was in Autopilot mode.

So first let me say, if you own a car with partial automation, you do not own a self-driving car. Don't pretend that you do. This means that when driving in the supposed "self-driving" mode: you can't sleep; you can't read a book; you can't watch a movie or TV show; you can't text; and, you can't play video games. And, that is precisely what we found in this crash - the driver was playing a video game on his smartphone when his car veered into the median barrier.

In a statement, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt criticized Apple for not having a policy that prevents employees from using their iPhones while driving.

Let me circle back to the issue of driver distraction - one that involves the role of employers. Employers have a critical role in fighting distracted driving. At the NTSB, we believe in leading by example. Over a decade ago, under the leadership of my former colleague and NTSB chairman, Debbie Hersman, NTSB implemented a broad-reaching policy which bans using Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) while driving. We know that such policies save lives.

The driver in this crash was employed by Apple - a tech leader. But when it comes to recognizing the need for a company PED policy, Apple is lagging because they don't have such a policy.

During the hearing, the NTSB said [PDF] that employers play an important role in preventing distracted driving. A strong policy is an effective strategy for cutting down on distracted driving, and Apple has no policy that prohibits cell phone use while driving.

Apple in a response provided to CNBC, said "We expect our employees to follow the law." In California, where the crash took place, there are distracted driving laws that prohibit the use of cell phones while driving, even in vehicles with an autopilot mode.

Apple has also implemented a Do Not Disturb While Driving feature that activates when a driver attempts to use a cellular phone while driving, though it can be disabled.

The NTSB's goal is to get all employers to implement and enforce policies that ban the use of personal electronic devices while driving.

Ahead of Apple's 2020 shareholders meeting, which is set to take place tomorrow, Apple has asked attendees traveling from China to make sure they adhere to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's quarantine guidelines.

In the notice, which was shared on Twitter this morning and spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple says that it has worked in close consultation with public health experts and is following official CDC guidance.

Health and Safety Precautions
Apple is following official guidance on COVID-19 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and working in close consultation with public health experts. We ask shareholders who have traveled to China in February to ensure they have completed the required 14-day quarantine period prior to the meeting in order to attend.

Coronavirus concerns have made people wary of attending events with a large number of people. Mobile World Congress (MWC), a major event that normally takes place in February, was canceled, and upcoming events that include the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and Pax East are seeing multiple major companies drop out.

The coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has been primarily limited to China, but in recent days, infections have spread significantly in other countries like South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

Just today, the CDC warned Americans that it expects COVID-19 to spread in the United States. More than 80,000 people worldwide have contracted COVID-19, and there have been 2,700 deaths.

Apple's shareholder meeting will take place at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus. Apple's shareholder meetings are first come first serve as space for attendance is limited, with pre-registration required.

Shareholder meetings are not typically interesting to the general public and Apple executives share little about Apple's products. Apple CEO Tim Cook did make a few comments last year about Apple's services business and roadmap, so similar information could be shared this year, and if there's any interesting information, we'll let MacRumors readers know.

Students at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California are now able to add their ACCESS student IDs to the Wallet app on the iPhone and the Apple Watch, allowing their devices to be used to access buildings, attend athletic events, purchase meals, check out library books, and more.

Once a student ID card has been added into the Wallet app, students can use an iPhone or Apple Watch in lieu of a physical card by holding their device near a reader. The contactless student ID can be used anywhere the physical ID card is required.

Santa Clara University is located close to Apple's Cupertino headquarters, and it was one of the universities that worked with Apple and partner company Transact during the pilot program for contactless student IDs.

SCU expects that most of its 5,500 undergraduate students will be using the mobile student ID system by the end of the year.

Apple first announced plans to bring contactless student IDs to iPhone and Apple Watch at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference, and rolled out the first IDs in October 2018.

Since then, Apple has added additional universities to the program, and participants include Marshall University, Clemson University, Duke University, University of Oklahoma, University of Alabama, Georgetown University, University of Tennessee, University of Kentucky, University of San Francisco, University of Vermont, Arkansas State University, South Dakota State University, Norfolk State University, Louisburg College, University of North Alabama, and Chowan University.

Accessory company Pad & Quill today announced the "Aria Smart Keyboard Case" for the upcoming 2020 refresh of the iPad Pro. Pad & Quill's cases are available for pre-order in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, and they include a square camera cutout for a triple-lens camera.

We've seen square cutouts in leaked iPad Pro cases over the past few days, with rumors pointing to the 2020 iPad Pro family gaining similar cameras as those seen on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.

Yesterday, leaker Ben Geskin shared a few images of a case allegedly fitting the 2020 iPad Pro, with a similar square camera cutout. Now that Pad & Quill has launched pre-orders for its own official cases, it appears more likely that we can expect a similar camera setup on the upcoming iPad Pro line.

Apple is expected to update the iPad Pro sometime in 2020, perhaps in the first half of the year. The new models are rumored to have the same 11-inch and 12.9-inch dimensions as the previous generation. Not much else is currently known about the new iPad Pros, other than the rumored triple-lens camera.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo backed this up with a prediction of his own, stating that the 2020 iPad Pro will come with a triple-lens camera system with support for 3D sensing for augmented reality. This unveiling could happen during an Apple event rumored to take place in March.

The Aria Smart Keyboard Case is $99.95 for the 11-inch model and $109.95 for the 12.9-inch model. You can use the code PQ15 to take 15 percent off your order as well.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Pad & Quill. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Apple and Johnson & Johnson today announced a new study that aims to gather more information surrounding atrial fibrillation and other conditions tracked by iPhone and Apple Watch. The "Heartline Study" will include an iPhone app, and explores whether health tracking features of iPhone and heart health features on Apple Watch can improve health outcomes.

The study is specifically aimed at individuals over 65 years of age. Apple and Johnson & Johnson are looking to see if Apple's health tracking technology can help reduce the risk of stroke thanks to earlier detection of atrial fibrillation, which is a leading cause of stroke in the United States and detectable with the Apple Watch's ECG feature.

The main issue with atrial fibrillation is that it is difficult to diagnose, due to the lack of physical symptoms in most patients. With Apple Watch, watchOS can alert users to a potential AFib event even if they are unaware of what's happening to them.

"Apple technology is making a meaningful impact on scientific research through the powerful capabilities of iPhone and Apple Watch, all with privacy at the center of the participant experience," said Myoung Cha, Apple's Head of Health Strategic Initiatives. "The Heartline Study will help further understanding of how our technology could both contribute to science and help improve health outcomes, including reducing the risk of stroke."

Those interested in the study must be 65 or older, a U.S. resident for the duration of the study, have traditional Medicare, own an iPhone 6s or later (with iOS 12.2 or later), and agree to provide access to their Medicare claims data. Once randomized participants are selected, they will be divided into two groups: one will only use the iPhone app and the other will use the iPhone app in addition to obtaining an Apple Watch. The study will last three years.

Apple and its devices regularly participate in scientific studies, most recently at Stanford Medicine with the "Apple Heart Study." This study began in 2017, and in November 2019 Stanford Medicine published results that ultimately determined the Apple Watch can successfully detect atrial fibrillation.

Apple has again declined a request to testify at a U.S. congressional hearing that is part of a wider investigation into Chinese influence on technology companies.

According to The Washington Post, both Apple and TikTok declined an invitation from U.S. Senator Josh Hawley to attend the hearing, which took place on Monday, February 24.

Apple and TikTok each have declined a request to testify at a March congressional hearing that would have probed their relationships with China, a move that threatens to ratchet up tensions with federal lawmakers who see Beijing as a privacy and security threat.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.), one of TikTok's leading critics, had invited the two tech firms to appear at a March 4 session, his office confirmed Monday. Both previously had declined to testify at a hearing last year on the same issue.

According to the Post, TikTok has said it plans to send a representative to engage with the subcommittee at a later date, but Apple has not commented on its absence.

Apple and TikTok skipped a similar hearing in November last year, leaving two chairs empty at the meeting with only placards bearing the companies' names.

Senator Hawley, who is a frequent critic of Apple for its ties with China, attacked the company for its no-show, saying its entanglement with the country's authoritarian government was "a fact they would rather we think not too much about."

In October, U.S. lawmakers called out Apple for not standing up for democratic values and free speech in Hong Kong, after it pulled an app from the App Store that protestors had been using to track police movements in the city state, saying it violated the company's guidelines and local laws.

Apple initially approved the app after reviewing its decision to initially reject it app from the ‌‌App Store‌‌. Its reversal came after the Chinese Communist Party's flagship newspaper criticized the company for letting the app into its store.

"Apple assured me last week that their initial decision to ban this app was a mistake," tweeted senator Hawley at the time. "Looks like the Chinese censors have had a word with them since. Who is really running Apple? ‌Tim Cook‌ or Beijing?"

In a related development today, The Guardian reports that Apple could be forced to disclose details of censorship requests from China after two major shareholder groups backed a proposal that would force the tech giant to make new human rights commitments.

The motion is set to be voted on by the company’s investors on Wednesday, and was prompted by numerous allegations of Apple kowtowing to Beijing and blocking apps from being used by Chinese customers. Apple reportedly failed in an attempt to block the vote from taking place.

Note: Due to the political 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.