MacRumors

Apple today released iOS 12.3, the third major update to the iOS 12 operating system that first launched in September 2018. iOS 12.3 comes over a month after the release of iOS 12.2, an update that introduced the Apple News+ service, brought new Animoji, and included dozens of other changes.

The iOS 12.3 update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.3 is free to download, but it may take some time for iOS 12.3 to propagate to all iOS users.

Much of the iOS 12.3 update focuses on the TV app, which has been overhauled and enhanced with a new look and fresh functionality. Apple first introduced the updated TV app at its March 25 event, and after several weeks of beta testing, the new app is ready for its launch.

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

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

Apple added a new "Channels" feature in the TV app, which is a major component of the company's new 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, and when you use them, Apple gets a cut of the subscription revenue.

As an example, if you come across a show you want to watch on iPhone or Apple TV that's on HBO, Showtime, or Starz and you don't already have a subscription, you can tap to subscribe right in the TV app and then watch the show right away without having to open a third-party app.

Some of the new Channels that will be supported include Acorn TV, CBS All Access, Starz, Showtime, HBO, Nickelodeon, Mubi, Tastemade, Cinemax, Sundance, EPIX, Smithsonian, The History Channel Vault, and Comedy Central Now.

You're still going to get recommendations for content from services that aren't part of the Channels feature, but non-channel content will still need to be watched in a third-party app. You'll also find all of your iTunes TV shows and movies available in the TV app, and you can purchase new content too.

The new ‌Apple TV‌ app is available in more than 100 countries starting today, and with Family Sharing, up to six family members are able to share subscriptions to ‌Apple TV‌ channels. Channels content can be watched both online or offline.

Today's update also includes support for AirPlay 2-enabled TVs, allowing you to ‌AirPlay‌ content like TV shows and movies to compatible television sets from companies like LG, Samsung, Vizio, and more.

iOS 12.3 includes support for AirPlay 2-enabled TVs and features a redesigned Apple TV app. This update also includes bug fixes and improvements.

AirPlay 2
- AirPlay 2 now supports sharing videos, photos, music and more from your iPhone and iPad directly to your AirPlay 2-enabled smart TV
- One tap playback automatically plays your chosen TV show or movie on the last screen you used based on time and location
- Siri Suggestions to watch movies and TV shows now include an option to AirPlay
- Intelligent suggestions are all done on-device so your personal information stays private

Apple TV app
- The Apple TV app features an all new design that highlights expertly curated collections and personalized recommendations
- Apple TV channels offer subscriptions to HBO, Showtime, Starz, and more, available to watch directly in the Apple TV app, online or off
- Subscriptions to Apple TV channels can be shared with up to six family members, with no new apps, accounts, or passwords needed
- New release movies are available to buy or rent in the Apple TV app, including the full catalog of 100,000+ movies and the largest selection of 4K HDR titles
- A new dedicated kids section helps you discover editorially-handpicked shows and movies safe for kids of all ages
- The Apple TV app can now intelligently suggest playing to the most likely Apple TVs or AirPlay 2-enabled TVs nearby

This update also includes bug fixes and improvements. This update:
- Adds the ability to follow a magazine from the Apple News+ catalog browsing view
- Apple Music’s For You tab now updates multiple times a day suggesting music based on themes like genres, artists, and moods you love
- Fixes an issue that could prevent Apple TV Remote from pausing video, controlling video, or changing volume on supported receivers
- Addresses an issue that could cause calls made using Wi-Fi calling to drop
- Fixes an issue where song information from a connected iPhone may not appear in a car’s display

When Apple's Apple TV+ service launches this fall, you'll be able to watch all of Apple's original TV shows and movies in the TV app as well as existing content.

With the launch of iOS 12.3, both AirPlay 2 and the new Apple TV app are available on compatible Smart TVs, Samsung announced today.

All 2019 Samsung Smart TVs and select 2018 TV models with a firmware update will be able to access ‌Apple TV‌ channels and iTunes movies and TV shows through the TV app and will support ‌AirPlay‌ 2. Samsung says that the TV app offers content in more than 100 countries, while ‌AirPlay‌ 2 is available in 176 countries.

On compatible Samsung TVs with the Smart TV platform, users are able to select the ‌Apple TV‌ app icon to access their Apple content. With the Channels feature in the ‌Apple TV‌ app, Samsung users can subscribe to services like HBO, Showtime, Starz, and more, and watch content from those services directly in the ‌Apple TV‌ app.

Samsung users will also have access to more than 100,000 TV shows and movies to buy or rent from iTunes, including content that's available in 4K HDR.

"For the last decade, Samsung has been at the forefront of offering the broadest selection of content available to consumers on our Smart TV platform," said Won-Jin Lee, Executive Vice President, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "As the first TV manufacturer to integrate the Apple TV app on a Smart TV platform, Samsung continues to offer our customers incredible value and access to the Apple TV app experience on the largest screens available today."

The TV app available on Samsung Smart TVs will allow Apple customers who are already in the Apple ecosystem to access their previously purchased content without needing to have an ‌Apple TV‌ set-top box, which is a first.

All iTunes content and other content from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac can also be AirPlayed right to a Samsung TV for the first time, making it easier to get content from Apple devices to the TV. Samsung TVs compatible with ‌AirPlay‌ 2 and the TV app are listed below:

- Samsung FHD/HD 4, 5 Series (2018)
- Samsung QLED 4K Q6, Q7, Q8, Q9 Series (2018 & 2019)
- Samsung QLED 8K Q9 Series (2019)
- Samsung The Frame Series (2018 & 2019)
- Samsung The Serif Series (2019)
- Samsung UHD 6, 7, 8 Series (2018 & 2019)

Samsung says that the ‌Apple TV‌ app will "work seamlessly" with other Smart TV services, including Universal Guide, Bixby, and Search for a consistent experience across Samsung's platform.

Samsung is the only TV manufacturer that's getting the TV app at the current time, but other smart TVs are gaining ‌AirPlay‌ 2 support. It's likely we'll be hearing about ‌AirPlay‌ 2 compatibility from Vizio, LG, and Sony now that iOS 12.3 with ‌AirPlay‌ 2 support and the new ‌Apple TV‌ app has officially launched.

Other TV sets are also expected to integrate with HomeKit, allowing users to control them via Siri commands and through the Home app, but this is not a feature that is coming to Samsung TVs.

Apple's totally wireless Powerbeats Pro earphones became available to pre-order May 3 in the United States and Canada, with the first deliveries to customers beginning last Friday. The earphones are initially available in black only, with ivory, moss, and navy colors set to become available this summer.

While the black ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ remain listed as "coming soon" on Apple's online store elsewhere, recently updated fine print on the Beats website indicates that the earphones will begin their worldwide rollout later in May and June.

‌Powerbeats Pro‌ will be available to pre-order in black later in May in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, followed by Australia, Singapore, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Austria, Italy, Spain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Mexico, and Brazil in June, according to the fine print.

As in the United States and Canada, the additional colors will then become available later this summer in most of the other countries listed above, although Apple cautions that color availability is subject to change.

‌Powerbeats Pro‌ shipments are already considerably backlogged, with orders placed today estimated for delivery between June 5 and June 12 in the United States. Only the earliest of customers who pre-ordered have already received their earphones, with many more deliveries set to continue this week.

‌Powerbeats Pro‌ are Apple's first totally wireless Beats earphones, equipped with the same H1 chip as the second-generation AirPods for hands-free "Hey Siri" and faster connection speeds between the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other devices.

Like the Powerbeats3, the ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ feature adjustable, secure-fit ear hooks and earbud tips with four size options. They're essentially sportier AirPods, complete with a durable design and sweat resistance. They'll last up to nine hours per charge, with more battery life via an included charging case.

‌Powerbeats Pro‌ are priced at $249.95 in the United States, $329.95 in Canada, £219.95 in the United Kingdom, and $349.95 in Australia.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled 5-4 against Apple in an anticompetitive case involving the App Store, allowing iPhone users to move forward with their class action lawsuit against the company, as first reported by CNBC.

From the Supreme Court's ruling:

In this case, however, several consumers contend that Apple charges too much for apps. The consumers argue, in particular, that Apple has monopolized the retail market for the sale of apps and has unlawfully used its monopolistic power to charge consumers higher-than competitive prices.

A claim that a monopolistic retailer (here, Apple) has used its monopoly to overcharge consumers is a classic antitrust claim. But Apple asserts that the consumer plaintiffs in this case may not sue Apple because they supposedly were not "direct purchasers" from Apple under our decision in Illinois Brick Co. v. Illinois, 431 U. S. 720.

We disagree. The plaintiffs purchased apps directly from Apple and therefore are direct purchasers under Illinois Brick. At this early pleadings stage of the litigation, we do not assess the merits of the plaintiffs' antitrust claims against Apple, nor do we consider any other defenses Apple might have. We merely hold that the Illinois Brick direct-purchaser rule does not bar these plaintiffs from suing Apple under the antitrust laws. We affirm the judgment of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

The lawsuit was filed in 2011 by a group of ‌iPhone‌ users who believe Apple violates federal antitrust laws by requiring apps to be sold through its ‌App Store‌, where it collects a 30 percent commission from all purchases, leading to inflated prices as developers pass on the cost of the commission to customers.

In other words, the ‌iPhone‌ users believe that apps would be priced lower outside of the ‌App Store‌, as Apple's 30 percent cut would not be baked in to prices.

The lawsuit was initially dismissed in 2013 by a California district court due to errors in the complaint, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit revived the case in 2017. Apple then appealed with the Supreme Court.

From the start, Apple has argued that it doesn't set prices for paid apps, and that charging a 30 percent commission on the distribution of paid apps and in-app purchases does not violate antitrust laws in the United States. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an amicus brief in support of Apple.

Update: Apple has issued a statement (via John Packzowski) regarding the decision:

Today's decision means plaintiffs can proceed with their case in District court. We're confident we will prevail when the facts are presented and that the App Store is not a monopoly by any metric.

We're proud to have created the safest, most secure and trusted platform for customers and a great business opportunity for all developers around the world. Developers set the price they want to charge for their app and Apple has no role in that. That vast majority of apps on the App Store are free and Apple gets nothing from them. The only instance where Apple shares in revenue is if the developer chooses to sell digital services through the App Store.

Developers have a number of platforms to choose from to deliver their software — from other apps stores, to Smart TVs to gaming consoles — and we work hard every day to make our store is the best, safest and most competitive in the world.

The Supreme Court's full ruling is embedded ahead.

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Just four months ahead of September, when Apple typically unveils new iPhones, leaks and rumors are starting to surface fast and frequently.

The latest comes courtesy of Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who tweeted a photo of alleged case molds for a trio of upcoming iPhones over the weekend. If accurate, the molds suggest that all three 2019 models will feature a large square camera bump, as seen in many leaks to date.

‌iPhone‌ molds like these are typically created based on design specifications and dimensions that leak out of the factories of Apple manufacturing partners such as Foxconn, allowing third-party accessory makers to prepare properly-fitting cases ahead of time, but they are not always accurate.

The rumored design of the camera bump has proven quite controversial since it was first leaked by OnLeaks in January, with many criticizing the look of both the bump itself and the positioning of the camera lenses within the bump.

It is unclear why Apple would use the square bump for the next ‌iPhone‌ XR if rumors about it having a dual-lens rear camera are accurate, as the existing pill-shaped bump used on the ‌iPhone‌ X, ‌iPhone‌ XS, and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max would seem sufficient, but perhaps it is merely for consistency.

It's worth noting that the camera design might end up being not quite as polarizing as seen in renders, as rumors suggest that Apple plans to apply a special black coating on some of the lenses that could help them blend into the bezel.

Last week, Gurman said the third camera on the next ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max will be an ultra-wide-angle lens that enables a broader range of zoom. The second lens on the next ‌iPhone‌ XR is expected to enable increased zoom as well. The new cameras are also expected to power new augmented reality capabilities.

Apple has shared a new ad titled "Up Late" on its YouTube channel that promotes the iPhone XR having the "longest battery life in an ‌iPhone‌ ever."

The 30-second spot shows various people falling asleep while using an ‌iPhone‌, including a parking attendant streaming an Inter Milan game, a woman laying on a couch and playing a game, and a man sitting on the end of a bed and watching a baby monitor, setting up the tagline "you'll lose power before it will."

"‌iPhone‌ XR has the longest battery life in an ‌iPhone‌ ever," the video description reads. "So whether you're streaming video, watching live sports or playing a game, you'll lose power before your ‌iPhone‌ XR will."

The ad is set to the soundtrack "Stay Awake" by Julie Andrews from the classic musical fantasy film "Mary Poppins."

Despite being cheaper than the ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, the iPhone XR does in fact have the longest battery life of any iPhone ever thanks to its large 6.1-inch size and more power efficient LCD versus the OLED displays in the latter two devices.

Mobile leaker Ben Geskin shared images on Twitter of the consumer packaging of the new Apple credit card coming from Apple. Geskin reports some Apple employees are already starting to get the card which was announced in March.

In the images, the actual Apple employee's name was replaced by Geskin's to protect their identify. The packaging shows a similar pairing process as the AirPods, with instructions to "Wake iPhone and hold here."

The Apple Card resides both digitally in your ‌iPhone‌ for Apple Pay payments but also comes in a physical form made entirely of titanium. The card is laser etched with your name and does not have the card number or expiration date printed on it. Instead, those numbers will be available on your ‌iPhone‌'s Wallet App. There's still a traditional magstripe on the back, along with a built-in chip for chip and pin purchases. The ‌Apple Card‌ is expected to launch this summer.

Apple's colorful iPhone XR lineup comes in a total of six colors, offering plenty of options for users to choose one that best suits their preferences. This year's successor to the ‌iPhone‌ XR will similarly be available in six colors, but Mac Otakara says Apple will be tweaking a couple of the options.

According to the report, the 2019 ‌iPhone‌ XR will be available in new Green and Lavender colors, which will replace the current Coral and Blue colors. The other current colors of White, Black, Yellow, and (PRODUCT)RED will continue to be offered on the next-generation models.

‌Mac Otakara‌ also claims to have some information on cases for the next-generation ‌iPhone‌ XS and XS Max models, indicating that silicone cases for the new models will likely come in White, Black, (PRODUCT)RED, and shades similar to the current Spearmint and Mellow Yellow cases, as well as one that's close to the current Lilac leather case.

Apple today shared a humorous new privacy-focused video on its YouTube channel, which is designed to highlight the end-to-end encryption feature in the Messages app.

In the minute-long video, a woman is at a nail salon getting a pedicure, and she's receiving iMessages and cracking up at them over and over again. The viewer is never given a look at what she's seeing that's so funny, which emphasizes the fact that messages are private.

The end of the video features the tagline "iMessage encrypts your conversations because not everyone needs to be in on the joke."

Apple has shared several other privacy-focused videos in recent months, including a "Privacy Matters" spot and a video that highlights limited ad tracking in Safari.