For CPUs, Geekbench 5 features new benchmark tests and it also increases the memory footprint of existing workloads to more accurately account for the effect memory performance has on CPU performance:
The Geekbench 5 CPU Benchmark includes new benchmark tests that model the challenges your system faces when running the latest applications. These tests use cutting-edge technologies, including machine learning, augmented reality, and computational photography.
Geekbench 5 also increases the memory footprint of existing workloads to more accurately account for the effect memory performance has on CPU performance.
Finally, the Geekbench 5 CPU Benchmark includes new modes of multi-threaded benchmarks, allowing threads to work co-operatively on one problem rather than separately on different problems. With the addition of different threading models, Geekbench 5 better captures the performance of different multi-threaded applications on personal computing devices.
As for GPUs, the Compute benchmark now supports Vulkan in addition to Metal, CUDA, and OpenCL.
Geekbench 5 also has a refreshed user interface with full support for Dark Mode on macOS Mojave and later. Support for Dark Mode on iOS 13 will be available later this year, according to Primate Labs.
Geekbench 5 is available now for macOS, iOS, Windows, and Linux, with an Android version coming later this week. The software is 64-bit only, dropping support for 32-bit processors and operating systems.
Bloomberg Businessweek sent an Apple Card to University of California, Berkeley professor and mineralogist Hans-Rudolf Wenk to determine the card's atomic makeup. The answer: 90% titanium and 10% aluminum.
From the report:
But how much titanium? To find out, a Bloomberg Businessweek reporter sent his card to a mineralogist, University of California, Berkeley professor Hans-Rudolf Wenk. Professor Wenk used what's known as a scanning electron microscope, or SEM device, to determine the card's atomic makeup. He found that the answer is about 90%. The rest of the card is aluminum, according to the analysis.
Apple previously said the card's white finish is achieved through a "multi-layer coating process" that is added to the titanium base material. In a recent support document, Apple said if the card comes into contact with hard surfaces or materials, it is possible that the coating can be damaged.
Undeterred by its recent Galaxy Fold un-launch, Samsung is apparently set to unveil a luxury smartphone early next year that can be folded down into a compact-sized square, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
Samsung's Galaxy Fold hasn't even been released yet
The South Korean smartphone giant is working on a device with a 6.7-inch inner display that shrinks to a pocketable square when it's folded inward like a clamshell, according to people familiar with the product's development.
The smartphone giant is said to be collaborating with American designer Thom Browne on the upcoming phone, with the aim of "appealing to a broader range of consumers that includes those more interested in fashion, status and luxury than a device's tech specs." At the same time, the device will reportedly feature cutting-edge display technology and offer the nostalgic appeal of rejuvenating the flip-phone form factor.
The foldable phone is said to include a hole-punch selfie camera at the top of the inner display, while on the outside it will have two cameras that face rearwards when the phone is open and become front-facing when the device is flipped closed.
According to the paper's sources, Samsung aims to make its second bendable smartphone more affordable and thinner than this year's Galaxy Fold, although the launch of the successor device "may... hinge on how well the Fold performs after its imminent launch."
On that note, Samsung is said to have completed its redesign of the Galaxy Fold to resolve the multiple display failures that led to its delay. The South Korean company originally planned to roll out its $1,980 foldable phone on April 26, but was forced to delay the launch after several units sent out to reviewers broke during testing.
All of the issues were related to the device's screen, which was vulnerable to debris ingress. The new version of the Galaxy Fold, featuring several design and construction improvements, is now set to launch in September in select markets, with specific launch details to be shared as a launch approaches.
There have been some suggestions that Apple is exploring folding screen technology, but right now there are no rumors indicating Apple plans to actually release a foldable smartphone in the near future.
Apple Pay officially launched in the Netherlands in June, but Dutch bank ING was the sole card issuer offering support Apple's digital payment system to the country.
Today, more banks in the Netherlands announced support for Apple Pay. Dutch challenger bank Bunq now shows up in Apple's Wallet when users in the country choose to add a card, as does Monese, N26, and Revolut.
With Apple Pay on iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac, customers with these banks in The Netherlands can make purchases with their digital wallet in stores, in apps and on websites.
According to Apple's regional Apple Pay web page, Apple Pay can be used in The Netherlands with several online and high street retailers including Adidas, ALDI, Amac, ARKET, BCC, Burger King, Capi, cool blue, COS, Decathlon, Douglas, H&M, Jumbo, Lidl, McDonalds, Starbucks, and others.
Dutch banks ABN AMRO and Rabobank have also announced that they are working to bring Apple Pay support to their customers and both expect this to roll out soon.
A new Geekbench result posted this evening purportedly reveals performance data for the next-generation iPhone XR set to debut at next week's media event.
The result, spotted by forum member EugW, lists a model number of "iPhone12,1" running iOS 13.1 with a motherboard identifier of N104AP. Back in May, Bloomberg reported that the next-generation iPhone XR was internally codenamed N104, while 9to5Mac reported in July that the device would carry the model number iPhone12,1.
If legitimate, the result reveals a few details about the iPhone XR successor and its A13 chip. First, the result shows approximately 4 GB of RAM for the device, which would be an increase over the 3 GB found in the current iPhone XR and in line with predictions from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The iPhone XS and XS Max already include 4 GB of RAM, and there have not been any solid rumors suggesting their successors will see an increase.
Moving on to the A13 itself, the result indicates it continues to include six cores, presumably in an identical setup compared to the A12 with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores.
The A13's high-performance cores are shown running at 2.66 GHz in today's result, compared to 2.49 GHz in the A12, leading to an approximately 12–13 percent gain in single-core performance for the A13 with a score of 5415, compared to an average 4796 for the A12 in the iPhone XR.
Interestingly, the A13's multi-core score of 11294 is nearly identical to the A12's average score of 11192, although Geekbench's developer John Poole tells us there could be some throttling due to thermal limits as similar situations have been seen with the A12 in the iPhone XS and XR, so we may have to wait for more data to see where the A13 truly tops out.
Careful observers will note oddly low figures for the L1 and L2 caches on this A13, but Poole tells us Geekbench has difficulty telling whether the cache values it reads are for the high-performance or high-efficiency cores, particularly on unreleased hardware for which the software hasn't been optimized.
While we can't confirm whether the Geekbench result is legitimate, as results certainly can be faked, all of the data appears reasonable or explainable and Poole tells us "there's nothing obviously wrong with the result."
We'll know more with the unveiling of all three of the new iPhones at Apple's media event on September 10, although Apple is unlikely to share specifics on chip speeds and RAM amounts. It won't take long, however, for additional data to surface confirming specs for the new devices.
Digging further into the code, we have come across several other tidbits of information related to the Apple Watch and iPhone.
First, it appears Apple is working on a new Schooltime feature for the Apple Watch, which is designed to help students focus during school hours by blocking access to apps, complications, and notifications on the device. Emergency calls and alerts will not be blocked for safety reasons.
Users can set when Schooltime is enabled in the Apple Watch app on iPhone, such as every weekday.
Apple is also testing sleep tracking on the Watch, as reported by 9to5Mac earlier today. We can confirm this functionality is referred to as "Time in Bed tracking" based on internal iOS 13 code, with one string noting that "you can also track your sleep and get woken up silently by wearing your watch to bed."
A new Sleep app on the Apple Watch will provide users with an overview of their sleeping patterns, as well as send users bedtime and battery charging reminders. Apple Watch users will be recommended to have at least 30 percent of battery life to wear it to sleep, according to an iOS 13 string seen by MacRumors.
MacRumors has also uncovered references to new Apple Watch complications, including ones for Altitude, Latitude, Longitude, and Sleep. When released, the Sleep app may also have an entire watch face, based on a "ClockFaces-Burrito" string. "Burrito" is the codename for the Apple Watch's sleep tracking.
As for the iPhone, internal strings in iOS 13 point towards new low-light photo settings in the stock Camera app and possibly a new Tournaments feature in Game Center for multiplayer games, although details are slim.
Earlier today, MacRumors uncovered an icon within Apple's internal Find My app that depicts what appears to be an AR or VR headset. There are "on" and "off" versions of the icon in white and gray respectively, and each has "B389" in its filename, the codename for Apple's upcoming Tile-like item trackers.
This icon could simply represent the expected augmented reality mode in the Find My app and likely does not depict Apple's actual augmented reality headset. Read our earlier coverage for more details on that project.
MacRumors continues to dig through the iOS 13 build, which is from June, and we will be sure to share any further discoveries.
Today is Labor Day in the United States, and a number of retailers have introduced deals on Apple products and related accessories. In this article we've rounded up some of the best Labor Day deals for Apple fans, including discounts on the Apple Watch Series 4, charging accessories, HomeKit devices, and more. Most of the bargains will expire later tonight.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple Watch Series 4
Best Buy's Labor Day sale is winding down today, and still offers $50 off the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) and $70 off models with cellular support. This means that prices start at $349.00 for 40mm Aluminum models (GPS) and $379.00 for 44mm Aluminum models (GPS), and then rise to $429.00 for 40mm Aluminum models (GPS + cellular) and $459.00 for 44mm Aluminum models (GPS + cellular).
Of course, there are a wide variety of Apple Watches on sale at Best Buy through this weekend, including Nike+ editions and models with stainless steel cases. You can browse the full list by heading to Best Buy, and then check out the full Labor Day sale by visiting this page.
AirPods
There are a few AirPods-related deals going on this Labor Day, with the best sales found on Amazon. You can get the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case for $169.99, down from $199.00 ($30 off). Additionally, the retailer has the updated AirPods with Charging Case for $144.95, down from $159.00 ($14 off).
Adorama has the best deal on the standalone Wireless Charging Case, priced at $64.99, down from $79.00. This option is best for anyone with the original AirPods model, which they can upgrade to wireless charging through the accessory.
iPad
Amazon's sale on the 2018 9.7-inch iPad and iPad Pro continues today, with savings of up to $399 off original prices of the tablets.
You can find discounts on the MacBook Air from late 2018 at B&H Photo, with savings of up to $300. If you're on the hunt for the newer models, Amazon has savings on the 2019 MacBook Air models.
Best Buy's Labor Day sale includes a few solid discounts on the brand-new MacBook Pro from 2019, with lowest-ever prices on both the 13-inch and 15-inch models.
Arlo Pro 2 Security Camera System – $329, down from $399
CalDigit
CalDigit's Labor Day sale kicked off late last week, and offers discounts on both refurbished and brand-new items.
You can find the full list of markdowns right here, including sales on Thunderbolt docks, external hard drives, USB-C cables, and much more.
Nimble
Nimble is offering 30 percent off sitewide today in celebration of its one-year anniversary, offering you a chance to save on the company's eco-friendly portable chargers, wireless chargers, bottle iPhone cases, and cables. Nimble also just released its first USB-C to Lightning cable to support fast charging on the iPhone.
All of Nimble's products have been made with as small a carbon footprint as possible, and each device and all of the company's packaging is made with environmentally friendly materials. Head to Nimble.com to check out all of the company's products before the anniversary sale ends.
Miscellaneous
Twelve South - Get free two-day shipping on all U.S. orders $19.99 and up
Apple has been working with Burberry on a new chat service called "R Message" that integrates with the luxury fashion retailer's internal iOS app and allows store associates to directly communicate with customers.
Vogue Business reports that the service, now being piloted, will be invitation-only and is designed to enable staff to chat with "high-value" clients via Burberry's internal app, known as "R World."
The idea is that R Message will essentially integrate Burberry's internal system with its customer-facing app, allowing shoppers to book in-store appointments, receive personalized item recommendations, and buy products more directly.
The benefits for sales associates are said to include tight integration with the company's back-end inventory system, which will let staff check stock and drive sales. In addition, a Newsfeed-style feature will keep them up-to-date with company updates, advertising campaign images, and press mentions to encourage regular usage and foster client relationships.
"You've got highly skilled associates who know how to serve in a luxury way, but even for a great associate, there might be 10 per cent extra that you can give them by giving them the right information at the right time," says Mark Morris, Burberry's vice president of digital commerce. "[Customers] now know much more about what they want… and to be at that service level where you can give credible advice, you need the basics."
The service is broadly reminiscent of Apple Business Chat, which Burberry already uses, but rather than go through iMessage, in this case the business-client communications obviously take place within the retailer's own app.
The Apple-Burberry partnership doesn't come as too much of a surprise, as the two brands have maintained close ties over the years. The British luxury retailer used Apple's iPhone 5s to capture its 2014 runway show, which Apple promoted in kind. Burberry was also the first clothing company to debut an Apple Music channel. And Apple's former retail chief, Angela Ahrendts, was of course CEO of Burberry prior to her stint with the tech giant.
According to Vogue Business, the R Message service will support Apple Pay and is set to be piloted at Burberry's Manchester flagship store before being rolled out to all 431 global locations and 6,000 associates.
Update - Sep 2:The Elec has again reported that Apple plans to release an iPad Pro with 3D sensing camera technology early next year:
US-based Apple also plans to adopt the ToF module for the first time in its tablet, the iPad Pro, early next year. The ToF function will be available for the iPhones beginning in the latter half of next year.
Update - Aug 27: In an email to MacRumors, a representative for Derkwoo Electronics claimed that The Elec's report contained "wrong information" and "something that is not true about us." The Elec has since deleted its article. Original story follows.
Apple plans to release a new iPad Pro with 3D sensing rear cameras in March 2020, according to Korean website The Elec.
The report, citing unnamed industry sources, claims that Korean contract manufacturer Derkwoo Electronics will provide some of the components for the 3D sensing camera modules, including stiffeners and brackets. Mass production of those parts will supposedly begin towards the end of 2019.
The rear 3D sensing is said to be powered by time-of-flight technology, which measures the time that it takes for a laser or LED to bounce off of objects in a room, providing an accurate 3D map of the surroundings.
While the iPhone is expected to adopt a similar time-of-flight system next year, the report suggests that the iPad Pro will adopt the technology six months before the iPhone. Specifically, the new iPad Pro models would be released in March 2020, while new iPhones would likely follow in September.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also said there is an over 50 percent probability that the iPad Pro adopts time-of-flight technology in the fourth quarter of 2019 or first quarter of 2020.
Apple would be breaking precedent by refreshing the iPad Pro in March 2020, as the tablet has gone roughly 18 months between hardware updates since first launching in November 2015 — the second-generation 12.9-inch model was released in June 2017, followed by third-generation models in November 2018.
It's also worth considering that the iPad rarely receives new features before the iPhone, with exceptions including LTE on the iPad 3 before the iPhone 5 in 2012, and the iPad receiving A4 and A5 chips before the iPhone.
Given that Bloombergand Japanese blog Mac Otakara expect an iPad Pro refresh by the end of 2019, it is possible the March 2020 timeframe is inaccurate and that next year's iPad Pro models launch in the fall instead, which would better space out the 2019 and 2020 refreshes and allow rear 3D sensing to debut on the iPhone.
3D sensing rear cameras coming to both the iPhone and iPad is not much of a surprise as Apple pushes further into augmented reality.
As additional reports surface, the iPad Pro's roadmap should become clearer.
Updated at 9:45 a.m. Pacific Time with additional details from Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Last week we reported on Google's discovery of an old iPhone vulnerability – now fixed by Apple – that enabled malicious websites to steal data from thousands of users over a two-year period.
Google described these attacks in its original blog post as "indiscriminate," however a report over the weekend by TechCrunch suggests the websites were part of a state-backed attack that specifically targeted Uyghur Muslims.
The websites were part of a campaign to target the religious group by infecting an iPhone with malicious code simply by visiting a booby-trapped web page. In gaining unfettered access to the iPhone's software, an attacker could read a victim's messages, passwords, and track their location in near-real time.
According to TechCrunch's sources, the Chinese government was allegedly behind the malicious websites, which also infected non-Uygurs who unintentionally accessed these domains because they were indexed in Google search. The FBI is said to have alerted Google to ask for the sites to be removed from its index to prevent infections.
Beijing has long sought to suppress the ethnic minority Uyghur community in the country's Xinjiang state, with brutal crackdowns in the 1980s and 90s leading to significant numbers of Uyghurs fleeing China to seek asylum.
In the past year, at least one million Uighurs have been detained in internment camps, according to the United Nations human rights committee. Beijing claims the centers across Xinjiang are for "vocational training," but a US Congressional hearing on the camps characterized them as "political re-education" centers.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.
Apple has long been rumored to be working on an augmented reality headset or glasses, and despite a recent DigiTimes report claiming the project had been suspended, documentation seen by MacRumors in an internal build of iOS 13 suggests development of a head-mounted augmented reality display has continued.
Apple Glasses concept
Namely, internal builds of iOS 13 include a "STARTester" app that can switch in and out of a head-mounted mode, presumably to replicate the functionality of an augmented reality headset on an iPhone for testing purposes. There are two head-mounted states for testing, including "worn" and "held."
There is also an internal README file in iOS 13 that describes a "StarBoard" system shell for stereo AR-enabled apps, which implies a headset of some kind. The file also suggests Apple is developing an augmented reality device codenamed "Garta," possibly as one of several prototypes under the "T288" umbrella.
Digging further into the internal iOS 13 code, we uncovered numerous strings related to a so-called "StarBoard mode" and various "views" and "scenes." Many of the strings reference augmented reality, including "ARStarBoardViewController" and "ARStarBoardSceneManager."
Multiple sources have claimed that Apple plans to release augmented reality glasses as early as 2020, including analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, CNET, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who in November 2017 reported that Apple's headset would run a custom iOS-based operating system dubbed "rOS" for "reality operating system."
Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked up the prospect of augmented reality several times, saying he views AR as "profound" because the technology "amplifies human performance instead of isolating humans."
Steve Moser contributed to this report.
Update: Within the internal Find My app bundle that MacRumors exclusively shared last week, there is an icon depicting what appears to be an AR or VR headset that looks similar to the Google Cardboard.
There are "on" and "off" versions of the icon in white and gray respectively, and each has "MockMode" and "B389" in its filename, which is the codename for Apple's item tracking tags. As such, this icon could simply represent the expected AR mode in the Find My app and likely does not depict Apple's actual headset.
Apple has added the Early 2013 21.5-inch iMac to its vintage and obsolete products list. The model of iMac is now classified by the company as vintage in the United States and Turkey, and obsolete in the rest of the world.
Apple defines vintage products as those that have not been manufactured for more than five but less than seven years. Macs and other products on the vintage and obsolete list are generally no longer eligible for hardware service at a Genius Bar or Apple Authorized Service Providers.
That being said, also-obsolete Late 2012 model iMacs are currently eligible for Apple's pilot program that allows for repairs to continue into the vintage period, subject to parts availability. It's not clear if the Early 2013 model 21.5-inch iMac will also come under the pilot program, but Apple has expanded it to include additional Macs and other Apple devices in the past.
The Early 2013 21.5-inch iMac was originally only available to educational institutions, taking advantage of a cheaper dual-core Intel Core i3 processor and integrated graphics to offer pricing of $1099, which was $200 less than the entry-level pricing for the consumer 2.15-inch iMac models Apple was selling at the time. The education-only iMac, which carries a model number of ME699LL/A, also included just 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive.
It's finally official: Apple's iPhone media event will be held on September 10 at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park!
That was the biggest news of the week, but there was much more including a surprise release of the first iOS 13.1 beta even as iOS 13.0 has yet to be released, exclusive details on Apple's Tile competitor for tagging and locating physical items from your iPhone, privacy-related changes to Apple's quality control program for Siri, and more, so check out all of this week's most important stories below.
Save the Date: Apple's Next Event is September 10th
Apple on Thursday invited the media to a special event on Tuesday, September 10 at Steve Jobs Theater on its Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. At the keynote, scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific Time, the company is widely expected to introduce new iPhone and Apple Watch models.
We may also hear more details and pricing for Apple's two new services launching in the fall, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade. There are also rumors about a 16-inch MacBook Pro, an iPad Pro refresh, and a 10.2-inch iPad, but these products could be held for an October event.
MacRumors will have live coverage of the keynote as it unfolds on our website and @MacRumorsLive on Twitter.
This has allowed Apple to push back some iOS 13 features until iOS 13.1, like ETA sharing in Apple Maps, a new Audio Sharing feature, and Shortcuts automations. iOS 13 will still be released first in mid September, while iOS 13.1 should be available to all users by October.
Apple has also released iOS 12.4.1 with a jailbreak fix and seeded the latest betas of macOS Catalina, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13. And if you're still running macOS Mojave, there is a new Supplemental Update this week.
Exclusive: Apple's Tile Competitor Will Include 'Items' Tab in iOS 13's Find My App and Much More
Apple has been rumored to be planning to compete with Tile and announce a small Bluetooth beacon device. This beacon could be attached to personal items such as keys, purses, or wallets so that the owner could find them even when out of range of the items.
MacRumors has discovered an ARKit "star" image in the Find My app bundle that hints at the possibility of Apple's beacon incorporating augmented reality to find lost devices or items, similar to the Pixie Tracker. Apple may also allow these beacon devices to be "leashed" to an iOS or watchOS device so that the user would be notified when a beacon device is out of range of an iOS or watchOS device.
Apple Apologizes Over Siri Privacy Concerns, Will Resume Grading Program in Fall With Several Changes
Apple has apologized over privacy concerns that arose after it was reported that contractors hired by the company frequently heard confidential information while listening to anonymized Siri audio recordings for quality evaluation purposes — aka grading.
After swiftly suspending its grading program and conducting a review of its policies, Apple says it will resume the evaluation process in the fall on an opt-in basis only and with improved privacy measures, including no longer retaining audio recordings.
Apple to Allow Independent Repair Shops to Service Out-of-Warranty iPhones With Genuine Parts
Apple is launching a new program that will provide independent repair businesses with the same Apple genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals, and diagnostics as Apple Authorized Service Providers, starting in the United States.
The feature would have allowed messaging without Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity, instead relying on the 900 MHz radio spectrum. The technology apparently relied on Intel modems, though, and Apple is widely expected to switch back to Qualcomm modems in iPhones starting in 2020.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Apple today announced the launch of a new screen replacement program for Series 2 and Series 3 Apple Watch models, due to cracking issues.
Apple says that "under very rare circumstances" a crack can form along the rounded edge of the screen in aluminum Series 2 and Series 3 Apple Watch models, starting on one side of the screen and then continuing around it.
Customers with an eligible Apple Watch model can have their Apple Watch screen replaced free of charge from Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider if it is exhibiting this kind of crack. Affected customers can contact Apple support for a mail-in repair, visit an AASP, or visit an Apple retail store.
Apple says that the new program covers eligible aluminum Apple Watch Series 2 and Series 3 models for three years after the first retail sale of the unit or one year from the start date of the program, whichever is longer.
Starting this Sunday, Apple's AirPods, Apple Watch, headphones, some iMacs, HomePod, and other products will be impacted by a 15 percent tariff as part of the United States' ongoing trade dispute with China, reports Bloomberg.
The tariffs were entered into the Federal Register today and will go into effect on 12:01 a.m. local time on Sunday in Washington, D.C. for products entering the U.S. or being pulled from warehouses for use in the United States.
Apple devices set to be impacted include the Apple Watch and Apple Watch bands, AirPods, HomePod, some Beats headphones, and some iMacs. Bloomberg says that repair parts for iPhones could also be affected, as could the NAND flash storage used in iPhones.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier in August that he believes Apple will absorb most of the U.S. tariff costs on its devices "in the mid-short term" rather than raising prices for consumers. Apple has been expanding its production facilities in countries like India and Vietnam, which, in the long term, will diversify manufacturing beyond China and alleviate tariff concerns.
Apple CEO Tim Cookrecently met with U.S. president Donald Trump at Trump's Bedminster golf club, where Cook reportedly made a "good case" that tariffs would put Apple at a disadvantage with rivals like Samsung. "I thought he made a very compelling argument, so I'm thinking about it," Trump told reporters.
Apple in June also sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging against the tariffs because it would reduce Apple's contributions to the United States economy and weigh on its global competitiveness. Trump could still elect to delay the tariffs or exempt Apple products ahead of when they are set to go into effect, but recent tweets suggest that may be unlikely to happen.
Apple accessories like power adapters, cables, and cases are already subjected to an import tax at the current time, separate from the tariff set to hit new Apple products on Sunday.
This tariff won't immediately affect the iPhone, one of Apple's most popular devices that's responsible for a large portion of its revenue, until December 15 as tariffs on electronics like smartphones and laptop computers have been delayed so as to not impact the holiday shopping season.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.
Apple is developing a Tile-like accessory that will help users keep track of their personal belongings, such as their keys, wallets, and backpacks, according to an internal build of iOS 13 seen by MacRumors.
The internal build contains an image of the accessory that suggests it will be a small, circular tag with an Apple logo in the center, similar to many other Bluetooth trackers. The image could be a mockup or placeholder, however, so the final design of the tag may vary at least slightly.
This image looks similar to one shared by 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo, who was first to reveal Apple's plans for this product in April.
MacRumors can confirm the tags are codenamed "B389" within Apple, and there are many strings that are a dead giveaway as to what this product's purpose will be, such as "tag your everyday items with B389 and never lose them again."
The tags will be closely integrated with the new Find My app in iOS 13, which merged Apple's previous Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps into one. While not available in public betas of iOS 13, the internal build contains a new "Items" tab in the Find My app for tracking the location of personal belongings.
Users will receive a notification when they are separated from a tagged item, according to strings in the internal Find My app bundle. If necessary, users can then tap a button in the Find My app that will cause Apple's tag to start emitting an audible chime to help locate the lost item.
"Safe Locations" can be set where the user will not be notified if this item is left in those locations, and users will also be able to share the location of items with friends and family members, based on iOS 13 strings.
If users are unable to find an item, they can place the attached tag into a "Lost Mode." Then, if another iPhone user comes across the lost item, they will be able to view contact info for the item's owner and contact them by phone or text message. Perhaps the stranger will be alerted with a Find My notification on their iPhone when they have found a lost item. The item's owner will also be notified.
Like the Pixie Tracker, the Find My app will likely incorporate functionality from Apple's ARKit platform. The internal build of iOS 13 includes an asset for a 3D red balloon that could help a user pinpoint a lost item after scanning a room with their iPhone. There's also an image of a 2D orange balloon.
"Walk around several feet and move your iPhone up and down until a balloon comes into view," a string in the internal Find My app bundle reads.
There are also strings that suggest Apple's tags will be equipped with a removable battery, which would likely be a button cell, aka the small, circular batteries found in many watches and the latest Tile trackers. A low battery warning appears to prompt the tag to send a final location of the item it is attached to.
"Unscrew the back of the item and remove the battery," another string in the internal Find My app bundle reads.
While we were not able to proceed any further with the "Items" tab, it should be similar to the "Devices" tab in the Find My app, with a map at the top and a list of items at the bottom. It is possible the "Me" tab will be relocated to an avatar hovering over the map, although there could simply end up being four tabs.
Here's the image that should appear in the "Items" tab prior to any items being added, in line with the "People" and "Devices" tabs when empty:
This internal build of iOS 13 is from June, so we cannot guarantee that the "Items" tab or all of the details presented above will be exactly as described. The icon for the "People" tab has already been tweaked slightly in subsequent iOS 13 betas, for example, so there will be at least some minor changes.
Apple is hosting a September 10 event at Steve Jobs Theater, where it is widely expected to unveil new iPhone and Apple Watch models, but it is unclear if its item tracker tags will be unveiled at that time or later.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Satechi to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win Type-C Dual Multimedia Adapter for Apple's USB-C Macs from Satechi.
Satechi makes a whole range of different USB-C adapters, hubs, and docks to add ports to Apple's Macs, but the Multimedia Adapter is one of the more powerful, specialized options.
Priced at $109.99, the Dual Multimedia Adapter is designed to plug into two USB-C ports on a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or Mac mini. It needs two USB-C ports because it offers two 4K HDMI ports, so you can connect two 4K displays.
There's one 4K 60Hz HDMI port and one 4K 30Hz HDMI port for dual display setups, but a direct HDMI to HDMI connection is required, so be aware that it won't work with VGA, Thunderbolt, or DVI displays.
Along with two 4K HDMI ports, the Multimedia Adapter features a USB-C port for charging purposes (up to 60W), a Gigabit Ethernet port, microSD and SD card slots, and two USB-A ports for USB-A accessories.
The Multimedia Adapter is made from brushed aluminum and comes in either silver or space gray to match Apple's devices. It measures in at 5 inches long and 2 inches wide, which means it's portable enough to take with you on the go if needed, but it's also perfect for desk use.
Satechi says that the Multimedia Adapter works with the 2018 and later MacBook Pro, the 2018 MacBook Air, and the 2018 Mac mini.
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Apple yesterday invited the media to a special event on Tuesday, September 10 at the Steve Jobs Theater, where it is widely expected to unveil three new iPhones alongside an Apple Watch refresh and other announcements.
A tipster who claims to work at a major carrier has since provided MacRumors with internal communication that suggests the rumored iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models will be available to pre-order Friday, September 13 ahead of deliveries to customers and in-store availability starting Friday, September 20.
MacRumors has received similar tips echoing these dates in recent weeks, so there is a good chance they are accurate.
iPhone pre-orders have begun two to three days after Apple's event for years now, followed by availability a week later, so these dates are hardly a surprise but good to know nevertheless. Unlike the iPhone X in November 2017 and the iPhone XR in October 2018, however, all three 2019 iPhones are expected to launch simultaneously.
The tipster requested anonymity and asked us not to share the screenshots of the internal communication.
First, it appears Apple is working on a new Schooltime feature for the Apple Watch, which is designed to help students focus during school hours by blocking access to apps, complications, and notifications on the device. Emergency calls and alerts will not be blocked for safety reasons.
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