Ahead of the launch of the iPhone Xs and the iPhone Xs Max, luxury iPhone companies Brikk and Caviar have announced custom versions of the two new iPhones made from materials like carbon, ceramic, alligator, and other materials.
Russian site Caviar, for example, is offering ornate iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs designs with carbon bodies, snake skin, alligator skin, gold accents, and diamond accents.
One of the most expensive Caviar iPhones, a version that features gold plating, mother of pearl, and 20 diamonds, is priced starting at $5,420.
Brikk, meanwhile, is offering iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max models in carbon, ceramic, and gold. Pricing on the carbon models, which feature "an extremely rare form of carbon" that's also used by Lamborghini, are priced starting at $9,995. For that price, you also get solid gold logos and 24k yellow gold buttons.
Brikk's ceramic iPhones start at $12,995 and come in either black or white, also with a 24k gold main body and buttons. Brikk says its ceramic iPhones offer exceptional heat resistance and light weight.
For those with even more cash to spend, Brikk also plans to offer solid gold versions of the iPhone Xs and Xs Plus, which will cost upwards of $50,000. These devices are just announcements at this point, as Brikk and Caviar will need to wait for the official iPhone Xs and Xs Max launch to purchase iPhones for customization purposes.
Both Caviar and Brikk are known for selling ornately-designed luxury iPhone models for exorbitant prices, which are fun to look at but are out of the price range of most iPhone buyers.
Nevertheless, should someone be interested in one of these iPhones, Caviar is taking pre-orders now and Brikk is expected to begin accepting pre-orders soon.
Plex today announced on its forums that it is planning to shut down the Plex Cloud service as of November 30, 2018.
Plex introduced the Plex Cloud option back in the fall of 2016, providing Plex users with a way to store their media in the cloud to make it accessible from anywhere without the need for a local server.
Since its launch, Plex Cloud has suffered from issues, which led Plex to stop allowing new Plex Cloud servers in February to address performance, quality, and user experience problems.
According to Plex, it has not been able to solve its Plex Cloud problems in a cost effective manner.
We hold ourselves to a high standard, and unfortunately, after a lot of investigation and thought, we haven't found a solution capable of delivering a truly first class Plex experience to Plex Cloud users at a reasonable cost.
Starting on November 30, 2018, Plex Cloud users will no longer be able to access their Plex Cloud servers. Plex Cloud worked through a connection to services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, so all content will remain available to users through those services. Plex also plans to unlink all third-party cloud storage services from Plex Cloud on November 30.
With the discontinuation of Plex Cloud, Plex media content will be accessible only through local libraries, with the company recommending that people store former cloud content on a NAS. Plex says that the end of Plex Cloud will allow it to focus on improving core functionality and adding new features and content.
There's just a day to go until Apple holds its annual iPhone-centric event to introduce new iPhone models, with this year's event expected to see the debut of the 5.8-inch OLED iPhone Xs, the 6.5-inch OLED iPhone Xs Max, and the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, which could be called the iPhone Xr.
We're also expecting to see new Apple Watch Series 4 models with larger displays thanks to reduced bezels and more accurate ECG-based heart monitoring technology. Other surprises could be in the works too, such as the launch of new second-generation AirPods and the debut of the long-awaited AirPower.
Apple's event will kick off on September 12 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the Steve Jobs Theater on the new Apple Park campus, with Apple set to live stream the event on the Apple TV and on the events website. Check out the list below to see when the event takes place in your time zone, and read on to see just how to watch.
Honolulu, Hawaii -- 7:00 a.m. HAST
Anchorage, Alaska -- 9:00 a.m. AKDT
Cupertino, California -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
Phoenix, Arizona -- 10:00 a.m. MST
Vancouver, Canada -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
Denver, Colorado -- 11:00 a.m. MDT
Dallas, Texas -- 12:00 noon CDT
New York, New York -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Raleigh, North Carolina -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Toronto, Canada -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Halifax, Canada -- 2:00 p.m. ADT
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- 2:00 p.m. BRT
London, United Kingdom -- 6:00 p.m. BST
Berlin, Germany -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
Paris, France -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
Cape Town, South Africa -- 7:00 p.m. SAST
Moscow, Russia -- 8:00 p.m. MSK
Helsinki, Finland -- 8:00 p.m. EEST
Istanbul, Turkey -- 8:00 p.m. TRT
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- 9:00 p.m. GST
Delhi, India -- 10:30 p.m. IST
Jakarta, Indonesia -- 12:00 a.m. WIB (9/13)
Shanghai, China -- 1:00 a.m. CST (9/13)
Singapore -- 1:00 a.m. SGT (9/13)
Perth, Australia -- 1:00 a.m. AWST (9/13)
Hong Kong -- 1:00 a.m. HKT (9/13)
Seoul, South Korea -- 2:00 a.m. KST (9/13)
Tokyo, Japan -- 2:00 a.m. JST (9/13)
Adelaide, Australia -- 2:30 a.m. (9/13)
Sydney, Australia -- 3:00 a.m. (9/13)
Auckland, New Zealand -- 5:00 a.m. NZST (9/13)
How to Watch Live on Apple TV
On the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, Apple has an Events app that can be downloaded from the tvOS App Store.
Open the App Store.
Use Siri or the Search field to search for "Apple Events."
Select the "Get" button to download the app.
Choose the Events app from the Apple TV home screen.
Prior to 10:00 a.m. on September 12, the Events app will display instructions letting you know to come back at the proper time to watch the live stream. Once the event begins, the app will open right up into a live broadcast straight from Apple Park.
On the older Apple TV models, there's no need to install an Events app because it's a pre-existing channel. Simply select the "Events" option at the proper time to watch Apple's live stream on a second or third-generation Apple TV.
How to Watch Live on Mac, iPad, and iPhone
For those who do not have an Apple TV and would prefer to watch the event on a Mac or iOS device, all you need is the Safari web browser.
Apple has a dedicated Apple Special Event website where the live stream will be hosted. All you need to do is open the link using the Safari browser on a Mac, iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone to watch live when the event begins.
iOS 10 or later is required, as is macOS Sierra or later.
How to Watch on Windows
If you don't have an iOS device or a Mac handy to watch the event, you can do so on a Windows machine by visiting the Apple Special Event website using the Microsoft Edge browser.
Live Twitter Coverage
Apple is planning to provide a live stream of the event on Twitter as well as on the Apple TV and website, so those interested in viewing the stream via the social network can do so.
For MacRumors readers who are not able to watch the event live, we will be offering live coverage of everything Apple announces both here on MacRumors.com and on the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, so make sure to follow us on Twitter and tune in to the website in the morning if you don't want to miss anything.
We'll have extensive coverage of all of the new announcements throughout the week as well, so make sure to keep an eye on the site.
If you want to get a sneak peek at everything Apple plans to announce on Wednesday, make sure to check out our What to Expect article, and for full details on all of the new iPhone features we're expecting to see, visit our dedicated iPhone Xs roundup.
Apple's "Gather round" media event will be kicking off at 10:00 AM Pacific tomorrow, and as is tradition some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Apple has become quicker about making event videos available for replay over the past several years, and videos are now frequently available within an hour of an event's conclusion.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts in the thread about Apple's announcements.
Video Posted: A direct link to the video file is now available, with no spoilers.
Photos depicting alleged SIM trays for the upcoming low-cost 6.1-inch iPhone leaked today in a selection of different colors that include space gray, silver, red, blue, and brown.
The image was shared on Twitter by Ben Geskin, a leaker who often highlights images pulled from Chinese social networks and other similar sources.
It's not known if these SIM trays are legitimate, but rumors have suggested Apple is planning to release the 6.1-inch iPhone in multiple color options. Apple has reportedly considered colors that include gray, white, blue, red, pink, black, and orange.
Last week, images depicting 6.1-inch iPhone dummy models in white, blue, pink, and red began circulating, but at least one of the colors doesn't match up between the dummy model and the SIM tray seen here, as the blue SIM tray appears lighter in color.
Apple's 6.1-inch iPhone is expected to feature an LCD display and a single-lens camera to keep costs lower than the two OLED devices that are in the works.
Rumors have suggested Apple could perhaps call the lower-cost device the "iPhone Xr." Other prospective names have been floating around as well, including "iPhone 9" and "iPhone Xc," harkening back to the iPhone 5c that came in multiple colors.
Apple is set to unveil the new 6.1-inch iPhone alongside the 5.8-inch OLED "iPhone Xs" and the 6.5-inch OLED "iPhone Xs Max" at an event that will take place at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow morning. For full details on what to expect when the new iPhones debut, make sure to check out our roundup.
The 6.1-inch iPhone could potentially be available in limited quantities at launch or pre-orders for the device could begin at a later date as rumors have indicated that Apple has faced some delays due to production issues.
For the past several months, rumors have provided a glimpse of what to expect at Apple's special event on Wednesday. Now, we may know of at least one category that won't see any stage time tomorrow.
If the report is accurate, that means Apple fans should keep their expectations low for any new Beats headphones, or a lower-priced HomePod rumored to arrive in the form of a Siri-enabled Beats speaker.
Apple acquired Beats for $3 billion in 2014, and since then, the company has routinely refreshed the headphone lineup. However, it has yet to do so in 2018. The current lineup revolves around the Beats Solo3, Powerbeats3, and BeatsX, released in 2016 with Apple's W1 chip for easy pairing.
Beats also launched Studio3 over-ear headphones with the W1 chip in 2017, followed by urBeats 3 with a Lightning connector, but for the most part, the headphone lineup is nearly two years outdated.
With so many rumored products in Apple's pipeline through the remainder of this year, it's not much of a surprise that Beats might not see any stage time at its September event. The keynote is expected to revolve around new iPhones, Apple Watch Series 4 models, new AirPods, and AirPower charging mat availability.
It's unclear when Beats may be updated next. Apple certainly has enough on its docket for an October event, if it holds new iPad Pro models with Face ID and a wide range of new Macs until then, and perhaps it could fit in some Beats announcements too. Or, a simple press release would do the trick.
One wildcard is rumored Apple-branded, high-end over-ear headphones, which Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said could be released in the fourth quarter of 2018 at the earliest. Apple could certainly unveil the headphones tomorrow, although we've heard nothing specific to suggest that might occur.
Apple's keynote begins Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, at Steve Jobs Theater, situated on its Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California. MacRumors will be providing live coverage of the event, with a live blog starting around 8:15 a.m. Pacific Time, and live tweets via @MacRumorsLive.
Just to be clear, MacRumors has confirmed that Apple's promoted tweet refers to an actual live stream of the entire keynote on Twitter, likely complementing tweets and photos of highlights from the event. Twitter users can "like" the tweet to receive keynote-related updates from Apple on event day.
Wednesday will mark the first time Apple live streams an event on Twitter. Apple has been gradually expanding the ways that people can watch its live streams over the past few years, making them viewable in Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge, in addition to its own Safari browser across Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
The keynote can also be live streamed via the Apple Events app on Apple TV. On the fourth-generation Apple TV and newer, the app is available from the tvOS App Store. On the second- and third-generation Apple TV, the app appears on the home screen automatically within close proximity of events.
Apple's keynote begins Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at Steve Jobs Theater, situated on its Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California. MacRumors will be providing live coverage of the event beginning around 8:15 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow, accompanied by live tweets via @MacRumorsLive.
eBay has created a new technology it's calling "HeadGaze," which tracks the user's head movement through the iPhone X's TrueDepth camera and ARKit so that they can navigate around eBay without touching the screen. The technology was created by Muratcan Cicek, an eBay intern with motor impairments who was looking for a way to shop online independently.
The eBay team built a model that tracks the user's head using 3D information from ARKit, creating a virtual cursor that follows the head's motion in every direction. Then, designated buttons on the screen can be activated depending on how long the cursor has been in one spot. These buttons can perform actions like scrolling down, moving to another page, selecting a product to purchase, and more, all without touching the screen.
Cicek says that the technology's modular code design will let developers "easily integrate" HeadGaze's features into existing or future apps:
This year as part of my internship project at eBay, my team and I developed HeadGaze, a reusable technology library that tracks head movement on your iPhone X and starting today, the technology is available via open source on GitHub.com. The first of its kind, this technology uses Apple ARKit and the iPhone X camera to track your head motion so you can navigate your phone easily without using your hands.
HeadGaze enables you to scroll and interact on your phone with only subtle head movements. Think of all the ways that this could be brought to life. Tired of trying to scroll through a recipe on your phone screen with greasy fingers while cooking? Too messy to follow the how-to manual on your cell phone while you’re tinkering with the car engine under the hood? Too cold to remove your gloves to use your phone?
eBay has developed an app called "HeadSwipe" as a way to test the HeadGaze technology. HeadSwipe is focused on browsing and buying items in eBay's deals section, and can be navigated entirely through head motions on iPhone X. Both HeadGaze and HeadSwipe are available open source on GitHub.
Next, the team is also looking at technology that tracks eye movements, and potentially fusing the two experiences together in future apps.
Instagram is testing a new feature that allows users to tag friends in videos (via TechCrunch). The option uses the same icon that users normally tap at the bottom left of tagged photos, but instead of overlaying the content with tagged names, the button links to a separate page listing all the people tagged in the video.
The new page, titled "People in this Video", also lists users that the original poster wants to notify of the shared content. As it stands, the videos don't copy over to the tagged users' profiles like tagged photos do, but that could change if Instagram opts to roll out the feature globally in future.
Video tagging only appears in the mobile app right now, so it won't show up for anyone using the web version of the social media platform. Instagram also confirmed that the feature is currently only available to a "small percentage" of users who specifically opted in to test video tagging.
Photo tagging has been possible on Instagram since 2013, with the feature having since been extended to support additional usage scenarios, such as product tagging and tagging friends in Stories. Video sharing was introduced later the same year, but the ability to tag people in them has been missing thus far.
TechCrunch notes that the introduction of video tagging could drive additional engagement on the platform and usher in a spate of "shoppable videos" that could enable users with a large following to share videos promoting their favorite products, places, and brands more easily.
Tesla is notifying customers that it will soon restock its wireless phone charger at a discount, after the device quickly sold out when it was released late last month.
The Verge reports that emails are going out to customers informing them that the Tesla Wireless Charger, originally costing $65, will return to the electric car maker's online store at a roughly $15 discount, thanks to a higher production run this time around.
The battery-powered Qi-based charger features a sleek white or black enclosure, a 6,000 mAh battery for charging on the go, 5W of output, a built-in USB-C cable for Android devices, and a USB-A port that supports faster wired charging.
Tesla says customers who purchased the charger when it first went on sale in August will be refunded the $16 difference, but the company omitted to mention when the discounted version will be available. We'll update this post if we learn more.
Apple recently updated its Maps app to add transit directions and data for areas in Alaska, Wyoming, and Idaho.
Apple Maps users in select cities in these states can now select public transportation routes when getting directions between two locations. In Alaska, for example, there are bus routes and other transit options in cities that include Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks.
In Wyoming, transit options are available in areas that include Cheyenne and Jackson, and in Idaho, transit data is available in Victor.
Transit information appears to still be rolling out in these three states and could expand to additional cities over the course of the next few weeks.
Apple has not yet added Wyoming, Alaska, and Idaho to the website where it lists locations where transit directions are available, but it should be added in the near future.
Transit directions were first added to Apple Maps in 2015 with the launch of iOS 9. Maps initially only offered transit information in a handful of cities, but over the course of the last three years, Apple has worked to expand the feature to additional areas.
Transit information is now live in dozens of cities and countries around the world, with a full list available on Apple's iOS 11 Feature Availability website.
Apple this afternoon shared a new "Insights" video on its developer site that is designed to highlight the benefits of using App Store subscriptions as a payment method for apps.
The video focuses on the developers behind Elevate, Dropbox, Calm, and Bumble and how these apps "create great customer experiences by continuing to provide value throughout the subscription lifecycle."
"The value for a user is that you're not just buying this one thing at this one point in time, you're actually buying something that's evolving," said Elevate developer Jesse Germinario.
"If you're a subscription business, your incentives are actually perfectly aligned with your customers, because they need to continue to get value out of the product in order to keep subscribing, which means that you have to continue making the app better," said Calm developer Tyler Sheaffer.
Apple's efforts to push developers to embrace subscriptions were first highlighted last month when Business Insider shared details on a secret meeting held in April 2017.
At the meeting, Apple hosted more than 30 software developers and encouraged them to adopt subscription payment models.
Apple told developers that the app model is changing, with paid apps representing just 15 percent of total app sales, a number that is declining. Successful apps, Apple said, need to focus on subscriptions and regular engagement from users rather than one time sales.
7-Eleven today announced that Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted at nearly all of its 10,000+ locations across the United States, following a rollout that began in August.
While many 7-Eleven retail locations have already started accepting Apple Pay, the rollout will continue throughout the month of September until "most U.S. stores" support the payments service.
"The ability to pay with their smart device gives consumers one more reason to shop at 7-Eleven," said 7-Eleven CDO and CIO Gurmeet Singh of the Apple Pay launch.
7-Eleven also highlighted some of the technology improvements that it has introduced recently, including the 7-Eleven NOW app for placing on-demand orders with Apple Pay as a payment option, the 7Rewards loyalty program that allows customers to earn points for purchases, and the 7-Eleven Bot on Facebook Messenger to allow customers to get quick answers to questions.
Apple CEO Tim Cook first announced in July that Apple Pay support would be coming to 7-11 retail locations in the United States, and the wide availability of Apple Pay at 7-Eleven comes just in time for the launch of Apple's new 2018 iPhones.
To use Apple Pay at 7-Eleven stores, customers will need an iPhone 6, 6s, 6, 7, 8, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7 Plus, 8 Plus, SE, or X, and/or a compatible Apple Watch model.
Along with 7-Eleven, popular drugstore chain CVS, once an Apple Pay holdout, is also expected to begin accepting the payments service this fall.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced over two years ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 65 includes bug fixes and feature improvements for the Storage Access API, Media, Apple Pay, Payment Request, Shadow DOM, Fetch API, Service Workers, Web API, Web Inspector, WebGL 2, Web Assembly, and Safari Extensions.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave, the newest version of the Mac operating system that’s currently being beta tested by developers and public beta testers.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store (or in System Preferences in Mojave) to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Apple has recently been sending out surveys to customers who purchased an iMac Pro, asking them about which features drew them to the pro-level machine and what they like or dislike about the iMac Pro.
Some of the survey questions were shared on Twitter, with customers asked to point out some of the most important iMac Pro features, like Thunderbolt 3 ports, Xeon W processors, T2 chip, external display support, and more.
Apple is sending out a survey to iMac Pro buyers. Questions include whether you bought the iMac Pro because it had more ports, SD card slot, and what features you like or dislike.
This is a great chance to give Apple feedback! pic.twitter.com/igU25cH6ss
— a f waller (@afwaller) September 10, 2018
Apple regularly sends out surveys of this nature to customers, but this line of questioning on the iMac Pro suggests Apple is perhaps trying to suss out key features that pro-level users want to see in future pro machines, such as the Mac Pro machine that's in the works.
The iMac Pro was a precursor to a new Mac Pro, which Apple first announced in April 2017. Apple is working on a high-end high-throughput modular Mac Pro that will facilitate regular upgrades to meet the needs of Apple's pro user base.
Apple has a dedicated team working on the Mac Pro, and Apple executives have said that Apple is committed to making the machine the highest-end desktop system able to handle VR and high-end cinema production. Apple has even put together a "Pro Workflow Team" to tailor the Mac Pro and other Apple products to professional users, and that team could potentially be behind the iMac Pro survey.
Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi admitted last year that with the 2013 Mac Pro, Apple designed itself into "a bit of a thermal corner" given the restrictive size of the trash can-shaped Mac Pro and its inability to handle the thermal capacity needed for larger single GPUs. Apple learned from that mistake and is this time aiming for a machine that will better accommodate future upgrades and high-end hardware.
Apple plans to release the new Mac Pro at some point in 2019, so a launch is a ways off, but it's possible Apple will be ready to share additional details about the machine this year when new Macs are unveiled either in September or October.
If you've been waiting for a new sale on App Store and iTunes gift cards, PayPal on eBay is once again discounting the $100 gift card tier to $85 for United States users. While the sale lasts, anyone with a PayPal account can take advantage of the deal, and you should receive the code for the iTunes credit within a few hours after the purchase.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
As usual with email delivery sales on iTunes cards, you can either enter your own email address and send the code to yourself, or enter the email of a friend or family member to send it as a gift. The credit will only be valid on purchases made on the United States App and iTunes stores, however. These sales usually last for a few days, so head over to PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay store to place your order before the 15 percent discount expires.
iTunes gift card sales are a great way to stock up on iTunes credit at a cheaper price, which you can then use to rent and buy movies on iTunes, pay for your Apple Music and iCloud subscriptions, purchase a new app, expand your iBooks collection, and much more. Many people also use the credit to pay for third-party subscriptions, like Netflix and Hulu, essentially discounting the cost of these services thanks to the gift card sales.
Also on eBay, the retailer today kicked off another coupon code, this one aimed at preparing for the incoming fall season. With coupon code JUMPINTOFALL, you can save 20 percent on orders placed in categories like home, clothing and shoes, accessories, luggage, vacuums, and more. This means that the code is not a sitewide coupon, but those interested can still use it on orders of $25 or more before it expires Friday, September 14, and the discount will be capped at a max value of $50.
In other sales, ahead of the Apple event Rakuten has AirPods for $127.46 thanks to its newest sitewide discount code SAVE15. Comparatively, AirPods have been seeing discounts to around $144 (originally priced at $159.99) at retailers like Amazon and Adorama. While a nice discount on the wireless headphones, shoppers should note that upgraded AirPods with "Hey Siri" functionality and a wireless charging case are expected to be announced in two days.
For more details on this week's sales, head over to our full Deals Roundup.
Apple today alerted some developers about a temporary signing issue that prevents their apps from being installed on the Apple Watch.
The full text of Apple's email, obtained from a MacRumors reader:
We've discovered that there was a temporary issue with the App Store signature of your binaries that affects the ability of your app to install on Apple Watch. As a result, we're pushing an update with the proper signing to customers' devices.
It's unclear what went wrong, but Apple is pushing server-side updates with the proper signing to the devices of affected customers.
Sphero today announced the "Bolt" robotic ball, which is aimed at teaching kids basic programming with its advanced sensors, LED matrix, and infrared communication that lets it interact with other Bolt devices (via Gizmodo).
The Bolt is the same size as previous Sphero balls, but has an increased runtime of two full hours thanks to a bigger battery. The device connects to the Sphero Edu app, allowing users to discover community-created activities, build their own program, analyze sensor data, and more.
One of the device's biggest updates is an 8x8 LED matrix that can be seen through the Bolt's translucent shell. This matrix displays helpful prompts like a lightning bolt when Bolt is charging on its inductive cradle, but users can fully program the matrix to display a wide variety of icons connected to certain actions, like a smiley face when a program is completed.
Infrared sensors allow the Bolt to detect other nearby Bolts, and users can program specific interactions if they have multiple devices. According to Sphero, this means that the Bolts can join up and create a swarm of robotic balls, or avoid one another. Gizmodo gives an example: "So imagine a real-life version of Pac-Man where you're controlling one Bolt and escape other Bolts programmed as ghosts perpetually giving chase."
The connected Sphero Edu app includes the ability for users to learn to code by drawing on an iOS device's screen, using Scratch blocks, or writing JavaScript text programs. Written programs can affect the Bolt's speed, acceleration, and direction. If users simply want to play with Bolt, the robot can also connect to the Sphero Play app.
The Sphero Bolt is available to purchase today for $149.99 on the company's website.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Apple this afternoon shared a 
Apple today 
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