MacRumors

Apple is working on a range of MacBooks with 5G cellular connectivity for launch as early as next year, claims a new report today by DigiTimes.

According to the hit-and-miss Taiwanese publication, Lenovo, HP, and Dell will kick off the 5G laptop market later this year, and Apple is set to follow with its own high-speed cellular notebook in the second half of 2020.

The world's top-3 notebook vendors Lenovo, HP and Dell are set to introduce their first 5G models in the second half of 2019, and Apple is also expected to roll out its 5G MacBook series in the second half of 2020, according to industry sources.

The English version of the DigiTimes story is currently paywalled, so the following details are based on a machine-translation of the same report on DigiTimes Taiwan.

‌DigiTimes‌' notebook supply chain connections claim that Apple has finalized its integrated 5G MacBook design and though it did so later than other vendors, its 5G transceiver offers higher efficiency and superior high-speed transmission rates than rival designs.

Apple is said to be achieving better 5G performance in its notebook designs through the use of a ceramic antenna board, which costs six times that of a regular metal antenna board but offers twice the transmission and reception efficiency. Another reason a 5G-enabled MacBook will be high-cost is reportedly down to the case: A metal chassis shields the 5G signal, meaning the notebook will require 13 to 15 antennas, where a 5G smartphone typically uses 11.

This is the first time we've heard anything about Apple planning to launch a MacBook or MacBook Pro with 5G, and ‌DigiTimes‌ has a mixed track record in relation to reporting on Apple's future plans, so it's best to treat its rumors with some skepticism until the info is corroborated by additional sources.

That said, Apple has explored the possibility of developing MacBooks with cellular connectivity in the past. Indeed, the company reportedly considered launching a MacBook Air with 3G connectivity, but former CEO Steve Jobs said in 2008 that Apple decided against it, since it would take up too much room in the case and would lock customers to a specific carrier.

Despite retreating from the idea, Apple received approval for two patents in 2016 that would enable it to add LTE connectivity to its MacBooks. Both describe the use of an installed "cavity" antenna that runs parallel with the notebook's hinge which could be used for long-range communications such as cellular telephone bands. The patents also describe other uses including near-field communications (NFC), light-based wireless connectivity, satellite navigation, and more.

While it appears that Apple and Qualcomm's multi-year licensing and chipset supply agreement will result in Qualcomm supplying modems for the first 5G-enabled iPhones, expected to launch in 2020, multiple reports have indicated that Apple is on the path to developing its own cellular modems.

Indeed, Apple recently announced that it plans to acquire the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business, subject to regulatory approvals. The acquisition will certainly benefit Apple's cellular technologies team, but whether it will factor in on any plans for a series of 5G MacBooks remains to be seen.

Apple is suspending a Siri program that allows employees to listen to ‌Siri‌ recordings for quality control purposes, reports TechCrunch.

Apple is going to review the process that's currently used, where workers listen to anonymized ‌Siri‌ recordings to determine whether ‌Siri‌ is hearing questions correctly or being activated accidentally.

Apple in the future also plans to release a software update that will let ‌Siri‌ users opt out of having their ‌Siri‌ queries included in this evaluation process, called grading.

"We are committed to delivering a great Siri experience while protecting user privacy," Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch. "While we conduct a thorough review, we are suspending Siri grading globally. Additionally, as part of a future software update, users will have the ability to choose to participate in grading."

The decision to suspend the program and offer an opt-out option comes following a report from The Guardian that shared details gleaned from one of the contractors working on evaluating ‌Siri‌ queries.

The employee expressed concern with Apple's lack of disclosure about the human oversight and said that contractors who work on the program have overhead confidential medical information, drug deals, recordings of couples having sex, and other private details from accidental ‌Siri‌ activations.

When The Guardian report came out, Apple confirmed that a small number of anonymized ‌Siri‌ requests are analyzed for the purpose of improving ‌Siri‌ and dictation. While Apple anonymizes ‌Siri‌ data that's evaluated for quality control and ‌Siri‌ improvement, its current privacy policy and security documents do not explicitly mention human oversight.

IKEA teamed up with Sonos to launch a new line of smart speakers called "Symfonisk," and as of today, those speakers are available for purchase in IKEA retail stores across the United States.

There are two Symfonisk products that are available: A Symfonisk Table Lamp with Wi-Fi Speaker ($179) and the Symfonisk Wi-Fi Bookshelf Speaker ($99).

The Symfonisk Table Lamp functions as a standard lamp but it's also got a smart speaker base, with "rich and vibrant sound" according to IKEA. It comes in both black and white and is designed to save space by combining a lamp with speaker functionality.

The Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker also has a dual purpose, attaching to a wall with a speaker bracket and serving as a bookshelf for small items. The rectangular speaker can also be as a standard speaker or hung up on Symfonisk speaker hooks.

Both of the speakers can be controlled through the Sonos app and both support AirPlay 2, allowing them to be used for multi-room audio with other ‌AirPlay‌ 2 devices. As with all Sonos devices, music, podcasts, radio, and more can be streamed over Wi-Fi even without a smartphone or tablet nearby.

Purchasing two of the same speakers allows for stereo sound to be set up, and Sonos also says that two speakers paired together can be used for a Sonos home theatre system.

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence previously suggested that the Symfonisk Table Lamp's audio quality would be similar to the Sonos One speaker, and reviews have thus far been decent.

The speakers are in IKEA stores today and can be located using the website's store locator, and they should also be available online in the near future.

Apple today shared a new video in its ongoing "Behind the Mac" series that highlights the various ways creators use the Mac for art, education, music making, coding, and more.

Today's video, "Test the Impossible," is a short 38 second spot that shows brief clips of the Mac being used for various creative pursuits, with a voiceover about what's possible when you don't know what's impossible.

You have no idea what you're doing. This is great. People who know what they're doing know the rules and know what is possible and what is impossible. You do not. The rules on what is possible and what is impossible in the arts were made by people who had not tested the bounds of the possible by going beyond them. And you can.

Apple has shared multiple videos in its Behind the Mac series so far, with the goal of highlighting its Mac lineup, from the iMac to the Mac notebooks.

Apple is now selling LEGO's "Hidden Side" LEGO kits that are designed to offer a mixed physical and augmented reality experience.

Hidden Side is a new series of LEGO sets that are based on a "chilling, creative world of ghosts," providing kids with a building toy that comes to life thanks to augmented reality on a smartphone.

Kids can build up the sets and then view the sets on an iOS device for interactive augmented reality gameplay that varies based on the set. With the Wrecked Shrimp Boat set, for example, kids explore a sunken boat that has "strange, surreal secrets," and then engage in a boss fight.

All of the sets have unique interactions, with mysteries to solve, items to find, games to play, ghosts to collect, and a ghost boss battle. Apple is selling four of the LEGO Hidden Side sets:

• Newbury Haunted High School - $129.95
• Paranormal Intercept Bus 3000 - $59.95
• Wrecked Shrimp Boat - $29.95
• Graveyard Mystery - $29.95

Like traditional LEGO sets, all of these kits come with mini figures, animals, and other accessories that fit the theme along with all of the building materials to create the intended design.

All of the sets are available from the Apple online store as of today, and may soon be available in Apple retail stores as well.

Apple today released a new macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update, which comes a week and a half after the initial release of the macOS Mojave 10.14.6 update.

The macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update can be downloaded by going to the "Software Update" section of System Preferences and selecting the Update Now option.

Today's Supplemental Update addresses an issue that could prevent certain Macs from waking up from sleep properly. Apple recommends that all users install the new Supplemental Update to fix this problem.

The macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update fixes an issue that may prevent certain Macs from waking from sleep properly.

The original macOS Mojave 10.14.6 also addressed a bug that could cause a graphics issue when waking from sleep, and it included multiple other bug fixes. It also offered up several improvements to the Apple News+ service in the ‌Apple News‌ app.

Intel today introduced its first 10th-generation Core processors, codenamed Ice Lake. Built on a 10-nanometer process, the chips are designed for thin-and-light notebooks, meaning they could potentially make their way to future entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models.

Intel says the Ice Lake chips have increased board integration, allowing manufacturers like Apple to release notebooks with sleeker designs. The chips also feature Intel's all-new Gen11 graphics architecture for up to double the graphics performance, and integrated Thunderbolt 3 and Wi-Fi 6, aka 802.11ax.

The lineup of 11 new processors includes six U-series chips and five Y-series chips:

Intel is also introducing a new processor number naming structure starting with this first set of 10th-generation Core processors, doing away with Y and U series identifiers and instead emphasizing graphics. The new structure is a bit confusing, but The Verge has a nice breakdown for deciphering them.

Intel expects the first notebooks with Ice Lake chips to be available in time for the holiday shopping season.

A group of 18 individuals have filed a class action lawsuit against Apple this week in a Northern California federal court, accusing the company of "secretly throttling" older iPhones starting in January 2017.

The complaint, seen by MacRumors, refers to the iPhone slowdown saga as "one of the largest consumer frauds in history, affecting hundreds of millions of mobile devices across the globe," adding that Apple intentionally degraded devices as part of a planned obsolescence scheme to maximize profits:

While Plaintiffs and the class need not attribute any motive behind Apple's intentional degradation of the Devices, it is evident that Apple continued to do so for the simple reason most frauds are committed: money.

Apple previously denied any kind of planned obsolescence by flat out stating that it never has and never would do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience, to drive customer upgrades:

We have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.

Apple faces over 60 class action lawsuits worldwide over this matter. The first was filed in December 2017, after Apple revealed that it throttles the maximum performance of some older iPhone models with chemically aged batteries when necessary in order to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down.

This latest lawsuit will likely be consolidated with the others in Northern California district court for streamlined proceedings.

Apple introduced the performance management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it did not initially mention the change in the update's release notes. Likewise, in a statement issued a month later, Apple still only mentioned vague "improvements" resulting in a significant reduction in unexpected iPhone shutdowns.

Apple only revealed exactly what the so-called "improvements" were after Primate Labs founder John Poole visualized that some iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 devices suddenly had lower benchmark scores starting with iOS 10.2.1 and iOS 11.2 respectively, despite operating at maximum performance on previous versions.

Apple apologized for its lack of communication in December 2017, and reduced the price of battery replacements to $29 for iPhone 6 and newer through the end of 2018. Apple then released iOS 11.3 with a new feature that enables users to track their iPhone battery's health and performance status.

The performance management system has also been disabled by default since iOS 11.3, and it is only enabled if an iPhone suffers an unexpected shutdown. The performance management can be manually disabled by users as well.

MacRumors put together a list of frequently asked questions and answers about Apple's performance management system, which can be avoided entirely by replacing your iPhone's battery if necessary. Read our guide on how to get an iPhone's battery replaced at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

The full complaint is embedded ahead…

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Apple is widely expected to release a new 10.2-inch iPad later this year as a replacement for its $329 entry-level 9.7-inch ‌iPad‌, and hit-or-miss Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes has now added its weight to this rumor, claiming that the tablet will be released in the "late third quarter."

If accurate, that timeframe means the 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌ would be released by the end of September, suggesting that the device might be unveiled alongside new iPhones at Apple's usual September event.

‌iPad‌ releases in the fall have typically occurred in October, including in 2012 through 2014 and again in 2018. September would not be totally out of the ordinary, however, as Apple unveiled the original iPad Pro and the iPad mini 4 at its September 2015 event without hosting an October event that year.

It's worth noting that DigiTimes has a rather unreliable track record as it relates to the timing of new Apple products. This week alone, for example, the website published one report saying the 16-inch MacBook Pro will be released in September and another saying the notebook will launch in October.

Multiple sources have outlined expectations for a new 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌, including reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and the previously-reliable mystery Twitter account CoinX. Apple has also filed several unreleased iPad models running iPadOS 13 in a Eurasian regulatory database, as legally required.

The 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌ would have a modestly larger display than the 9.7-inch ‌iPad‌, possibly in tandem with narrower bezels.

A reasonable assumption would be that Apple will unveil new iPhones and Apple Watches in September and save the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro, 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌, and ‌iPad Pro‌ refresh for October, but Apple could always break with tradition.