Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.5 update to developers for testing purposes, a week and a half after launching the first beta and two weeks after the launch of macOS Mojave 10.14.4.
The new macOS Mojave 10.14.5 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center.
It's not yet clear if there are new features in macOS Mojave 10.14.5, but it likely includes bug fixes and performance improvements to address issues that weren't able to be fixed in the macOS Mojave 10.14.4 update.
There were no major changes discovered in the first macOS Mojave 10.14.5 beta, but if we discover anything new in this beta, we'll update this post.
The prior update, macOS Mojave 10.14.4, brought the Apple News+ subscription service, expanded Apple News to Canada, and introduced a new automatic Safari Dark Mode feature for websites.
Ikea today revealed more information about its upcoming line of Sonos smart speakers, which the Swedish furniture company has dubbed "Symfonisk" (via The Verge). There will be two products in the line: The Symfonisk Table Lamp with Wi-Fi Speaker ($179) and Symfonisk Bookshelf with Wi-Fi Speaker ($99).
Each device will be controlled through the Sonos app, and Sonos CEO Patrick Spence suggested that the Table Lamp's audio quality will be similar to the Sonos One speaker. It has two class-D digital amplifiers, one tweeter, one mid-woofer, and a sealed enclosure. The Table Lamp and Bookshelf can also be stereo paired, used for multiroom audio, and they both support Apple's AirPlay 2.
A brief ad on Ikea's Italian YouTube channel shows off both products. The Symfonisk line aims to produce Wi-Fi smart speakers that also perform some kind of secondary furnishing purpose, such as an extra shelf on a wall and lighting in a room.
The ad showcases two people dancing around to music playing from the speaker, with bright and colorful lights strobing from the Symfonisk Table Lamp. As with any other standard lamp, users will be able to place a smart light bulb into the Symfonisk (such as Philips Hue) and connect the bulbs to their existing ecosystem of lights.
More information about the Symfonisk smart speaker line from Ikea and Sonos is expected to come out of the Milan Furniture Fair, which takes place April 9 through April 14 this year. The products will then go on sale in August 2019.
Sphero last summer acquired a company called Specdrums, which made finger-worn rings that are designed to turn colors into music. Specdrums are now being sold under the Sphero brand, and are now available in Apple retail stores.
Specdrums fit on an index finger and are meant to allow kids and adults alike to play a musical note when tapping one of the rings against a specific color, creating music by using different colored notes. We tested out the Specdrums ahead of their Apple Store release to see if they're worth the $65 asking price.
Design
Specdrums are small, silicone rings that have optical sensors embedded into the front. The silicone is stretchy, so it can fit a small finger or a larger finger without issue.
I have relatively small fingers and the Specdrums fit comfortably and snugly, and it was not a problem to wear it for a long period of music making. There's a slit at the bottom that allows the ring to expand if necessary.
Specdrums are meant to be worn on an index finger with the optical sensor in the front facing downwards so that you can tap it on various colored surfaces to make sounds.
On the side of the Specdrums, there's a micro-USB port that's used for charging through the included micro-USB cable that comes with it. At the top of the silicone ring, there's a Sphero logo, and at the bottom, the Sphero name.
The optical sensor built into the Specdrums will light up when tapped against a surface, and the rectangular front of the sensor takes up most of the ring. It's comfortable to tap on things and was very responsive, easily recognizing different colors.
TSMC's continued packaging advancements coupled with Apple's industry-leading mobile chip designs is beneficial for the performance, battery life, and thermal management of future iPhones. That will continue with the 5nm process:
Compared with TSMC's 7nm process, its innovative scaling features deliver 1.8X logic density and 15% speed gain on an ARM® Cortex®-A72 core, along with superior SRAM and analog area reduction enabled by the process architecture. The 5nm process enjoys the benefits of process simplification provided by EUV lithography, and is making excellent progress in yield learning, achieving the best technology maturity at the same corresponding stage as compared to TSMC's previous nodes.
TSMC has been Apple's exclusive supplier of A-series chips since 2016, fulfilling all orders for the A10 Fusion chip in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, and the A12 Bionic chip in the latest iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR.
TSMC's packaging offerings are widely considered to be superior to that of other chipmakers, including Samsung and Intel, so it's not surprising that its exclusivity is poised to continue with A13 chips in 2019 and A14 chips in 2020.
TSMC has been gradually shrinking the size of its dies over the years as it continues to refine its manufacturing process: the A10 Fusion is 16nm, the A11 Bionic is 10nm, and the A12 Bionic is 7nm. A13 chips will likely be 7nm+, benefitting from the process simplification of EUV lithography.
Vimeo today updated its macOS app with automatic uploading, giving its users a way to quickly and securely back up and bulk upload video files directly to Vimeo.
To do this, Vimeo users on Mac can create a synced folder on the Mac desktop and drop files into the folder, which automatically uploads them to Vimeo. The company says that if the Mac ever disconnects from Wi-Fi, the upload will pick up where it left off once connection is restored.
Automatic uploading cuts a ton of unnecessary steps out of your process. No more opening up Vimeo in your browser and dragging your files in one by one. No more sitting next to the computer and watching as the status bar creeps forward. No more losing track of which videos have been added. With automatic uploading, you can drop files in a synced folder and get on with your life.
Vimeo first launched an app for macOS one year ago this week, aimed at creators who use Apple's Final Cut Pro video editing software. The macOS app allows creators to export ProRes videos, adjust privacy settings and descriptions of videos, access video links and embed codes, and receive notifications about video activity.
iPhone continues to be the most popular smartphone among American teenagers based on a recent survey.
Shutterstock
A record 83 percent of U.S. teens own an iPhone as of spring 2019, according to investment bank Piper Jaffray's semiannual "Taking Stock With Teens" survey of around 8,000 high school students. Respondents were roughly 54 percent male and 46 percent female with an average age of 16.3 years.
Meanwhile, 86 percent of U.S. teens expect their next smartphone to be an iPhone, matching an all-time high set in fall 2018. This metric has steadily grown in Apple's favor over the years, rising from 75 percent in spring 2016.
iPhone popularity among teens is a good sign for Apple, as many of them could stick with the iPhone as an adult. Teens also become locked into the Apple ecosystem at an early age, becoming accustomed to services like iMessage, Apple Music, and iCloud as well as accessories like the AirPods and Apple Watch.
The survey found that 27 percent of U.S. teens own a smartwatch, while 22 percent of respondents plan to purchase an Apple Watch within the next six months. By comparison, 20 percent of teens said they plan to purchase an Apple Watch in the next six months in the year-ago survey.
Piper Jaffray divided its survey into two distinct income groups: "upper-income" with household incomes approximating $100,000 and "average-income" with household incomes approximating $55,000 based on zip code and census data.
In a fresh twist on recent iPhone rumors, Japanese tech blog Mac Otakara today reported that Apple plans to launch two entirely new 2019 iPhone models with triple-lens cameras, which would debut alongside internally updated versions of the current iPhone XR/XS/XS Max lineup.
Citing reliable sources in the Chinese supply chain, the report claims that the two new iPhone models would come with 6.1-inch and 6.5-inch OLED displays and the previously heavily rumored triple-lens camera system.
The report goes on to suggest the two new models will have a thicker body to compensate for the larger camera module, so the 6.1-inch model will be around 0.15mm thicker than the existing iPhone XS, while the camera bump will see a 0.5mm reduction in protrusion.
Likewise, the body of the 6.5-inch model will supposedly be 0.4mm thicker with a camera bump reduced by 0.25mm, which equates to an overall 0.2mm thickness increase over the current iPhone XS Max.
Mac Otakara claims the two new models will come with a USB-C to Lightning cable and an 18 Watt USB-C power adapter, with an ability for the rear of the phone to wirelessly charge Qi-compatible devices like Apple Watch and AirPods 2 "likely."
In general, the rumor mill narrative suggests triple lens camera systems are a given this year, but most other leaks – from OnLeaks in particular – have implied that the three-lens camera won't be exclusive to any one iPhone, and certainly don't suggest it will be a unique feature of additional models in Apple's lineup.
Given the leftfield claims, today's report should be taken with a grain of salt, although Mac Otakara has provided accurate information on unreleased iPhones in the past, so it's possible there's something to it.
The Netflix app for iPhone and iPad no longer appears to support AirPlay, based on an updated support document found on the Netflix website.
According to Netflix, AirPlay is no longer supported on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch due to "technical limitations." There are no details from Netflix on what those technical limitations might be.
Several MacRumors readers have attempted to use AirPlay with the Netflix app over the course of the last few days and have run into issues doing so from the Netflix app.
AirPlay can still be initiated using the Control Center on an iOS device, but when attempting to test the feature, we were unable to get Netflix content to play and received an error message.
It's not clear why AirPlay support has been removed from the Netflix app. The feature has been available since 2013 and it was working up until this week.
Netflix apps are available on the Apple TV, consoles, smart TVs, iOS devices, and more, so there's not a real need to use AirPlay to watch Netflix content, but there were instances where it was convenient to use.
Netflix has in recent months been making efforts to better protect its content. In December, Netflix stopped allowing customers to sign up for Netflix within the iOS app, and Netflix has never opted to participate in Apple's TV app, making it unavailable in the "Up Next" feature of Watch Now.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings recently confirmed that Netflix had no plans to be a part of Apple's TV plans and said that Netflix isn't interested in offering its content in alternate ways. "We want to have people watch our shows on our services," he said.
Update: A Netflix spokesperson provided further explanation on the company's decision to discontinue support for AirPlay on iOS devices, attributing it to the rollout of AirPlay support on third party devices and an inability to distinguish between them:
"We want to make sure our members have a great Netflix experience on any device they use. With AirPlay support rolling out to third-party devices, there isn't a way for us to distinguish between devices (what is an Apple TV vs. what isn't) or certify these experiences. Therefore, we have decided to discontinue Netflix AirPlay support to ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met. Members can continue to access Netflix on the built-in app across Apple TV and other devices."
With the launch of macOS 10.15, Apple may be planning to release separate Music and Podcasts apps for the Mac, according to developer Steve Troughton-Smith.
In a tweet shared this afternoon, Troughton-Smith said that based on evidence he's discovered, Apple appears to be working on new UIKit-based Music, Podcasts, and Books apps for macOS, all three of which will join the TV app that Apple has said is in the works.
Separate apps for each of these services suggest that Apple is planning to break up the iTunes app for Mac, which is where Podcasts, Movies, and TV Shows are available at the current time. Apple already has a Books app, but an updated version or separate app that includes audiobooks could be in development.
I am now fairly confident based on evidence I don't wish to make public at this point that Apple is planning new (likely UIKit) Music, Podcasts, perhaps even Books, apps for macOS, to join the new TV app. I expect the four to be the next wave of Marzipan apps. Grain of salt, etc
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) April 5, 2019
Apple in macOS Mojave introduced the groundwork for cross-platform iOS and Mac apps, and Apple introduced dedicated Mac apps for Stocks, Home, Apple News, and Voice Memos. All of these apps were based on iOS apps, and with new the software coming in 2019, additional iOS apps could be brought to Mac to replace iTunes.
And yes, this means the much-discussed and long-awaited break up of iTunes. Finally!
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) April 5, 2019
Troughton-Smith has, in the past, shared accurate info on Apple's plans based on hints and code discovered in current versions of Apple's operating systems.
Apple in late March unveiled its new Apple News+ service, which is designed to let Apple News users access over 200 magazines and some paywalled news content for a $9.99 per month fee.
We've been using Apple News+ over the course of the last week and a half and in our latest YouTube video, we explore whether the service is worth the $9.99 monthly cost.
Apple News+ primarily focuses on magazines, and there are right around 240 to choose from right now. There are major titles like National Geographic and The New Yorker, along with many smaller specialty magazines. The subscription fee also includes access to some paywalled news content from sites like The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times, though as we'll explain, there are some caveats.
All the new Apple News+ content is accessible through a new Apple News+ section in the Apple News app, which is displayed regardless of whether you subscribe to Apple News+. Apple News+ features a My Magazines section with content that you're reading along with story and magazine suggestions from Apple News editors.
The user interface looks simple enough, but there are some quirks that have been confusing new subscribers. There's no clear way to add a new magazine to the My Magazines list, and in fact, you have to search for the title of the magazine in the standard Apple News interface and "favorite" it with a heart to get it to show up reliably in My Magazines or tap the title to get taken to an overview page, neither of which is intuitive.
To further confuse things, some magazines that you've read but haven't favorited will temporarily be displayed in My Magazines, and there are no options anywhere to control what shows up there, nor to customize content recommendations to make them more relevant to one's interests.
When it comes to the magazines themselves, newly released magazine issues from major companies have a digital-focused interface that lets you scroll through a list of stories to get to what you want to read, but for back issues and lesser known magazines, content is presented in a PDF format that's less than ideal.
PDFs look all right on iPad, but are difficult to read on iPhone, and the Mac interface for Apple News+ is no better. The single page spread on Mac features small text that's not easy to zoom into, making reading PDF-based magazines on most devices a less than stellar experience.
News content is included in Apple News+, but in the case of The Wall Street Journal, there are some limitations. While you can access The Wall Street Journal's full range of content, Apple is only highlighting a selection of general interest news stories, and to find anything else, you have to search. Apple News+ also only retains three days of archived content.
Other major newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post have refused to join Apple News+, and it's not clear if these publications will change their position.
Apple News+ is likely to improve in the future with interface updates and as more magazines adopt the customized digital-forward design, but right now, the service feels sloppy, unfinished, and confusing.
It's also not clear if it's something that will interest the general public given the heavy focus on magazines and the lack of subscription-based news that's available. Apple's prior magazine effort, Apple Newsstand, was ultimately unsuccessful. Unlimited access to magazine content might lure more readers, but whether this new venture will succeed remains to be seen.
Apple News+ had more than 200,000 subscribers following its March introduction, but all of those accounts are still on the one-month free trial that's available and are not yet paying customers.
Have you signed up for Apple News+ and do you plan to keep the subscription? Let us know in the comments, and if you have questions about Apple News+, make sure to check out our Apple News+ guide.
Last month we shared news of StackSocial's Epic Mac Bundle, which discounts eight useful Mac apps to a low price of $29.99 (valued at $478.71). This week, StackSocial gave us a heads up that this bundle will be ending for good on April 10 and ahead of that expiration date our readers have a chance to save even more on the bundle with an exclusive coupon code.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with StackSocial. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
To save on the Epic Mac Bundle, visit StackSocial, add the $29.99 bundle to your cart, and then head to the checkout screen. Once there, on the right side of the page enter the code LAST25 in the promo code box and click Apply. This will result in the bundle's $22.50 discount price, which is lasting for about six more days and will end Wednesday, April 10.
Fantastical 2 ($49.99 value): Manage your contacts, events, reminders, and more with Flexibits' popular app.
PDF Expert ($79.99 value): Quickly and easily edit PDF text, images, links, and outlines.
Flux 7 ($99.00 value): An HTML and CSS designing tool that enables you to create fully functioning websites.
Pagico 8 ($50.00 value): Stay organized and on task with an interactive flow chart that helps manage your projects and contacts.
Command-Tab Plus ($34.99 value): A keyboard-centric application switcher designed to let you switch between apps in a faster way than the typical Command + Tab.
iStat Menu ($14.99 value): Track useful Mac stats like real-time CPU, GPU, RAM, drive and network usage, Wi-Fi stats, and more.
iLocker Pro ($79.80 value): Password protect your apps and unlock them with Touch ID.
Ultdata Recovery ($69.95 value): Retrieve lost files from Macs, removable storage devices, partitions and volumes, and iOS devices
There is another discounted bundle on StackSocial this week, this one focused on creative apps from Corel. The Corel Creative Mac Bundle is valued at a total of $309.95 and available at a discounted price of $39.99 through June 30, 2019.
Just like with the Epic Mac Bundle, our readers have a chance to use an exclusive discount code and mark down the bundle even more. You can save 15 percent on the Corel Creative Mac Bundle by adding it to your cart on StackSocial and applying the code COREL15 during the checkout process. This will discount the bundle to $34.00 exclusively for MacRumors readers.
Toast 17 Titanium ($99.99 value): Easily capture your screen, burn digital media onto discs, and edit videos.
AfterShot Pro 3 ($79.99 value): RAW photo editing software that lets you upload, edit, and manage high quality images.
Painter Essentials 6 ($49.99 value): Sketch and draw on a blank canvas with realistic painting tools and effects.
WinZip ($29.99 value): Software that makes it simple to work with large groups of Zip files, so you can exchange large amounts of information with ease.
ParticleShop ($49.99 value): A powerful brush plugin for Photoshop and AfterShot 3 with 11 built-in custom brushes.
More deals and discounts can be found in our full Deals Roundup.
Velvet Caviar is best known for its range of unique, eye catching iPhone cases for all of Apple's iPhones from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone XS. If you've ever seen a marbled iPhone case on Instagram or Snapchat, it's probably from Velvet Caviar.
Velvet Caviar has a wide selection of iPhone cases with a marbled pattern, including some with holographic accents, and every one of them is impressive and attention grabbing. They're affordable too, with most priced at $30.
If marble isn't your thing, there are also adorable flower patterns, fun liquid glitter options, camo designs, clear cases with a fun selection of designs, more practical wallet cases, and even cases covered in fuzzy faux fur.
All of the Velvet Caviar cases look great, but are also protective. A plastic shell lined with Firm Flex shock absorbing material protects your iPhone from drops of up to eight feet, and a 3mm lip at the front of the case keeps your display safe too.
Along with cases, Velvet Caviar has nifty little rings that are an alternative to the Pop Socket. The $10-$12 Phone Holder Ring features a fun shape or pattern while offering the utility of a ring that gives you a better grip on your iPhone for taking pictures, FaceTiming, and more.
The Phone Holder Ring also doubles as a handy stand for watching videos, and it attaches securely to your phone or phone case using a strong (but removable) adhesive.
Velvet Caviar also offers a selection of other accessories, including screen protectors, stickers, and 4,000mAh battery packs in patterns that match the iPhone cases, which can give your iPhone a little extra juice when you need it.
We have 10 $50 gift cards to the Velvet Caviar website to give away, which can be used to purchase an iPhone case and an accessory like a Phone Ring Holder. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (April 5) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 12. The winners will be chosen randomly on April 12 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Apple Music has surpassed Spotify's paid subscriber count in the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke with The Wall Street Journal. The shift reportedly happened earlier in 2019; Apple had more than 28 million U.S. subscribers in February compared to Spotify's 26 million paid U.S. subscribers.
Similar news broke last summer from an industry source, but now months later the WSJ is corroborating the report. According to the paper, Apple Music has been adding subscribers "more rapidly" than Spotify, with a monthly growth rate of 2.6 to 3 percent, compared to 1.5 to 2 percent for Spotify.
Apple Music is starting to see growth in areas outside the United States as well:
Apple Music is growing faster globally—at a rate of about 2.4% to 2.8%, compared with Spotify’s 2% to 2.3%—and the gap is starting to close in other markets outside the U.S., according to the people familiar with the numbers.
The numbers reported today refer only to paying subscribers and exclude any user on the Apple Music three-month free trial or the Spotify ad-supported subscription tier. If the figures did include the free tiers, Spotify does have many more users overall in the United States.
In February 2018, the WSJpredicted that Apple Music would soon overtake Spotify in the U.S., but thanks to Spotify's numerous bundle offerings with Hulu and Showtime, Spotify remained in the lead for a while longer. Apple Music does offer discounts for families and students, but has yet to partner with another streaming video company to offer a bundle like Spotify.
Apple has become increasingly focused on its services business in recent years, given their high profitability thanks to monthly and/or yearly subscription costs. Apple Music debuted in 2015 at $9.99/month, but the company also offers iCloud storage at various price levels, and just launched Apple News+ at $9.99/month. Later in 2019, users will have a chance to sign up for Apple Arcade and Apple TV+, both of which have not yet been given price points.
The National Post has shared the story of a Canadian accountant who was caught after buying nearly $7 million worth of iPhones and iPads with her company credit card and reselling them to the owner of a small electronics store.
Nadia Minetto, who was as an accounting manager at Mississauga-based software company Wescom Solutions, started buying thousands of Apple products with her company-issued American Express card in 2011. It had been her job to approve business expenses for all employees, so her spending went unnoticed.
Over the next two and a half years, the Ontario Superior Court found that Minetto sold 5,321 iPads and 4,942 iPhones to businessman Gabriel Fung, who in turn sold them at his store Plus One Solutions in the Toronto area and to wholesalers in Hong Kong, turning a profit of just over $1 million.
Fung first met Minetto after responding to her ad for an iPad on Kijiji, a popular Craigslist-like classifieds site in Canada. Their transactions eventually became more elaborate, often involving 10 to 20 devices at a time, ultimately leading to bulk shipments to the address of a virtual business set up by Fung.
The scheme came to an end in July 2014, when consultant Kristine Pacy discovered spending irregularities as Wescom was contemplating becoming a publicly traded company. The court determined that at least $6,831,834 of Wescom's money was misappropriated dating back to May 2009.
Minetto admitted to her actions and, in October 2014, she consented to a judgment in the amount of $6,831,834.17 plus interest. Wescom also won a judgment for more than $5 million against Fung, but he was awarded his cross claim for the same amount against Minetto, potentially reducing his amount owed.
This week, an Ontario appeals court dismissed Fung's appeal over his judgment, potentially bringing the case to an end.
Ember, the company that sells iPhone-connected mugs and thermoses, recently launched a new version of its Ember Ceramic Mug that is now available in a larger, 14oz size for U.S. users only. Like its previous products, the company has also partnered with Apple to sell the temperature regulating smart mug on Apple.com and in Apple stores.
Previously, the only size that the Ceramic Mug was available in was a 10oz option. While we enjoyed the overall quality and usefulness of the Ceramic Mug in our review, this sizing issue was one of the biggest downsides to the product, since it barely left any room for creamer in coffee and often led to spills.
With a bigger capacity these problems should be alleviated, but the 14oz option does come with a steeper price tag of $129.95, compared to the 10oz version at $79.95. The two mugs are identical other than their sizes, and let you set a desired temperature, track caffeine consumption via the Health app, and customize the mug's LED.
The main feature of the Ceramic Mug is that it lets you set a specific drinking temperature for your coffee or tea via the iPhone app. Over the course of a few minutes, the mug will lower its internal temperature to that setting, and then keep your drink at your desired level of warmth while you drink it.
They also both have a one hour battery life on a single charge, but if you place the mugs on the included charging coaster you can keep your drink at the desired temperature all day. The 14oz and 10oz cups are made from stainless steel with a ceramic coating so the mugs themselves are cool to the touch even with hot drinks inside.
Ember also sells a Travel Mug with all of the same temperature-regulating features as the Ceramic Mug, for $149.95. At this time, it appears that the 14oz Ceramic Mug is only available in Black on Ember.com and on Apple.com. On Apple's website, store pickup is available and shipping on the new mug arrives as soon as early next week.
Apple today shared a new "Shot on iPhone XS" video on its YouTube channel that highlights the growing surfing community in Cuba.
Apple says the short film provides "a glimpse into the Cuban surf community and a new era within the island nation" and "explores the humble beginnings of the movement and how interest in surfing is building in the country."
Apple also shared a behind the scenes look at the making of the video:
"Ola Cubana" was shot by Zak Noyle on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max with the aid of the Freefly Movi Cinema Robot smartphone stabilizer, FILMic Pro app, AxisGO waterproof housing, and BeastGrip universal lens adapter and rig system. The video was commissioned by Apple and directed by Nick Woytuk.
Skype has increased the number of users that can be on the same audio or video group call to 50, up from the previous maximum of 25.
The bump up to 50 means bigger team chats and larger conference calls with speakers can take place, while full classes of students can participate in group calls.
The change also means Microsoft's Skype now beats Apple's FaceTime for the number of users that take part in a group call. FaceTime supports a maximum of 32 people.
In addition, Microsoft has made some changes to how larger Skype group calls start. Users now receive a notification to replace the default ringing sound, which is meant to allow every member of a group to receive a quick ping to join the call in a more unobtrusive way.
The audio and video buttons remain available to use in larger groups, so users can still mute their microphones or turn on/off their webcam.
Apple has cut the price of all Apple Music plans in India, in a move apparently aimed at fending off rival streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music, both of which recently launched in the country within the last month.
Apple Music is now being offered for Rs 99 ($1.43) a month, down from the earlier price of Rs 120 ($1.73).
Likewise, a student membership now costs Rs 49 instead of Rs 60, while a family plan has dropped from Rs 190 to Rs 149. Yearly subscriptions meanwhile cost Rs 999 rather than the earlier price of Rs 1,200.
The new price of an Apple Music membership undercuts both Spotify and YouTube Music, whose monthly premium plans start at Rs 119 and Rs 129, respectively.
India is seen as an untapped market for streaming music services, with a population of 1.3 billion people many of whom are only just becoming active internet users.
Home to a thriving and varied multi-lingual music scene, the country already has several local streaming services like JioSaavn and Gaana, but with the big international players making their debut in the country, competition appears to be hotting up.
Vimeo today 
With the launch of macOS 10.15, Apple may be planning to release separate Music and Podcasts apps for the Mac, according to developer Steve Troughton-Smith.
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