Google this week announced that it is shutting down its messaging app Google Allo [iOS Direct Link], and incorporating many of its features into the Messages app on Android smartphones. Google Allo is an expanded messaging app that lets users send GIFs, text from their desktops, and use Smart Reply.
Now, Google says to continue Messages' momentum it has decided to "stop supporting Allo to focus on Messages." Many of Allo's features have already been integrated into Messages, and Allo will continue to work through March 2019. Until then, users will be able to export all existing conversations from the app. Because Google's main Messages app isn't available on iOS, Allo users on iPhone will have to migrate to an alternative texting platform when the service shutters.
Google Allo first launched in September 2016, pitched as the company's "intelligent messaging app," thanks to the inclusion of Google Assistant. Allo is available on iOS and Android smartphones, and offers many features that are comparable to messaging apps like Apple's iMessage and Facebook's WhatsApp.
Best Buy today launched a new Apple savings event, marking down iPhones, MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros, iMacs, iPads, iPad Pros, and some HomeKit devices. There are numerous notable discounts in the sale that include all-time-low prices, so be sure to check out all of the savings in the list below and head to Best Buy before the event ends on December 8 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
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.
Specifically, deals worth keeping an eye out for include the 9.7-inch iPad from earlier in 2018 (32GB, Wi-Fi), which is down to $269.99 today. This isn't quite the lowest price ever, but it is currently the best available online and $10 under the discount found just yesterday at eBay. Best Buy's event also has the first discounts found on the 2018 Mac mini in two configurations and lowest-ever prices on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
At Amazon for a limited time, you can save 15 percent on the $50 App Store and iTunes gift card. With this Gold Box deal, the $50 gift card is marked down to $42.50. This deal will expire around 2:00 p.m. CT, or when it is 100 percent claimed by Amazon shoppers, so be sure to place your order soon if you want to add a bit of iTunes credit to your Apple ID.
Our full Deals Roundup is keeping track of all of the best sales and discount events this holiday season, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often.
The article begins with a story about 46-year-old Texas resident Kevin Foley, who was having trouble breathing normally during a movie. Fortunately, since he was wearing an Apple Watch and participating in the recent Apple Heart Study, he was alerted to signs of an irregular heartbeat and went to the emergency room.
At the hospital, doctors hooked Foley up to an ECG machine and found signs of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke and other potentially fatal complications. Foley spent the next few days in the hospital while doctors worked to return him to a normal sinus heart rhythm and is doing fine now.
"Apple's largest contribution to mankind will be in improving people's health and well-being," Cook boldly proclaimed.
"We have tens of millions of watches on people's wrists, and we have hundreds of millions of phones in people's pockets," said Williams. "There's a huge opportunity to empower people with more information about their health. So this is something we view as not only an opportunity, but a responsibility of ours."
Williams also appeared on CBS This Morning today to talk about the ECG app. The YouTube video can only be streamed in the United States.
The report says a traditional hospital ECG is often referred to as a "12-lead" machine, as its 10 different electrodes provide information on 12 different areas of the heart. The new Apple Watch is the equivalent of only a single-lead device, but research suggests the ECG app is still very accurate.
In a press release, Apple said the accuracy of its ECG app was validated in a clinical trial with around 600 participants. The study found the ECG app on Apple Watch demonstrated 98.3 percent sensitivity in classifying atrial fibrillation:
Rhythm classification from a gold standard 12-lead ECG by a cardiologist was compared to the rhythm classification of a simultaneously collected ECG from the ECG app. The study found the ECG app on Apple Watch demonstrated 98.3 percent sensitivity in classifying AFib and 99.6 percent specificity in classifying sinus rhythm in classifiable recordings. In the study, 87.8 percent of recordings could be classified by the ECG app.
"The FDA has been very rigorous, and they should be," said Williams, referring to the Apple Watch's heart health features.
The article goes on to claim that some cardiologists and other experts have raised concerns that the Apple Watch's ECG feature is "unnecessary for the general population" and "could cause problems," including false positives.
"If everybody with an Apple Watch and an alert from an Apple Watch went to a heart-rhythm doctor that was super comfortable with this, then I think it would be O.K.," said Dr. John Mandrola, a cardiac electrophysiologist. "But there are going to be millions of people going to the doctor that in many cases will be just fine."
Apple responded that no medical test is 100 percent accurate, so some false positives are inevitable, according to the report. Moreover, the Apple Watch will only alert users to a potential heart-related problem if it detects five instances of what it considers a cardiovascular episode, including arrhythmia.
Importantly, in an internal document obtained by MacRumors, Apple cautioned that the ECG app is "not intended to be a diagnostic device or to replace traditional methods of diagnosis," and "should not be used to monitor or track disease state or change medication without first talking to a doctor."
To take an ECG reading from the Apple Watch, users will need to place a finger on the Digital Crown while wearing the watch. The reading is completed in 30 seconds, allowing users to determine whether their hearts are beating in a regular pattern or if there are signs of atrial fibrillation.
Irregular heart rhythm notifications will also be available on Apple Watch Series 1 through Series 4 models in watchOS 5.1.2.
Apple says the setup process for these heart health features will include details about who can use the features, what the features can and cannot do, what results users may get and how to interpret them, and instructions for what to do if users are feeling symptoms that require immediate medical attention.
watchOS 5.1.2 should be available through the Apple Watch app on a paired iPhone around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time as usual. At launch, the ECG app will be limited to the U.S., but Apple is likely working to get regulatory clearance elsewhere.
ConnectSense, one of the first companies to introduce a HomeKit-enabled smart plug, today announced the launch of the Smart Outlet 2, its second-generation HomeKit product.
Like the first Smart Outlet from ConnectSense, the Smart Outlet 2 features two separately controlled outlets that replace a standard set of sockets along with a 2.4A USB port for charging iPhones and iPads.
The Smart Outlet 2 connects to WiFi, so no hub is required. In addition to HomeKit, it also works with Amazon and Google smart home systems.
Each one of the Smart Outlets can be used to control a separate appliance or device, adding on/off functionality through the ConnectSense app, the Home app, and Siri voice commands. With the ConnectSense app, the Smart Outlet 2 also provides details on power consumption and lets you know how long a device has been plugged in.
Through HomeKit, the ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 can be added to scenes alongside other HomeKit products and automations can be created to have devices and appliances come on at a specific time.
ConnectSense's Smart Outlet 2 can be purchased from the ConnectSense website and from Amazon.com for $59 starting today.
Duet Display is an app made by former Apple engineers that allows you to use your iPad as a second screen for your Mac. In this article, we'll explain how it works and the steps you need to follow to get things up and running.
Duet Display is a great way to extend your Mac's desktop and can come in especially handy when you're working away from home and want to broaden your productivity space, but don't have the luxury of a dedicated external monitor.
In earlier versions of macOS, the app was hampered by changes to Apple's operating system that caused its developers no end of problems, but the latest Duet update (v2.0.3.8+) released on December 5 appears to have resolved those issues thanks to the introduction of full hardware acceleration support.
We are excited to announce a breakthrough.
As of macOS 10.14.2+ & duet v2.0.3.8+, Duet Display is now fully hardware accelerated, making the fastest way to turn your iPad into a second display even faster. 100% free update at https://t.co/VxaXUTgXdbpic.twitter.com/FbbuqAGF1E
— Duet Display (@duetdisplay) December 5, 2018
Duet Display is actually one of two apps best known for letting users leverage their iPad as a second screen for their Mac. The other is Luna Display ($79.99), but that app uses another implementation that requires two small dongles to ensure a consistent low-latency connection.
Duet Display on the other hand is a pure software solution and a lot more affordable at $9.99, which is why we've chosen to cover it here.
How to Use Your iPad as a Second Screen for Your Mac
Launch the App Store on your iPhone or iPad and download Duet Display ($9.99).
Open a browser on your Mac, navigate to www.duetdisplay.com and click the Download Mac button at the top of the webpage to download the free Mac client.
Once the Duet client app is downloaded to your Mac, drag it from the Downloads folder to the Applications folder.
Double-click the Duet Mac client to launch it.
Connect your iPhone or iPad to a free USB-A port on your Mac using a Lightning cable. (If you're using a Mac that has the newer USB-C ports, you'll need to use a Lightning to USB-C cable, which Apple sells in 1-meter and 2-meter lengths.)
Launch the Duet app on your iPhone or iPad and wait a moment while it communicates with the Duet Mac client. You should see your Mac's desktop mirrored or extended on your iPad screen once a successful connection is made.
Once you've got things working, it's worth checking out Duet's display options: click the Duet applet in your Mac's menu bar and if you have an iPad connected you'll see a button to enable a touch-sensitive MacBook Pro-style Touch Bar along the bottom of your iPad's screen.
If you click Advanced Settings, you can choose from a number of Display options to scale the output to your iOS device. The pre-defined resolutions allow you to see either larger text or more desktop space, and Duet helpfully recommends which scale to pick based on device model.
Check the box next to Mirror Display if you want to duplicate your Mac's desktop on your iPad rather than extend it. There are also options to enable Retina display mode, increase the framerate from 30 to 60fps, and switch the image quality from Regular to High, all of which require more device energy.
If you click the cog wheel in the Duet menu bar applet, you'll also find some additional settings worth attending to. If your Mac has a dedicated graphics card then you can set Duet to use it exclusively for faster performance, alternatively you can limit it to the integrated graphics for energy efficiency.
There are also menus to enable or reduce transparency on your iOS device display, an option to start Duet at login, and a link to change the Display Arrangement of your screens in System Preferences.
iPad showing as external display in System Preferences
If you get on with Duet Display, there are Air ($19.99 annually) and Pro ($24.99) versions that offer additional features like wireless connectivity and Apple Pencil support, respectively. For more information and support, check out the Duet Display website.
Apple today began the latest promotion for Apple Pay, this one themed around holiday shopping. During the event, you can gain access to special offers from 12 different online stores from December 6 through December 19.
Below we've listed every website and app and their special offers. Of course, to get the offers you'll need to checkout using Apple Pay and a compatible debit or credit card, and these offers are available in the United States only.
Websites
Abercrombie & Fitch - $10 off when you spend $100 or more
Allbirds - Exclusive Galactic Blue shoelaces with Apple Pay purchases
Outdoor Voices - $20 credit when you spend $95 or more
Pier 1 - 10 percent off all Apple Pay purchases with code APPLE10
Smartwool - 15 percent off all Apple Pay purchases with code APPLEPAY15
Uniqlo - $15 off and free shipping when you spend $99 or more with code APPLE
Apps
BJ's Wholesale Club - $10 off when you spend $150 or more in the BJ's Wholesale Club app
Boxed - 15 percent off all apple Pay purchases with code APPLEPAY15
HBX - Free shipping when you spend $50 or more
Houzz - Free shipping on special products in the Houzz app
Saks Fifth Avenue - Free beauty gift with Apple Pay purchases in the Saks app with code SAKSAPL5
Warby Parker - Exclusive collapsible Parker Case with Apple Pay purchases
As it usually does, Apple also reminds shoppers that they can use Apple Pay Cash, this time with the example of chipping in for a friend's holiday gift. The last few Apple Pay promos included partnerships with Panera Bread, Ray-Ban, Postmates, and more.
Apple has announced that watchOS 5.1.2 will be publicly released today and will enable the long-awaited ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 models in the United States. The update will also enable irregular heart rhythm notifications on Apple Watch Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, and Series 4 models.
watchOS 5.1.2 should be available through the Apple Watch app on a paired iPhone around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time as usual.
Apple's COO and Apple Watch team head Jeff Williams:
Apple Watch has helped so many people around the world and we are humbled that it has become such an important part of our customers' lives. With the release of these heart features, Apple Watch takes the next step in empowering people with more information about their health.
Last week, MacRumors was first to report that watchOS 5.1.2 will enable the ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 models, based on an internal Apple Store training document. ECG data will be available in the Health app and exportable via PDF on an iPhone 5s or newer, after updating to iOS 12.1.1 released yesterday.
watchOS 5.1.2 will feature an Apple-designed ECG app that can indicate whether your heart rhythm shows signs of atrial fibrillation, a serious form of irregular heart rhythm, or a normal sinus rhythm. This is possible thanks to new electrodes built into the back crystal and Digital Crown on Series 4 models.
Apple Watch Series 4 is capable of generating an ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram, according to the FDA. Both the ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications are regulated features that have received De Novo classification from the FDA, making them available over the counter.
The ECG app will check heart rhythm every few hours or so, and if there are five consecutive readings that appear to be abnormal, the Apple Watch will alert the user to see a doctor. As for notifications, users will be alerted if an irregular heart rhythm is detected on five checks over a minimum of 65 minutes.
Importantly, in an internal document obtained by MacRumors, Apple cautioned that the ECG app is "not intended to be a diagnostic device or to replace traditional methods of diagnosis," and "should not be used to monitor or track disease state or change medication without first talking to a doctor."
To take an ECG reading from the Apple Watch, users will need to place a finger on the Digital Crown while wearing the watch. The reading is completed in 30 seconds, allowing users to determine whether their hearts are beating in a regular pattern or if there are signs of atrial fibrillation.
Apple says the ECG app's accuracy was validated in a clinical trial of around 600 participants in the United States:
Rhythm classification from a gold standard 12-lead ECG by a cardiologist was compared to the rhythm classification of a simultaneously collected ECG from the ECG app. The study found the ECG app on Apple Watch demonstrated 98.3 percent sensitivity in classifying AFib and 99.6 percent specificity in classifying sinus rhythm in classifiable recordings. In the study, 87.8 percent of recordings could be classified by the ECG app.
Apple is making good on its promise of making the ECG app available by year's end. watchOS 5.1.2 has been in beta testing since November 7, but the ECG app was nowhere to be found during the pre-release period.
Apple says the setup process for these heart health features will include details about who can use the features, what the features can and cannot do, what results users may get and how to interpret them, and instructions for what to do if users are feeling symptoms that require immediate medical attention.
Popular Mac-based photo and image editing software Pixelmator Pro received a significant update today, introducing several new features.
The update includes a wheel-like redesigned Color Balance adjustment option designed to offer a more "fluid and intuitive" way to adjust the color balance of photos. According to the Pixelmator team, the feature was inspired by professional video grading and editing tools.
With the new color adjustment tool, users can add color tint to shadows, midtones, and highlights while also adjusting the brightness and saturation of the colors. Color Balance can also be improved automatically using a new Core ML-powered algorithm.
Today's update also allows users to resize images using scaling algorithms. The Lanczos algorithm, for example, better preserves small details when cutting down on the size of an image, while Nearest Neighbor allows for the resizing of pixel art while keeping the blocky design.
Two new Pixelmator Pro actions for Automator are included as well, as is a new Grain adjustment tool that adds frame-style grain in a "more natural and realistic way."
Pixelmator Pro recently won Apple's Mac App of the Year award for its range of professional level editing tools available at an affordable price.
Pixelmator Pro can be downloaded from the Mac App Store at a $29.99 price until Friday, at which point the cost of the app will go back up to $39.99. [Direct Link]
Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS devices with support for Siri Shortcuts, an iOS 12 feature. Siri Shortcuts for the Apple Store app can be used to create custom voice commands to check product availability or the status of a recent order you've placed.
The Siri Shortcuts can be used without needing to open the Apple Store app, allowing users to get vital information in fewer steps.
When checking the "My Orders" page, there's an "Add to Siri" button that lets you check order status. Similarly, when viewing the in-store pickup options for an item, you can use the "Add to Siri" button to create a custom Siri Shortcut.
According to Apple's Apple Store app release notes, the update also brings delivery support for locations throughout Puerto Rico.
- With Siri Shortcuts, you can create custom voice commands to check product availability or the status of your recent order, without having to open the app. - The addition of new iOS 12 features and capabilities make the app even easier to use. - Delivery now available to locations throughout Puerto Rico.
The Apple Store app, designed to let users get info on Apple products and place orders from iOS devices, can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Verizon is expected to implement support for the eSIM in the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR on December 7, according to an internal employee memo that was shared with MacRumors.
Apple's newest iPhones have supported eSIM functionality since the October release of iOS 12.1, but to use the feature, carriers also needed to add support. At the time iOS 12.1 was released, U.S. carriers that include Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T said that support would not be implemented until later in the year.
AT&T at the time said that there were issues with visual voicemail, while Verizon had to work out some issues that would cause performance problems when its customers activated eSIMs from other carriers.
According to the document seen by MacRumors, Verizon will be implementing dual-SIM support and it will start activating eSIMs on Friday, December 7.
"Verizon will support Dual SIM activations on physical SIMs and eSIMs on select iPhones. Please visit the training portal to learn how to activate," reads the document.
Following today's release of iOS 12.1.1, several additional carriers around the world began rolling out eSIM support, including AT&T in the United States, so it's no surprise that Verizon would will shortly after.
The eSIM, or digital SIM, is a non-physical SIM card slot that pairs with the physical SIM in the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR to enable dual-SIM dual-standby, a feature that lets iPhone users have two phone numbers available at once.
With dual-SIM support, iPhone users are supposed to be able to swap between the two phone numbers readily, alleviating the need for a second phone or SIM swapping for work and travel.
It's not just you: it appears that Siri Shortcuts have not been working properly for some iPhone users since as early as Tuesday.
A small but increasing numbers of users on Twitter and the MacRumors forums claim that they are unable to invoke shortcuts using Siri, including Federico Viticci of MacStories and Rene Ritchie of iMore. The shortcuts still work if executed directly from the Shortcuts app, but not with a Siri voice command.
The issue is not affecting all users, nor is it affecting all apps. Third-party apps appear to be affected more than Apple's apps. It also doesn't appear to be related to today's release of iOS 12.1.1 or Shortcuts version 2.1.2. Your mileage may vary, so leave us a comment in our forums if you are affected.
I’ve been editing an article all day. But yes, none of my Siri shortcuts are working at the moment and this pretty much sucks. https://t.co/uaqfSSzbXp
— Federico Viticci (@viticci) December 5, 2018
Apple seems to be aware and working on a fix.
The tragedy and triumph of Siri triggers being online services… https://t.co/k8c66OgZSX
— Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie) December 5, 2018
As with any cloud-based service interruption, Apple certainly has engineers working on a server-side fix. With the issue now receiving media attention, a fix shouldn't be far away. We'll update this article when it is implemented.
In the meantime, some users have been able to re-record their Siri Shortcuts phrases to get them working again. To do so, open the Shortcuts app, tap on the three dots on a shortcut, tap on the settings toggle icon below Done in the top-right corner, tap on Siri Phrase, and tap Re-Record Phrase.
Update: Apple has implemented a fix, according to Rene Ritchie.
Coinciding with today's release of iOS 12.1.1, additional carriers around the world are enabling eSIM support on the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, allowing for dual-SIM functionality on those devices.
According to Apple's website, the latest carriers supporting the eSIM feature include AT&T in the United States; Rogers and Fido in Canada; 3 in Denmark and Sweden; Orange in Poland and Spain; Telia in Estonia and Finland; Telenor in Norway; Swisscom and Sunrise in Switzerland; Vodafone in Qatar; and select others.
In Asia, the eSIM feature can now be used with 1010, CSL, China Mobile, and SmarTone in Hong Kong; M1 in Singapore; APT in Taiwan; Airtel and Reliance Jio in India; and AIS, dtac, and True Move in Thailand.
It seems that the rollout of eSIM functionality on iPhones is hit or miss at this point, as a MacRumors tipster claims to have set up eSIM with T-Mobile on the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro, while others have had no luck. The ball is definitely rolling, though, so hopefully eSIM support is more widespread by year's end.
The eSIM, or digital SIM, is a non-physical SIM card slot that pairs with the physical SIM card in the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR to enable dual-SIM dual-standby, a feature that lets iPhone users have two phone numbers available at once — useful for travel or both personal and work lines on a single iPhone.
At CES in January, LG debuted a new UltraWide 5K display, the 34WK95U, which just recently launched. We managed to get our hands on one of the new super huge monitors, and we checked it out in our latest YouTube video.
LG's UltraWide 5K display is far from cheap, priced at $1,499, which makes it more expensive than many of Apple's notebooks and the new Mac mini. For that price, it includes a 34-inch Ultrawide 21:9 Nano IPS display, a 5120 x 2160 resolution with a 60Hz refresh date, HDR support, and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
Design wise, the display features a curved base with height and tilt adjustment features, with several ports available on the back. There's a Thunderbolt 3 port, two USB-A ports, a DisplayPort, 2 HDMI ports, a USB Type B port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It supports up to 85W of power delivery, enough to power Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro, and there are a set of 5W speakers at the bottom.
There's a single control button on the display that you'll need to use if you want to adjust features like brightness or speaker volume, with controls not available in macOS.
You can connect LG's UltraWide display to any of Apple's Thunderbolt 3-compatible Macs, including the new MacBook Air, the new Mac mini, and recent MacBook Pro models.
At 34 inches, the UltraWide monitor offers up a huge amount of screen real estate to work with, ideal for photographers, designers, and videographers. The 5K display of the monitor looks great, and while we didn't think it quite matched the crispness of the iMac Pro, we appreciated the extra space.
It's worth noting, however, that at its full 5120 x 2160 resolution spread over 34 inches, everything ends up looking quite tiny, but running at 2560 x 1080 as a Retina display results in content appearing too large. As a result, the best solution is to run at a scaled sweet spot resolution of 3360 x 1417, which gives you ton of screen real estate, and despite the scaling, content still looks good.
Some customers who have purchased the UltraWide 5K Display have run into compatibility issues with the 2018 MacBook Pro models equipped with 560X graphics cards, with an update in the works to fix it. We tested the UltraWide 5K Display with a MacBook Pro model equipped with a 555X graphics card and found similar issues, although Apple has just released macOS 10.14.2 and the release notes mention a fix for what sounds like a similar but not identical issue, so we'll be checking to see if performance improves for us.
The LG 34WK95U UltraWide 5K Display is undoubtedly a gorgeous display, but its high $1,500 price tag means that it's firmly aimed at creative professionals and not for the average consumer. Combine that price tag with the compatibility issues we and others have run into, and it's hard to recommend this display, at least until we're confident Apple and/or LG have the kinks worked out.
What do you think of LG's UltraWide 5K Display? Let us know in the comments.
Note: LG provided MacRumors with 34WK95U UltraWide 5K Display for the purpose of this video, and it was returned following the conclusion of filming. No other compensation was received.
The software update for HomePod is a relatively minor one, adding Siri support for Cantonese and Mandarin in China and a Cantonese dialect in Hong Kong ahead of the HomePod's release in those regions in early 2019. In addition, the LEDs on the top of the HomePod will now illuminate during Group FaceTime calls.
The new HomePod software will be installed automatically on the HomePod upon updating to iOS 12.1.1 on a paired iPhone, but you can also manually update and check your software version by following these instructions.
Shortcuts 2.1.2, a free update on the App Store, features a new "Post to Tumblr" action, iCloud sync improvements, localization improvements, and a long list of bug fixes per Apple's release notes:
Fixed an issue where the screen describing which apps and services are used by a shortcut may not appear when downloading a shortcut
Fixed an issue that caused shortcuts with the Open App or Play Sound actions to fail when Siri is used to run the shortcuts
Fixed an issue where shortcuts with Repeat with Each actions may freeze when they're run from the widget or Library tab
Fixed an issue where the Phone Number action may not understand phone numbers that contain commas (pauses) or have long extension codes
Fixed an issue where the Show Directions action may not work when it's run from the Shortcuts Today View widget on the Lock screen
Fixed an issue where the Add New Reminder action doesn't work when a time or location isn't entered
Fixed an issue where the Send Payment action may not appear to finish when making Apple Pay Cash payments
Fixed an issue where the Ask for Input action's default answer field for dates wouldn’t support 24-hour time
Fixed an issue where the Get Name of Emoji action showed the emoji name in English when the device is set to another language
Fixed an issue where some shortcuts may show an error message when they're run from Search
Fixed an issue where shortcuts may fail to download web pages with long Unicode titles
Fixed an issue where the Run Editorial Workflow action doesn't pass a result
Anker is keeping up the holiday sales today with an all-new Amazon Deal of the Day event that has discounts on the company's popular PowerPort and USB-C products. There are a few other Anker discounts that kicked off today as well that won't expire until the middle of December, and you can find more details about both sales in the lists below.
December 5 Gold Box Flash Sale
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.
Also on Amazon, accessory company Aukey has a few worthwhile discount codes that mark down USB-C wall chargers, headphones, and more. Aukey's wall chargers all have power delivery features that work well for fast charging Apple devices like the new iPhone XS.
In another flash sale, eBay today began its "December Dozen" sale, which will total 12 days of savings with new discounts appearing through December 16. The first day's deal is themed around Apple devices, including $29 off iPhone XS Max (256GB), 30 percent off 9.7-inch iPad (2018, 32GB), and $69 off Apple Watch Series 3.
As with most items on eBay, some of the Apple products on sale today are used and seller refurbished items, like a HomePod for $279.00 sold by VIP Outlet or an Apple Watch Series 2 for $164.99. Of course, many other products are brand new and unopened, like an unlocked iPhone XS Max for $1,220.00 or the latest 9.7-inch iPad for $279.99 (with an included non-Apple Pencil stylus). This price on the 2018 32GB iPad currently beats its $289.99 price tag found at Amazon and B&H Photo.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to keep an eye on all of the latest sales and bargains happening this holiday season.
Apple today updated its websites for China and Hong Kong, confirming that the HomePod will be launching in both territories sometime early next year. Apple added support for Mainland China and Hong Kong in the HomePod software update released as part of iOS 12.1.1 today.
Like other countries, users in China and Hong Kong will be able to buy HomePod in White and Space Gray.
In China the HomePod will cost RMB 2,799, and in Hong Kong it will be priced at HK 2,799. Both of these prices translate to about $358 in US Dollars, which is just over the $350 price of the HomePod in the United States.
The HomePod first launched in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia in February 2018, and then expanded to Canada, France, and Germany in June 2018. This past October, Apple added Spain and Mexico to the list of available countries selling the smart speaker.
Apple today released macOS Mojave 10.14.2, the second update to the macOS Mojave operating system that first launched in September. macOS Mojave 10.14.2 comes three weeks after Apple launched macOS Mojave 10.14.1 with Group FaceTime support and new emoji.
macOS Mojave 10.14.2 can be downloaded by going to the "Software Update" section of System Preferences, a new installation method that was introduced with the Mojave update.
The 10.14.2 update introduces performance improvements and bug fixes for issues that weren't addressed in macOS Mojave 10.14.1. There were no major feature changes discovered during the course of the beta testing period.
macOS Mojave 10.14.2 release notes:
Adds RTT (real-time text) support for Wi-Fi calling.
Adds a menu item to News for opening a story in Safari.
Resolves an issue that may prevent iTunes from playing media to third-party AirPlay speakers.
Enterprise-related:
Allows administrators to enable FileVault via MDM for mobile accounts and users created by MDM.
Allows users to reset their login password at the login window when that password has expired via a password policy.
Resolves an issue that prevents displays from working when connected to MacBook Pro models introduced in 2018, if certain third-party USB graphics devices are also connected.
Apple today released tvOS 12.1.1, the third update to the tvOS 12 operating system designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 12.1.1 comes three weeks after the launch of tvOS 12.1 and two months after the September launch of tvOS 12.
tvOS 12.1.1 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System -> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 12.1.1 automatically.
As a minor 12.x.x update, tvOS 12.1.1 focuses on bug fixes and under-the-hood performance improvements. No major features were found during the tvOS 12.1.1 beta testing period, and Apple does not provide release notes for tvOS updates, so it's not known what specific bug fixes and improvements are included in the new software.
If any additional information on the content of the tvOS 12.1.1 update becomes available, we'll update this post.
tvOS 12.1.1 follows the tvOS 12 update, which introduced support for higher-quality Dolby Atmos sound, zero sign-on, and new aerial screensavers created in collaboration with the International Space Station.
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