Tidal today added support for its Tidal Masters Quality Authenticated audio tier on iOS devices, bringing master quality music to iOS devices for the first time.
Master audio was previously available on Android, but hasn't been available to iPhone and iPad listeners.
Tidal's highest studio quality audio option is limited to certain tracks (Tidal says there are 150,000 of them) and you'll only hear higher fidelity audio if you're using appropriate hardware, aka, a wired connection. Full release notes for the new Tidal update are below:
- HiFi users can now access over 150,000 master-quality tracks - audio as flawless as it sounded in the mastering suite. - CarPlay improvements - Minor bug fixes
Tidal master quality songs are available to those who subscribe to its Tidal HiFi service, which is priced at $19.99 per month. Tidal does offer a 60-day free trial for new subscribers.
Eight months after DirecTV Now raised the prices of all streaming plans by $5/month to stay in line with the market, the company is this week warning customers that it's increasing the prices again, this time by $10/month across the board. The company will reportedly begin implementing this price hike in the next billing cycle for customers, starting in April (via Cord Cutters News).
This means that DirecTV Now's basic "Live a Little" tier will rise from $40/month to $50, "Just Right" will increase from $55/month to $65, "Go Big" will increase from $65/month to $75, and "Gotta Have It" will increase from $75/month to $85. The Spanish language Todo y Más package will also increase from $45/month to $55. There will be no changes to channel availability in these plans.
In addition to all of this, DirecTV Now is introducing two new plans that will be available to new customers signing up for the service, instead of the five previously mentioned plans. These new plans are "DirecTV Now Plus" ($50/month for 40+ channels) and "DirecTV Now Max" ($70/month for 50+ channels). While the new plans include HBO at no additional charge, they are missing a number of channels from the previous plans including ones from Viacom, Discovery, A&E, and AMC.
New customers will only see these two new plans, but it appears that anyone signed up for DirecTV Now on one of the five original plans will be able to keep their subscriptions intact, albeit at a $10 higher monthly price tag.
As a point of comparison, the new DirecTV Now Plus plan priced at $50/month compares directly to the Live a Little plan at its new $50/month cost, but the number of channels available is different. New customers signing up for DirecTV Now Plus will get 40+ channels, while existing customers get 65+ channels for the same $50/month price. This information can be seen on a screenshot of DirecTV Now's price comparison charts (via Reddit).
It was reported in January that DirecTV Now lost as many as 267,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2018, attributed to the closure of several discount bundles that were heavily featured on the service's website, including the popular Apple TV bundle. This month, DirecTV Now gained support for Apple's TV app, allowing users to sync their TV shows watched in DirecTV Now with the Up Next list in the TV app.
Apple today sent out invites for a media event that will be held on Monday, March 25 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park Campus. As with most Apple events, it will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
The event features the tagline "It's Show Time," which is in line with rumors suggesting it will focus on services rather than hardware. Apple is expected to use the event to unveil its rumored Apple News service and a streaming TV service.
The Apple News service will add paid subscription options to Apple News, allowing Apple customers unlimited access to magazines and paywalled content from sites like The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and The New York Times for a $9.99 per month fee.
It's not yet clear which news sites will be included, as Apple is said to be still negotiating financial terms with some news sites. Apple has asked for 50 percent of the revenue from the service. Magazines are on board with the fee, but news sites with independent revenue streams from their own subscribers are reluctant to jump on board.
Apple Event, March 25, 2019. 10am PDT. Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino California.
It’s show time! pic.twitter.com/b0IhYj7GHs
— Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie) March 11, 2019
As for the TV service, Apple is planning an announcement, but an actual launch is months off. Apple has more than two dozen original TV shows in the works, many of which have been cast, that will eventually debut through the streaming service.
Major stars that include Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, and Steve Carell, all of whom have roles in Apple shows, have been invited to attend the event.
There are multiple hardware products that are rumored for a spring launch, but so far, rumors have indicated that these devices will not be announced at the event. Instead, we could see these new products unveiled via press release right around the time of the event.
It's still possible, of course, that the products we're expecting in the spring will see some stage time, despite rumors.
According to an announcement posted on the main Apple website and the Events website, Apple will livestream the "It's Show Time" event on its website and through the events app on the Apple TV.
Following the event, Apple will likely release the iOS 12.2 update that's currently being beta tested in order to make the Apple News subscription service available. Signs of a subscription service have already been spotted in the update, suggesting Apple is planning for a post-event iOS 12.2 release.
Twitter today launched a new app called Twttr, which is designed to let participants in Twitter's Prototype Program beta test new Twitter features on iOS devices.
Accordingly, the first batch of testers who have been accepted to Twitter's Prototype Program are being notified via email over the course of the next few days, and those who were not accepted to the program at this time were added to a wait list.
At launch, the Twttr app is going to focus on testing a new design for conversations, which is aimed at making it easier to follow replies to an initial tweet. Conversations feature a more chat bubble-like shape along with indentation and color coding.
TechCrunch says that in the future, Twitter may use its prototype app to test out additional changes that could be implemented into the main Twitter app in the future.
Not everyone is going to be accepted to the prototype app testing program. A few thousand English and Japanese speakers will be invited, though testers will be able to discuss the changes.
Our prototype app, twttr, launches to the first group of participants today. #LetsHaveAConvo about new features to build a better Twitter together.
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) March 11, 2019
The Twttr prototype testing app is being distributed through Apple's TestFlight beta program.
Taika Watiti, known for his work on "Thor: Ragnarok," will direct Apple's adaptation of Terry Gilliam's 1981 fantasy television series "Time Bandits," reports Variety.
Apple acquired the rights to the "Time Bandits" series back in the summer of 2018. The original show featured the story of an imaginative 11-year-old boy named Kevin who was sucked into a fantastical adventure with a band of dwarves during the Napoleonic Wars in Italy.
Kevin and the band of dwarves travel through time using a magical map, visiting ancient Greece, the Titanic, and more, all while fighting off an evil being intent on stealing the time travel map.
The original film starred John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Kenny Baker, David Warner, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Jim Broadbent, and others.
In addition to "Thor: Ragnarok," Waititi is known for his work on "What We Do in the Shadows" and "Hunt for the Wilderpeople." He is also directing a "What We Do in the Shadows" television series for FX.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming iOS 12.2 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the fourth beta of iOS 12.2 and more than a month after the release of iOS 12.1.4.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.2 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.
iOS 12.2 expands Apple News to Canada for the first time, with Canadian iPhone and iPad users able to read news stories in English, French, or both. Apple says that during the beta, content will be more limited than it will be when the update is released.
There are four new Animoji included the iOS 12.2 beta, including a boar, a shark, a giraffe, and an owl. Animoji can be used within the Messages and FaceTime apps.
The software introduces support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on third-party TVs in light of recent AirPlay 2 announcements, with a new option for limiting TV access joining the speaker access option in the Home app. There's also a redesigned TV remote in Control Center, and when paired with tvOS 12.2, you can ask Siri to play specific TV shows, movies, and music on your HomeKit devices like the Apple TV.
For some AT&T users, there's a new "5G E" icon for the cellular signal, replacing the standard LTE icon. This is a bit misleading of AT&T, because the iPhone does not support 5G, nor is the network AT&T calls 5G E actual 5G. Instead, it's an upgraded version of LTE, with more info available here.
The Wallet app's interface has been streamlined and tweaked, there's a new interface for Apple Pay Cash, and the Downtime feature in Screen Time now allows you to customize by day. Apple has also made minor changes to some icons (including Apple News, AirPlay, and Remote in Control Center) and has introduced new Safari features, with a full list of changes introduced throughout the beta testing period available in our iOS 12.2 tidbits post.
Apple is improving Safari's privacy in iOS 12.2 through a new Motion & Orientation toggle located under Settings > Safari > Privacy >Security, which is disabled by default. The setting needs to be enabled on to allow websites to display content that relies on motion data from the accelerometer and gyroscope in the iPhone and iPad.
iOS 12.2 confirms that Apple is planning to release second-generation AirPods with "Hey Siri" support, thanks to a hidden "Hey Siri" AirPods setup screen in the beta. The inclusion of the AirPods setup option in the beta indicates that Apple could perhaps be planning to release new AirPods when iOS 12.2 is released.
The update also features hints of an upcoming Apple News subscription service, which could see a Texture-like magazine service added to Apple News. The Apple News subscription service is expected to be introduced at an upcoming March 25 event, and we could see iOS 12.2 released shortly afterwards.
What's new in iOS 12.2 beta 5: In iOS 12.2, when setting up a new Apple Watch, Apple is using location to make sure the ECG feature is available in a particular region, suggesting the company may be planning to geofence ECG functionality and limit it to the United States.
This would potentially prevent customers who purchased a U.S. Apple Watch but live in another country from using the ECG feature. Location is verified via SIM card and can't be bypassed during Apple Watch setup. 9to5Mac says there are also hints of upcoming changes to Wallet to support the integration of a new Goldman Sachs credit card and indications that work on AirPower is continuing.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.4 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the fourth macOS Mojave 10.14.4 beta and almost two months after releasing macOS Mojave 10.14.3.
The new macOS Mojave 10.14.4 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center.
macOS Mojave 10.14.4 brings Apple News to Canada for the first time, allowing Canadian Mac users to access news stories in French, English, or both.
The update also includes support for Safari AutoFill using Touch ID and automatic dark mode themes in Safari. That means if you have Dark Mode enabled, when you visit a website that has an option for a dark theme, it will be activated automatically. You can see a demo of the feature here.
macOS Mojave 10.14.4 will likely be in beta testing for the next several weeks as Apple refines features and works out bugs. After that, it will see a release alongside iOS 12.2, watchOS 5.2, and tvOS 12.2.
Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software update.
To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.
The watchOS 5.2 update introduces a set of new Hermès watch faces. The watch faces are available in pink and blue, and feature a gradient-style design that changes much like other Hermès watch faces. There are customizable numbers and an option for a single complication.
There were no other major changes discovered in watchOS with the release of the first four, but we'll update this post should we find new features or major tweaks worth noting in the fifth. We may not know the full extent of the changes in watchOS 5.2 until we get a public release with Apple's release notes.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.2 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the fourth beta and more than a month after releasing the tvOS 12.1.2 update.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.2 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode. Once the initial beta has been downloaded, subsequent betas can be installed over the air.
tvOS 12.2, paired with iOS 12.2, lets users ask Siri to play specific media on an Apple TV from an iOS device. You can, for example, ask Siri to play Modern Family on the TV in the living room, or Pitch Perfect on the TV in the bedroom. This works for music and TV shows, and movies.
No other new features were discovered in the tvOS 12.2 beta as of yet, and it can be difficult to determine what's new because Apple does not provide release notes for tvOS betas or releases. If additional features are discovered in tvOS 12.2, we'll update this post.
There are a few Apple-related deals and offers going on today, with the chance to save on the 2017 MacBook Pro, a refurbished iPhone 7, and Apple's official Leather Folio case for the iPhone X.
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 with all of B&H Photo's Deal Zone sales, you only have today, March 11, to take advantage of the discount. Head to B&H Photo to check out more information on the MacBook Pro, and if you're interested place your order before the deal expires tonight.
Refurbished iPhone 7
In another flash sale, you can purchase a refurbished and unlocked iPhone 7 for as low as $219.99 today only. The device is sold by Woot, and the Black and Rose Gold iPhone 7 models are available, with storage capacities including 32GB ($219.99) and 128GB ($259.99). Woot also sells a GSM/CDMA unlocked version of the 128GB iPhone 7 for $259.99.
Woot's deal on the 32GB iPhone 7 is about $160 off from the price of a refurbished model sold by Apple, while the 128GB iPhone 7 is about $210 below the price of Apple's refurbished store. Woot promises that each refurbished device has been restored to full working order and may come with minor cosmetic blemishes and surface scratches on the display, but nothing that will impair the use of the device.
Leather Folio for iPhone X
At Amazon, you can get an Apple Leather Folio case for the iPhone X for over 50 percent off in a new limited-time sale. Below you can find each case discounted in today's sale:
For a limited time, Amazon is currently discounting a collection of Twelve South's accessories to new low prices. Alternatively, our readers can buy directly through Twelve South with the MacRumors exclusive promo code SPRINGBREAKRUMOR, offering a 20 percent discount on six of the company's most useful travel accessories, which will be perfect additions to any Spring Break trip or vacation planned for later this summer.
Note: MacRumors is affiliate partners with Amazon and Twelve South. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Those interested can visit TwelveSouth.com and browse the six items listed below, add one or more to your cart, and enter the promo code SPRINGBREAKRUMOR during the checkout process to take 20 percent off your order. The code is live beginning today, March 11, and will be available to use through Sunday, March 24 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
MacRumors readers around the globe will be able to enter the code and take advantage of the discounts, but shipping costs will vary by regions. For United States residents, Twelve South offers free FedEx Smart Post on all orders (5-10 days estimate), and if your order exceeds $95 you'll gain free 2-day shipping.
The products can be purchased individually or in groups, and the 20 percent discount will be taken off from the total of the order, excluding shipping. Also note that you won't be able to combine our exclusive promo code with any other offers on Twelve South's website. Below you'll find the full list of Twelve South products offered as a discount exclusively for our readers.
AirFly
Promo Price:$32.00, down from $39.99 Colors: White Compatible Products: AirPods, most Bluetooth headphones Description: AirFly connects to wired headphone jacks and transmits audio wirelessly to your AirPods, perfect for watching movies on in-flight entertainment systems or syncing to TV audio in a gym.
AirSnap
Promo Price:$24.00, down from $29.99 Amazon Price:$19.99 (Black), down from $29.99 Colors: Cognac, Deep Teal, and Black Compatible Products: AirPods Description: AirSnap protects your AirPods charging case in a full-grain leather case, incorporating a bottom cutout for Lightning charging and a secure snap closure to keep the AirPods secure while traveling.
PlugBug Duo
Promo Price:$40.00, down from $49.99 Amazon Price:$30.01, down from $49.99 Colors: Red Compatible Products: All Apple USB-C, MagSafe 2, and MagSafe Power Adapters Description: The upgraded PlugBug Duo supports global charging for your MacBook (in over 150 countries with 5 included adapters), and adds two USB-A charging ports that results in an easy all-in-one charging solution perfect for those traveling out of the country this season.
RelaxedLeather for iPhone
Promo Price:$32.00 - $40.00, down from $39.99 - $49.99 Amazon Price:as low as $29.99 Colors: Black, Marsala, Earl Grey, Indigo, Deep Teal, Cognac, Dried Herb, and Warm Taupe Compatible Products: iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus Description: The RelaxedLeather Case will protect your iPhone from drops and spills on any trip, and if you opt for the version with pockets you can store your driver's license or a few credit cards right within the case.
Journal CaddySack
Promo Price:$72.00, down from $89.99 Colors: Leather brown Compatible Products: Charging accessories for Mac, iPhone, and iPad Description: Twelve South's Journal CaddySack provides a neat and organized location to pack all of your Lightning cables, USB-C adapters, Apple Pencil, charging bricks, Apple Watch Bands, and more when you're traveling.
TimePorter
Promo Price:$40.00, down from $49.99 Colors: Black Compatible Products: Apple Watch Description: TimePorter offers a travel solution for your Apple Watch accessories, built with a compartment that holds your charging cable, an extra band, and USB charging brick, all within an accessory that's about the size of an eyeglasses case. As a bonus, you can pass through the Apple Watch inductive charging puck and sit your Apple Watch on top of the TimePorter to charge it.
Head over to our Deals Roundup for even more of the latest offers happening this week, and remember to use the exclusive Twelve South promo code before it expires on March 24.
AirPlay 2 integration is expected to arrive in the form of a Roku OS software update for Roku media players, but it's unclear if all models will be supported. AirPlay 2 will also be supported by Roku-based smart TVs, available from brands such as TCL, Sharp, Hisense, Hitachi, Sanyo, and RCA.
Back in January, Apple announced that select AirPlay 2-enabled smart TVs are coming from leading brands such as Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony. AirPlay 2 support on Roku will greatly expand Apple's wireless streaming protocol to virtually any smart TV with a Roku player plugged into the HDMI port.
AirPlay 2 will enable Roku users to stream video, audio, photos, and other content directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to their smart TVs.
Apple and Roku are negotiating a launch date and marketing surrounding AirPlay 2. Roku has yet to publicly confirm the plans, with a spokesperson earlier indicating that "we don't have anything to share regarding this now."
Feral Interactive today revealed that The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame will be available for players to purchase on macOS starting this Thursday, March 14.
The game is an adaptation of The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, which released in theaters last month. The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame has been available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows since late February, developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
Similar to the original The Lego Movie Videogame, the sequel follows the plot of the second film and tasks players with navigating levels like a post-apocalyptic Bricksburg, following the alien invasion at the end of the first movie, as well as the all-new Systar System. The game features over 100 playable characters from both films, including Emmet, Lucy, Batman, Benny, General Mayhem, and Rex Dangervest.
Feral confirmed that The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame will be supported on the following Macs:
All 13-inch MacBook Pros released since 2016
All 15-inch MacBook Pros released since Mid 2012 with a 1GB graphics card or better
All MacBook Airs released since 2018
All Mac minis released since late 2018
All 21.5-inch iMacs released since Late 2013 with a 2.3GHz processor or better
All 27-inch iMacs released since Late 2013
Late 2012 models with an Nvidia 675 or Nvidia 680 graphics card are also supported
The company also noted that a few older Macs will be able to run the game, but won't consistently meet the standards required for official support. These include:
Apple Pay's latest promotion offers up to $2 off a future order at Panera Bread, when you place your first order in the Panera Bread app with Apple Pay. To receive the offer, you'll have to download the Panera Bread app, sign up for the MyPanera membership program, and place your first order with Apple Pay.
Once you do this, you'll receive your reward of up to $2 off a future order through your MyPanera member profile. This promotion starts today, March 11, and extends through Sunday, March 24. Apple notes that only one reward is available per customer and that the reward is valid for 14 days from the date of issuance.
The Apple Pay promo this week is themed around starting a new work week, and encourages users to use Apple Pay in apps like Uber for traveling to work, The New York Times to stay informed, and ClassPass for working out.
Version 15 of Ulysses was released today, bringing some notable new features to the popular Mac and iOS app for writers.
On Mac, users now edit two texts simultaneously in a split editing window, with options to display the two texts next to or on top of each other and switch the editors around.
The currently active editor remains highlighted to make it easy to recognize, while both sheets retain their individual zoom settings.
The developers have also added new shortcuts to allow for fast switching between (Command-Option-Left/Right) and simultaneous scrolling (holding Option) of the two editors, making it easier for writers to refer to their research while writing, for example.
Ulysses 15 also brings new search and management features to keywords, with a new way to search for keywords in the sheets panel.
There's also a new Keywords Manager lets users edit all keywords in one spot, with options to change colors, rename, merge or delete them.
Elsewhere, users can now set pre-defined image sizes that apply during export, and Ulysses is now able to display previews of web images inside the editor (i.e., images that are referenced with a URL). Web images are now also supported when exporting to PDF, DOCX, or ePub.
In addition, Ulysses for Mac, iPhone and iPad now includes an option to turn on a dark mode for the export preview, enabling users to view what a final ebook, PDF document or blog post will look like without being blinded by a contrasting white screen.
Ulysses can be downloaded for free on the App Store and the Mac App Store. After a 14-day trial period, a subscription is required to unlock the app on all devices. A monthly subscription costs $4.99, while a yearly subscription is $39.99. Students can use Ulysses at a discounted price of $11.99 per six months. The discount is granted from within the app.
Apple today sent out emails letting App Store and iTunes users know about a new promotion that offers a 10 percent bonus when adding funds to an Apple ID account.
When you add money directly to your Apple ID from a credit or debit card for making App Store, iTunes, and iCloud purchases, Apple is adding bonus credit.
Apple says the offer is valid on amounts ranging from $1.00 to $200, so customers who add the maximum $200 in funds to their Apple IDs will receive a total of $220 with the bonus ($20 free).
Funds can be added to your Apple ID account by opening up the Settings app, tapping on your account name, selecting the iTunes and App Store option, choosing your Apple ID, and then selecting "Add Funds to Apple ID."
From there, you can see the promotional bonuses available and choose the amount of money you want to add to your account. You can also get to these options in the iTunes Store by tapping on your Apple ID or in the App Store by scrolling to the bottom (or tapping your profile picture) and selecting the Add Funds option. To use this feature, you will need to have a valid payment method added to your Apple ID account.
The promotion will be available from March 10 through March 14 in the United States, and it is also available in other countries as well, such as Germany, where Apple is offering a 15 percent bonus. No bonus funds are available in the UK, Australia, or Canada, however.
Apple this afternoon shared several new videos that are part of its ongoing iPhone tips series called "iPhone Can Do What?" that was launched earlier this week.
The new videos cover getting help on Apple products using the Apple Support app, unlocking the iPhone with Face ID, accessing boarding passes in the Wallet app, and choosing a new key frame in a Live Photo. There's also a video highlighting the fact that Apple's iPhones are water resistant, which pertains to the iPhone 7 and later.
Each video's description links to Apple's full iPhone tips website, which includes additional short tutorial videos and tips on available iPhone features.
The seventh-generation iPad that Apple is planning to release alongside an updated iPad mini 5 will continue to use the same housing as the sixth-generation iPad, according to Japanese site Mac Otakara.
Prior rumors have suggested the device will feature a 10.2-inch display rather than a 9.7-inch display, but Mac Otakara says that it is hearing mixed rumors from suppliers. One supplier said that the display is "10 inches" but another said that the display size has not been changed.
Regardless of display size, the tablet is expected to continue to use a Touch ID fingerprint sensor rather than transitioning to Face ID like the iPad Pro models, and it will also still have a headphone jack.
Apple is expected to introduce both the updated seventh-generation iPad and a refreshed iPad mini at some point in the spring, perhaps right around the time of its March 25 event. Rumors have said the event will focus on software rather than hardware, but updates could be announced via press release shortly afterwards.
Mac Otakara says that it's likely both new iPads will debut at the same time, but the site did not provide any prospective launch timelines beyond mentioning that suppliers are preparing for a launch. Apple's current sixth-generation iPad sells for $329, and the new model is expected to be available at the same price point.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
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.
Note: MacRumors is affiliate partners with Amazon and Twelve South. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
