MacRumors

Apple today launched its annual Back to School promotion in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and unlike in previous years, the promotion has also gone live simultaneously in many European and Asian countries.

For a limited time, qualifying higher-education students, parents purchasing on behalf of higher-education students, and faculty and staff at both higher-education and K-12 institutions can receive a free or discounted pair of Beats headphones with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad Pro.

Apple is offering the choice of free BeatsX, Solo3 Wireless, or Powerbeats3 Wireless headphones with the purchase of any new MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, iMac Pro, or Mac Pro. As usual, the Mac mini is excluded.

Apple is also offering free BeatsX or Powerbeats3 Wireless with the purchase of any new 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with the option to pay $100 USD or equivalent extra for Solo3 Wireless headphones. Like last year, Apple's sixth-generation iPad and iPad mini 4 models do not qualify for the offer.

The promotion runs until September 25, 2018, and is available through Apple's online store, retail stores, and authorized campus stores, or by calling 1-800-MY-APPLE. Read the terms and conditions for complete details.

Participating countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.

In select countries, student verification via UNiDAYS is required.

Alongside the release of 2018 MacBook Pro models today, Apple has stopped selling the sole 2015 MacBook Pro that remained available for purchase on its online store, marking the end of an era for the notebook.

Until now, Apple continued to sell one 15-inch configuration of the 2015 MacBook Pro for customers who preferred the notebook's wide range of connectivity options, including a pair of Thunderbolt 2 and USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and Apple's break-away MagSafe power connector.

By comparison, the 2016 and later MacBook Pro is equipped solely with two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports, depending on the model, that can deliver power, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA over a single connection. All of Apple's notebooks continue to have 3.5mm headphone jacks as well.

The overall design of the 2015 MacBook Pro was first introduced in 2012, when Apple released its first MacBook Pro models with Retina displays. The notebook had a much slimmer design compared to pre-2012 models, after Apple removed the built-in Ethernet port and CD/DVD optical drive.

With the removal of the 2015 model, the new MacBook Pro lineup is now exclusively Thunderbolt 3 models. Those looking for expanded connectivity without adapters are now limited to the outdated MacBook Air, equipped with Thunderbolt 2, two USB-A ports, an SD card reader, and MagSafe 2.

The 2015 model was also the last MacBook Pro to feature a scissor mechanism keyboard. The lower-profile butterfly mechanism keyboard introduced on the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro has proven problematic for some customers, resulting in Apple launching a service program offering free repairs.

Updated: While supplies last, Apple is still selling the 2015 MacBook Pro on clearance. These remain brand new, unopened models — not refurbished. Thanks to eagle-eyed MacRumors reader Christopher.

Apple today announced the release of 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models with a wide range of new features, including up to six-core eighth-generation Intel Core processors, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, up to 4TB of SSD storage, True Tone displays, Apple T2 chips, quieter third-generation keyboards, and more.

The refresh includes a long-awaited quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Apple has not refreshed its 13-inch MacBook Pro models with standard function keys, which remain dual-core configurations.

15-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights

• 6-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8 GHz
  

• Up to 32GB of DDR4 memory
  

• Powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics with 4GB of video memory in every configuration
  

• Up to 4TB of SSD storage
  

• True Tone display technology
  

• Apple T2 Chip
  

• Touch Bar and Touch ID

13-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights

• Quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz and double the eDRAM
  

• Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics 655 with 128MB of eDRAM
  

• Up to 2TB of SSD storage
  

• True Tone display technology
  

• Apple T2 Chip
  

• Touch Bar and Touch ID

Starting at $1,799 and $2,399 respectively in the United States, Apple says the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar are available today through Apple.com and in select Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers later this week.

The Apple Watch Series 4 expected this fall will feature a new design and a display that's 15 percent larger, according to the latest reports from respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Additional details have yet to emerge, but the Series 4 could mark the first design change introduced in the Apple Watch since its debut three years ago.

Kuo expects the two new Apple Watch models will measure 1.57 inches (39.9mm) and 1.78 inches (45.2mm), compared to the current 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch sizes. Rumors remain unclear on whether the casings themselves will be larger or if a reduction in bezel size will allow for larger OLED displays, but that hasn't stopped designers from sharing their own Series 4 concepts.

Venya Geskin created the above mockups envisioning what a larger display could look like on a new Apple Watch while retaining the existing physical dimensions. In this design, the Series 4 screen adopts rounded corners to align with the reduced bezels and maximize the display area, similar to the display on the iPhone X.

Developer Ryan Jones calculates that the larger screens could provide a 35 and 38 percent larger display area for the 38mm and 42mm models, respectively. Such a change would significantly enhance user interaction with the Force Touch display, allowing for bigger clock faces and virtual buttons, and more space for viewing text, equating to less scrolling. In addition, watchOS 5 promises to bring rich HTML content to Apple Watch devices, so a larger screen would enhance the experience of navigating websites and interacting with them.

According to separate industry sources, there's an outside chance that the upcoming Apple Watch models could use micro-LED screens, which have the potential to be thinner and lighter, with improved color gamut, increased brightness, and support for higher resolutions. If micro-LED is adopted this year, it could potentially free up space for other hardware improvements.

Kuo believes the next Apple Watch will feature improved health monitoring capabilities, including improved heart rate features. The analyst doesn't explain whether these improvements would be based on software or hardware, but some combination of the two is one possibility.

The heart rate sensor in the current Apple Watch uses rapidly flashing green LED lights paired with light‑sensitive photodiodes to continuously monitor heart rate during workouts and Breathe sessions. However, the device switches to infrared light to measure heart rate in the background at intervals that vary, depending on your activity level.

Unlike some smartwatches, currently it's not possible to configure Apple Watch to monitor your heart rate continuously all of the time. Such a feature in the Series 4 would be a welcome addition, but whether it could be battery-efficient without adopting a different sensor array than the current one is unclear.

That said, Kuo also believes that the Apple Watch will feature a higher-capacity battery for better battery life. The adoption of solid state buttons that don't physically click but instead use a Taptic Engine to provide haptic feedback to users could also potentially provide extra room for a larger battery.

Another possibility Apple is said to be testing is an EKG feature that records the electrical activity of the heart using two fingers on either side of the Apple Watch. This would detect electrical changes in the skin caused by the rhythm of the heartbeat – and potentially identify any irregularities.

Whatever comes with Apple Watch Series 4, we should know for certain in just a couple of months. Apple is expected to announce the device at its annual September event, which is typically held during the first or second week of September. What changes are you hoping for in the new Apple Watch? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple is working on updates across its entire product line for the second half of 2018, according to a new investor's note shared this morning by reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, with refreshes expected for iPhone, iPad, Mac mini, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Apple Watch.

Much of what Kuo has to share has been mentioned before, but he provides a nice overview of what we can expect to see this fall along with some interesting new tidbits on Apple's upcoming product lineup.

• iPhone - There are three iPhones in the works, two OLED models in 5.8 and 6.5-inch sizes and one lower-cost LED model that will be available in a 6.1-inch size. All three will feature Face ID and upgraded A12 processors. While the two OLED models will have dual-lens cameras, the lower-cost model will feature a single-lens camera.
• iPad Pro - Apple is working on two new 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models that are equipped with a full-screen design similar to the iPhone X and no Home button, with Apple to replace Touch ID with Face ID.
• Mac mini - Kuo didn't have a lot of information to share on the Mac mini, but he says a processor upgrade is expected. The Mac mini has not been updated for more than 1,300 days, aka over 3 and a half years. It's not clear if additional upgrades will be included, such as a redesigned chassis, but at least some kind of refresh is on the horizon.
• MacBook Pro - Processor upgrades expected.
• MacBook - Processor upgrades expected.
• New Low-Priced Notebook - Kuo believes Apple is designing a new low-priced notebook. He originally said that this would be in the MacBook Air family, but now has changed his mind. Previous rumors have suggested this machine could be a 12-inch MacBook, so Apple may be planning to expand the MacBook lineup with an additional low-cost option to replace the MacBook Air.
• iMac - Kuo says to expect a significant display performance upgrade, but he does not go into detail about what this will entail and we haven't heard additional iMac rumors at this time. He says the iMac, like other Macs, will get a processor refresh.
• Apple Watch - Apple is working on two new Apple Watch models for 2018 that will have bigger displays and enhanced heart rate detection features. The two Apple Watch models will measure in at 1.57 inches (39.9mm) and 1.78 inches (45.2mm), roughly 15 percent bigger than in the current models. Rumors have not been clear on whether the Apple Watch itself will be larger or if the bigger display will come from a reduction in bezels.

Kuo wraps up his note with a prediction that the highly-anticipated AirPods and the AirPower will go into mass production in the third quarter of 2018, suggesting a late fall launch. Apple first announced the AirPower in the fall of 2017, but has reportedly run into some problems with production. Recent rumors have said Apple is aiming for a September launch for the AirPower.

Kuo doesn't provide details on when we might see refreshes to Apple's other product lines, but the company could be planning to launch all of the new products at its annual September event, which is typically held during the first or second week of September.

In the past, Apple has also held separate October events when there is a heavy fall product lineup to unveil, so Macs and iPads could also come in that month.

Sonos today announced that its One, Beam, Playbase, and second-generation Play:5 speakers now support AirPlay 2, as promised.

This marks the first time Sonos speakers have supported AirPlay in general, enabling users to easily stream audio from iTunes on Mac, and virtually any app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, including Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, Hulu, Pandora, and Netflix, to compatible Sonos speakers over Wi-Fi.

AirPlay allows for Siri control of Apple Music or Podcasts playback on compatible Sonos speakers via iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, HomePod, and Apple TV. For example, one could say "Hey Siri, play Beats 1 Radio in the bedroom," after the speaker is named and assigned to a room in Apple's Home app on iOS.

AirPlay 2 in particular enables multi-room audio playback for Sonos speakers paired with other Sonos speakers, HomePod, or Apple TVs. Sonos speakers appear in the AirPlay Picker within apps and Control Center on iOS devices.

Sonos said its older speakers do not support AirPlay 2 on their own due to processor limitations, but in the Sonos app, they can be paired with any of the aforementioned speakers to enable support for Apple's new protocol. An older Playbar paired with a Playbase, for example, works with AirPlay 2.

Sonos initially held out on adding AirPlay compatibility to its speakers in part due to minor latency issues addressed by AirPlay 2.

Apple first enabled AirPlay 2 in iOS 11.4, released in late May. Sonos is the first third-party speaker maker to support the protocol, to be followed by Beoplay, Bang & Olufsen, Denon, Libratone, Marantz, Naim, and others.

AirPlay 2 support is available through a free software update via the Sonos Controller companion app on the App Store.