MacRumors

Apple's new 9.7-inch iPad Pro, widely expected to be announced at the company's "Let Us Loop You In" media event on Monday, will start at $599 and have 32GB and 128GB storage options, according to 9to5Mac.

The base $599 price will apply to the 32GB model with Wi-Fi only, while 128GB and LTE versions will be sold at higher price points. The older iPad Air 2 will reportedly remain in Apple's tablet lineup, likely for $499.

Previous 9.7-inch iPads have had a $499 starting price, meaning the smaller iPad Pro could be Apple's most expensive tablet ever in its size class. However, 32GB base storage would be higher than 16GB for the base iPad Air 2.

The much-rumored 9.7-inch iPad Pro is expected to have many new features compared to the iPad Air lineup, possibly including a Smart Connector, faster A9X chip with up to 4GB of RAM, four speakers, and 12-megapixel rear camera.

MacRumors will be providing live blog and Twitter coverage (@MacRumorsLive) of Apple's media event, which commences on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. A new 4-inch iPhone SE and Apple Watch updates are also expected.

As promised, Ford has announced that its new 2017 Escape will be its first vehicle to support CarPlay and Android Auto through its SYNC 3 Connect platform.

The automaker's best-selling SUV has entered production in Louisville, Kentucky, and sales will begin at U.S. and Canadian dealerships in May 2016.

CarPlay will bring Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, Podcasts, and a number of third-party apps, such as Spotify, to the 2017 Escape's in-dash multimedia system.

The Apple software can be controlled with Siri and your vehicle's built-in controls for convenient access to common iPhone features. iPhone 5 or later is required.

The new Escape also features available driver-assist technology that can "help keep drivers in their lane, maintain a set speed and distance on the highway, and even aid drivers in getting out of a tight parking spot."

Ford announced in January that it would be adding CarPlay and Android Auto to all 2017 vehicles in North America equipped with BlackBerry's QNX-based SYNC 3 platform, starting with the new Escape.

CarPlay and Android Auto will also be available in 2016 Ford vehicles with SYNC 3 as an upgrade later this year.

CarPlay is available in over 100 new 2016 and 2017 models worldwide from Acura, Audi, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Ferrari, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Opel, Porsche, Peugeot, Seat, Škoda, Suzuki, Volkswagen, Volvo, and other carmakers.

CarPlay and Android Auto will also available in select Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep models beginning this year. Toyota, meanwhile, remains one of the largest automakers that has yet to adopt CarPlay, instead choosing SmartDeviceLink, despite being listed as a committed partner on Apple's website since 2014.

Communications chip maker and Apple supplier Broadcom is planning to phase out its Wi-Fi chip business in order to streamline its workforce and product line, according to industry sources in Taiwan (via DigiTimes).

The move follows the company's recent acquisition by Avago Technologies and forms part of a larger strategy to allocate more resources for research and development in the fiber-optic and server sectors, according to the report.

The Wi-Fi chip business is said to yield relatively low gross margins for Broadcom compared to other product lines. Sources cited fierce price wars for mass-market applications such as notebooks, tablets, TVs and smartphones as the reason behind the decision to phase out the company's involvement in the sector.

Broadcom has reportedly almost halved the workforce stationed at its plant in Taipei, while companies such as MediaTek, Realtek Semiconductor and RDA Microelectronics have already received a pull-in of short lead-time orders from Broadcom's customers in the Wi-Fi chip sector.

It's unclear whether the phase out, if confirmed, is a disruption for Apple as it gears up for annual product refreshes across its desktop and mobile devices. Apple currently uses Broadcom chips in its Apple Watch, iPhones and iPads, as well as its line of Macs that support 802.11ac, including the MacBook Air, Retina MacBook Pro, and iMac.

Two years ago, Apple hired two high-level baseband hardware engineers who left their longtime positions at Broadcom to join an engineering team at Cupertino. In 2013, Apple acquired low-power wireless chip provider Passif Semiconductor. The acquisitions were seen as part of a larger strategy by the company to better control the development and production of its core technologies.

Apple is working on building its own cloud infrastructure to reduce its dependence on services like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, according to information shared by Re/code and VentureBeat. A project called "McQueen" is underway at Apple, with a team of employees working to create an in-house cloud storage system.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Apple already has a team working on this; it's known internally as "McQueen," as in Steve. It's unclear if that project will materialize or when. But a source tells Re/code that the codename refers to Apple's intent, sometime in the next few years, to break its reliance on all three outside cloud providers in favor of its own soup-to-nuts infrastructure.

According to VentureBeat, Apple is unhappy with AWS's inability to quickly load photos and videos onto iOS devices, something its own cloud system could fix. Apple executives reportedly believe that creating a full cloud infrastructure could pay for itself within three years. Estimates suggest Apple spends upwards of $1 billion on cloud services each year.

Project McQueen kicked off after a conversation between a Microsoft employee and an Apple employee, the source said. Azure won't be able to handle the growth of Apple's workloads in the future, meaning Apple would have to pay much more in order to help Microsoft cover the cost of expanding Azure's data center infrastructure, the Microsoft person told the Apple person.

Apple is already investing significant money into building new data centers around the world and is said to be planning for data centers in China and Hong Kong. Data centers are in the works in Ireland, Denmark, Reno, and Arizona, plus Apple is expanding its existing data center in Prineville, Oregon. Apple's Arizona data center, located in the former GT Advanced sapphire plant, is positioned as a "command center" for Apple's global data network. Apple has described the Arizona location is "one of the largest investments" the company has made.

While Apple carries out plans to build its own cloud computing service, it will continue to rely on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Apple has long used AWS and Microsoft Azure, while Google Cloud Platform is a new partner that inked a deal with Apple late last year.

VentureBeat cautions Apple's plan to create its own cloud infrastructure is still in the early stages, while Re/code says it is not clear if and when the project could materialize. Apple could abandon the plan and stick with its current providers or instead acquire a cloud infrastructure product in the future.

Should the FBI win its ongoing legal battle with Apple, resulting in the Cupertino company being ordered to unlock the iPhone 5c used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, some Apple engineers may decide not to cooperate with law enforcement.

Apple employees who might be called on to help the FBI are already considering their actions should Apple lose the case, reports The New York Times, following interviews with half a dozen people involved in the development of mobile products and security at Apple.

Apple employees are already discussing what they will do if ordered to help law enforcement authorities. Some say they may balk at the work, while others may even quit their high-paying jobs rather than undermine the security of the software they have already created, according to more than a half-dozen current and former Apple employees.

Accessing the iPhone in question would require Apple to comply with an FBI request for a new version of iOS that would both bypass passcode restrictions on the device and allow the FBI to enter a passcode electronically instead of manually. Apple has said it will take six to ten engineers a period of two to four weeks to develop the new operating system.

Should Apple engineers decide not to develop the software the FBI is requesting, it could significantly delay the FBI's efforts to access the phone and it could result in legal consequences for those involved. As The New York Times points out, developing what Apple calls "GovtOS" would be difficult without the cooperation of key engineers, and Apple employees already have a solid idea who would be called on to help.

They include an engineer who developed software for the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. That engineer previously worked at an aerospace company. Another is a senior quality-assurance engineer who is described as an expert "bug catcher" with experience testing Apple products all the way back to the iPod. A third likely employee specializes in security architecture for the operating systems powering the iPhone, Mac and Apple TV.

If Apple employees refuse to write the code for the software, Apple could potentially face hefty fines for non-compliance.

Apple will face off against the FBI in court next Tuesday, one day after the company's March 21 event that will see the debut of the 4-inch iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Both Apple and the FBI have previously submitted several briefs arguing their sides.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

While the Apple Watch captured an impressive 75.5 percent share of the smartwatch market through its launch quarter last year, market research firm IDC predicts that watchOS will gradually cede market share to competing platforms such as Android Wear, Tizen, and Pebble OS over the next four to five years.

IDC forecasts that the Apple Watch software will capture 49.4 percent market share in 2016, but that figure is expected to drop to 37.6 percent in 2020. IDC expects global shipments of 237.1 million wearable devices in 2020, up from an estimated 110 million in 2016, as the wearable market continues to grow.

The decline in market share will not be indicative of fewer Apple Watch sales, as sales of the wrist-worn device are projected to rise from an estimated 14 million units in 2016 to 31 million in 2020. Comparatively, Apple sold an estimated 11.5 million watches over the final 8 months of 2015, based on combined IDC and Strategy Analytics data.

Instead, the wearable market is expected to become a more competitive landscape. IDC forecasts that Android Wear will remain the second most popular smartwatch platform, with an estimated 6.1 million sales and 21.4 percent market share in 2016 rising to 28.8 million sales and 35 percent market share by 2020.

IDC believes that Chinese smartwatches using real-time operating systems (RTOS) will trail in third place in the smartwatch market with 10.1 percent market share by 2020. Tizen, Android, Linux, and Pebble OS round off the list with estimated 6.6 percent, 5.2 percent, 2.8 percent, and 2.7 percent market shares by 2020.

In a new video from Unbox Therapy, YouTuber Lewis Hilsenteger shares a hands-on look at third-party cases intended to fit both the iPhone 7 and iPhone SE. Assuming they are based on accurate designs, the two "leaked" cases in the video appear to confirm previous rumors about each iPhone, including the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and an iPhone SE form factor that is very similar to that of the iPhone 5 and 5s.

Hilsenteger starts by comparing the supposed iPhone SE case to an iPhone 5, finding that the sixth-generation iPhone generally fits well into the iPhone SE case, with one minor discrepancy in the alignment of the volume buttons on the side of the device. This is most likely due to the expected design tweak on the 4-inch iPhone SE, which is rumored to adopt the curved-edge glass of recent iPhone models rather than the flat glass and sharper chamfered edges of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s.

He then moves on to comparing the iPhone 7 case with one for an iPhone 6s, noticing a "much larger opening" for the smartphone's camera. While an iPhone 6s fits almost perfectly inside the new iPhone 7 case, the cutout fails to align with the camera of the iPhone 6s and extends noticeably farther down.

Current rumors state that a possible dual-camera system would be exclusive to the larger iPhone 7 Plus, and while the cutout on this smaller-screened iPhone 7 is larger than on the current model, it appears more likely designed for a larger single-lens camera than a dual-lens camera. Rumors have been inconsistent about whether the iPhone 7 rear camera will be flush with the rear shell continue to protrude slightly as on current models.

The bottom cutout of the iPhone 7 case also appears to corroborate previous rumors that the next generation of iPhone will cease support for the 3.5mm headphone jack and move onto a universal Lightning cable solution for charging and music playback. Similar to a leaked case image from earlier in the month, the bottom section of the case has cutouts for possible stereo speakers with a Lightning adapter set in between.

When Hilsenteger attempted to place a 3.5mm headphone plug through the speaker cutout while the iPhone 6s was placed in the case, he confirmed it was in fact too slim of an opening to successfully connect the headphones.

Renderings from Feld & Volk, which worked from leaked designs of the iPhone 7, suggested that the iPhone 7 might also be substantially thinner than the iPhone 6s. In Unbox Therapy's video today, however, it appears the current model of iPhone fits snugly into the iPhone 7 leaked case, suggesting any reduction in thickness would be very minor.

Apple is expected to reveal the iPhone 7 during an event in its usual September timeframe, but the 4-inch iPhone SE is expected to be one of the centerpiece devices at the company's March 21 'Let Us Loop You In' spring event. The company today launched a new live events app on the tvOS store to get fans ready for the live streaming event from the new Apple TV on Monday.

A new photo has surfaced on Chinese microblogging service Weibo that appears to confirm the "iPhone SE" name and that it will feature 16GB base storage. The alleged packaging also indicates the new 4-inch iPhone will have NFC, lending credence to multiple rumors claiming the device will support Apple Pay.

The packaging, which could feasibly be photoshopped, also lists a Lightning to USB cable and EarPods in the box, meaning that the device will likely retain a 3.5mm headphone jack as expected. The iPhone SE should also unsurprisingly support LTE on both CDMA and GSM networks around the world.

Multiple sources have claimed the iPhone SE will feature 16GB and 64GB storage options. Our recent Twitter poll (for the iPhone 7) shows that only 2 percent of over 9,000 voters, or roughly 180 people, would prefer a 16GB model, while 45 percent said they would opt for 64GB. 36 percent of voters want at least 128GB storage.Apple is expected to announce the iPhone SE at its "Let Us Loop You In" media event commencing on Monday, March 21 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. The smartphone's design will likely resemble the iPhone 5s, and other features could include A9 and M9 chips, a 12-megapixel rear camera, a slightly larger battery compared to iPhone 5s, VoLTE calling, Bluetooth 4.2, and Live Photos, but no 3D Touch.

iPhone SE could cost between $400 and $500 U.S. without carrier subsidies or financing.

(Thanks, Burak!)

Apple today released a new "Apple Events" app on the tvOS App Store, which will be used to live stream its upcoming "Let Us Loop You In" media event set to take place on March 21 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. This will be the first Apple Event live streamed since the fourth-generation Apple TV was released in October.

Unlike on previous Apple TV models, the Apple Events app must be downloaded from the tvOS App Store on the fourth-generation Apple TV. As usual, second- and third-generation Apple TV users will likely have to wait until the Apple Events app automatically appears on their home screen. No software update is required.

The live stream will also be available on Macs and iOS devices through Apple's event website. iOS 7 or OS X 10.8.5 with Safari 6.0.5 or later is required.

Apple's spring event is expected to see the debut of the 4-inch "iPhone SE," which is rumored to look nearly identical to the iPhone 5s. It will include an A9 processor, an improved camera, and NFC support for use with Apple Pay. The 4-inch iPhone will be Apple's first small screen iPhone since 2013.

Also expected is a new 9.7-inch iPad, which may be branded as an iPad Pro instead of an iPad Air. It is rumored to be adopting features from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, including a four-speaker design, a Smart Connector for connecting accessories, and display improvements for Apple Pencil support. New Apple Watch bands will likely be introduced. Existing bands will be available in new colors and there may be new product lines, like a rumored nylon band and a Space Black Milanese Loop.

MacRumors will provide live coverage of the event, both on MacRumors.com and through the @MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

British microchip designer and major Apple supplier Imagination Technologies announced additional cost cuts this morning, following a significant restructuring program unveiled by the UK firm only last month.

The company, which supplies the PowerVR graphics architecture in Apple's iPhones and iPads, said it would reduce its cost base by an additional £12.5 million ($18 million) by April 2017, on top of the £15 million in cost cuts announced in February. Two hundred staff now face redundancy as a result, adding to the 150 job cuts announced last month.

Tough trading conditions and a slowdown in iPhone shipment growth is said to be behind the decision, after the company posted an operating loss for the year to the end of April.

"This swift and decisive action will put us back on a sound financial footing and will enable us to have the necessary resources to further strengthen our three core businesses," the company's interim chief executive Andrew Heath said in a statement. "The ongoing operational review will identify clearly where we need to focus, building on our current strengths and allocating the right capital to ensure growth and attractive returns."

Imagination Technologies has reported financial difficulties for several years, despite repeated expectations that iPhone sales would boost its revenues. Shares dropped 10 percent last year when the company reported a first-half loss, and nosedived as much as 18 percent when the restructure was announced in February. The company has also put its digital radio business Pure up for sale.

Apple has been a licensee and stakeholder in Imagination Technologies since at least 2008. The two companies have worked closely together over the years, with Apple being a key investor in the graphics firm since it raised its stake to roughly 10 percent in mid-2009. In 2014 Imagination announced an extended licensing agreement with Apple. However, it has been under pressure to reduce its dependence on Apple since at least 2012 because of declining average royalty rates.

Imagination announced the next iteration of its PowerVR Rogue graphics architecture at this year's CES in January. The PowerVR Series7XT Plus builds on the Series7XT GPU used in the iPad Pro, with a focus on improved camera and vision processing capabilities for photography-based applications.

It remains to be seen whether the new chips will appear in Apple's rumored 'iPad Pro' branded 9.7-inch tablet set to launch next week, the iPhone 7 expected this September, or indeed in any other future Apple devices.