YouTube today announced that it is increasing the price of the YouTube TV service, with the cost set to go from $65 to $73 starting today. New members will need to pay $73/month for the streaming service starting now, while prices will increase for existing members on April 18.
According to YouTube, the price is increasing because "content costs have risen" and it needs to charge more to "bring you the best possible TV service."
With the price change, YouTube is also dropping the cost of the 4K content add-on. While it used to cost $19.99 per month, it is now $9.99 per month, so those who were subscribed to YouTube TV with the 4K add-on will actually see a small price decrease. YouTube TV with 4K will cost $83 instead of $85.
YouTube TV is a live TV service that has been around since 2017. When it first launched, YouTube TV was priced at $35, so costs have more than doubled over the last six years. YouTube TV allows up to six people in the same household to use the service, and it includes unlimited cloud DVR storage.
There are more than 100 channels available, with add-on subscriptions for premium networks like HBO Max and STARZ.
Apple appears to be working on some kind of natural language update for Siri on the Apple TV along with interface changes to the macOS TV app, according to details 9to5Mac located in the latest tvOS 16.4 and macOS Ventura 13.3 betas.
Information sourced from the tvOS 16.4 beta suggests that Apple has developed a "Siri Natural Language Generation" framework, presumably to enhance the personal assistant's natural language capabilities. According to 9to5Mac, Apple is using natural language generation for telling jokes with Siri, but as that functionality is on the iPhone and other devices, it is not quite clear what's changed. As 9to5Mac explains:
In the latest tvOS 16.4 beta, Apple has enabled a new framework for "Siri Natural Language Generation" capabilities. As it currently stands, Apple is only using natural language generation for telling jokes with Siri on Apple TV. The company is experimenting with how language generation could be used for timers, as well.
The updated natural language generation framework seems to be limited to tvOS 16.4 and little is known about it at this time, but 9to5Mac suggests that similar (and not activated) code is included in iOS, HomePod OS, iPadOS, and macOS, so whatever Siri features Apple is working on could also come to all devices in the future.
There is no indication that any natural language enhancement for Siri is an attempt by Apple to compete with Google, Microsoft, and others on AI-enhanced chatbots, but it seems that Apple may have some kind of plan to boost Siri's capabilities starting with tvOS 16.4.
Separately, a hidden version of the Apple TV app for Mac in the latest macOS Ventura 13.3 beta demonstrates a new design. There is an added sidebar for navigation, which brings the Apple TV app for Mac in line with the version for the iPad.
The sidebar brings easier access to various TV app functions, including Apple TV+, Watch Now, the Library, purchasable TV shows and movies, and more. Aside from the sidebar, the interface looks similar to the current TV app.
It's worth noting that the updated version of the TV app is not implemented in the current macOS 13.3 beta, so it could be added in a future beta or Apple could save it for a later software update.
The official NBA app for the iPhone was updated last week with support for Live Activities, allowing live scores of games to be viewed at a glance.
Live Activities is an iOS 16 feature that makes it easier to stay on top of real-time events, such as a sports game or a food delivery order. During an NBA game, a banner on the iPhone's Lock Screen shows the live score, quarter, time remaining, and other relevant information. The score is also shown in the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models.
Apple's TV app already offered Live Activities support for NBA games, and now the functionality is available via the NBA app. The official MLB app was also updated with Live Activities support earlier this month, and it was announced last week that the NCAA March Madness app would be adding support for the feature as well. Other apps like Sports Alerts offer Live Activities integration for multiple sports leagues.
The Dynamic Island is rumored to expand to the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models later this year. Users can long press the Dynamic Island to open an expanded view with additional information for Live Activities.
Nomad today has kicked off a new springtime Overstock Sale, clearing out iPhone 14 cases, AirPods cases, Apple Watch bands, iPad cases, and much more. All items in the Overstock Sale represent final sale items and can not be returned or exchanged.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The sale is mainly focused on cases for iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12, and more. You'll find larger discounts for the older model iPhones, and around 10 percent to 20 percent off for the iPhone 14. We've rounded up these below, along with Apple Watch bands, iPad Pro cases and folios, and AirPods cases.
The Biden administration is reportedly demanding that TikTok's Chinese owners sell their stake in the short-form video sharing app or it could face a possible U.S. ban.
First reported by The Wall Street Journal, the demand is said to have come from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., a multiagency federal task force that oversees national-security risks in cross-border investments.
It is the latest move in a crackdown on the ByteDance-owned app, which has already been the target of government restrictions. In February, the Biden administration ordered federal agencies to remove TikTok from government devices, and dozens of state governments have since passed similar bans on the app.
TikTok has been in the cross-hairs of U.S. regulators for years, going back to the Trump administration's failed attempt to bar the app from U.S. app stores in September 2020. Concerns over the app have heightened in recent months after both Republicans and Democrats called for officials to impose stricter data collection restrictions or ban the app from the U.S. entirely.
In August 2022, ByteDance submitted a plan detailing how it plans to prevent the Chinese government from having access to data on U.S. users, and how it will offer the U.S. government oversight of the platform. However, discussions between TikTok and Washington on the issue have reportedly stalled.
In related developments, TikTok is set to be banned on phones used by British government ministers and civil servants, following a review by the U.K.'s National Cyber Security Center. Canada, Belgium, and the European Commission have already barred the app from government phones.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News 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.
Apple supplier Foxconn has won an order to make AirPods for the first time, reports Reuters.
The Taiwanese contract manufacturer plans to build a factory in India to produce the earphones, underlining efforts by the key Apple supplier to diversify production away from China.
According to the report's sources, Foxconn will invest more than $200 million in a new AirPods assembly plant in the southern Indian state of Telangana.
Construction of the facility is expected to start in the second half of this year and begin production by the end of 2024 at the earliest.
Foxconn officials are said to have debated internally for months about whether to assemble AirPods, due to the relatively low profit margins, but they ultimately decided to go ahead with the deal to "reinforce engagement" with Apple.
The decision to set up production in India was requested by Apple, according to one of the report's sources. Besides the Telangana facility, Foxconn reportedly plans to ramp up its investment in India with a view to manufacturing smartphones, EVs, and semiconductors.
It's not clear which model(s) of AirPods are included in Foxconn's order, but there's a high chance they will include a USB-C connector instead of a Lightning connector, as Apple is rumored to be planning to introduce iPhone 15 models with a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port in 2023.
U.S. carrier T-Mobile today announced that it plans to acquire Mint Mobile, the affordable smartphone brand that is promoted by and backed by actor Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds and T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert teamed up for a video letting customers know about the coming acquisition.
The deal is for Ka'ena Corporation, the parent company of Mint Mobile, Ultra Mobile, and Plum, with T-Mobile paying up to $1.35 billion, split into 39 percent cash and 61 percent stock. The final purchase price will be settled later this year after the deal closes.
T-Mobile plans to continue Mint Mobile's $15 per month pricing option, which provides 4GB of high-speed 4G or 5G data along with unlimited text and talk. T-Mobile is purchasing Mint Mobile's sales, marketing, digital, and service operations, and says that it will use the T-Mobile supplier relationships and distribution scale to help Mint Mobile grow.
Mint Mobile's "industry leading" marketing expertise will be incorporated into T-Mobile's portfolio to reach new customer segments and geographies, with Reynolds staying on in his creative role.
"Mint has built an incredibly successful digital direct-to-consumer business that continues to deliver for customers on the Un-carrier's leading 5G network and now we are excited to use our scale and owners' economics to help supercharge it - and Ultra Mobile - into the future," said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. "Over the long-term, we'll also benefit from applying the marketing formula Mint has become famous for across more parts of T-Mobile. We think customers are really going to win with a more competitive and expansive Mint and Ultra."
"Mint Mobile is the best deal in wireless and today's news only enhances our ability to deliver for our customers. We are so happy T-Mobile beat out an aggressive last-minute bid from my mom Tammy Reynolds as we believe the excellence of their 5G network will provide a better strategic fit than my mom's slightly-above-average mahjong skills. I am so proud of the entire Mint team and so excited for what's to come," said Ryan Reynolds.
T-Mobile's Mint Mobile acquisition will be its second major mobile purchase following its 2020 merger with Sprint.
The third season of popular comedy series "Ted Lasso" is now available to watch on Apple TV+ for those who are subscribed to Apple's streaming service. Season three could be the final season of the show, which tells the story of an American football coach who moves to the UK to oversee the AFC Richmond football club.
"Ted Lasso" is one of Apple's most popular shows, and the first two seasons have been widely praised. Actor Jason Sudeikis, who plays Ted Lasso, has won a Golden Globe for his performance, while the show itself won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series.
In the third season, Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond will face off against West Ham United, where former AFC Richmond assistant coach Nate Shelley has defected. AFC Richmond must prove that it won't come in dead last in the Premier League, contrary to media speculation.
Apple is heavily promoting the third season of "Ted Lasso," partnering with Nike for a whole range of AFC Richmond jerseys, hoodies, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. There's also a promotional "Biscuits with the Boss" Ted Lasso ice cream flavor available from Jeni's, which features shortbread cookie pieces in a sweet cream base. The official Ted Lasso store also sells everything from hats and shirts to phone cases, dartboards, and socks. There's even a Ted Lasso Monopoly game available for preorder.
The first episode of season three is available starting today, with the second episode set to come out on March 22. Apple will be releasing one episode per week, and the season features 12 total episodes.
Sudeikis in early March told media news site Deadline that season three marks the "end of the story" of Ted Lasso, but there is potential for a spinoff. Apple has not confirmed that the show is ending after the third season.
Alongside the fourth macOS Ventura 13.3 beta that came out today, Apple has provided a new beta of the 16.4 firmware that's designed for the Studio Display. The beta comes a week after the third Studio Display 16.4 beta.
All Studio Display models are able to receive over-the-air firmware updates, but this firmware update is limited to Macs that are running the macOS Ventura 13.3 beta at the current time. Studio Display owners running macOS Ventura 13.3 can go to System Settings > Software Update to install the firmware.
Apple has not provided details on what's included in the firmware update.
Designer Philip Lee, known for creating a range of fun Mac-themed desktop toys, has launched a new stationery product called Trashbot 2.0. The Trashbot set features a collection of desk accessories that are fashioned to look like the Classic Mac OS from the 1980s.
There's a whiteboard that looks like a Mac desktop, a Trashbot figure that is designed to hold pens, a 200 page Memo Pad, an Error Bot figure, and three desktop icons with magnetic backs that look like the old Mail, Folder, and Disk icons. The little magnetic icons can be attached to the whiteboard to hold notes from the Memo Pad.
The Mail, Folder, and Disk icons feature a display stand with metallic name tag, as do the Trashbot and Error Bot.
The Trashbot 2.0 Stationery Set can be purchased from the Classicbot website for $46, and there are a limited number of the desk accessories in stock.
Since the release of iOS 15 in 2021, Apple Maps has been rolling out a more detailed map with custom-designed landmarks in major cities around the world. The new "Detailed City Experience" is now available in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, and several other cities, with more to come.
Montréal-based developers André Baev and Simon Gardinier recently released a new Landmarks app with a collection of over 300 of these 3D landmarks, ranging from the Royal Opera House in London to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The app is available on the App Store for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, and requires a device with an A12 chip or M1 chip and newer to properly display the 3D landmarks in full color and detail.
Each landmark has an immersive animated landscape that you can interact with, and there is a toggle for viewing them in Light or Dark mode. The landmarks are organized by city and the app will be regularly updated with new models as they become available. The app is free to use and has no ads, but there is an optional gyroscope feature that can be unlocked for as little as $0.29 for users who wish to support the developers.
Apple periodically updates a list of locations where the Detailed City Experience is available on its iOS feature availability page.
Baev also released a similar Preflights app that provides 3D map views of major airports, complete with essential information.
For many people, the iPhone serves as their main camera, and images captured with the device often live on smartphones, computers, and social networks. Printing photos for display requires additional hardware or the hassle of ordering online and waiting for pictures to arrive.
Aura Frames aims to make your photos more accessible through digital picture frames, which connect to power and cycle through the images and videos that you've taken with your iPhone. Aura has a range of frames available at different price points, but this review focuses on the Mason, which offers a nine inch HD display.
At $199, the Mason is not cheap, but there are lower priced options and Aura has sales around holidays. The Mason has an HD display (1600x1200) that isn't as high quality as the 2K display offered on some higher-end models, but it does have the versatility to be used in either portrait or landscape mode, which is a plus.
Basically the Mason is an LED display inside of a picture frame, and it connects to your WiFi network and plugs in to show a rotating selection of images that you choose. The frame measures in at 9.7 inches tall and 7.6 inches wide, and it is about two inches thick, so it's not too far off from a larger-sized 8x10 photo frame that you might have on a desk or a bookshelf. It is fairly thick at two inches, but this allows it to stand up on its own in either orientation.
Setup consists of plugging it in and using the Aura app to connect to WiFi, and it's a fairly painless process. Note that you are going to need a 2.4GHz network as it is not compatible with 5GHz, which is a downside. Sometimes trying to set up on a mixed 2.4GHz/5GHz network can be a hassle that requires some troubleshooting, but it was seamless for me.
Since this is an LED display, it needs constant power, so you need to set it up near an outlet and deal with a cable. It has a proprietary cable that plugs into the back, and the braided cord is a good length so you should be able to set it up almost anywhere. It comes with cable management clips so you can neatly wind up any extra cord that's not needed, tucking it behind the frame. There's a speaker in the frame for video content, and while it's not the best speaker I've heard, it's decent enough. I personally don't care for sound, so I have that turned off.
At the top and side of the frame, there are touch-based controls for swapping photos with a swipe, excluding a photo from the slideshow, or deleting a photo. Videos can be set to play automatically, and it's worth noting that Live Photos will also animate. The frame does attempt to put the subject of an image in the middle and will zoom in on images that are in the wrong orientation or add black bars to the sides. Sometimes the framing has been off, but that can be adjusted. Images can also display information about where they were captured, which is useful for vacation photos.
Using the Aura requires an iOS device that's running iOS 13 or later, or it works with an Android device using Android 5.0 or later. Cross-platform functionality is nice because it means that everyone in the family can contribute photos to the Aura by downloading the Aura app.
In the app, you can see each Aura you're connected to in the sidebar, and there are options for setting it up for yourself or for someone else. I have used both workflows, and for a gift, it's handy because you can add photos to it before it's ever provided to the person using a special code.
You can invite multiple people to contribute photos to an Aura frame, and all they need to do is download the aura app and make an account. Every person in the family can have an Aura frame, for example, and contribute images to the frames owned by other family members. I gifted a frame to my mother in law, and have set it up so six people can add images of family members, kids, pets, and more.
On the frame I've been testing, it's set up so I can add images, and the image process is simple. You just tap on the "Add Photos" option and go through your camera roll to decide what to upload. Note that between selecting photos and tapping on the upload option, there is no preview feature, so don't misclick. I would like to see an option for previewing what you're going to upload, especially on someone else's frame.
You can view all of the photos uploaded to an Aura frame that you have access to, whether it's your own or owned by a friend or family member. For any uploaded image, you can change the position or select the "show now" button, which displays it right away.
In the Settings section, you can adjust the time that each photo is displayed, change the photo order from shuffle to chronological and vice versa, adjust video autoplay settings, and choose the photo background for when photos don't take up the entire display.
There are also options for choosing when a device is on, adjusting the speaker volume, and a Remote Control function shows what's on the frame at the current time so you can swap photos or remove the current photo. These controls are available for any frame that you have access to, even if it isn't owned by you.
All upload activity is shown in an Activity feed, and if you have a frame owned by multiple people, you'll sometimes see an alert that you have photos from a similar time that you can add to the frame, which is a useful addition.
Bottom Line
Testing the Aura for this review was the first time I've used one myself, but I have given them as gifts to family members in the past, so I am familiar with the product over a long period of time. Everyone who has an Aura or sees the Aura seems to be a fan of it, and I've found that it makes a great present.
Minimal tech experience is necessary to use the Aura, so it works for all ages, and if someone isn't able to figure out how to use the frame, family members are able to upload photos. Multiple Aura frames among friends and family makes for a fun way to share photos.
I've appreciated having the Aura on my desk over the last couple of weeks because it gives me a way to visit my favorite photos on a regular basis without having to print them or go into the Photos app to view them. In the future, I think it would be nice for Aura to add organization and different slideshow options similar to the Apple Photos app, but even in the current incarnation, the Aura is one of the best ways to display digital images.
How to Buy
The Aura Mason frame can be purchased from the Aura website or from Amazon.com for $199. Other Aura frame options are also available with different sizes, designs, and higher resolutions.
Today we're tracking a variety of official Apple accessory discounts on Woot, including the MagSafe Charger, Apple Watch bands, iPhone 13 cases, AirTag key rings, Beats Fit Pro, and more. All accessories included in this sale are in new condition and support free two-day shipping for Amazon Prime members.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You'll find a huge list of the accessories on sale on Woot's landing page for the event, and the headliner is the MagSafe Charger at $29.99, down from $39.99. This matches the typical sale price we track for this accessory, and it's about $2 higher than the best price we've ever seen at Amazon.
We've rounded up a few of the other highlights of the event below, including a new record low price on the Beats Fit Pro earbuds. As a reminder, all of these items come in new condition, but some will come in what Woot calls "bulk packaging." This means you'll receive the products in a generic box instead of the original packaging.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of macOS Ventura 13.3 to developers for testing purposes, with the new software update coming a week after the release of the third macOS 13.3 beta.
Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, with the betas available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.
macOS Ventura 13.3 adopts the same new emoji characters that are in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, including pink heart, light blue heart, left and right hand, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, pea pod, finger, and more.
The update adds the new HomeKit architecture that was initially removed from iOS 16.2 and its sister updates, and the revised version should have fewer bugs that affect HomeKit setups.
macOS Ventura 13.3 will go through a few more rounds of beta testing, with Apple planning to release it in the spring.
Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the launch of the third betas.
Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates over-the-air after installing the appropriate profile from the Developer Center. Going forward, beta updates will not require a profile and will instead be done directly on device through an Apple ID linked to a developer account.
iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 add new emoji characters, including shaking head, pink heart, light blue heart, donkey, moose, jellyfish, hyacinth, ginger, black bird, and more. There are 31 new emoji in total, including left and right hand options in several skin tones.
Safari Web Push notifications have been added on the iPhone and iPad, and you can receive them from websites that have been added to the Home Screen on your device. Web Push notifications are identical to the notifications that you get from websites on the Mac, and behave like any other iOS notification.
Third-party browsers like Chrome are now able to let users add websites and websites to the Home Screen, and Apple has reintroduced the HomeKit architecture upgrade. There are also changes to Podcasts, minor updates to Apple Music, new options for Shortcuts, a reintroduced page turning animation for Apple Books, and more, with a full list of new features in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 available in our features guide.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.4 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software update coming one week after launch of the third beta.
To install the watchOS 9.4 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.
Once installed, watchOS 9.4 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the iPhone it is paired with.
watchOS 9.4 gains support for new emoji characters that include donkey, goose, black bird, shaking head, hyacinth, pea pod, and more, with 31 new characters available in total.
Through iOS 16.4, the update adds support for Web Push notifications that are sent to an iPhone, with the notifications able to be set up for a website that is added to the iPhone's Home Screen.
watchOS 9.4 will go through a few more rounds of beta testing, and it is expected to see a launch in the spring alongside iOS 16.4.
ZAGG today introduced a St. Patrick's Day savings event with 25 percent off sitewide, including all of ZAGG and Mophie's best charging and protection accessories. This discount does not require any coupon code and will be applied automatically in the cart.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with ZAGG. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In regards to Mophie products, this includes wireless chargers, power banks, and battery cases. This will exclude items that are already marked down, and you can only get 25 percent off up to three items. ZAGG's sale will last through March 17 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time.
Note: The 25% discount will be applied in the cart.
There are a variety of power banks on sale at Mophie, including the Snap+ Juice Pack Mini, which is compatible with MagSafe and is down to $37.46, from $49.95. There are regular portable batteries as well, including the Powerstation XXL ($44.96), Snap+ Powerstation Stand ($52.46), and more.
For higher-priced items, you can save big on Mophie's 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe, priced at $112.46, down from $149.95. There's also the Powerstation Pro at the same price of $112.46, down from $149.95.
There are plenty of other accessories on sale during this event, including car mounts, Apple Watch chargers, iPhone battery cases, screen protectors, and audio equipment. You can head to ZAGG's website to browse the full sale across all of its brands before the sale ends on Friday. Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will likely be more expensive than previous Pro models, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities.
In a research note this week, Pu predicted the iPhone 15 Pro models will see a price increase due to several rumored hardware upgrades, including a titanium frame, solid-state buttons with haptic feedback from extra Taptic Engines, an A17 Bionic chip, increased RAM, a periscope lens for increased optical zoom on the Pro Max model, and more.
This is the second time that a price increase has been rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models, following an unverified claim on Chinese social media website Weibo in January, but whether Apple finally raises pricing for the devices remains to be seen. In the U.S., the Pro model has started at $999 since the iPhone X was released in 2017, while the Pro Max has started at $1,099 since the iPhone XS Max launched the following year.
Outside of the U.S., Apple has increased the prices of iPhones multiple times in recent years, largely due to foreign currency fluctuations. In the U.K., for example, the iPhone 14 Pro starts at £1,099, compared to £949 for the iPhone 13 Pro.
A price increase in the U.S. is plausible given above-average inflation rates. Apple has managed to keep starting prices unchanged for six straight generations of Pro models, but prices will likely have to increase eventually for the company to maintain its profit margins. It's unclear if the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would also see a price increase over the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, which start at $799 and $899, respectively.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 series in September as usual. All four devices are rumored to feature a USB-C port, the Dynamic Island, and a slightly more curved frame, while over 10 additional features and changes are rumored for the Pro models.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. 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 an affiliate partner with Woot. 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 an affiliate partner with ZAGG. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
