Popular media platform Plex has announced a new feature that lets users skip the credits at the end of shows and movies with the click of a button.
With the feature enabled, when the credits start to roll, a new "Skip Credits" button now automatically appears on the screen. In a blog post announcing the feature, Plex explained how the new credit detection technology works in the following way:
We've worked hard to tune a machine learning algorithm to make sense of several inputs (text detection, the presence of black frames, and a few other secret ingredients) to come up with a reliable set of markers when credits begin and end. It's a tricky problem, and there may still be some cases where it doesn't go exactly to plan, but those cases should be few and far between at this point.
Credit detection works for both TV shows and movies, and it will also detect and let users skip directly to mid-credits or post-credits scenes, according to Plex.
Plex Pass holders will get credit detection automatically for their personal media collection after they perform the "Analyze" action on their library. The Skip Credits button is also available on Plex's full free streaming-on-demand catalog. Interested users can check out Plex's credits detection support article for more.
Apple today released a macOS Big Sur 11.7.4 update, which is available to those who are still running the macOS Big Sur operating system. macOS Big Sur 11.7.4 comes a few weeks after the launch of macOS Big Sur 11.7.3, which was released alongside macOS Ventura 13.2.
The macOS Big Sur 11.7.4 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.
Image via Apple Support Community
Today's update addresses an ongoing issue with Safari icons. The Big Sur 11.7.3 update introduced a bug that prevented icons from showing up in the Safari Favorites section. Spaces where icons normally appear were blank, making it difficult to see which sites are in the Favorites section at a glance.
According to Apple's security software page, the update includes important security fixes as well. Apple has also released a Safari 16.3.1 update that includes the same fix for Safari Favorite icons.
Apple is now planning to introduce its AR/VR headset in June instead of April, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, with the debut of the device pushed back two months. It is expected to see an unveiling at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple initially planned to reveal the AR/VR headset at an April event, but it is no longer going to be able to make that timeline and decided to delay it earlier this month. After continued product testing, Apple determined that there are still hardware and software issues that need to be fixed.
This is not the first time that Apple has pushed back the launch timeline for the headset, with the company originally planning to introduce it in mid-2022. The timeline shifted to January 2023 later in 2022, then April 2023, and now June 2023. It is not clear what the delay means for a prospective spring event as Apple has few other major device updates in the works, but we could potentially see a 15-inch MacBook Air and the launch of the new Apple silicon Mac Pro.
After the headset is shown off at WWDC, Apple will continue to work on it before putting it up for sale later in the year. Gurman cautions that the timing of the launch could change again, but Apple wants to have it available for purchase by the end of 2023 if at all possible because it is the headline product of the year.
Apple is still working to fix problems with the hand and eye control functions. Rumors suggest that users will be able to control the headset with both eye movements and hand gestures, selecting an app with a glance and then activating it with a pinch gesture, for example.
When it launches, the headset is expected to be priced somewhere around $3,000, which will limit its appeal to consumers. Apple is already working on a second-generation device that will be more affordable. More information on Apple's AR/VR headset development can be found in our dedicated roundup.
Anker recently announced that it is voluntarily recalling its 535 Power Bank (PowerCore 20K), as it can pose a fire and safety risk due to an overheating issue.
The 535 Power Bank retailed for $110, and it provided a 19,200mAh capacity with charging up to 60W. Anker advertised it for laptop devices. Model A1366 is the device that's being recalled, with the model number listed on the bottom of the battery.
Anker is working with local government agencies to ensure a safe recall process, and it is asking all customers who own the Anker 535 Power Bank to stop using the device and dispose of it at a facility that accepts lithium batteries.
According to Anker, a small number of devices are affected. One of the 535 Power Banks was cited as the "most probable cause" of a house fire in Maryland last week. The fire began in a suitcase that contained the Power Bank, which had been used the previous week. There were no other electrical devices in the suitcase that would have started a fire.
After disposal, customers who purchased one of the power banks can initiate a refund through the Anker website. An order number will be required, as will proof of purchase.
The United States House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Republican Jim Jordan, today sent subpoenas to the CEOs of major tech companies ordering them to share information on their content moderation policies, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Subpoenas for documents and communications were sent to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Curiously, the panel left out Twitter CEO Elon Musk despite the fact that Twitter is one of the most popular social networks.
U.S. House Judiciary Committee Republicans plan to investigate whether the federal government "colluded" with tech companies to "suppress free speech" on issues like COVID-19. Republican lawmakers have long suggested that social networks and tech companies engage in anti-conservative bias by suppressing conservative voices.
In an announcement of the subpoenas, Jordan said that the House Judiciary Committee has "attempted to engage" with Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Alphabet since last year, but has been unsuccessful.
Apple and the other companies will need to provide documents and communications with the U.S. government on topics that include moderation, deletion, and reduced circulation of content by March 23.
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.
The U.S. Department of Justice has escalated its antitrust probe into Apple in recent months, according to The Wall Street Journal. Specifically, the report claims additional litigators have been assigned to the case and new requests have been submitted for documents and consultations with companies connected to the investigation.
As part of the probe, the report claims the Justice Department is looking into Apple's App Store business practices and whether iOS favors Apple's own apps and services over those provided by third-party developers and other companies.
Apple declined to comment on the report, but the company has previously denied that it operates anticompetitively and said it welcomes competition on the App Store.
The investigation began in 2019, when the Justice Department inquired about Apple's policies surrounding the App Store and met with developers to learn more about the App Store's review process. If the Justice Department chooses to move forward with a complaint, then Apple would face an antitrust lawsuit by the U.S. government.
Apple has been accused of or investigated for anticompetitive practices in several other countries over the past few years, including the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, and more, with many of the complaints related to the App Store. As a result, Apple has been forced to make changes to the App Store in some countries, such as allowing developers to offer alternative payment systems in South Korea.
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.
Today we're tracking a collection of Anker discounts across the retailer's own website and on Amazon. This sale includes savings on wall chargers, portable batteries, wireless chargers, USB-C cables, and the Eufy Security SmartTrack Card with Apple's Find My support.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The links below are a mix of Amazon and Anker direct links, and all of the sales on Anker's website will require promo codes to see the deals. For these, the promo codes are available directly on each product's web page, simply hit "copy code" before adding the accessory to your cart, and you'll get the discount.
Apple may be continuing its plans to bring back the 12-inch MacBook, a sketchy rumor shared on the Korean blog Naver claims.
The post comes from the account "yeux1122," which has a mixed track record aggregating accurate Apple rumors. According to an alleged source at a company that supplies parts to Apple in Taiwan, Apple is preparing to reintroduce the 12-inch MacBook. The company purportedly seems to be weighing up the future of the device and has yet to confirm if it will reach launch. Nevertheless, production activities related to the device are said to be ongoing. Apple apparently plans to confirm whether the device will move forward to mass production as soon as the second half of this year.
In 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he hadn't heard of any plans for a new 12-inch MacBook model. Display analyst Ross Young similarly expressed "skepticism" about Apple launching new MacBooks with display sizes below 13-inches.
Introduced in March 2015, the original 12-inch MacBook featured a thin and light design that weighed just two pounds, and was Apple's first notebook to feature a fanless design, USB-C port, and butterfly switch keyboard. Apple updated the 12-inch MacBook in June 2017 and discontinued the device in 2019. Upon the announcement of Apple's transition to its own custom silicon chips for the Mac, there was renewed interest in the potential of a new 12-inch MacBook.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to spark serious rumors about Apple reintroducing a 12-inch MacBook model with Apple silicon last year, saying that the device could come at the end of 2023 or in early 2024. Last month, he said that the new 12-inch MacBook was no longer on the company's near-term roadmap, but stopped short of ruling the device out completely, meaning that it being pushed into 2024 or later may still be possible, which could align with the latest claims from Naver.
RiotPWR, known for its line of gaming controller accessories compatible with Apple devices, today announced the launch of the RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller for iOS, which is designed to work with both Lightning and USB-C devices.
The new RiotPWR controller is equipped with Lightning and USB-C cables so that it can be played with Lightning-based iPhones and USB-C based iPads. It will also come in handy if Apple transitions to USB-C for the 2023 iPhone lineup, as is rumored.
"While competitors' controllers come in Lightning and USB-C variations, the design of those controllers limits users to that one connection ability. This means that iOS gamers would need to buy a brand-new controller to play on their future Apple devices such as iPads," said Fraser Townley, CEO of RiotPWR. "RiotPWR has always made future-proofing a priority when designing our controllers with our unique swappable and upgradable connection design."
Modeled after console controllers, the RiotPWR controller offers two joysticks, Xbox-like button options, and an eight-way D-pad. Passthrough charging is available to keep your device battery full, and a phone mount accommodates any phone case.
There's a built-in share button for streaming and recording gameplay or social media, along with audio DAC and headphone sockets.
Apple's rumored 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with the M2 chip, according to Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes. The report claims the laptop will be released in the second quarter of 2023, which runs from April through June.
"Industry sources said the 15-inch MacBook Air began mass production after the Lunar New Year and is expected to be released in the second quarter," the report reads.
Apple already updated the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip in July 2022. The chip is manufactured based on TSMC's second-generation 5nm process and is considered by some industry observers to be a stopgap until the 3nm-based M3 chip is ready. TSMC began mass production of 3nm chips in December.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year claimed that a new 15-inch MacBook with M2 and M2 Pro chip options would be released in the second quarter of 2023 or later. Kuo said this MacBook might not have Air branding.
The report's sources believe that Apple could update the MacBook Air again with the M3 chip in the second half of 2023. It would be unusual for Apple to update the MacBook Air twice in such a short timeframe, but it is certainly possible. The sources said the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models were originally expected to be equipped with 3nm chips, but the M2 Pro and M2 Max are ultimately 5nm chips still.
This information comes just one day after display industry analyst Ross Young said Apple's supply chain started production of display panels for a 15-inch MacBook Air this month. Young estimated that the new MacBook Air will launch in "early April," which would be at the beginning of the second quarter timeframe reported today.
A new 15-inch display size would be the largest ever for the MacBook Air. The laptop has been offered in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes over the years.
Back at CES 2022, Schlage introduced the Encode Plus deadbolt, the first smart lock in North America to support Apple's home key feature that lets you unlock your door via NFC just by using an iPhone or Apple Watch. The Encode Plus has been in very short supply since its launch, but I finally got a hold of one and have spent the past few months testing it out.
I have some previous experience with Schlage's HomeKit-enabled smart locks thanks to the Schlage Sense, and my Encode Plus review unit is very similar to the Schlage Sense down to the Camelot trim in Aged Bronze to match my other door hardware. A Satin Nickel color option is also available for the Camelot trim and there's a more modern Century trim available in both of those colors plus an additional Matte Black option.
Installation and Setup
If you've ever installed a deadbolt before, you'll find the hardware installation process for the Encode Plus very straightforward. Even if you haven't, it's not a particularly tricky process. Removing your existing deadbolt typically requires just taking out a few screws on the inside portion of the lock and pulling the two sides apart to remove the main body.
Once that's done, it's simple to take out a couple of screws from the edge of the door and remove the bolt, and then a couple of screws to remove the strike plate where the bolt slides into the door jamb if you wish to replace that as well.
It's essentially the same process in reverse to install the Encode Plus, with a little bit of added complication from the need to feed the wires for the keypad through to the interior unit. The Encode Plus uses a metal plate on the interior of the door to initially hold the two sides of the lock together, and then the bulkier interior unit screws onto that plate.
From there, it's just a matter of installing the four AA batteries into the holder, sliding the holder into the interior unit, and sliding the cover on to hide all of the internals.
Configuring the lock for operation is also very simple, and it can be initiated either from the Schlage app or from the Home app. Either way will prompt you to scan the HomeKit code to add it to your Home app and then ask if you'd like to set up home key access. It's a quick setup process and I had no problems with it. You can also set up extra access codes to allow pet sitters, house sitters, or other visitors to get in without giving away your master code.
Lock details in Schlage app
With Apple's Home app setup, other members of your family can also access the Encode Plus status, automations, and home keys, but due to frustrating HomeKit issues dating back years, I haven't been able to test out this functionality. For some reason, I have been unable to share my HomeKit home with my wife for several years as she never receives my invitations.
In the process of trying once again to set it up for this review, it ended up with me losing ownership of my own HomeKit home and forcing me to set up every HomeKit device in my house from scratch. It's been months and a few of them still remain in limbo even after supposed full resets, claiming they are linked to another home that I of course can't remove them from because no one has ownership of said home.
Operation
Compared to the previous Sense, the Encode Plus operates nearly identically for the most part, with both locks offering keypad and traditional key access from the outside with most of the electronics and the batteries housed on the interior side of the door. It's a much bulkier setup than the new Level Lock+, but it's not an uncommon arrangement and Schlage has managed to shrink the interior unit a bit with the Encode Plus over the Sense.
As HomeKit locks, both the Sense and the Encode Plus show up in the Home app across Apple's platforms, making it easy to view their status along with the rest of your smart home devices. You can also include them in automations and scenes in the Home app, making them work hand-in-hand with those other devices if you wish.
What separates the Encode Plus from the Sense is of course home key support, which means you don't need to type in a code on the keypad or use a physical key to unlock your door. All you have to do is bring your iPhone or Apple Watch close to the deadbolt and it will unlock, granting access to your home.
You can configure home keys to require authorization before they will unlock the door, or with Express Mode they can automatically trigger it to unlock without authentication or requiring you to bring up the key on your device. Express Mode also means you will be able unlock your door for a while even if your iPhone runs out of battery, taking advantage of the last little bit of reserve power in the phone's battery to give you a few hours of cushion.
Home key in Wallet app on iPhone - access code details automatically blanked out in screenshots but can be seen in the app
The home key for your lock lives in the Wallet app on your iPhone and Apple Watch, appearing like a high-quality metal card that fits in with the rest of your cards but which has the extra little touches you expect from Apple like glare on the card that shifts around as you tilt your phone. There's not a lot of functionality on the home key card in the Wallet app, but it lets you see the manual keypad access code linked to it, offers a toggle for Express Mode, and provides a way to quickly jump to the Home app to configure other settings.
I quickly found I needed to hold my iPhone or Apple Watch quite close to the Encode Plus before it will register to unlock. That's not terribly surprising for NFC as a very short-range wireless communication technology and it's good for preventing unintentional activation of the lock, but it also made the home key functionality less convenient for me than I had hoped for.
Rather than pulling my phone out of my pocket, I prefer to use my Apple Watch whenever possible for tasks like this or paying with Apple Pay, but in this case I found it a bit unwieldy to use my Apple Watch.
With a protruding door frame just to the left of the lock, I have to somewhat awkwardly bend my wrist around to get my watch close enough, and that's after having pushed my coat or sweatshirt sleeve up a bit to expose my watch. And then it takes a moment before it registers and unlocks the door. It actually feels more convenient to just use the keypad to type in my access code if I want to unlock the door, but your mileage may vary.
But that's where another minor issue crops up. As on the Sense, the numbers on the Encode Plus keypad are extremely faint under typical lighting conditions, making it hard to see where they are. They illuminate as soon as you press a button on the keypad, but it's an extra key press and a moment of uncertainty each time you enter your code.
Unilluminated keypad
There is a set of wireless signal icons bracketing the "5" to show you where to hold your device for NFC unlocking, and they also help orient you on the keypad at a glance, but it would have been nice to have the full set of keypad numbers similarly visible without requiring illumination.
Using a bit of contrasting color for the keypad numbers would make them easily visible upon approach in daylight with illumination still available to help when it's darker out. It's not a big deal and the extra key press to turn on illumination only takes a moment, but better contrast for the numbers is an easy improvement I wish they had made in the seven years since the Sense launched.
On the interior of the door, the reduction in size of the unit compared to the Sense is a welcome change, although it never really bothered me on the Sense. With a keyed lock cylinder, the electronics, and four AA batteries needed to power the Encode Plus, it's still on the bulky side, so if you're looking for a clean aesthetic, be aware.
Aside from the reduction in size for the interior unit, there is one other change of note on this side of the door. While the Sense had a graspable round knob to manually lock the deadbolt from the inside, the Encode Plus uses a rotating lever. The operation is essentially the same (turn toward the door jamb to lock, turn away to unlock), but the lever design makes it easier to see at a glance from across the room whether or not the door is locked.
I also find the mechanical operation of the Encode Plus significantly quieter than on the Sense, which is nice for not disturbing other home occupants during late night entries or startling my cat.
Wrap-up
Overall, I've found the Encode Plus a nice addition to Apple's HomeKit ecosystem. It's easy to install, offers a fairly clean look, and gives you several different options for unlocking your door.
I've got a few nits to pick with it, mostly around the close proximity required for the NFC to trigger it and the visibility issues on the keypad, but overall it's a worthwhile addition if you're considering a HomeKit lock. It's one of your only options with home key support, and Apple's implementation of that feature is just about as slick as you'd expect and hopefully it will continue to improve with features like easy key sharing via iMessage and other apps.
My HomeKit frustrations do weigh on me a bit, though I acknowledge they aren't Schlage's fault and in this most recent case aren't specifically related to the Encode Plus at all. But in general I've mostly learned to live with HomeKit being a finicky and unreliable system. I'm certainly hoping things will improve with the new home architecture that appears set to finally roll out for real in iOS 16.4, but especially given the hiccups that resulted in Apple pulling the upgrade from the iOS 16.2 update, I'm not holding my breath.
Even with HomeKit's overall issues, I enjoy having dozens of smart switches, lights, locks, and more from around my home right at my fingertips wherever I am, and the Encode Plus fits right into that.
The Schlage Encode Plus is priced at around $320 at vendors like The Home Depot and Lowe's, but availability can be spotty.
Note: Schlage/Allegion provided the Encode Plus to MacRumors for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors may be an affiliate partner with some vendors mentioned in this article and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.
The next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature even thinner bezels around the display, similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and newer, according to an anonymous leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro" on Twitter.
In a tweet this week, ShrimpApplePro said additional sources now agree that iPhone 15 Pro models will have thinner bezels following the initial rumor last month. The leaker also expects the bezels to be curved on all iPhone 15 models, but the other sources were not able to corroborate that potential design aspect at this time.
ShrimpApplePro accurately leaked the hardware design of the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models, giving them an established track record, but the thinner bezels rumor has yet to be corroborated by other reputable sources.
The leaker also previously claimed that at least one iPhone 15 model will feature a titanium frame and curved rear edges, which could mirror the curved bezels.
Other features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models only include Apple's next-generation A17 Bionic chip, a faster USB-C port, Wi-Fi 6E, an increased 8GB of RAM, and solid-state power and volume buttons that provide haptic feedback when pressed. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 series in September as usual.
Amazon today has discounts on Apple's 2022 iPad Air, including multiple all-time low prices on these tablets. In total, you'll find up to $99 off these tablets, with record low prices available for both Wi-Fi models.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air is available in two colors at $499.99 on Amazon, which is down from $599.00. As of writing, shipping on this version of the tablet is delayed, with the earliest available for delivery around February 21. Given this is an all-time low price, you can lock in this deal today ahead of those slightly delayed arrival dates.
Secondly, the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air has hit $649.99 on Amazon, down from $749.00. This is another record low price, and it's available in two colors. Shipping dates are slightly delayed for this model as well, with the earliest estimated for around February 21.
You can pair the Apple Pencil 2 with your new iPad Air, now available at the all-time low price of $89.99 on Amazon, down from $129.00. Besides the iPad Air, the Apple Pencil 2 is compatible with the following iPads: iPad mini (6th generation), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation and later), and 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation and later).
As of writing, there are no discounts on Amazon for the cellular models of the 2022 iPad Air. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Primate Labs today announced the launch of Geekbench 6, the newest version of the company's cross-platform benchmarking suite. Geekbench 6 is an upgrade from the existing Geekbench 5 that was introduced in 2019, and it includes support for new hardware standards along with results that better mimic real-world device performance.
The updated software navigates away from heavy reliance on pure single-threaded CPU numbers, with machine learning and other workloads changing the way that benchmarks need to work. Testing datasets have been replaced to better "reflect modern hardware and applications."
Bigger photos in resolutions captured by modern smartphones (12 to 48MP)
HTML examples representative of modern web design standards
A larger library of images for import tests
Larger maps for navigation tests
Bigger and more modern PDF examples
An increase in Clang workload size.
Primate Labs says that the tests are able to better represent the file types customers are likely to use or interact with in 2023, and are closer to workloads used by apps. Geekbench 6 has been updated to take better advantage of the GPU for machine learning for more accurate cross-platform comparisons.
Multi-core benchmarking has been overhauled and is designed to measure how cores share workloads in true-to-life workload examples, and there are a number of new tests that measure how people use devices. Existing tests have been updated as well.
Background blur, as during video conferences
Photo filters, similar to those used by modern social media apps
Object detection for AI workloads
Photo library for importing and semantic tagging photos and metadata
Text processing for parsing and converting things like markdown and regex in Python (more true to real developer use cases)
Geekbench 6 is free for all non-commercial personal use, while the Pro version of the software is priced at $79 for the next two weeks thanks to a 20 percent launch discount. Pro functionality adds command-line automation, offline result management, and more. Geekbench 6 can be downloaded from the Geekbench website.
Apple plans to release a new MacBook Air series in the second quarter of 2023, according to Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes.
"The first quarter of 2023 is expected to see Apple's MacBook shipping low, but the second quarter will see the release of a new MacBook Air series, according to industry sources," reads a paywalled preview of a DigiTimes report shared today. The full report has yet to be published, so no additional details are available at this time.
The second quarter runs from April through June and includes Apple's annual developers conference WWDC in June. The current 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip was announced at WWDC last year and became available in July.
This information comes just one day after display industry analyst Ross Young said Apple's supply chain had started production of display panels for a larger 15-inch MacBook Air this month. Young estimated that the new MacBook Air will launch in "early April," which would be at the beginning of the second quarter timeframe provided today.
A new 15-inch display size would be the largest ever for the MacBook Air and would presumably be offered alongside the 13-inch model. Given that DigiTimes mentions a new MacBook Air "series" will be released, Apple could be planning to announce both 13-inch and 15-inch models, but this is not certain yet.
It's unclear if the 15-inch MacBook Air would be equipped with the M2 chip or the next-generation 3nm-based M3 chip, which has yet to be announced. Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC began mass production of 3nm chips in December, but it's unclear if the M3 chip would be ready for release by the second quarter. Apple still has to announce the high-end M2 Ultra chip for the new Mac Pro as its final chip in the M2 series, and it will likely want to announce that chip before introducing the M3 chip.
DigiTimes previously reported that Apple planned to announce a new MacBook Air with the M3 chip in the second half of 2023. The website has a fairly unreliable track record compared to more reputable sources like Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman.
The company is apparently contending with immense difficulties in ramping up production in the country. At a factory in Hosur run by Apple supplier Tata that manufactures iPhone casings, only one in every two components coming off the production line "is in good enough shape" to be sent forward to assembly at Foxconn. The 50 percent yield is particularly low for almost any production operation and works against Apple's "zero-defect" manufacturing and environmental goals.
Former Apple engineers told the Financial Times that Chinese iPhone suppliers and government officials have a "whatever it takes" approach to win iPhone orders, describing how work was often completed weeks ahead of schedule at "inexplicable speed." Operations in India, on the other hand, are not running at this pace. "There just isn't a sense of urgency," one Apple engineer remarked.
Apple is apparently focused on a long term plan to improve manufacturing proficiency in the country. The company has sent product designers and engineers from California and China to factories in southern India to train locals and help set up production operations, according to four individuals who purport to be familiar with the matter.
Apple began producing entry-level iPhone models, starting with the iPhone SE, in India in 2017. Last year, Apple significantly stepped up its production in India, building some iPhone 14 models in the country within weeks of their launch in China.
Tata is said to have ambitions to become a full-service Apple supplier in the future and is in talks to take over a troubled Wistron iPhone assembly plant in Karnataka. Apple's long-term plan to diversify its global supply chain continues.
Apple has "expressed interest" in acquiring an NBA streaming package, according to a new report from CNBC. Apple is among other interested parties that include Amazon and NBC Sports, with NBCUniversal particularly interested in reacquiring NBA games.
NBCUniversal is aiming for a deal that would allow it to air playoff games on the NBC network, with some regular season games exclusive to Peacock streaming service. The report does not have specifics on what other potential buyers like Apple might be interested in.
NBC used to have rights to the NBA until Disney and Turner Sports purchased them more than 20 years ago, and negotiations cannot restart unless Turner Sports and Disney agree to waive an exclusive negotiation window that expires in April 2024. The NBA could ultimately opt to extend its contract with Disney and Turner Sports rather than taking bids from outside companies, but there is a chance at this point that Apple will be able to make a bid.
CNBC suggests that the NBA could create two packages for bidders, with content for three or four partners split between streaming and traditional TV.
Apple has been pursuing sports content in an effort to attract new viewers to the Apple TV+ streaming service. The company has signed deals with Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer. MLS games will be available in February, with the MLS Season Pass priced at $14.99 per month or $99 per season, while MLB content premiered last spring with Friday Night Baseball.
The iOS 16.3.1 update that was released today appears to be causing issues with Google Photos, so iPhone and iPad owners who use Google Photos should probably avoid updating.
Multiple reports on social media complain about the issue, which The Verge also highlighted. It appears that the Google Photos app is crashing instantly when iPhone and iPad users attempt to open it after upgrading to the latest software.
There is no word on when the problem will be fixed, and whether a fix requires an update to the Google Photos app or can be done server side.
Unfortunately, the update also includes a fix for a vulnerability known to be actively exploited in the wild, so Google Photos users will need to choose between the Google Photos app and improved device security until the problem is addressed.
Update: A new version of the Google Photos app with a fix for this issue is now available.
Concept render by 
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Lock details in Schlage app
Home key in Wallet app on iPhone - access code details automatically blanked out in screenshots but can be seen in the app
Unilluminated keypad
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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