Seagate brand LaCie has announced two new mobile hard drives, the LaCie Mobile Drive and LaCie Mobile Drive Secure, offering Mac and iPad users up to 5TB of portable capacity.
Encased in an all-new design by Neil Poulton, each drive is made of strong aluminum and features one-click automatic backup, as well as a 130 MB/s transfer rate through USB-C, while the Secure variant includes hardware encryption and a lock/unlock feature.
The LaCie Mobile Drives come pre-loaded with LaCie Toolkit software for on-demand and scheduled backups, and a one-month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan is included. Both devices also include a three-year limited warranty and three-year Rescue Data Recovery.
The LaCie Mobile Drive costs $74.99 (1TB), $99.99 (2TB), and $144.99 (4TB), while the LaCie Mobile Drive Secure is priced at $99.99 (2TB), $144.99 (4TB), and $164.99 (5TB). Both drives will be available from online resellers later this month.
HomeKit accessory maker Eve Systems today added several products to its smart home lineup. The Eve Light Switch with Thread support, which debuted in Europe last April, is set to expand to North America in October.
Eve Light Switch joins 14 other Thread-enabled products, all of which will also support smart home standard Matter when it launches in the fall. The third-generation version of the Eve Light Switch is able to replace both single-pole and 3-way switches to allow for smart lighting solutions for any lighting setup. Eve Light Switch is able to serve as a router node in the Thread network, interacting with and supporting other Thread devices.
In Europe, Eve is also introducing new options for the Eve MotionBlinds, offering motors for Venetian blinds and Honeycomb shades in addition to the existing motor for Roller blinds. Eve MotionBlinds for Venetian support tilting and lifting wooden and aluminum blinds.
Also exclusive to European customers, Eve is debuting the Eve Shutter Switch, a controller that's designed to work with motorized roller shutters and blinds. Eve Shutter can convert an existing in-wall shutter switch into an automated shading solution.
Finally, Eve is introducing the Eve Outdoor Cam in white, adding to the existing version that comes in black. The Eve Outdoor Cam is otherwise identical to the original, offering HomeKit Secure Video capabilities with end-to-end encryption and live and recorded video.
Eve Light Switch will be priced at $50 when it launches in October, while the Eve Outdoor Cam will be available in December for $250. The Eve Shutter Switch will also launch in November in Europe and it will be priced at 100 euros.
The Philips Hue line of HomeKit-connected smart lights is today gaining three fresh bulb styles in a new "Lightguide" line that's meant to complement contemporary home decor.
Available in three shapes that include large globe, ellipse, and triangular, the Lightguide bulbs have an inner tube that offers diffuse light in white or one of sixteen million colors, similar to other Philips Hue color bulbs. The Lightguide bulbs are being sold alongside a pendant cord and metal holder that's available in either black or white and that can be used for a single Lightguide bulb.
There's also a new Philips Hue Filament candle bulb that comes in White ambiance, and it joins the existing White and Color ambiance bulb option. A Philips Hue slim downlight with a more slender profile is available for ceiling installations in areas with limited space. The downlight offers 1200 lumens and can be dimmed for an ideal lighting setup.
For PC gamers, there's a Philips Hue gradient lightstrip that is designed to connect to a monitor. It comes in 24/27-inch and 32/34-inch sizes for single monitor setups, plus there is a longer strip for three monitor-setups that use 24 to 27-inch displays. The lightstrip is designed to flash, dim, and brighten to match gameplay.
Later this year, the Philips Hue sync app used for the Philips Hue Sync Box will merge with the main Hue app for an all-in-one management experience. The app is also gaining a Mimic Presence automation that's designed to make it look like someone's home by automatically turning lights on and off at their regular times.
The Philips Hue Lightguide bulbs will be available in the fourth quarter of 2022 and they will be priced between $75 and $90. The Lightguide pendant cords will be priced at $50.
The Philips Hue White ambiance Filament candle bulbs will be available on September 13 and will be priced at $45 or $65 for a two-pack. The Philips Hue Play lightstrip for PC will also be available on September 13 and will be priced at $170 for the 24/27-inch strip, $190 for the 32/34-inch strip, and $280 for the 24/27 three-screen strip. The Philips Hue slim downlight will be available on September 1 for $70.
Apple's rumored plans to transition to OLED technology for future iPad models could involve using "hybrid" OLED technology that combines both rigid and flexible OLED panel materials, according to The Elec (original Korean-language version).
The report claims that Apple is reluctant to rely solely on the flexible OLED technology it uses in its iPhone models, as the panels have a tendency to "crumple" and the effect is more noticeable as displays get larger.
From a machine translation of the original Korean-language report:
When it became known that Apple plans to apply hybrid OLED to the first OLED iPad, the industry has assumed that the cause was cost reduction.
However, it is understood that there is a reason why Apple preferred hybrid OLED other than this cost reduction. An official from the parts industry said, "Apple hated the fact that a part of the product screen could look wrinkled to the user's eyes when using a flexible OLED." He said, "iPhone OLED has a 5-7 inch screen, so these characteristics are not well revealed, but it is relatively noticeable in large-screen (10-20 inch) IT products. he explained.
While the hybrid OLED technology has yet to be perfected and will take at least a year to become commercially viable before it could be incorporated into an OLED iPad by around 2024, the report says both Samsung and LG are pursuing ultra-thin glass substrates measuring just 0.2 mm thick to be used with the technology, down from the current standard of around 0.5 mm.
The report does say that Apple may still elect to use flexible OLED panels in iPad models if the shortcomings can be addressed, but at least for now, it appears hybrid panels may be a better option as they are thinner than rigid panels and cheaper than flexible panels.
The large pill-shaped combination cutout that's planned for the iPhone 14 Pro models will display privacy indicators for the microphone and the camera, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums.
Apple is planning to replace the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro models with two separate pill-shaped and hole-punch cutouts that will house the TrueDepth camera system hardware for Face ID, but as we learned today, the cutouts will be combined together using software, appearing as a single long, pill-shaped cutout when the iPhone is in use.
The space between the two cutouts will apparently be used to show the orange and green dots that indicate when the camera or the microphone has been activated by an app. At the current time, these indicators are shown to the right of the notch when the hardware is actively engaged, but putting them front and center on the iPhone's display will make it more apparent when the camera and the microphone are in use.
Having the green dot front and center when the camera is active will make the experience of using an iPhone similar to using a Mac. On a Mac, when the webcam is in use, there is a green indicator light that cannot be disabled, with the light located right next to the camera.
Apple will apparently let users tap on the green and orange dots to receive more information about what apps are using the iPhone's hardware. Right now, that data is provided in Control Center, with Apple listing apps that have recently used the camera, microphone, and location.
The forums source claims that Apple will also redesign the Camera app, moving most of the controls to the top of the display to provide users with a larger view of the camera preview, but this change is "still not entirely locked in."
When the privacy indicators are not engaged, the space between the two cutouts on the iPhone 14 Pro models will be blacked out so that it appears as a single cutout. iPhone 14 models will use a standard notch and will therefore likely continue to feature the same hardware indicators that are available on the iPhone 13 models.
The iPhone 14 Pro models have long been rumored to include a notch replacement that consists of a pill-shaped cutout and a separate hole-punch cutout for the Face ID system, but pre-event rumors this morning suggested that the cutouts will be combined into one wider cutout using software.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has now confirmed that this is true, and he says that the two separate cutouts will look like "one wide pill shaped cutout" as distinct cutouts would "look odd" when the iPhone is in use.
This is true. It looks like one wide pill shaped cutout. Having that separation would look odd during use. https://t.co/SrAtYQsENx
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) August 31, 2022
Apple is expected to combine the pill and hole cutouts into one single cutout for a more streamlined visual experience. The new pill-shaped cutout will not connect to the top of the device, but it will, as a result, look similar to the notch. Apple will deactivate the pixels in the dead space between the two cutouts to emulate a unified cutout.
The original source of the rumor that we shared this morning has also claimed that Apple will expand the blacked-out areas around the cutouts for content purposes. Apple might, for example, make the area wider to fit status icons on the left and right sides, or extend it downward into a large square for certain notifications.
It is only the iPhone 14 Pro models that are getting the new pill-shaped cutout, as the standard iPhone 14 models will continue to use a notch.
"In the last six months, macOS malware protection has changed more than it did over the previous seven years," writes Oakley in a blog post published this week. Malware detection on the Mac is now "fully pre-emptive" and as active as "many commercial anti-malware products."
Specifically, at around the time that macOS 12.3 Monterey was launched, Apple quietly introduced a new XProtect Remediator tool for its XProtect service that checks for malware in the background. XProtect Remediator more frequently looks for malware and fixes it if malware is detected.
Apple previously used the Malware Removal Tool (MRT) and XProtect, but XProtect was limited to checking apps and code against a list of known malware and MRT ran infrequently. Apple's new solution is more aggressive and offers more protection. Xproduct Remediator is available on Macs running macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina, but it is not available on Macs running older versions of macOS.
The new XProtect feature is updated regularly and it runs at least once per day, but sometimes even more frequently. For some malware checks, it runs as often as every hour or two, and it is able to identify a range of malware, such as Adload, DubRobber, Pirrit, SnowDrift, Trovi, and more.
Scans are most likely to take place when the Mac is awake but not in active use, and is primarily doing background tasks like backups and receiving email. Oakley says that the new malware protections represent a "big step forward" for those who are running the most recent versions of macOS, with more information available in Oakley's full blog post.
With the updated T-Mobile app, customers can sign up for Network Pass, which uses the iPhone's eSIM functionality. T-Mobile's service can be tested right alongside an existing carrier's service, and T-Mobile says there are tools for viewing network performance and comparing a typical customer's average 5G experience in a given area so users can decide whether to switch to T-Mobile.
Network Pass provides potential customers with unlimited data, including 5G, for the three-month period. Customers who use more than 50GB of data per month may see reduced speeds until the next monthly cycle due to data prioritization. During the trial period, video streams in SD quality, and tethering is not available.
Network Pass is available to individual users and businesses who are not subscribed to T-Mobile, Sprint, or Metro by T-Mobile and who have not been T-Mobile customers within the past 90 days.
T-Mobile previously had a "Test Drive" program for testing the T-Mobile service, but it was limited to 30 days or 30GB of high-speed data. eSIM compatible iPhones that work with Network Pass include the iPhone XS and newer.
T-Mobile is also adding an Easy Switch option so people can switch to T-Mobile with a current unlocked eSIM-compatible smartphone in as little as five minutes. Up to five lines can be swapped over using Easy Switch in the T-Mobile app without the need to visit a T-Mobile location.
All of the new app features are available on iPhone devices starting today.
Apple is expected to announce four new iPhone 14 models at its September 7 event, including a standard 6.7-inch model that has been widely referred to as the "iPhone 14 Max" in rumors. However, the device could actually end up having a different name.
According to a photo of an alleged iPhone case from Apple, shared by Twitter user "Tommy Boi," the new 6.7-inch model might actually be named the "iPhone 14 Plus" instead. This would result in the lineup consisting of a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Of course, a photo like this could easily be photoshopped, but the "iPhone 14 Plus" name is still a possibility even if the leak is fake. The name "iPhone 14 Plus" could help to distinguish the device from the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and make it clear that the device is not a maxed-out model in terms of specs despite having a large 6.7-inch display.
Apple last used "Plus" branding for the iPhone 8 Plus in 2017. Since then, Apple has used "Max" branding for its largest-sized iPhones, including the iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
An argument can still be made in favor of the "iPhone 14 Max" name, as Apple selling an iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max alongside an iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would certainly provide some consistency. We'll ultimately have to wait and see which names Apple announces at its event just seven days from now.
Devices that cannot be updated past iOS 12 include the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch 6, original iPad Air, iPad mini 2, and iPad mini 3.
Devices that seek to imitate the iPhone 14 Pro are already available in China, mimicking several of the device's design elements in an effort to fool unsuspecting customers or provide a low-cost way for some to buy a device that looks like the latest iPhone.
The clones, which seemingly began emerging several weeks ago on Chinese social media platforms, attempt to mirror the iPhone 14 Pro's rumored larger rear camera array and "pill and hole-punch" display cutouts that replace the iPhone 13 Pro's notch. Even the box seeks to closely emulate what iPhone customers have come to expect, down to the barcodes, adhesive pull-tabs, and accessories.
The devices seem to run a heavily-skinned version of Android that simply looks like iOS, but clearly cannot replicate a genuine experience with an Apple device. This extends to the hardware, which bears some significant differences to what can actually be expected from real iPhone 14 Pro models, such as a large "chin" bottom bezel and some artificial rear cameras. A video from YouTube channel "Amazing Unboxing" provides a closer look at the clones.
Earlier this year, counterfeit iPhone 14 cases began to go on sale in China, with varying levels of accuracy compared to real Apple accessories. The proliferation of fake Apple products coming from China related to the iPhone 14 lineup may indicate how confident some manufacturers are about the exact design of this year's new devices.
Update: Well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has since corroborated this rumor, saying the cutouts on the iPhone 14 Pro will look like "one wide pill."
It's been almost 12 months since rumors first suggested that Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models will feature both hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts near the top of the display. While this design detail has since been corroborated by respected analysts, what has remained less clear is how Apple's software will accommodate the cutouts when the iPhone display is active. Today, we may well have been given another piece of the puzzle.
According to information provided to MacRumors by an anonymous tipster, the discrete pill and hole cutouts are not visually separated when the display is powered on, but in fact appear as one contiguous, longer pill shape.
Rather than stick with the uneven aesthetic, the suggestion is that Apple has chosen to turn off the pixels in the "dead space" between the cutouts in order to create the appearance of a unified pill shape that is less distracting when viewing content on the screen.
In another intriguing twist, the tipster also claims that Apple intends to visually expand the blacked-out areas around the cutouts to host content. For example, Apple could make the area slightly wider to fit status icons on the left and right sides, or even extend it downward into a large rounded square when delivering certain notifications.
Image depicts visual difference of cutouts with display off (left) versus on.
MacRumors has discovered chatter across Chinese social media networks, purportedly originating from Foxconn employees involved in iPhone 14 Pro assembly, suggesting the same unified pill software implementation. Like the original tipster, these sources have not been verified and we are only presenting the information up front to our readers with the usual caveats as a topic for discussion.
We'll know for sure whether this last-minute rumor turns out to be true next Wednesday, September 7, when Apple holds its "Far Out" media event, where it will unveil the new iPhone 14 series. We are expecting a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.7-inch iPhone Max, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. There will be no 5.4-inch iPhone "mini" this year, with Apple instead opting for larger devices.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max may start with an increased 256GB of storage, rather than the starting 128GB option previously offered for the high-end iPhone models, according to updated forecast from TrendForce.
iPhone 14 Pro concept render by Ian Zelbo
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 14 lineup will be around 15% more expensive than the average selling price of the iPhone 13 lineup, but a higher starting storage option on the Pro models may offset the price increase for customers. According to TrendForce, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max may start with 256GB of storage and not 128GB as previously offered. The increased storage option would make sense given the rumored price hike, but rumors are still conflicting on whether or not this will be the case.
The iPhone 13 Pro with 256GB of storage costs $1,099, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max with 256GB of storage is priced at $1,199. According to TrendForce, these will be around the same prices as the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, respectively, with 256GB of on-device storage. TrendForce today also doubled down on past reports, including the iPhone 14 Pro featuring updated RAM. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are expected to feature the same 6GB of memory as the current iPhone 13 Pro but will use the newer and faster LPDDR5 type of memory.
Apple's AirPods Max have returned to their record low Amazon price of $429.00 today, down from $549.00. This time around the sale is available in Green, Pink, Silver, and Sky Blue, with only Space Gray not on sale.
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The AirPods Max are in stock and ready to ship today in all four discounted colors, with an estimated delivery date between September 2 - 5 for most places in the United States. This $120 discount does not require a coupon code of any kind as the deal has been already applied.
If you're shopping for other AirPods models, you can also get the AirPods Pro for $179.99 on Amazon, down from $249.00. We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
Apple has given up its board seat at Didi Global as the Chinese ride-hailing company struggles to return to growth following crushing fines and restrictions imposed by Beijing's cyberspace regulator, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Apple CEO Tim Cook with Didi Chuxing president Jean Liu in 2016
Adrian Perica, Apple's vice president of corporate development, resigned from the board earlier this month, according to a notice posted on Didi's website.
Perica, who heads Apple's mergers and acquisitions strategy, joined Didi's board in 2016 after Apple made a $1 billion investment in the the ride hailing app. The move was described by CEO Tim Cook at the time as a "strategic investment" that would help Apple better understand the Chinese market.
The problems started for Didi last year, when Apple was informed by China's internet regulator that it must remove the Didi Chuxing ride hailing app from the Chinese App Store, after Beijing raised concerns about the Uber rival's possible misuse of personal data.
Didi's removal from China's mobile app stores effectively hamstrung the company and the action erased more than 80% of its market value. Then last month, following a year-long investigation, Didi was fined $1.2 billion by the Chinese government for infractions that Beijing said compromised national security.
The decision followed broader moves by Beijing to curb the influence of China's largest internet corporations and tighten the ownership of the personal data of hundreds of millions of users held by the likes of Alibaba, Tencent, and others.
Apple's investments and acquisitions have dramatically slowed over the past two years, with the tech giant being more selective in the face of a shaky economy and heightened government scrutiny.
Apple privacy chief Jane Horvath is set to leave the company to join a law firm, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Horvath has served as Apple's Chief Privacy Officer for the last couple of years, and before that, she was senior director of global privacy at the company.
Horvath has worked for Apple for more than a decade in total, and she has also worked at Google and was Chief Privacy Officer of the U.S. Department of Justice. Going forward, Horvath will be working at law firm Gibson, Dunn, and Crutcher LLP, which has worked with Apple in the past and handled Apple's recent legal battle against Epic Games.
Bloomberg says that Horvath was also responsible for Apple's dealings with trade groups and Capitol Hill, as well as compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.
Apple has been dealing with major potential privacy issues as of late, and is facing legislation that would weaken the protections the App Store offers the iPhone in multiple countries. The Digital Markets Act in Europe calls for the sideloading of apps, as does U.S. legislation that's being considered. Apple has not provided details on who will replace Horvath.
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 in iOS 16 made some notable changes to the Weather app, adding new types of notifications and increasing the information you can see about everything from humidity to temperature to visibility. For many of these new features, Apple has incorporated information from Dark Sky, a weather app that it purchased in 2020.
This guide highlights everything weather-related that's new in iOS 16, which is available now.
Weather Modules
There are no significant updates to the overall design of the Weather app, but Apple did update the information that's available to you.
The Weather app has long had little modules that show you information that includes the 10-day forecast, the daily temperature, air quality, precipitation, UV index, sunset/sunrise times, wind, humidity, "feels like" temperature, visibility, and pressure, but now you can tap into any of those modules for more information and swap between them quickly by tapping the icon in the upper right.
Temperature
The temperature module shows a graph of the temperature throughout the day, including peak high and peak low. This should clear up an issue that people had with the iOS 15 Weather app that made it unclear when the daily low was measured. The module also provides a text overview of the weather conditions.
In the 10-day forecast, you can tap into any day to see the daily chart for temperature ranges, plus there's still an option to see the larger color-coded temperature map.
Air Quality
The air quality module shows a graph of the current air conditions in your area, along with additional information on the health implications of the current conditions and the primary pollutant. You can still see a larger air quality map as well.
Precipitation
The precipitation module is similar to the previously available precipitation information, showing a map of where storms are going to hit. Zooming in provides a 12-hour rain forecast. There's also an interface that provides details on the total amount of precipitation during the last 24 hours, and how much rain, sleet, or snow fell at what time.
Feels Like
This module provides a second temperature chart that takes into account humidity, wind, and other factors so you can get a better idea of what the ambient temperature is like.
UV Index
The UV index module shows the current UV rating and the peak UV levels during the day. It also provides text letting you know if sun protection is recommended.
Sunset/Sunrise
The sunset and sunrise module lets you know when sunrise or sunset is depending on the time of day, and when you can expect first light and last light. It also includes monthly sunrise and sunset averages and a readout of the total daylight.
Wind
The wind module provides a daily summary, the current wind conditions, and a graph of the wind speeds and direction throughout the day.
Humidity
The humidity module shows a chart of the humidity throughout the day, broken down into six-hour increments. It also provides average humidity and dew point.
Visibility
The visibility module provides the visibility range in miles throughout the day, along with a daily summary.
Pressure
The pressure module shows the current pressure, the pressure throughout the day, and a readout on whether pressure is rising or falling.
Severe Weather Notifications
The Weather app in iOS 16 is able to send a notification if there is a severe weather alert issued near you, so you can get a heads up for major rain storms, floods, hurricanes, heat waves, tornados, and more.
You can turn on severe weather alerts both for your current location and any location that you've added to the Weather app.
According to Apple, severe weather data is available in Australia, Canada, Japan, China, Brazil, India, Mexico, Thailand, the United States, and most countries and regions in Europe.
Though not technically part of the Weather app, there is a dedicated Weather Lock Screen in iOS 16. It depicts the current temperature and shows the artwork from the Weather app for your location. So if it's sunny, you'll see sun, or if it's raining, you'll see rain, the same as you would in the animated Weather app.
Weather Widgets
There are also a number of different weather widgets that you can add to any of your Lock Screens. There's a larger readout with the temperature, current condition, and high/low along with individual air quality, UV index, and temperature options.
Using the Weather widget requires Location Services to be activated.
Weather App for iPad
With the iOS 16/iPadOS 16 updates, there's finally a Weather app for the iPad. It's identical to the iPhone's Weather app, but crafted to fit the larger display of the iPad.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about the Weather app in iOS 16, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Apple today announced that developers can purchase subscriptions to Xcode Cloud, a continuous integration and delivery service that's built into the Xcode app. Apple designed Xcode Cloud to provide cloud-based tools to developers for building apps, running automated tests, providing apps to testers, and managing user feedback.
Xcode Cloud has been available to all developers since June after several months of beta testing, but subscriptions were not able to be purchased until now. There are a total of four monthly plans that developers can choose from, which vary based on the total number of compute hours needed.
25 compute hours per month is free at the current time, but will later cost $15 per month. 100 computer hours per month is priced at $50/month, 250 compute hours per month is priced at $100/month, and 1000 compute hours per month is priced at $400/month.
Apple says that developers can get started by configuring a workflow in Xcode and will receive 25 compute hours per month at no cost until the end of 2023. As mentioned above, pricing for this plan will be $15 when the introductory period ends.
A compute hour is an hour of time that is used to execute a task in the cloud, like building an app or running tests. Compute hour usage can be tracked in App Store Connect and the Apple Developer app. Additional information can be found on Apple's Xcode Cloud website.
OLED technology comparison table 
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