MacRumors

WhatsApp has released a major update to its iPhone app that brings unlimited custom wallpapers to individuals chats for the first time.

The new ability to set custom wallpapers for different chats is an effort to make it easier for users to distinguish and identify them in the blink of an eye. WhatsApp says there's no limit on the number of custom wallpapers users can assign to different chats.

"Your WhatsApp chats hold a special place in your life, which is why we're introducing custom chat wallpapers. Make your chats personal and distinguishable by using a custom wallpaper for your most important chats and favorite people, and you never need worry about sending the wrong message in the wrong chat ever again."

WhatsApp is also rolling out the current default "doodle" wallpaper in more colors, and significantly increasing the selection of wallpapers with more images of nature and architecture from around the world.

Notably, users can now also set a separate wallpaper which activates when their phone switches from light to dark mode.

In addition to the new wallpaper options, WhatsApp says it is making it easier to quickly search and find stickers with text or emoji and browse through common categories. The update includes new sticker packs, too, including The World Health Organization's "Together at Home" animated stickers.

WhatsApp Messenger is a free download for ‌iPhone‌ from the App Store [Direct Link].

This World AIDS Day, Apple has announced an expanded partnership with (RED) to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa while simultaneously protecting those communities from COVID-19.

Apple says it will direct 100 percent of eligible proceeds from (PRODUCT)RED purchases to the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response to help provide services and treatment to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

In 2006, Apple joined (RED)'s mission to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the last 14 years, Apple's partnership with (RED) has led to almost $250 million in donations for the Global Fund's HIV/AIDS programs that offer prevention, testing, and counseling services. Since 2006, Apple-supported grants have provided over 10.8 million people with care and support services, helped with distribution of more than 167 million HIV tests, and provided 13.8 million people with ongoing access to life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

This year, communities around the world are grappling with HIV/AIDS as they also work to respond and protect against COVID-19, particularly for vulnerable populations. COVID-19 has created challenges in accessing care, diagnostics, and supplies, often disrupting crucial HIV/AIDS programs. To alleviate these challenges and ensure continuity in life-saving HIV/AIDS services, Apple's contributions were redirected to the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response at the onset of the pandemic earlier this year. Thanks in part to support from Apple and Apple customers, the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response has been able to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 on the communities most affected by HIV/AIDS and provide critical support in health systems threatened by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Apple has a wide range of new (PRODUCT)RED devices and accessories available this holiday season, including iPhone 12 (PRODUCT)RED, iPhone 12 mini (PRODUCT)RED, and Apple Watch Series 6 (PRODUCT)RED.

Through June 30, 2021, Apple says it will direct all eligible proceeds from these purchases to the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response. In addition, through December 7, Apple is donating $1 for every purchase made with Apple Pay on apple.com, in the Apple Store app, or at an ‌Apple Store‌ to the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response.

To raise visibility for World AIDS Day and the ongoing effort to eradicate HIV/AIDS, hundreds of Apple stores are marking the day with red logos or window displays. Meanwhile, on Apple Music, listeners can tune into the debut of "Jaiye" ("Time of Our Lives") by Nigerian musician LADIPOE, remixed by DJ Sigag and Aluna — the first single off "DANCE (RED) SAVE LIVES Vol. III." Users can also listen to the interview with LADIPOE, Aluna, and Don Jazzy on The Ebro Show on ‌Apple Music‌ 1, or check out curated music and more in a special ‌Apple Music‌ feature.

In the ‌Apple TV‌ app, Apple is also running a World AIDS Day collection in the Watch Now tab that explores stories that reveal the human cost of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Elsewhere, the App Store is highlighting Medisafe (MediSafe), an app that helps users manage their medications, and OkaySo (Tincan Labs), which provides an anonymous place for people to ask sensitive health questions and get expert answers.

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 has published a feature highlighting its PPE donations to Zambia and how it has been redirecting PRODUCT(RED) proceeds to help the Global Fund's efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and HIV in sub-saharan Africa.

This year, COVID-19 drastically changed the landscape of healthcare, and the Global Fund, which coordinates these shipments to help fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, had to react quickly to respond to this second pandemic. It established the COVID-19 Response Mechanism, which is adapting existing Global Fund programs so that people receiving lifesaving treatments, including lifelong antiretroviral therapy, can continue to do so safely.

Apple began working with (RED) in 2006 and has launched dozens of products and accessories through the campaign, including the latest iPhone 12 and iPhone SE (PRODUCT)RED models. As a result of those sales, Apple and its customers have raised almost $250 million toward the Global Fund’s efforts in sub-Saharan Africa. As COVID-19 spread across the world, Apple redirected (PRODUCT)RED proceeds toward the Response Mechanism and will continue to do so until June 30, 2021. Apple also donated millions of units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Ministry of Health in Zambia. That includes both surgical face masks Apple sourced from its supply chain as well as face shields designed and produced by Apple.

The article highlights the impact that the PPE provision has made in cutting the transmission of coronavirus infections among patients at HIV clinics in Zambia. COVID-19 disproportionately kills people with preexisting conditions, meaning patients have been afraid to go to health facilities for their daily antiretrovirals (ARVs), supplied through the Global Fund. PPE provision has physically and mentally helped protect both workers and patients, allowing the fight against HIV/AIDs and coronavirus to continue.

Zambia has seen significant progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS over the last two decades. In 2003, 61,000 Zambians were dying from AIDS-related illnesses every year. Because of the work of the Global Fund, in partnership with the government of Zambia and healthcare providers, AIDS-related deaths have declined by over 70 percent and new infections have been cut in half since their peak. The Global Fund also supports a larger goal that’s spearheaded by the United Nations: End the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

Apple's newsroom feature includes more information, pictures, and video covering the work of the Global Fund in sub-Saharan Africa.

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.

As AWS re:Invent kicks off, Amazon Web Services today announced new Mac instances for Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, allowing AWS customers to run on-demand macOS workloads in the AWS cloud for the first time.

Amazon says that the new feature extends the flexibility, scalability, and cost benefits of AWS to all Apple developers as those creating apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Safari are able to provision and access macOS environments within seconds and take advantage of the pay-as-you-go pricing of AWS.

AWS customers are also able to consolidate development of cross-platform Apple, Windows, and Android apps onto AWS, and as with other Amazon EC2 instances, customers can use EC2 Mac instances with AWS services and features like Amazon Virtual Private Cloud, Amazon Elastic Block Storage, Amazon Machine Images, and more.

In a statement, Apple vice president of worldwide product marketing Bob Borchers said that Apple is "thrilled" to make development for Apple's platforms accessible "in new ways."

"Apple's thriving community of more than 28 million developers continues to create groundbreaking app experiences that delight customers around the world. With the launch of EC2 Mac instances, we're thrilled to make development for Apple's platforms accessible in new ways, and combine the performance and reliability of our world-class hardware with the scalability of AWS."

Amazon vice president of EC2 at AWS David Brown said that developers can focus on creating apps rather than managing infrastructure.

"Our customers tell us they would love to have their Apple build environment integrated with AWS services. With EC2 Mac instances, developers can now provision and access on-demand macOS compute environments in AWS for the first time ever, so they can focus on creating groundbreaking apps for Apple's industry-leading platforms, rather than procuring and managing the underlying infrastructure."

The new EC2 Mac instances are powered by Intel-based Mac mini machines with 3.2GHz processors and 32GB RAM, along with the AWS Nitro System for 10Gb/s VPC network bandwidth and 8Gb/s storage bandwidth.

EC2 Mac instances can be purchased On-Demand or with Savings Plans and are available now in the US East (Virginia), US East (Ohio), US West (Oregon), Europe (Ireland), and Asia Pacific (Singapore) regions.

Developer Hector Martin, who describes himself as someone who "likes putting Linux on things," has launched a plan to create a Linux port for Apple Silicon Macs.

Martin, also known as "Marcan," has created a Patreon with the goal of earning enough funding to be able to take on the complexities of bringing Linux to Macs equipped with an M1 chip. Creating a Linux port is no easy task, and Linux creator Linus Torvalds has even said that he doesn't think it's a possibility.

Martin has experience getting Linux running on unusual platforms and has been able to create a Linux port for the PlayStation 4 but he acknowledges that an ‌Apple Silicon‌ Linux port is a much more serious undertaking. Creating a Linux port for Apple's Macs is a full time job, and Martin says that it's not viable without financial support. He's started a Patreon that's asking for $4,000 per month with $3, $6, and $12 pledge tiers. He's 88 percent of the way funded and doesn't plan to start the project unless he gets the full amount.

According to Martin, he's qualified to take on the project because of his experience working on Linux ports for other devices like the PlayStation 4. From the FAQ on his website:

I've been reverse engineering devices for over half of my life, since the early 2000s. I've worked to build unofficial open software support for platforms such as the Nintendo Wii (where I am one of the largest contributors to hardware documentation, open libraries, "jailbreaking" software (The Homebrew Channel), recovery tools (BootMii), etc), the Sony PS3 (where I wrote AsbestOS and a Linux patchset to enable Linux to work on the PS3 Slim as well as up-to-date PS3 units after the original Linux support was removed), the PS4 (which I ported Linux to, to the point of being able to run Steam games with full OpenGL/Vulkan graphics support), and other smaller platforms.

I always strive to write clean and robust code that is safe, puts the user first, and is upstreamable. I support open hardware and software development. I've gone through the Linux kernel patch process multiple times and I know what it takes to get stuff upstreamed.

Martin says that he wants to create a Linux port for ‌Apple Silicon‌ Macs that people "actually want to use" with all basic hardware working, decent power management, and more. The "big time sink" will be GPU support, which is necessary to make the port happen. Martin was able to get the PS4 version up and running because it's using a GPU that's only slightly customized, but ‌Apple Silicon‌ will be more difficult. There's proof of concept, though, in Nouveau, a GPU driver project for NVIDIA cards.

The project is not sanctioned by Apple, but so long as Martin does not use code from macOS to build Linux support, he says it is legal for him to distribute to users. Apple also allows for the booting of custom kernels on ‌Apple Silicon‌, which paves the way for Linux support, but Martin will need to reverse engineer Apple drivers.

Linus Torvalds earlier this month said that he'd love an ‌M1‌ Mac if it ran Linux, but that he doesn't feel it's possible without Apple's cooperation. "The main problem with the ‌M1‌ for me is the GPU and other devices around it, because that's likely what would hold me off using it because it wouldn't have any Linux support unless Apple opens up," said Torvalds. He went on to say that he thinks it "seems unlikely" Apple would open up its chipsets, but "you can always hope."

If the project is funded, and it's looking like it will be, Martin plans to develop in the open with regular pushes to GitHub, and he will accept help from anyone who wants to contribute.

Apple this year came out with a handful of accessories for the new iPhone 12 models, and in addition to the standard Silicone and Leather cases, there's also a new Leather Sleeve that recently went on sale.

We picked up one of the Leather Sleeves to check it out to see if it's worth the $129 that Apple is charging. The Leather Sleeve is available for the ‌iPhone‌ 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, and 12 mini, with all of the Sleeves priced the same.

Design wise, it's not a traditional case and covers the front and back of the ‌iPhone‌ with the exception of a small cutout at the front. It comes in Baltic Blue, Pink Citrus, Saddle Brown, and (PRODUCT)RED, with the high price point due to the material that it's made of. Apple says it's crafted from a "specially tanned and finished European leather" that "feels soft to the touch," and that's true. The iPhone 12 mini version we have feels nice in the hand.

A lanyard attaches to the bottom of the Leather Sleeve, and that lanyard can be used to connect the sleeve to a bag or a purse, or it can be worn over the wrist as a simple ‌iPhone‌ holder. When held or attached to a bag, the Leather Sleeve is upside down so there's little risk of the ‌iPhone‌ slipping out accidentally.

The ‌iPhone‌ fits tightly into the Leather Sleeve to keep it secure for the most part. There are also several card slots inside, which is handy, because you can keep credit cards and ID there. The card slots are snug too and feel like they'll keep cards in place without slippage. You can fit two to three cards inside, similar to the MagSafe Leather Wallet Apple also sells.

There's a cutout at the front of the Leather Sleeve that's designed to show the time. The time on the ‌iPhone‌'s screen displays thanks to the MagSafe connection between the Leather Sleeve and the ‌iPhone‌, allowing for a special display. The color of the time is designed to match the color of the Leather Sleeve, which is a unique feature.

Other than the time, that little display cutout will show incoming phone calls, which is handy, but you can't answer a call while the ‌iPhone‌ is in the Leather Sleeve. It has to be taken out. The window does not display any other incoming notifications, even for Apple apps like Messages, which makes it of limited utility.

There are a few other animations when attaching ‌MagSafe‌ accessories like chargers to the back of the Leather Sleeve, but that's about it. Speaking of ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone‌ can be charged with a ‌MagSafe‌ charger while in the Leather Sleeve, just like it can in a standard case.

The Leather Sleeve is a design choice that's going to be more polarizing than Apple's traditional cases just because of the limited functionality and the need to take the ‌iPhone‌ in and out of the sleeve prior to using it. It's not an accessory that many of us here at MacRumors would pick up, but for those who like the appeal of a simple carrying case that also includes wallet functionality, it's potentially worth checking out.

Apple's M1 chip is the fastest chip that Apple has ever released in a Mac based on single-core CPU benchmark scores, and it beats out many high-end Intel Macs when it comes to multi-core performance. Developer Erik Engheim recently shared a deep dive into the ‌M1‌ chip, exploring the reasons why Apple's new processor is so much faster than the Intel chips that it replaces.

First and foremost, the ‌M1‌ isn't a simple CPU. As Apple has explained, it's a System-on-a-Chip, which is a series of chips that are all housed together in one silicon package. The ‌M1‌ houses an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU (7-core in some MacBook Air models), unified memory, SSD controller, image signal processor, Secure Enclave, and tons more.

Intel and AMD also ship multiple microprocessors in a single package, but as Engheim describes, Apple has a leg up because rather than focusing on general purpose CPU cores like its competitors, Apple is focusing on specialized chips that handle specialized tasks.

In addition to the CPU (with high-performance and high-efficiency cores) and GPU, the ‌M1‌ has a Neural Engine for machine learning tasks like voice recognition and camera processing, a built-in video decoder/encoder for power-efficient conversion of video files, the Secure Enclave to handle encryption, the Digital Signal Processor for handling mathematically intensive functions like decompressing music files, and the Image Processing Unit that speeds up tasks done by image processing apps.

Notably, there's also a new unified memory architecture that lets the CPU, GPU, and other cores exchange information between one another, and with unified memory, the CPU and GPU can access memory simultaneously rather than copying data between one area and another. Accessing the same pool of memory without the need for copying speeds up information exchange for faster overall performance.

All of these chips with specific purposes speed up specific tasks, leading to the improvements that people are seeing.

This is part of the reason why a lot of people working on images and video editing with the M1 Macs are seeing such speed improvements. A lot of the tasks they do, can run directly on specialized hardware. That is what allows a cheap M1 Mac Mini to encode a large video file, without breaking sweat while an expensive iMac has all its fans going full blast and still cannot keep up.

Specialized chips have been in use for years, but Apple is taking a "more radical shift towards this direction," as Engheim describes. Other Arm chip makers like AMD are taking a similar approach, but Intel and AMD rely on selling general purpose CPUs and for licensing reasons, PC manufacturers like Dell and HP are likely not able to design a full SoC in house like Apple is able to do.

Apple is able integrate hardware and software in a way that's just not possible for most other companies to replicate, which is always something that's given the iPhone and iPad an edge over other smartphones and tablets.

Sure Intel and AMD may simply begin to sell whole finished SoCs. But what are these to contain? PC makers may have different ideas of what they should contain. You potentially get a conflict between Intel, AMD, Microsoft and PC makers about what sort of specialized chips should be included because these will need software support.

Along with the benefits of an in-house designed System-on-a-Chip, Apple is also using Firestorm CPU cores in the ‌M1‌ that are "genuinely fast" and able to execute more instructions in parallel through Out-of-Order execution, RISC architecture, and some specific optimizations Apple has implemented, which Engheim has an in-depth explanation of.

Engheim believes that Intel and AMD are in a tough spot because of the limitations of the CISC instruction set and their business models that don't make it easy to create end-to-end chip solutions for PC manufacturers.

Engheim's full article is well worth reading for those who are interested in how the ‌M1‌ works and the technology that Apple has adopted to take a giant leap forward in computing performance.

There are a limited number of original Apple-1 computers left in the world, and every so often, one comes up for auction. Available starting December 10, a new Apple-1 auction will see RR Auction selling a functional Apple-1 computer with an original box that's been signed by Steve Wozniak.

Apple-1 machines were the first computers produced by Apple and sold by Steve Jobs out of his parents' garage back in 1976. Priced at $666.66, there were originally 175 Apple-1 computers manufactured, but less than half of those are still in existence.

The Apple-1 sold by RR Auction includes an Apple-1 computer that was restored to its original operational state by Apple-1 expert Corey Cohen, who says the current condition is an 8 out of 10. It is one of the few models in existence to include an original box, which was signed by Wozniak on the lid in black felt tip marker in 2005.

On the left side, the board is marked: "Apple Computer 1, Palo Alto, Ca. Copyright 1976," with the NTI emblem below, denoting it as part of the second batch of boards, ordered in the second half of 1976. Unlike most Apple-1 boards, many of the integrated circuits have bright and clear labeling. It exhibits typical green coat wear for a later NTI Apple-1 and has all correct components in good working order. The Apple-1 memory and IO jumpers have been wired to support executing Apple Basic on an 8K memory system, and the prototyping area is pristine and unused. Accompanied by a program from the 2005 UCLA event at which Wozniak signed the box, an image of the present owner with Wozniak and the box at the event, and a printout of a 1994 email from Woz about the Apple-1.

Also included is an original Apple Cassette Interface (ACI), an Apple-1 Operation Manual, a vintage Apple-1 power supply, a vintage Datanetics keyboard, a vintage 1976 Sanyo monitor, and a vintage Panasonic cassette player.

Bidding on the Apple-1 will start at $50,000, with bids to be accepted starting on December 10. The auction will run through December 17. The Apple-1 could fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in the past, Apple-1 machines have sold for as much as $815,000.

Earlier this year, a similar Apple-1 in working order with the same 8/10 condition sold for $458,711.

Today marks one month since the launch of Apple One, which allows customers to subscribe to multiple Apple services in a single bundle, and it appears there are some billing-related issues as the free trial period begins to elapse.

Apple One includes a 30-day free trial for any services that customers did not already subscribe to individually, and that trial period ends today for those who signed up for Apple One on its first day of availability. Following the end of the trial period, however, some customers are seeing their Apple One subscription listed as expired and/or have been billed individually for services like Apple TV+ and Apple Music that should be rolled into Apple One.

All in all, there are clearly some hiccups going on as Apple One converts from a trial to a standard subscription, so hopefully Apple is able to sort out the issues soon.

Apple One allows customers to save money by bundling services together with one unified bill. At the low end, the Individual tier offers savings of $6 per month, while the Family plan offers a savings of over $8 per month, and the Premier plan offers a savings of over $25 per month, compared to standard monthly pricing.

• How to Sign Up to Apple One on iPhone and iPad

There are three tiers of Apple One available:

• Individual: Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage for $14.95 per month
• Family: Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 200GB of iCloud storage for $19.95 per month, can be shared among up to six family members
• Premier: Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and 2TB of iCloud storage for $29.95 per month, can be shared among up to six family members

Curently, the Premier tier is limited to the United States, Australia, Canada, and the UK, as these are the only countries where Apple News+ is available. Premier will also include access to Apple's new workout service Fitness+, which launches later this year.

Earlier today we shared the best deals you can find on Apple Products for Cyber Monday 2020, and now we're highlighting the best discounts from popular companies like Incase, Nomad, Tile, Woot, Sonos, Mophie, and many more. You can save on software as well today, thanks to our exclusive promo code at StackSocial, as well as a discount on Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac.

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.

StackSocial is offering the Official Cyber Monday Mac Bundle for $42 with the code RUMORS40. This bundle includes Parallels Desktop Pro, Luminar 4, Gemini 2, PDFpenPro 12, Goose VPN, BusyCal 3, Movavi Screen Recorder 2021, uTalk, Edraw MindMaster, Dropzone 4 Pro, ForkLift 3, Art Text 4.

Outside of this bundle, StackSocial is holding a few sales today. You can get 20 percent off sitewide with the code CMSAVE20, 40 percent off apps and software with the code CMSAVE40, and 70 percent off online courses with the code CMSAVE70.

In other Mac software sales, you can get Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac for 20 percent off a new license or an upgrade. Parallels is running this sale for another two days, and if you're purchasing a new license you'll pay $63.99, down from $79.99.

Of course, there are also plenty of Apple-related accessory deals going on today. You can shop discounts for Brydge's iPad keyboards, Casetify iPhone cases, JBL Bluetooth speakers, Pad and Quill's leather cases, Tile's trackers, Mophie's wireless and portable chargers, and much more.

Cyber Monday Software and Accessory Sales

• StackSocial - Get the Official Cyber Monday Mac Bundle for $42 with code RUMORS40
• Belkin - Save up to 54 percent
• Brydge - Save on iPad keyboards
• Casetify - Get up to 20 percent off
• Aura Frames - Save up to $40 on The Carver frame
• eBay - Save up to 50 percent on certified refurbished products
• Harber London - Buy two, get 20 percent off your entire order
• Hyper - Get 30 percent off sitewide
• Incase - Get up to 70 percent off sitewide
• Incipio - Get up to 60 percent off sitewide
• JBL - Get up to 70 percent off JBL speakers
• Moment - Get up to 75 percent off
• Nimble - Get 30 percent off sitewide
• Nomad - Get 30 percent off select products
• Otterbox - Get 25 percent off
• Pad and Quill - Get 20 percent off sitewide
• Parallels - Get 20 percent off Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac
• Sonos - Save up to $100 on select products
• Tile - Save on Tile Mate, Slim, and more
• Woot - Save on previous generation iPads, MacBooks, and more
• Zagg (Mophie) - Get up to 40 percent off sitewide

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Apple is advancing its plans to significantly enhance the iPhone's optical zoom range using periscope lens technology, according to ETNews.

Citing industry sources familiar with the development of ‌iPhone‌ cameras, ETNews says Apple is currently seeking an appropriate "folded" periscope camera solution for the ‌iPhone‌ and has already initiated discussions with suppliers. Apple has filed patents related to periscope lens systems since 2014.

Apple has reportedly encountered issues developing its own periscope camera system due to much of the technology involved being guarded by other patents, leading the company to explore purchasing it directly from patent-holders instead. Specifically, "ball-type actuator" technology is purported to be essential to most periscope camera designs, but Samsung Electronics now owns this technology.

Many multi-camera and periscope camera patents were held by Israel-based company Corephotonics, including the ball-type actuator design, but it was acquired by Samsung in 2019. As a result, Samsung is said now to possess the key patents related to periscope cameras. Samsung's periscope camera technology has allowed it to implement it in devices such as the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

A Digitimes report seen by The Next Web has also corroborated this, stating that Apple is looking to improve the zoom capabilities of its next iPhones with a periscope camera system. The report speculates that Apple is looking to Samsung to provide a periscope lens system for future iPhones, rather than develop it in-house.

Industry insiders speaking to ETNews have cast doubt over the chances of a partnership between Apple and Samsung Electronics or Samsung Electro-Mechanics in this area. Some believe that Samsung will refuse to supply Apple with periscope cameras in order to maintain a competitive advantage with its range of Galaxy smartphones.

Alongside his correct prediction that the iPhone 12 Pro Max would have sensor-shift stabilization technology, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this year that at least one ‌iPhone‌ model will feature a periscope telephoto lens in 2022.

However, Kuo has not attributed this to Samsung, instead predicting that Semco and Sunny Optical will supply the components.

Periscope lenses provide a much higher optical zoom range in a smartphone-sized package. Optical zoom is determined by the distance between a lens and an image sensor, but there is a limit to how much optical zoom range can be increased with the current vertically-stacked camera module structure because it would eventually increase the device's thickness. A periscope lens system allows a longer stack of lenses to be placed horizontally, before reflecting light using a mirror to face in the correct direction, all without increasing the device's thickness.

The camera technology has already made its way into some smartphones. Huawei, for example, ships the P30 Pro with a 5x true optical zoom using a similar mechanism. The ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ currently offers the best optical zoom on an ‌iPhone‌, with the device being able to zoom in 2.5 times.

Today is Cyber Monday, a shopping event that sees many of the same deals from Black Friday bleed over into a new week, along with a few brand new offers on everything from Apple products to related accessories. In this post we'll highlight the best online discounts that you can find on Apple devices today.

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.

AirPods

Update: Best Buy is running a flash sale this afternoon, offering the AirPods with Charging Case for $99.99, down from $159.00. This beats Amazon's price, but Best Buy's sale is only running for two hours, so it won't last long.

We're seeing a few Black Friday deals return on AirPods today, as well as a few lower discounts on certain models of Apple's Bluetooth headphones. The lowest available price on the cheapest AirPods model (with wired Charging Case) is still $109.99 at Amazon, which is a solid discount on this model.

Amazon has also now discounted the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case to $139.98, down from $199.00, which is an all-time-low price. For the AirPods Pro, Walmart's price of $169.00 has now become available only if a store near you has stock since they're available for in-store purchase only. But B&H Photo's $199.99 sale price for online orders is a solid alternative.

• AirPods with Charging Case - $109.99, down from $159.00
• AirPods with Wireless Charging Case - $139.98, down from $199.00
• AirPods Pro - $199.99, down from $249.00

Beats

The Powerbeats Pro sale from Black Friday has returned today, and you can get the wireless earphones for $159.95 at Amazon, down from $249.95 (as well as Best Buy and Target).

• Powerbeats Pro - $159.95, down from $249.95
• Solo Pro - $229.95, down from $299.95
• Solo3 Wireless - $169.99, down from $199.00
• Powerbeats - $99.00, down from $149.00

Apple Watch

Apple Watch Series 6 deals aren't quite reaching Black Friday levels, but you can still save with a few solid offers at Amazon. The standout among the Cyber Monday deals is the 44mm GPS Series 6 model at $379.99 (after an automatic discount is applied at checkout), which is just about $20 off from the lowest-ever price. For Apple Watch SE, you'll find the best sales at Target.

Series 6

• 40mm GPS - $349.99, down from $399.00
• 44mm GPS - $379.99, down from $429.00
• 40mm Cellular - $449.99, down from $499.00
• 44mm Cellular - $479.99, down from $509.00

SE

• 40mm GPS - $229.99, down from $279.00
• 44mm Cellular - $309.99, down from $359.00

iPad mini 5

Best Buy has introduced a new lowest-ever price on Apple's iPad mini 5 today, marking the 64GB Wi-Fi model down to $299.99 from $399.00. That $100 sale is available in all three colors of the iPad mini 5, and you can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi model for $449.99, down from $549.00.

iPad Pro

The best iPad Pro discounts on Cyber Monday this year can be found at a few retailers, including Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy. Sales offer up to $100 off select models, with prices as low as $729.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro.

If you're shopping for accessories, it's also worth checking out Apple's Smart Keyboard Folio for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which is on sale for $120.00, down from $199.00. This is $1 off from the lowest price we've ever seen for this accessory.

11-inch

• Wi-Fi 128GB - $749.00 at Amazon / B&H Photo ($50 off
• Wi-Fi 256GB - $829.00 at Amazon / B&H Photo ($70 off)
• Wi-Fi 512GB - $949.99 at Amazon ($150 off at checkout, lowest price)
• Wi-Fi 1TB - $1,199.00 at B&H Photo ($100 off
• Cellular 128GB - $879.00 at B&H Photo ($70 off, lowest price)
  

• Cellular 256GB - $999.00 at Amazon ($50 off)
• Cellular 512GB - $1,199.00 at B&H Photo ($50 off)
• Cellular 1TB - $1,349.00 at Amazon ($100 off)

12.9-inch

• Wi-Fi 128GB - $899.99 at Amazon ($100 off at checkout, lowest price)
• Wi-Fi 256GB - $999.00 at Amazon / B&H Photo ($100 off)
• Wi-Fi 512GB - $1,149.00 at Amazon / B&H Photo ($150 off, lowest price)
• Wi-Fi 1TB - $1,399.00 at Amazon ($100 off, lowest price)
• Cellular 128GB - $1,099.00 at Amazon ($50 off)
• Cellular 256GB - $1,149.00 at Amazon / B&H Photo ($100 off, lowest price)
• Cellular 512GB - $1,349.00 at Amazon ($100 off)
  

• Cellular 1TB - $1,549.00 at Amazon ($100 off)

iPad Air

Deals on the new 2020 iPad Air are a bit rarer this Cyber Monday, but you can find a few smaller discounts at B&H Photo today. For all models, stock is fluctuating due to demand, but you can still lock in these prices today before the sales expires.

• Wi-Fi 64GB - $569.00 at B&H Photo ($30 off)
• Cellular 64GB - $689.00 at B&H Photo ($40 off)
• Cellular 256GB - $849.00 at B&H Photo ($30 off)

M1 Macs

The newest Macs come with Apple's M1 chip, and we're already tracking a few discounts across the latest Mac mini, MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Mac mini

• 256GB - $639 from B&H ("Coming Soon") or $669.99 from Amazon (up to $60 off)
• 512GB - $829 from B&H ("Coming Soon") or $895.00 from Amazon (up to $70 off)

MacBook Air

• 256GB - $899 from B&H ($100 off)
• 512GB - $1,139.00 from B&H ($100 off)

13-inch MacBook Pro

• 256GB M1 MacBook Pro - $1,149.99 from Simply Mac, $1,199.00 from B&H ($50-$150 off)
• 512GB - $1,349.99 from Simply Mac, $1,399.00 from B&H ($50-$150 off)

Intel Macs

There are some discounts on older Intel Mac models which are worth checking out for those looking for an iMac, 16-inch MacBook Pro, or Intel version of the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. But, make sure you really need one. We don't generally recommend buying an Intel Mac right now.

Early 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro

• 1.4GHz 256GB/8GB MacBook Pro - $1,099.00 at B&H ($200 off)
• 1.4GHz 512GB/8GB MacBook Pro - $1,279.00 at B&H($220 off)
• 2.0GHz 1TB/16GB MacBook Pro - $1,769.00 at B&H ($230 off)

Late 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro

• 2.6GHz 512GB/16GB MacBook Pro - $2,099.00 at B&H ($250 off)
• 2.3GHz 1TB/16GB MacBook Pro - $2,399.00 at Amazon / B&H ($400 off)

2018 Mac mini

• 3.0GHz 512GB/8GB Mac mini - $1,049.00 at Tiger Direct($50 off)
• 3.6GHz 256GB/8GB Mac mini - $769.99 from Amazon ($30 off)

Mid 2017/Early 2019/Mid 2020 21.5-inch iMac

• 2.3GHz 1TB (Fusion)/8GB 2017 iMac - $999.93 at Amazon ($99 off)
• 3.0GHz 1TB (Fusion)/8GB 2019 iMac - $1,429.00 at Tiger Direct ($70 off)

Early 2019/Mid 2020 27-inch iMac

• 3.7GHz 2TB (Fusion)/8GB 2019 iMac - $2,209.00 at Tiger Direct ($90 off)
• 3.1GHz 256GB/8GB iMac - $1,699.00 at B&H ($100 off)
• 3.3GHz 512GB/8GB iMac - $1,899.00 at B&H ($100 off)
• 3.8GHz 512GB/8GB iMac - $2,199.00 at B&H / Adorama ($100 off)

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple is preparing to open a new retail store in Yeouido, South Korea. The store will be Apple's second retail location in the country.

Apple Yeouido will be located in the IFC Mall, which is in Seoul's financial district by the Han River. Apple has shared wallpapers and an animation on its website to announce the opening of Apple Yeouido.

Apple's first retail store in South Korea, Apple Garosugil, opened in 2018 in Seoul's Gangnam area. Apple Garosugil was the first Apple Store outside China to reopen earlier this year.

South Korea is an increasingly important territory for Apple, with the company looking to expand its market share in the country. Apple currently owns just 19 percent of the market in South Korea, according to The Korea Herald. Native company Samsung dominates the smartphone market in the country at 67 percent. The opening of Apple Yeouido is another indication that Apple is seeking to expand its presence in South Korea.

Spotify has started publicly testing an Instagram-style stories feature in its mobile app on iOS and Android, reports Engadget.

The video clips appear on some albums and playlists, such as Spotify's Christmas Hits playlist, which includes short messages from artists like Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Clarkson, and Pentatonix, in which they relate their favorite festive songs.

The stories can be accessed via an icon in the upper left of a playlist. Tapping an icon brings up an interface similar to the one found on Instagram, allowing users to tap on the left or right of the screen to skip through short video clips.

First appearing on Snapchat, stories have become ubiquitous on social media platforms, with the format appearing on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and most recently, Twitter, in the form of "fleets." Spotify might therefore seem like an odd place for the feature to appear, however the streaming service has tested Stories-style content in the past, with similar Storylines from artists appearing last year.

Spotify stories aren't showing up for everyone and only appear on certain playlists and albums, indicating that their rollout is still limited to a subset of users and they may not even survive beyond the initial testing phase.

"At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests in an effort to improve our user experience," a spokesperson told Engadget in response to a request for comment. "Some of those tests end up paving the path for our broader user experience and others serve only as an important learning. We have no further news to share on future plans at this time."

Apple has been slapped with a 10 million euro ($12 million) fine by Italy's antitrust watchdog for unfair commercial practices related to its iPhone marketing in the country.

Specifically, Apple is being charged for misleading claims in promotional messages about how deep and how long iPhones can be submerged in water without being damaged.

In marketing materials related to ‌iPhone‌ 8, ‌iPhone‌ 8 Plus, ‌iPhone‌ XR, ‌iPhone‌ XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, ‌iPhone‌ 11, ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple said its iPhones were water resistant at a depth of between one and four meters for up to 30 minutes, depending on the model.

However, according to the country's competition regulator, the messages did not clarify that the claims are only true under specific conditions, for example during controlled laboratory tests with the use of static and pure water, and not in the normal conditions of use by consumers.

The regulator also took issue with Apple's warranty terms, which do not cover damage caused by liquids. The authority considered it inappropriate to push an "aggressive" commercial practice highlighting water resistance as a feature, while at the same time refusing to provide post-sales warranty assistance if the ‌iPhone‌ models in question suffer water damage.

This isn't the first time Apple has fallen under the radar of Italy's antitrust watchdog and subsequently been punished. In 2018 Apple was fined 10 million euros (about $11.5 million USD) for "planned obsolescence" of its smartphones, following the regulator's investigation into reports of iPhone battery slowdowns.

(Via setteBIT.)

Apple is widely reported to be embracing mini-LED display backlighting technology for some products next year, and a new report today by DigiTimes has named several of Apple's partners in the supply chain that are expected to benefit from the switch.

According to the report, Apple is set to launch its first mini-LED iPad Pro in the first quarter of 2021 and mass produce mini-LED MacBook Pro models in the second quarter, and a number of Taiwan manufacturers are building a "pre-emptive presence" in the Mini-LED segment in anticipation.

Apple's suppliers in Taiwan, including LED chip vendor Epistar, testing and sorting specialist FitTech, SMT service provider Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology, backlight board supplier Zhen Ding Technology, cooling solution provider Auras Technology and process equipment maker All Ring Technology, are all ready to gain growth momentum from upcoming shipments for Apple's miniLED-backlit devices, the sources said.

The sources continued that Foxconn Technology and Compal Electronics will share the assembly orders for miniLED iPad Pro devices, and MacBook Pro products adopting M1 chipsets will be mainly produced by Quanta Computer and partly by Foxconn.

The report goes on to note that among Apple's supply chain partners, TSMC will still benefit most from these devices, as the foundry has reportedly landed all the 5nm chip manufacturing orders for both ‌Mini-LED‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Coupled with strong iPhone sales, 2021 is said to be looking good for TSMC, with first-quarter revenues likely to hit a new high, according to DigiTimes' sources.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, production will begin on mini-LED displays for the ‌iPad Pro‌ in the fourth quarter of 2020, with a launch expected in the first half of 2021. Apple is also believed to be working on new 16.1 and 14.1-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with mini-LED displays, which are expected to be released during the first half of 2021.

‌Mini-LED‌ displays offer impressive wide color gamut performance, high contrast and HDR, and local dimming, and Kuo says adoption of the tech will "significantly improve productivity and the entertainment experience."

All future ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are expected to use Apple Silicon chips now that the first ‌Apple Silicon‌ Macs with M1 chip are available.

Promotion for Apple Fitness+ is ramping up, with advertising initiatives and teases from instructors being spotted on social media, indicating that the new subscription service may be launching imminently.

MacRumors reader Chris Weaver spotted that Best Buy has started advertising six-month free trials of Apple Fitness+ with Apple Watch purchases. The advert suggests that retailers have started to actively promote Apple Fitness+, meaning that the service's launch is likely to follow soon.

Moreover, Apple Fitness+ instructors have begun promoting their workout videos on Instagram. The posts, spotted by 9to5Mac, involve images of Apple Fitness+ instructors with captions saying they are in the process of recording workouts and that the service is launching "soon." The posts each use the hashtag #CloseYourRings and mention the @AppleFitnessPlus account.

Instructors Kim Ngo, Betina Gozo, Amir Ekbatani, Scott Carvin, Bakari Williams, Jhon Gonzalez, Emily Fayette, Josh Crosby, Jessica Skye, Jamie-Ray Hartshorne, Kyle Ardill, Ben Allen, Kym Perfetto, Tyrell Désean, Sherica Holmon, LaShawn Jones, Dustin Brown, Sam Sanchez, Gregg Cook, Molly Fox, and Anja Garcia have all made posts on Instagram teasing the launch of the new subscription service.

Apple has said that Fitness+ will launch before the end of 2020, but no exact release date has been confirmed. With the end of the year approaching in less than five weeks, and in light of these promotional social media posts and adverts, the launch of Apple Fitness+ appears to be imminent. There have also been hints that the service will arrive alongside iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2.

Apple first announced Fitness+ alongside the Apple Watch Series 6. Priced at $9.99 per month and included in the highest tier Apple One bundle, Fitness+ is designed to help Apple Watch users keep fit through a series of guided workouts.

Workouts sync to an Apple TV, iPhone, or iPad, so you can see your progress on the screen, and there are multiple workout categories to choose from, including Cycling, Treadmill, Rowing, HIIT, Strength, Yoga, Dance, and Core. Check out our Fitness+ guide for more on Apple's upcoming service.