2020 iPhones may have a custom battery protection module that is nearly 50 percent smaller and thinner than the battery protection circuit in previous iPhones, according to industry sources cited by Korean website The Elec. The smaller module could free up some internal space in iPhone 12 models, potentially paving the way for a slight increase in battery capacity. The report claims the smaller module would be supplied by Korea's ITM Semiconductor. A battery protection circuit helps to prevent over-charging and over-discharging. The new module from ITM Semiconductor combines the protection circuit with a MOSFET and PCB, eliminating the need for a holder case. Source: ITM Semiconductor In a separate report, The Elec claimed that ITM Semiconductor has already supplied the new modules to Samsung for the Galaxy S11. Apple is expected to release four high-end iPhones in 2020, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model. All four devices are expected to have OLED displays, 5G support, a new iPhone 4-like metal frame, up to 6GB of RAM, up to triple-lens rear cameras with 3D sensing, and more. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has the largest battery life of any iPhone ever, lasting up to five hours longer than the iPhone XS Max per

In an internal document shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple has indicated that some customers may report that the camera button on the Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max does not function correctly. Before providing service, Apple has advised technicians to ensure the iPhone is updated to the latest iOS version, noting that the camera button will not function correctly unless the device is running iOS 13.2 or later. Apple has also advised technicians to remind customers that a single quick press of the button will not launch the Camera app in order to avoid unintentional presses. The button must be pressed and held for the app to open. Holding the button for too long, however, will close the Camera app and return to the Lock screen. All in all, Apple does not appear to be acknowledging an actual issue with the cases here, but rather helping to clear up some confusion. Smart Battery Cases for the ‌iPhone 11‌, ‌iPhone 11 Pro‌, and ‌iPhone 11 Pro Max‌ launched late last month and are priced at $129 for all models. The cases are available in White and Black, and the Pro versions also come in Pink

Apple is investigating a popping sound issue with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro and plans to make a fix available in future software updates, the company has indicated in an internal document obtained by MacRumors. The memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers reads as follows:If a customer hears a popping sound when playback is stopped on their MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) When using Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, QuickTime Player, Music, Movies, or other applications to play audio, users may hear a pop come from the speakers after playback has ended. Apple is investigating the issue. A fix is planned in future software updates. Do not set up service, or replace the user's computer, as this is a software-related issue.Shortly following the launch of the 16-inch MacBook Pro last month, some customers began to voice concerns about the popping sound issue across the MacRumors forums, Apple Support Communities, Reddit, and elsewhere. The exact cause is unclear, but Apple confirms it is a software issue, not a hardware issue. Apple seeded the fourth beta of macOS Catalina 10.15.2 to developers for testing today. It is unclear when the fix will be

The widely rumored "iPhone SE 2" might actually be named the iPhone 9, according to an "informed source" cited by Japanese blog Mac Otakara. The report reiterates that the device will have a similar form factor as the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display with bezels and a Touch ID home button, but with a faster A13 Bionic chip. 3GB of RAM is also expected. Like the original iPhone SE, the device is not expected to support 3D Touch. iPhone 9 would certainly be a more fitting name for the device given it sounds like more of an iPhone 8 successor than an iPhone SE successor. With a 4.7-inch display, the new device would be larger than the original iPhone SE with a 4-inch display, disappointing those who prefer a smaller phone. The lower-cost iPhone, whatever it ends up being named, will likely start around $399 with 64GB of storage, and come in Space Gray, Silver, and Red, according to reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Multiple reports have indicated the device will be released by the end of the first quarter of 2020. The original iPhone SE was introduced at an Apple event in March 2016, so a March 2020 release is certainly possible for this next

Apple shares crossed the $269 mark in intraday trading today, setting a new all-time high for the company. However, oil giant Saudi Aramco is set to overtake Apple as the world's most valuable company based on market cap after raising $25.6 billion in the world's biggest initial public offering ever, according to Reuters. The shares are expected to begin trading on the Saudi stock market on December 11. Saudi Aramco only offered a 1.5 percent stake in the company to public shareholders, so the $25.6 billion raised gives it an overall valuation of around $1.7 trillion, topping Apple's market cap of around $1.1

The first three episodes of true-crime drama series "Truth Be Told" are now available to stream on Apple TV+. New evidence compels true-crime podcaster Poppy Parnell, played by Octavia Spencer, to reopen a murder case that made her a media sensation. "Breaking Bad" star Aaron Paul plays the man she may have wrongfully put behind bars. The series is based on the novel "Are You Sleeping" by Kathleen Barber. "Hala" was also released on Apple TV+ today. Written and directed by Minhal Baig, Apple says the film follows a high school senior struggling to balance being a suburban teenager with her traditional Muslim upbringing. Apple has also released the eighth episodes of "The Morning Show," "See," and "For All Mankind," as well as the fourth episode of "Servant." Apple TV+ is available through the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and select smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, and Vizio, as well as online at tv.apple.com. The streaming service costs $4.99 per month in the United States, with a seven-day free trial

Apple Watch models with cellular connectivity are now available in New Zealand for the first time ever. Apple has started selling Series 3 and Series 5 models with Wi-Fi and Cellular through its online store in New Zealand this week, with pricing starting at NZ$549 for Series 3 models and NZ$929 for Series 5 models. Spark is the only carrier that offers service for the Apple Watch in New Zealand right now. For $12.99 a month, Spark's wearable plan lets you share your iPhone plan's minutes and texts and get unlimited data on the Watch. And until June 6, 2020, Spark is offering the first three months free. (Thanks, Richard Everson!)

Apple plans to release five new iPhone models in 2020, according to the latest prediction from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo outlined his expectations for a so-called iPhone SE 2 with a 4.7-inch LCD display in the first half of 2020, followed by a higher-end all-OLED lineup consisting of 5.4-inch, two 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch models in the second half of the year. Kuo expects all four higher-end models to support 5G with a Qualcomm X55 modem, adding that availability of models with Sub-6G-only or Sub-6G-plus-mmWave types of 5G will vary by country. Kuo expects the iPhone models with mmWave to be available in five markets, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom, while Apple may disable Sub-6G functionality in countries that do not offer 5G service or have a shallow 5G penetration rate to reduce production costs. Four new high-end iPhones in 2020 lines up with a prediction shared by JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee on Wednesday. The so-called iPhone SE 2 is expected to resemble the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display with bezels and a Touch ID home button, but with a faster A13 chip and 3GB of RAM. The device will continue to have a single-lens rear camera, according to Kuo, like the original iPhone SE and the iPhone 8. The four higher-end iPhones are expected to resemble the iPhone 4, including a new metal frame that will likely sport flatter edges. All in all, we can expect the following iPhone lineup in 2020 if Kuo is accurate:4.7-inch iPhone

Apple plans to launch a high-end iPhone without a Lightning connector in the second half of 2021, according to a new prediction from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The device will supposedly offer a "completely wireless experience," suggesting that Apple is not switching to USB-C, but rather dropping the port entirely. An excerpt from Kuo's research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors:Apple will create more differentiation between the highest-end and high- end models. It will benefit the shipment of the highest-end model and iPhone ASP. Among new 2H21 iPhone models, we expect that the highest-end model would cancel the [Lightning] port and provide the completely wireless experience.Earlier in 2021, Kuo expects Apple will launch a so-called "iPhone SE 2 Plus" with a full-screen design but no Face ID, resulting in only a small notch. Instead, Touch ID will be built into the power button, according to Kuo:Apple will launch the iPhone SE2 Plus in 1H21. We predict that the display size will be 5.5 or 6.1-inch. This model will adopt a full-screen design. The notch area will be smaller because of no Face ID support. The Touch ID will be integrated with the power button, which is located on the side.A report from JPMorgan analysts earlier this week said that Apple will be moving toward a biannual iPhone release cycle to help smooth out sales. Coupled with Kuo's report, it does look like Apple may be moving towards a trend of lower-end iPhones each spring and higher-end iPhones each

In May 2018, Apple announced that it had helped facilitate a collaboration between two of the world's largest aluminum producers, Alcoa and Rio Tinto, on a new carbon-free aluminum smelting process. Together, the companies formed a joint venture called Elysis, working to develop the patented technology further. Today, Apple said it has now bought the first-ever commercial batch of carbon-free aluminum from Elysis, according to Reuters. The aluminum will be shipped from a Pittsburgh facility and used in unspecified Apple products. iPhones, iPads, Macs, and many other Apple products use aluminum. "For more than 130 years, aluminum - a material common to so many products consumers use daily - has been produced the same way. That's about to change," said Apple's environmental chief Lisa Jackson. Alcoa and Rio Tinto aim to commercialize and license the carbon-free smelting process beginning in 2024. If fully developed and implemented, it will eliminate direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional aluminum smelting process developed over 130 years ago, according to Apple. Alcoa said it has been producing aluminum at its facility near Pittsburgh with the new process, to varying degrees, since 2009. The process resulted from decades of research and is described by Apple as the most significant innovation in the aluminum industry in more than a century. Elysis also plans to manufacture the carbon-free aluminum at a CA$50 million research facility under construction in Saguenay, Quebec, which is slated to open in the second half of 2020, according to the

Apple today announced that its flagship store in Sydney, Australia will be temporarily closed starting January 5, 2020 to receive "creative updates." As noted by 9to5Mac, this will likely include a Forum and Video Wall for Today at Apple sessions, and the Genius Bar could be replaced with a more casual Genius Grove area. Apple Sydney was the company's first store in Australia, opened June 2008. During the closure, customers can shop at Apple's nearby Bondi or Broadway locations. Apple has not indicated when the renovations will be

Nearly four months after rolling out in the United States, the Apple Card is now beginning to appear on credit reports. Goldman Sachs has confirmed that it is working with credit bureau TransUnion to begin reporting Apple Card information, informing cardholders that they will see full details on their credit report within the next five days. This includes the date the Apple Card account is opened, credit balance, payment status, and more. In other words, like any other credit card, the way you use your Apple Card can now have an impact on your credit score. Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook opined that the Apple Card has been the "most successful launch of a credit card in the United states ever," although that was before allegations surfaced of gender bias during the approval process. Goldman Sachs has since offered to reevaluate credit limits. To apply for an Apple Card, simply open the Wallet app on an iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later, tap the plus button in the top-right corner, and follow the on-screen steps. The process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, your digital Apple Card will be ready for purchases immediately. We have been working with TransUnion to begin reporting your Apple Card information. Within the next 5 days, you will see the full details on your credit report.— GS Bank Support (@gsbanksupport) December 5, 2019 #AppleCard showed up on my credit report today. pic.twitter.com/7nYhemuqeE— Dongjun (@dongjunzhao) December 4, 2019 Apple Card offers 3% cashback at a growing number of merchants, including Apple, Nike, Uber, Uber Eats,

Apple has announced that it will be attending the 33rd Conference and Workshop on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) in Vancouver, Canada from Sunday, December 8 through Saturday, December 14. In a new entry to its Machine Learning Journal, Apple said its product teams are "engaged in state of the art research in machine hearing, speech recognition, natural language processing, machine translation, text-to-speech, and artificial intelligence, improving the lives of millions of customers every day." Apple employees will be making a series of presentations at the conference. A schedule is provided in Apple's Machine Learning Journal. Machine learning algorithms play a role in virtually every Apple product and service, ranging from Apple Maps and Apple News to Siri and the QuickType keyboard on iPhone and iPad. Apple has machine learning jobs available in areas such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, data science, and deep

Yesterday, in a research note shared with MacRumors, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple is planning four to six products with mini-LED displays over the next two to three years, including a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an A14X chip in the third quarter of 2020 and a refreshed 16-inch MacBook Pro in the fourth quarter of 2020. Kuo said LG Display and Taiwanese manufacturer GIS will be the most significant benefactors of these mini-LED products starting next year. Now, those mini-LED plans have been backed by two Taiwanese publications in DigiTimes and the Economic Daily News, with both outlets also reporting that GIS will be a key supplier of mini-LED-related components. "Apple will introduce a 12.9-inch iPad Pro series featuring mini-LED backlit displays in 2020, with related suppliers set to kick off shipments in the third quarter, according to industry sources," reports DigiTimes, which in a separate report added that Apple also plans to release a new MacBook with a mini-LED display next year. Likewise, the Economic Daily News reported that Apple will tap GIS for mini-LED display module assembly for an upcoming iPad. Kuo has previously said that Mini-LED displays will allow for thinner and lighter product designs, while offering many of the same benefits of OLED displays used on the latest iPhones, including good wide color gamut performance, high contrast and dynamic range, and local dimming for truer blacks. iPads and MacBooks currently use

Apple has arranged for a representative to meet with Taiwanese touchscreen-related manufacturer GIS next week to discuss development of an iPhone with an under-display fingerprint scanner for release as early as next year, according to a pair of reports from the Economic Daily News. The reports claim that Apple plans to use Qualcomm's ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology in at least one iPhone model set to be released in 2020, although the timeframe could be pushed back to 2021. GIS would cooperate with Qualcomm to supply necessary components. This lines up with recent reports from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Barclays analysts, Bloomberg, and others who expect Apple to release an iPhone with both Face ID and under-display fingerprint authentication in 2020 or 2021. There are currently two types of under-display fingerprint sensors, including optical and ultrasonic. Optical variants rely on light from a smartphone's display to create a 2D image of a fingerprint, while ultrasonic variants make use of high-frequency sound to generate a 3D image of a fingerprint. Qualcomm already supplies ultrasonic fingerprint sensors for Samsung's Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note10 smartphones, but iPhones could use an even more advanced version of the technology by time 2020 or 2021 rolls around. In a closed-door briefing on the sidelines of the 2019 Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona, Qualcomm director Gordon Thomas reportedly disclosed that the company plans to create even larger under-display fingerprint sensors than the one used in Samsung's latest smartphones,

Intel today announced it has completed the sale of the majority of its smartphone modem business to Apple for $1 billion following regulatory approval. The transaction was first announced in July and includes intellectual property, equipment, and approximately 2,200 Intel employees joining Apple. The deal sees Apple acquire a large portfolio of wireless patents from Intel. Apple now holds over 17,000 wireless technology patents, ranging from protocols for cellular standards to modem architecture and modem operation. Intel will retain the ability to develop modems for non-smartphone applications, such as PCs, internet-of-things devices, and autonomous vehicles. Last week, Intel admitted that it sold its smartphone modem business to Apple at "a multi-billion dollar loss," according to court documents unearthed by Reuters. Intel added that rival chipmaker Qualcomm's patent licensing practices "strangled competition" and effectively forced it to exit the market. Apple is expected to use Qualcomm modems for its first 5G-enabled iPhones next year, as part of a six-year licensing agreement between the companies. Farther down the road, multiple reports have claimed that Apple plans to develop its own modems for iPhones by 2022-23, and this Intel deal would certainly help those efforts.

Apple is planning four to six products with mini-LED displays over the next two to three years, including a high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an A14X chip in the third quarter of 2020 and a refreshed 16-inch MacBook Pro in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with TF International Securities today, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said the mini-LED displays will "significantly improve productivity and the entertainment experience" without elaborating. LG Display and GIS will be the most significant benefactors of these mini-LED products starting next year, according to Kuo. Kuo has previously said that Mini-LED displays will allow for thinner and lighter product designs, while offering many of the same benefits of OLED displays used on the latest iPhones, including good wide color gamut performance, high contrast and dynamic range, and local dimming for truer blacks. Kuo has also previously said that future iPad and MacBook displays will each use approximately 10,000 LEDs, compared to 576 in Apple's upcoming Pro Display XDR. Each LED would be below 200 microns in size. Apple is widely rumored to refresh the iPad Pro in spring 2020, and if so, a new 12.9-inch model in fall 2020 would certainly be soon after. Update: DigiTimes reports similar: "For the new MacBook said to adopt mini LED backlighting and to be released in 2020, its backlighting module reportedly will be supplied by Taiwan-based Zhen Ding Tech, the sources

Apple CEO Tim Cook and a group of other CEOs, including Google's Sundar Pichai and Microsoft's Satya Nadella, have jointly signed a letter urging the Trump administration to keep the United States a member of the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement aims to combat climate change by keeping the global temperature rise this century well below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels. The United States was one of over 190 countries to pledge support for the Paris Agreement in 2015, under the Obama administration, but the Trump administration is in the process of formally exiting the agreement due to economic concerns. Cook and the other CEOs who signed the letter believe the Paris Agreement could actually provide a boost to the economy. "Staying in the Paris Agreement will strengthen our competitiveness in global markets, positioning the United States to lead the deployment of new technologies that support the transition, provide for our workers and communities, and create jobs and companies built to last," the letter states. "The promise of the Paris Agreement is one of a just and prosperous world. We urge the United States to join us in staying in." The letter was prepared by AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States, representing more than 12.5 million working people in the country. Visit the United For The Paris Agreement website for more details. Humanity has never faced a greater or more urgent threat than climate change — and it’s one we must face together. Apple will continue our work to leave the planet better than we found it and

Last week, MacRumors reported that Apple Pay's Express Transit mode was being tested at some London Underground stations. And now, Apple has formally announced that Express Transit mode is live across all Transport for London services, including the tube, buses, trains, and trams. Apple has been alerting customers in the United Kingdom about this news by email, pointing them to a new page on its website with more details. Express Transit mode eliminates the need to authenticate your payment with Face ID or Touch ID. And you don't need to wake or unlock your device, either. Simply tap your iPhone or Apple Watch on the card reader and go. You'll need an iPhone 6s and newer or an Apple Watch Series 1 or newer. If you have an iPhone XS or newer, Express Transit mode even works for up to five hours after your iPhone shuts off and displays a red battery icon. To set up a card for use with Express Transit mode, open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Wallet & Apple Pay > Express Transit Card. Select a card and then authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. In related news, Apple has started advertising Apple Pay with Express Transit mode on some MetroCard fare cards in New York City, as shared on Reddit. The MTA added support for the feature earlier this year. Express Transit mode is also supported in Portland, Beijing, Shanghai, and parts of

Apple today started offering an extended three-month free trial period for Apple News+ to first-time subscribers in the United States and Canada, up from a one-month trial previously. According to the App Store, this is a temporary promotion available for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend only. "This weekend only, get a 3 month free trial of Apple News+ and enjoy full access to hundreds of magazines and leading newspapers," says Apple. The three-month trial can be initiated on the Apple News website in the United States or Canada. After the trial period, Apple News+ automatically renews for $9.99 per month in the United States or $12.99 per month in Canada until cancelled. Apple News+ is a subscription-based service in the Apple News app that lets you access hundreds of magazines and paywalled content from some news sites. The service launched in March following Apple's acquisition of Texture. Apple News+ continues to offer a one-month trial in Australia and the United