Amazon is offering an impressive deal on the 2019 MacBook Air, offering the base model for just $799 in the United States. That's the lowest price we've ever seen and $300 less than Apple's regular price of $1,099. The notebook is listed at $899, but if you proceed to checkout and choose no-rush shipping, the price becomes $799. This is the latest MacBook Air model with a True Tone display, released in July 2019. The notebook features 8th-generation Intel Core processors, Touch ID, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, the Apple T2 chip with Hey Siri support, louder speakers, and more. Note that, unlike the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, the latest MacBook Air still has a butterfly keyboard that may experience issues with sticky or nonfunctioning keys. The base model is configured with a 1.6GHz dual-core Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and Intel UHD Graphics 617. Starting on Black Friday, a slightly better deal will be available at Micro Center stores for those who live near one of their 25 locations. They'll be offering the 2019 MacBook Air for just $779 for in-store pickup only, but quantities will be limited. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Apple's four-day Black Friday shopping event is now live in Australia and New Zealand, offering customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to A$320 or NZ$320 with the purchase of select new Apple products. The gift card amounts are as follows in Australia and New Zealand:$320 for 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, or iMac Pro $160 for MacBook Air $160 for iPad Pro $160 for Beats Studio3 Wireless $80 for SIM-free iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone XR $80 for 10.5-inch iPad Air or iPad mini 5 $80 for HomePod $80 for Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats3 Wireless, or Powerbeats Pro $40 for Apple Watch Series 3, regular AirPods, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HDBased on that, gift card amounts in the U.S. should be around the following:$200 for 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, or iMac Pro $100 for MacBook Air $100 for iPad Pro $100 for Beats Studio3 Wireless $50 for SIM-free iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone XR $50 for 10.5-inch iPad Air or iPad mini 5 $50 for HomePod $50 for Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats3 Wireless, or Powerbeats Pro $25 for Apple Watch Series 3, regular AirPods, Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV HDApple is not offering gift cards for its latest products, including the 16-inch MacBook Pro, AirPods Pro, iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models, or Apple Watch Series 5 models, while the Mac mini, iPod touch, old Mac Pro, refurbished products, education-discounted products, and carrier-locked iPhones are also ineligible. The offer is available via Apple.com in each country and at Apple Stores in Australia through December 2, which is Cyber Monday, an increasingly

Apple today removed Jony Ive from its leadership page on its website, suggesting that he has officially departed the company after nearly three decades. The change was spotted by French blog MacGeneration. Jony Ive portrait by Brian Bowen Smith Ive led Apple's design team since 1996. Promoted to Chief Design Officer in 2015, he had been responsible for all design at Apple, including the look and feel of Apple products like the iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch, packaging, and major architectural projects such as Apple Park and Apple Stores. In June, Apple announced that Ive would depart the company as an employee later this year to form an independent design company named LoveFrom with his designer friend Marc Newson. Apple said it will remain one of Ive's primary clients. "Jony is a singular figure in the design world and his role in Apple's revival cannot be overstated, from 1998's groundbreaking iMac to the iPhone and the unprecedented ambition of Apple Park, where recently he has been putting so much of his energy and care," said Apple CEO Tim Cook in June. Apple said its operations chief Jeff Williams will "spend more of his time" working with the company's design team in their studio. Evans Hankey and Alan Dye, vice presidents of Industrial Design and Human Interface design at Apple, respectively, will now report to Williams as part of the

Following a recent Bloomberg report claiming that the new AirPods Pro are experiencing "much higher" than expected demand, the Nikkei Asian Review reports that Apple has asked its supplier Luxshare Precision to double production of the high-end earphones to two million units per month. The report adds that Apple has also asked Luxshare and fellow Chinese manufacturer Goertek to boost production of the regular AirPods at their Vietnam-based factories, although it is unclear by how much.. AirPods Pro are currently estimated for delivery around December 31 through Apple's online store in the United States, so orders placed today are not guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas. However, authorized resellers such as Amazon, Best Buy, AT&T, and T-Mobile still quote delivery within the first week of December. Amazon is even offering a slight discount on the AirPods Pro for Black Friday, pricing them at $234.98, a savings of nearly $15. AirPods are considered to be the world's best selling truly wireless earphones, with surging popularity since their release in late 2016. Together with the Apple Watch, the earphones have been a driving force behind growth in Apple's wearables category, which recently set new fourth quarter revenue records worldwide. AirPods Pro feature several improvements over the regular AirPods, including active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and water resistance. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Update: In its Apple Store app, Apple has confirmed that its new Eaton Centre location opens Saturday, December 14 at 9:00 a.m. local time. Original story follows. The construction barriers covering an all-new Apple Store are nearly ready to come down at North America's busiest shopping mall. Apple is set to open an over 10,000-square-foot store at the Eaton Centre in Toronto, Canada as early as December, according to a source, who said the grand opening will likely occur within the first half of the month. Apple's existing store at the Eaton Centre Unlike other Apple Stores, Today at Apple sessions at the existing Apple Eaton Centre location abruptly end after Friday, December 6, suggesting that the new store could open on Saturday, December 7. However, our source believes that employee training could push back the opening until Saturday, December 14. MacRumors was first to report on Apple's plans for a new store at the Eaton Centre back in January, when Apple filed a building permit for a new street-level store near the Queen Street entrance to the mall. The new store will take over a space recently vacated by apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch. Apple's new store will be more than twice as large as the current 4,977-square-foot store, according to an Eaton Centre floor plan. The extra space is much needed, as not only is the Eaton Centre the busiest shopping mall in North America, but it is home to Apple's only store in Toronto's downtown core. Apple has three other stores in Toronto at Yorkdale, Sherway Gardens, and Fairview, all within

Apple plans to release 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones with thinner OLED displays in 2020, according to Korea's ETNews. The report claims the so-called iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models will adopt a Samsung technology called Y-OCTA that allows touchscreen circuitry to be directly patterned on the OLED panel without the need for a separate layer, resulting in a thinner display and lower production costs. It's unclear if the thinner display technology would translate to overall thinner iPhones next year. Notably, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are actually slightly thicker and heavier than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively, as Apple added larger batteries in this year's devices. Samsung will supply Y-OCTA displays to Apple for both the 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch iPhones, while the lower-cost 6.1-inch model will stick with traditional film-based displays supplied by both Samsung and LG, the report adds. Chinese display maker BOE may be out of the running as a supplier for 2020 iPhones. 2020 is expected to be a big year for the iPhone, with rumors pointing to the two new display sizes mentioned above, a redesigned metal frame similar to the iPhone 4, rear-facing 3D sensing, 5G support, and up to 6GB of RAM. Multiple reports have claimed that Apple eventually plans to release an iPhone with both Face ID and under-screen Touch ID, although it is unclear if the device will arrive in 2020 or 2021. The under-screen Touch ID would potentially allow users to authenticate by holding a finger anywhere on the display. Apple's plans to release

Black Friday week is upon us and that means deals on many iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps, which we've rounded up below. We'll keep this list updated throughout the week, so keep checking back for additions. iPhone and iPad Apps and GamesPixelmator Photo for iPad: free until Wednesday, November 27 Affinity Photo: 30% off until Tuesday, December 3 Affinity Designer: 30% off until Tuesday, December 3 1Blocker: Upgrade to premium for up to 33% off from Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29 Hydra: $2.99, down from $4.99, through Monday, December 2 Prizmo 5: Premium pack is $8.99, down from $13.99, through Monday, December 2 Sync: Party Hard: $0.99, down from $2.99, until Tuesday, December 3 Paprika Recipe Manager 3: $2.99, down from $4.99, through the end of November Asphalt 8: Airborne: 50% off tokens Asphalt 9: Legends: 30% off select token packs, special Card Packs, and currency bundles Disney Magic Kingdoms: Up to 30% off gems, as well as deals on character bundles, parade bundles, and attraction bundles. Disney Princess Majestic Quest: Three different bundles up to 90% off and a Majestic Offer on Cyber Monday with one special bundle at 88% off. Dragon Mania Legends: 50% off event currency and gems, 95% off Ice Cream Dragon bundles, and special items for the Ancient Fire event. Cycles: Premium subscription will be $14.99, down from $29.99, on Black FridayMac AppsPixelmator Pro: $29.99, down from $39.99, until Tuesday, December 3 Affinity Photo: 30% off until Tuesday, December 3 Affinity Designer: 30% off until Tuesday, December 3 Affinity

While not yet reflected on Apple's website, Apple Pay's Express Transit mode has been functional on at least some tube and bus routes in London since last Tuesday or so, according to multiple MacRumors readers. Image: Trusted Reviews One reader said the Express Transit mode works on Transport for London's U5 bus route between Hayes and Uxbridge, as well as at the Ealing Broadway and Farringdon stations serving the London Underground and National Rail. Not all stations support Express Transit mode yet, so this could be early testing. Despite this, Transport for London has advised customers that Express Transit mode is "not currently an option" as recently as Thursday, although it said it is having "positive discussions with Apple" about enabling the feature. Apple and Transport for London did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Express Transit mode eliminates the need for users to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode or even wake their device when they pay for rides with Apple Pay. Simply hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless reader until you feel a vibration and payment has been completed. Apple Pay with Express Transit mode is also available in New York City, Portland, Beijing, Shanghai, and where Suica is accepted in

Apple Card users will now receive 3% Daily Cash when making purchases via Apple Pay at Nike stores, on Nike.com, in the Nike app, and across SNKRS, Nike Training Club, and Nike Running Club, according to TechCrunch. 3% Daily Cash only applies to Nike purchases made with the Apple Card via Apple Pay. The physical Apple Card only offers 1% Daily Cash. 3% Daily Cash was initially limited to purchases made directly with Apple, but partners now include Uber and Uber Eats, Walgreens, Duane Reade, T-Mobile, and Nike. Apple says additional partners will be added over time. All other purchases made with the ‌Apple Card‌ via ‌Apple Pay‌ will continue to receive 2% Daily Cash. 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. Daily Cash is unlimited and paid out daily to your Apple Cash account. For more details, make sure to check out our Apple Card guide

Apple today announced that it will donate $1 to (RED) for every purchase made with Apple Pay on Apple.com, through the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store worldwide through December 2, up to a total of $1 million. Apple says 100 percent of all proceeds generated by (RED) partners goes to fund HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, as part of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Since 2006, Apple has raised over $220 million for (RED) through the sale of red-colored products and accessories. In honor of World AIDS Day on December 1, many Apple Stores will also likely turn their logos red during the first week of

Apple has announced its annual four-day shopping event, offering customers up to a $200 Apple Store gift card with the purchase of select products between Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States. Apple has yet to reveal the full terms for its offer. Last year, most Macs came with a $200 gift card, while previous-generation iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch models were eligible for a $50 gift card. HomePod and Beats were also eligible for a $50 gift card, while the Apple TV was bundled with a $25 gift card. Last year, the offer excluded the latest iPhone, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch models, as well as refurbished products, products purchased with an educational discount, and iPhones purchased via the iPhone Upgrade Program. AirPods, special edition Beats, and then-new MacBook Air and Mac mini models also did not qualify. Apple's four-day shopping event runs November 29 through December 2 on Apple.com, by phone at 1-800-APPLE, and at Apple Stores. The offer will also be available in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and several other countries, with gift card amounts varying. As usual, there are better Black Friday deals on Apple products than what Apple offers itself, so be sure to check out our Black Friday roundup this week for all of the best discounts leading up to the big day. We'll also be highlighting various one-off deals throughout the week. Update: As noted by MacGeneration, Apple is offering iTunes gift cards instead of Apple Store gift cards in some

Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis and his associates recently traveled to Asia to meet with manufacturers within Apple's supply chain, and today they shared their expectations for 2020 iPhones based on information they gathered. In a research note viewed by MacRumors, the Barclays analysts said the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will likely have 6GB of RAM, up from 4GB in the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. They also expect both models to feature rear-facing 3D sensing and mmWave support for higher-performance 5G. The base model iPhone 12 is expected to have 4GB of RAM, equal to the iPhone 11. While the iPhone 12 is also expected to be 5G enabled, the analysts did not indicate whether the device will support mmWave, sub-6GHz, or both. Last, the analysts indicated that the so-called "iPhone SE 2" is still in the pipeline, with production apparently set to begin in February. The lower-cost device is expected to resemble the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display and Touch ID home button, but with a faster A13 chip and 3GB of RAM. iPhone 12 models will likely be introduced in September as usual, while the new lower-cost iPhone is expected around March. Barclays has proven to be a largely reliable source of

Following the public release of Photoshop for iPad earlier this month, Adobe has outlined additional features coming to the app in the coming months. By the end of 2019, this will include a new Select Subject feature that uses Adobe's Sensei machine learning technology to enable users to automatically select the subject of an image to speed up complex selections. And in December, Adobe says its cloud document system will be optimized to be even faster. In the first half of 2020, Photoshop for iPad will gain additional features, including the Refine Edge brush for selecting soft edges, integration of Lightroom and Photoshop workflows on the iPad, and more. Photoshop for iPad has received poor reviews since its release and has only a two-star rating on the App Store.

A small number of Apple Stores in the United States and Canada are piloting a new program that allows customers to purchase AppleCare+ for devices beyond the usual limit of 60 days after the purchase date, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The pilot program began this week. The pilot program allows customers to add AppleCare+ to a device between 61 days and one year after the device was purchased. To do so, a customer must book a Genius Bar appointment, during which a technician will run diagnostics on the device and perform a visual inspection to confirm eligibility. We were initially told the extended eligibility was for up to two years, but another source said the period was shortened to one year. The pilot program is rolling out to 50 or so Apple Stores in the United States, as well as all 29 locations in Canada, one of our sources said. It is unclear how long the program will remain available. MacRumors contacted a participating Apple Store that confirmed existence of the pilot program. It applies to the iPhone for certain, and likely extends to the iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and other devices. We don't want anyone to be disappointed, so keep in mind that the pilot is subject to change. AppleCare+ provides two or three years of extended hardware coverage and technical support depending on the type of device. This includes up to two incidents of accidental damage, each subject to a service

Apple and Intel on Wednesday jointly filed a lawsuit against SoftBank-owned investment firm Fortress Investment Group, accusing the company of violating U.S. federal antitrust laws by pursuing "endless, meritless" patent litigation. The complaint alleges that non-practicing patent assertion entities like Fortress aggressively pursue patent litigation against large companies like Apple and Intel, knowing that even if they lose several cases, they could eventually win a case with a large monetary reward that exceeds their losses. Apple and Intel argue that Fortress-backed entities have "sought billions of dollars" from the two companies over the years, forcing both tech giants to spend "millions of dollars" on outside resources like counsel and expert witnesses to defend against Fortress-backed demands and assertions. Fortress-backed entities like Uniloc, DSS Technology Management, and Seven Networks are also named in the lawsuit, first reported by Reuters. The complaint was filed in Northern California federal court. Apple and Intel v. Fortress... by MacRumors on Scribd

Apple is overhauling the way it develops and tests iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS in hopes that the new approach will improve the quality of each software platform over the long term, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The report claims the new strategy is already being applied to development of iOS 14 ahead of its release next year. The shift comes after the buggy release of iOS 13, which has already received eight updates with bug fixes and delayed features in the last two months, which is more than usual over that time. The new process will see Apple implement "flags," allowing the company's software engineers to selectively enable or disable unfinished or buggy features in an isolated way to ensure that overall stability is not jeopardized. Flags are already commonly used by other tech companies like Google and Microsoft. Apple has also considered delaying some iOS 14 features until 2021, according to the report, as part of its efforts to ensure the update is more stable. Apple is believed to have taken a similar approach with iOS 12, delaying some features until ‌iOS 13‌, which contributed to iOS 12 being a rather stable update. The changes were reportedly announced at a recent meeting with employees led by Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi. In the meantime, Apple continues to test iOS 13.3, with a third beta released this week.

As part of an antitrust probe, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Apple in September with questions about its policies for the App Store, product repairs, and more. Apple has since responded, and while many of the responses are predictable, the letter reveals a few noteworthy details. For example, when asked to identify the total revenue that it has derived from repair services since 2009, Apple said "the costs of providing repair services has exceeded the revenue generated by repairs" in each year over that period. Apple also said it has invested "billions of dollars" in Apple Maps since the app was released in 2012. Apple is currently in the process of revamping its Maps app with much more detailed mapping data, with the improvements now available in 27 states fully and another six states partially. Apple defends many of its policies throughout the letter. For example, Apple says third-party web browsers on iOS devices must use its WebKit framework due to user privacy and security considerations. Apple gives a similar explanation for why third-party apps cannot be set as default on iOS devices. The full letter can be read here.

In addition to breaking ground on a new $1 billion campus in Austin, Texas, Apple today announced that its new Mac Pro is now in production at a nearby facility in the city. The computer is set to launch in December. Notably, Apple says the Mac Pro units in production in Austin will soon ship to customers "across the Americas," suggesting that the Mac Pro units assembled in Texas will only be shipped to customers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other countries across North and South America. It is possible that Apple plans to assemble the Mac Pro in China for orders placed outside of the Americas, but the company has not commented. Apple and its manufacturing partners have invested over $200 million in the Mac Pro facility in Austin. The manufacturing plant is UL Zero Waste to Landfill Gold certified, and has been recognized by Austin Water for Excellence in Water Conservation and Excellence in Environmental Stewardship. The new Mac Pro contains hundreds of components from suppliers in 19 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. In a press release, Apple CEO Tim Cook said "building the Mac Pro, Apple's most powerful device ever, in Austin is both a point of pride and a testament to the enduring power of American ingenuity." The new Mac Pro will be the fastest Mac ever, with up to 28-core Intel Xeon processors, up to 1.5TB of ECC RAM, up to 8TB of SSD storage, and up to AMD

Apple today announced that it has started construction of its new $1 billion, 133-acre campus in Austin, Texas as part of a commitment it made last year. Apple says the campus will initially house 5,000 employees, with the capacity to grow to 15,000, and is expected to open in 2022. In partnership with Austin-based Bartlett Tree Experts, Apple said it will plant thousands of trees spanning over 20 varieties native to Texas on the campus. Apple says landscaping will cover over 60 percent of the property, including a 50-acre nature and wildlife preserve that will be open to the public. The new campus in Austin, Texas is part of Apple's commitment to increase its investment in manufacturing, engineering, and other jobs across the United States. Apple says it is on track to contribute $350 billion to the U.S. economy between 2018 and 2023 and hire an additional 20,000 employees over that time. Apple says it has grown to approximately 7,000 employees in Austin, more than a 50 percent increase in the past five years. Apple CEO Tim Cook:With the construction of our new campus in Austin now underway, Apple is deepening our close bond with the city and the talented and diverse workforce that calls it home. Responsible for 2.4 million American jobs and counting, Apple is eager to write our next chapter here and to keep contributing to America's innovation story.Cook is touring Apple's Austin operations with U.S. President Donald Trump today. Apple is also continuing its expansion in Boulder, Culver City, New York, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and

Earlier this week, do-it-yourself repair website iFixit shared its full teardown of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, providing a closer look at its scissor switch keyboard, new thermal architecture, and other design tweaks. As it turns out, there is one more change. In an internal document to Apple Authorized Service Providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple indicates the 16-inch MacBook Pro includes a new "lid angle sensor" that presumably monitors the opening and closing of the notebook and the precise position of the lid. MacRumors reached out to iFixit to investigate, leading them to uncover a small sensor facing the left-side hinge of the notebook. There is also a magnet embedded in the hinge itself, with an arrow indicating polarity. iFixit has updated its teardown with photos of the sensor, which we've shared below. Photo: iFixit While previous-generation MacBook Pro models have a Hall effect sensor that determines when the lid is closed for sleep/wake purposes, the lid angle sensor in the 16-inch MacBook Pro appears to be more sophisticated. Apple's service document does not provide any clues as to why the sensor was redesigned, but iFixit speculates that it could provide a clever way for Apple to track how often the lid was opened, closed, or adjusted in cases where the display or frayed flex cables need to be repaired — think "Flexgate." Photo: iFixit The lid angle sensor could also be for an unannounced macOS feature, although again, this is merely speculation. Of note, in the event of a display repair, Apple's service document indicates that