Joe Rossignol

Apple Pay appears poised to launch in South Africa at some point this year, with at least two participating banks in the country at launch. Over the last few days, several MacRumors readers have alerted us to Apple Pay terms and conditions for some South African banks beginning to appear in the Wallet app on iPhone after changing the device's region to the United States. At launch, it...

Ahead of CES 2021, OWC is introducing four new products compatible with Macs, including the Thunderbolt Dock, USB-C Travel Dock E, Envoy Pro FX storage drive, and U2 Shuttle storage carrier for 3.5-inch drive bays. OWC's Thunderbolt Dock Priced at $249, the Thunderbolt Dock is equipped with four Thunderbolt 4 ports, four USB-A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an SD card slot, and a combo 3.5mm ...

JBL today introduced the latest addition to its sound bar lineup, the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam. With support for AirPlay 2, the Bar 5.0 is ideal for Apple users, as audio can be wirelessly streamed to the sound bar from devices like the iPhone and iPad. AirPlay 2 allows for multi-room audio when the JBL sound bar is paired with other AirPlay 2 devices, such as the HomePod, Apple TV, select...

Intel today introduced RealSense ID, a purpose-built hardware module that will bring Face ID-like facial authentication to the point-of-sale, smart door locks, access control points like gates, ATMs, airport kiosks, and more. According to Intel, RealSense ID combines a depth sensor with a specialized neural network designed to deliver secure, accurate, and user-aware facial authentication,...

Taiwanese publication DigiTimes yesterday claimed that Apple is about to enter the "second phase" of development of augmented reality glasses, citing industry sources. Now, the full report has been shared with a few more details. Following the second phase, the report claims that the glasses will go through a third phase of development a few months later. Upon completion of the prototype...

Apple is expected to release new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon in the second half of 2021, boosting Apple's market share of notebook CPUs to about 7%, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. In July 2020, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon and an all-new design will launch in the late second...

While the App Store launched on the iPhone in July 2008, the Mac App Store did not become available until January 6, 2011, when Apple released Mac OS X Snow Leopard version 10.6.6. Accordingly, today marks the 10th anniversary of the Mac App Store. Apple announced that the Mac App Store was "open for business" in a press release timed with the launch. "With more than 1,000 apps, the Mac App...

Last month, Apple introduced a new privacy section in the App Store to inform users about some of the data types that apps may collect, and whether that data is linked to them or used to track them. Developers have been required to provide this info to Apple when submitting new apps and app updates to the App Store since December 8, 2020. Interestingly, Fast Company noticed that Google has...

Apple is about to enter the "second phase of development" of an augmented reality glasses prototype, according to a paywalled preview of a DigiTimes story seen by MacRumors. The full report should be released by tomorrow with further details. In June 2020, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is developing both an AR/VR headset and AR-only glasses. Gurman said prototypes of Apple's...

Apple today announced that Monica Lozano, president and CEO of College Futures Foundation, has been elected to the company's board of directors. "Monica has been a true leader and trailblazer in business, media, and an ever-widening circle of philanthropic efforts to realize a more equitable future — in our schools and in the lives of all people," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Her values and...

Navitas Semiconductor is expected to obtain orders from Apple in 2021 for fast charging solutions based on gallium nitride or "GaN" technology, according to Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes. The report claims that Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC will supply Navitas with GaN chips as part of an existing partnership. This supply chain news suggests that Apple is planning GaN versions...

Apple plans to release its long-awaited AirTags item trackers, an unspecified augmented reality device, and other new products in 2021, according to a new research note from reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, obtained by MacRumors. AirTags are expected to help users keep track of their personal belongings, such as their keys, wallets, and backpacks, and would notify users on their Apple devices ...

Apple is expected to expand its LiDAR Scanner to the entire iPhone 13 lineup in 2021, rather than only the Pro and Pro Max models, according to supply chain sources cited by Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes. First introduced on the iPad Pro in March 2020, and since expanded to the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, the LiDAR Scanner is a small sensor that uses 3D sensing to measure ...

2021 is expected to be the year that Apple finally releases its long-awaited AirTags item trackers, and ahead of time, YouTuber and leaker Jon Prosser has shared a 3D animation of the accessory that was allegedly created by Apple. Prosser says he obtained the animation from a software engineer, who believes that it may be presented to users in a future iOS version. Apple shows a similar 3D...

Apple's stock opened at a new all-time high of $138.05 today, eclipsing the company's previous opening record of $137.59 set on September 2, 2020. However, the share price has since trended downwards slightly in intraday trading. Apple has seen its stock price rise nearly 150% since opening at a 2020 low of $57.02 in late March, a few weeks after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World ...

Earlier this month, Apple released a 14.3 software update for the HomePod and HomePod mini, and it has since been discovered that this update allows the HomePod mini to be powered by select 18W chargers. As noted in a Reddit thread spotted by The 8-Bit, and confirmed by MacRumors, the HomePod mini now works with Apple's own 18W USB-C power adapter and select third-party 18W power adapters...

LG has started rolling out a software update that includes AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support for select 2018 smart TV models, according to multiple MacRumors readers, delivering on a promise the company made earlier this year. AirPlay 2 enables users to stream videos, music, podcasts, and more directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to a compatible LG smart TV, with no Apple TV necessary. HomeKit...

In celebration of the New Year, Apple has announced that it will be holding a two-day shopping event in Japan on January 2-3, offering customers a free Apple Store gift card with the purchase of select products. This promotion is similar to Apple's four-day shopping event held between Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States. In a tweet spotted by Mac Otakara, Apple says the gift...

Apple today shared a new App Store ad on its YouTube channel in Japan ahead of the New Year. The brief 15-second video highlights various apps available on the App Store for productivity, connecting with others, and gaming. The ad emphasizes how the App Store can help people get off to a good start in 2021, complete with colorful animations. New Year or "Shōgatsu" is widely considered the...

Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Apple is targeting 2024 for production of its long-rumored electric vehicle with "next level" battery technology, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that a launch is unlikely until 2025-2027 at the earliest. In a research note today, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said that Apple Car specifications have yet to be finalized, adding that he would not...