Juli Clover

Juli is a Senior Editor at MacRumors, photographer, voracious reader, cinephile, gamer, plant eater, and cat parent. She can be reached at juli@macrumors.com or on Twitter.



Comcast Launches New $5 Month Ad-Supported Streaming TV Service

Thursday March 21, 2019 4:35 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Just ahead of when Apple plans to launch a new subscription video service that will give customers access to bundled cable channels, Comcast has introduced Xfinity Flex, a streaming service that combines video on demand content, ad-supported, free live streaming content, and access to add-on subscription apps. Xfinity Flex is priced at $5 per month and is available to customers who subscribe to Comcast's Xfinity internet service. It comes with a 4K set-top box and X1 voice remote for accessing content. Comcast says that thousands of free movies and shows will be offered, with free content from Tubi TV, YouTube, Xumo, Pluto TV, and more offered alongside subscription content from apps like Netflix, HBO, EPIX, and Prime Video. It will also be paired with podcasts and music services from Pandora, iHeart Radio, NPR One, among others. The app will have an interface that's not unlike the interface of the Apple TV, with a content library, access to a "Watch" section for TV content, a listen section for music, and an apps section for accessing different apps and home WiFi settings."Xfinity Flex will deepen our relationship with a certain segment of our Internet customers and provide them with real value," said Matt Strauss, Executive Vice President, Xfinity Services for Comcast Cable. "For just five dollars a month, we can offer these customers an affordable, flexible, and differentiated platform that includes thousands of free movies and shows for online streaming, an integrated guide for accessing their favorite apps and connected home devices, and the ease of
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Apple Secures Rights to AirPower Trademark Amid Launch Rumors

Thursday March 21, 2019 12:33 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Amid launch rumors that Apple is preparing to release the AirPower sometime soon, the Cupertino company has finally secured the rights to the AirPower trademark. To get the AirPower trademark, Apple had to jump through quite a few hoops over the course of the last few months, ultimately seeming to purchase access from a company that had previously applied for the trademark. Apple first attempted to trademark the AirPower name in the summer of 2018, but found that a company named Advanced Access Technologies had filed an earlier application to trademark the term. The AirPower trademark registered by Advanced Access Technologies was then provisionally granted and published for opposition in December 2018. Ahead of when a trademark is officially granted, the USPTO takes opposition filings from anyone who believes the trademark could result in confusion with an existing product. Apple opposed Advanced Access Technologies' trademark of AirPower in January 2019, claiming that it would interfere with similar trademarked Apple product names, including AirPlay, AirPort, AirPods, and AirPrint. After fighting to prevent the AirPower trademark from being granted to Advanced Access Technologies for several months with multiple different filings with the USPTO, Apple yesterday suddenly withdrew its opposition and the dispute was terminated. Just after Apple withdrew opposition on Advanced Access Technologies' trademark of the AirPower name, an Apple lawyer was appointed the attorney of the trademark case, suggesting that Apple purchased rights to the AirPower
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Apple Updates Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, and iMovie

Thursday March 21, 2019 11:40 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today updated a number of its video-related Mac apps, including Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, and iMovie. Most of the updates are minor in scale, focusing on bug fixes and under-the-hood performance improvements. For all four apps, Apple has added a feature that detects media files that could be incompatible with future versions of macOS after Mojave. In Final Cut Pro and iMovie, these files will be converted to a compatible format, while just highlighted in Motion and Compressor. Apple is phasing out support for 32-bit Mac apps after Mojave, which is why this new feature has been introduced. All three software updates also include improved reliability when sharing video to YouTube. In Final Cut Pro, Apple has also added a number of bug fixes, with the release notes listed below:- Detects media files that may be incompatible with future versions of macOS after Mojave and converts them to a compatible format - Fixes an issue that could cause share destinations to disappear from the share menu after quitting Final Cut Pro - Fixes an issue that could cause the workflow extension button to disappear when resizing the interface - Fixes an issue in which the Select Clip command could incorrectly select the clip beneath the playhead - Fixes an issue in which a successful share notification appears after the share operation was cancelled - Fixes an issue in which frames saved to the frame browser in the Comparison Viewer may appear differently than they do in the viewer - Fixes an issue in which frequency information for Hum Removal may not be visible
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Facebook Stored Hundreds of Millions Passwords in Plain Text, Thousands of Employees Had Access

Thursday March 21, 2019 11:14 am PDT by Juli Clover
Facebook today announced that during a routine security review it discovered "some user passwords" were stored in a readable format within its internal data storage systems, accessible by employees. As it turns out, "some user passwords" actually means hundreds of millions of passwords. A Facebook insider told KrebsOnSecurity that between 200 and 600 million Facebook users may have had their account passwords stored in plain text in a database accessible to 20,000 Facebook employees. Some Instagram passwords were also included, and Facebook claims many of the passwords came from Facebook Lite users. Facebook says that there's no "evidence to date" that anyone within Facebook abused or improperly accessed the passwords, but KrebsOnSecurity's source says 2,000 engineers or developers made around nine million internal queries for data elements that contained plain text user passwords. Facebook employees reportedly built applications that logged unencrypted password data, which is how the passwords were exposed. Facebook hasn't determined exactly how many passwords were stored in plain text, nor how long they were visible. Facebook plans to notify users whose passwords were improperly stored, and the company says that it has been looking at the ways certain categories of information, such as access tokens, are stored, and correcting problems as they're found. "There is nothing more important to us than protecting people's information, and we will continue making improvements as part of our ongoing security efforts at Facebook," reads Facebook's blog post.
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Apple Store App Gains Revamped Sessions Tab, Easier Access to Trade-In Values

Thursday March 21, 2019 10:41 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today updated its Apple Store app to version 5.3, introducing a redesigned Sessions tab at the bottom of the app that houses dozens of new Today at Apple sessions that Apple users can sign up to attend. Apple says that it's also now easier to check the trade-in values of your devices when using the Apple Store app. You'll see trade-in options when purchasing a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, and Apple will give you a list of your current devices where you're signed in with your Apple ID and their trade-in value. You can tap one, go through Apple's status checklist, and then finish the trade-in process right when checking out. The splash screen when starting the app after installing the new update also says that returns have been streamlined with options to track the progress of your order, initiate a return, or print a return label directly from the Apple Store app. The Apple Store app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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Apple Plans to Sell Bundles of Cable TV Channels Through New Streaming Service

Thursday March 21, 2019 10:29 am PDT by Juli Clover
While Apple's new TV streaming service will include its own original content, Apple will also be offering customers access to video streaming subscriptions from third-party services, such as HBO and Showtime. Part of this effort could potentially include bundles of channels from various content providers, according to new reports from Recode and The Information. Apple has negotiated rights to bundle streaming services together as part of its deals with media firms, which will allow it to offer packages of channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz at a price that's lower than what each service would cost on a standalone basis. From Recode:That wholesale/retail relationship also means Apple, not the streamers, can set the price for the stuff it sells. Apple isn't likely to sell, say, HBO for less than HBO sells itself on rival platforms like Roku. But it definitely plans to sell bundles of pay tv channels at a discount, just like pay TV operators have always done.It's not entirely clear when Apple plans to offer bundles like these, but providing discounted access to a group of channels would provide Apple with an edge over Amazon. Amazon, as The Information points out, allows customers to sign up for streaming services like Showtime through their Amazon account, but customers must pay full price. According to Recode, Apple's service isn't going to be a major Netflix or Hulu competitor because the focus is going to be on selling streaming video subscriptions from other companies and taking a cut of the transaction. Apple is working on original content, but its own
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Apple's WWDC 2019 Ticket Lottery Ends, Winners Begin Receiving Confirmation Emails

Thursday March 21, 2019 9:56 am PDT by Juli Clover
The ticket lottery for Apple's 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference ended yesterday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and following the end of registration, Apple has started sending out confirmation emails to winners. Developers who scored a ticket to WWDC can expect to see their credit cards charged for the $1,599 over the course of the next few days. Apple uses a lottery system to provide developers with WWDC tickets and has done so for the last several years due to overwhelming demand. There are approximately 5,000 spots open for developers, but Apple gets many more applications than that. Developers who receive a WWDC ticket will be able to attend iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS app development sessions and more than 1,000 Apple engineers will be on hand and in labs to provide assistance. The 2019 event will start on Monday, June 3 and will last through Friday, June 7 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. Apple will host a keynote event on Monday to introduce new iOS, tvOS, macOS, and watchOS software. There are sometimes a few hardware surprises, though we haven't heard much detail on what could be included. It's possible we'll see our first glimpse at the new modular Mac Pro Apple has been working on since 2017. Following the keynote event, Apple will make new software updates available to developers and the rest of the week will be spent in technical sessions and hands-on labs. Developers not selected to purchase a WWDC ticket will be able to watch the keynote session and follow along with technical sessions through the Apple
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AltConf 2019 Offers San Jose Alternative for Developers Unable to Attend WWDC, Plus Satellite Events for Keynote Viewing

Wednesday March 20, 2019 3:22 pm PDT by Juli Clover
AltConf, a popular alternative conference that takes place at the same time as Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, is returning in 2019. Developers unable to get a ticket to WWDC can instead attend AltConf to meet and mingle with others in the iOS and macOS communities. This year's AltConf event will take place at the Marriott San Jose, located close to the McEnery Conference Center where WWDC will be held. AltConf will kick off on Monday, June 3, and will last through Thursday, June 6. There will be speakers at AltConf, along with a community labs feature where attendees can get expert advice on their apps, discuss ideas, and more. On Monday, AltConf will kick off with viewings of Apple's keynote event and State of the Union for developers, with the venue able to accommodate more than 900 attendees. New to AltConf this year is an Apple-themed escape room that will require attendees to use their "Apple skills and knowledge" to save a doomed Apple keynote from failure. Tickets are priced at $5. AltConf is free to attend, but there is an option to become a Hero Supporter to show support for the event. For developers unable to make it to San Jose who still want to attend a developer-centric event, AltConf is hosting a number of satellite events in Europe that will be all-day conferences. AltConf satellite events will take place in London, Madrid, Paris, and Berlin, with each hosted and curated by local community volunteers. There will be speakers and events, which will be followed by a viewing of Apple's keynote event at night. Tickets to the
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'Downton Abbey' Star Michelle Dockery and 'IT' Actor Jaeden Martell Join Apple Series 'Defending Jacob'

Wednesday March 20, 2019 3:16 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Michelle Dockery, best know for her role as Lady Mary Crawley in PBS's "Downton Abbey," has signed on to star in "Defending Jacob," one of the TV shows Apple has ordered. "Defending Jacob" is a thriller based on William Landay's bestselling novel of the same title. The book covers the murder of a 14-year-old boy and his friend Jacob, who may have committed the crime. Image credit: Shutterstock Described as a character-driven thriller, the show will star Chris Evans and also Jaeden Martell, who starred in the recent remake of Stephen King's "IT." Evans will be playing Andy Barber, the father of a 14 year old (played by Martell) accused of murder. Dockery will be playing Laurie Barber, Andy's wife and Jacob's mother. Apple has more than a dozen television shows in the works, and the company is set to give us a first look at its upcoming streaming service on Monday, March 25 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
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Wall Street Journal to Join Apple's News Subscription Service, but NYT and Washington Post Not Participating

Wednesday March 20, 2019 2:46 pm PDT by Juli Clover
The Wall Street Journal plans to join Apple's subscription news service that's set to be announced Monday, reports The New York Times. Other publications like the Washington Post and The New York Times itself are not on board, however, due to the revenue split Apple has requested. Apple and The Wall Street Journal plan to announce the partnership at Apple's planned media event on March 25. Apple's subscription service for Apple News will provide readers with access to news articles and magazines from "hundreds" of participating publishers for one monthly fee, thought to be $9.99 per month. Rumors have suggested that Apple has been having trouble securing deals with news sites like The New York Times and the Washington Post because Apple wants to keep 50 percent of all subscription revenue, splitting the other 50 percent of the revenue between publishers according to the amount of time users spend engaged with their articles. Major paywalled news sites offer their own subscription access to articles, with revenue that does not need to be shared with Apple. Participating in Apple's service could cause current subscribers to swap over, leading to overall lower revenue. Apple is also declining to provide credit card information or email addresses to publishers, details that news sites use to create customer databases and market their products, and they're asking partners to provide unlimited access to content. To lure publishers to join its Apple News service, Apple executives are citing the scale of Apple News, which is installed on all iOS devices out of the
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AirPods With Wireless Charging Case Delivery Date Slips to April

Wednesday March 20, 2019 12:23 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Just hours after Apple unveiled new second-generation AirPods with "Hey Siri" support and a new Wireless Charging Case, they've started selling out. At launch, Apple listed a U.S. delivery date of March 27 to March 29 for the new $199 AirPods paired with the Wireless Charging Case, but now, those delivery estimates have slipped to April 2 to April 5. The $159 second-generation AirPods with a standard Charging Case continue to be available for March 27 to March 29 delivery, as does the standalone $79 Wireless Charging Case Apple introduced for current AirPods owners. Those who want to pick up the new AirPods with Wireless Charging Case should do so soon, as historically, Apple has had trouble keeping its AirPods in stock due to high demand. We may soon see these delivery estimates slip even further into April. Apple's new second-generation AirPods do not bring exciting new features that were rumored like a new black color and health updates, but they're a solid upgrade over the previous version. There's a new H1 wireless chip inside that powers hands-free "Hey Siri" functionality so you don't need to tap to access the voice assistant. Your AirPods are able to switch between devices two times faster when playing music, and there's an extra hour of talk time, bringing total talk time to three hours. The new Wireless Charging Case allows the AirPods to charge using Qi-based wireless charging accessories, and it perhaps heralds the upcoming launch of the AirPower. Apple is designing its own wireless charging mat meant to charge AirPods, the
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OWC Announces RAM Upgrades for New 27-Inch 5K iMacs

Wednesday March 20, 2019 11:45 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple on Tuesday unveiled new iMac models that support up to 64GB RAM. Apple charges high prices for RAM upgrades, though, but luckily, there are do-it-yourself options for replacing an iMac's memory after purchase. Other World Computing this week announced memory upgrade kits designed for the 2019 27-inch 5K iMacs, which let you upgrade your available RAM more affordably. There are three RAM kits available depending on your needs: - 16GB Kit (8 GB x 2) OWC2666DDR4S16P - $118.88 - 32GB Kit (16GB x 2) OWC2666DDR4S32P - $229.88 - 64GB Kit (16GB x 4) OWC2666DDR4S64S - $449.99 OWC's RAM kits let you save 40 to 60 percent over Apple's upgrade pricing, and there is an option to trade in the existing RAM in your machine to get a discount. OWC says that it is testing 128GB of memory in the 27-inch iMac models and will confirm whether or not the machine supports it in the near future. So far, the 27-inch iMac has been able to see 128GB of memory, which seems promising for even further RAM upgrades. OWC offers a lifetime limited warranty for its memory kits, along with a 30 day money back guarantee. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with OWC. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 78 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

Wednesday March 20, 2019 10:12 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced three years ago in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari. Safari Technology Preview release 78 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Pointer Events, Web Inspector, WebDriver, Web API, Accessibility, and Media. The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was released to the public in September 2018. The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website. Apple’s aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to
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Satechi Launches New USB-C Headphone Jack Adapter and 100W USB-C Charging Cable

Wednesday March 20, 2019 8:00 am PDT by Juli Clover
Satechi, known for its line of accessories for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, today announced the launch of two new USB-C accessories designed for Macs and iPads. The Type-C Headphone Jack Adapter plugs into the USB-C port on an iPad to allow iPad users to listen to music using standard headphones with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The adapter features USB-C Power Delivery so listening to music while charging is possible. Satechi's Type-C Headphone Jack Adapter comes in Space Gray aluminum that matches the Space Gray iPad, and it is available for $24.99 from Satechi's website or from Amazon starting today. Satechi is also introducing a new 100W USB-C charging cable, which is ideal for use with any USB-C laptop or device. The cable features reversible USB-C connectors on each side with Power Delivery support and data transfer at speeds of up to 480Mb/s. The cable is made from a durable, braided nylon material that's designed to protect against breakage, while an integrated velcro strap keeps excess cable wrapped up. Satechi's 100W USB-C cable is available from the Satechi website or from Amazon.com for
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Boss Audio Launches New $210 CarPlay Receiver With 6.75-Inch Touchscreen

Tuesday March 19, 2019 1:07 pm PDT by Juli Clover
If you don't have a vehicle with CarPlay installed natively, there are a number of third-party aftermarket CarPlay receivers from companies like Alpine and Pioneer, which can be an affordable way to get CarPlay integration in your car. Boss Audio, known for its range of car speakers and accessories, recently launched a new CarPlay receiver, the BVCP9685A, and its $250 price tag makes it one of the cheaper CarPlay options on the market. For a limited time, there's a $40 coupon available on Amazon, dropping the price even further to $210. The BVCP9685A from Boss Audio features a 6.75-inch capacitive touchscreen LCD, and the company says that this new version has a number of upgrades over the prior BVCP9675A option. The unit depth is now 5.3 inches instead of 6.7-inches, with the shallower body allowing for an easier installation process. With proper car wiring, steering wheel controls and backup camera are supported, and an external mic improves voice pick up when giving voice commands to Siri. Other BVCP9685A features include Android Auto support, AM/FM radio receiver, RDS and RBDS tuner, Aux and AV input, subwoofer pre-amp outputs, USB charging, multi-color illumination, and true double din. 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.
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Apple Drops Prices on MacBook Air and Mac Mini SSD Upgrades, Lowers Cost of 64GB Mac Pro RAM Price

Tuesday March 19, 2019 10:36 am PDT by Juli Clover
As we reported this morning, Apple today cut the prices of higher-end MacBook Pro SSD upgrades by up to $400, and as it turns out, there have been pricing changes to components in other Mac machines as well. For the MacBook Air, released in 2018, upgrading to a 1.5TB SSD on either base model is now $100 cheaper, with the SSD upgrade pricing options listed below. Entry-level MacBook Air SSD options: 256GB SSD - +$200 (No change) 512GB SSD - +$400 (No change) 1.5TB SSD - +$1,100 ($100 off) Higher-end MacBook Air SSD options: 512GB SSD - +$200 (No change) 1.5TB SSD - +$900 ($100 off) Apple has also dropped the price of the 2TB SSD upgrade option in the Mac mini by $200, with the new SSD upgrade pricing options listed below. Entry-level Mac mini SSD options: 256GB SSD - +$200 (No change) 512GB SSD - +$400 (No change) 1TB SSD - +$800 (No change) 2TB SSD - +$1,400 ($200 off) Higher-end Mac mini SSD options 512GB SSD - +$200 (No change) 1TB SSD - +$600 (No change) 2TB SSD - +$1,200 ($200 off) Apple has also quietly dropped the price of the 64GB RAM upgrade in the Mac Pro, which is the 2013 model that has not seen an update in many years. Prior to today's update, upgrading the base Mac Pro configurations from 16GB RAM to 64GB Ram cost $1,200, but Apple has dropped the price by $400. It now costs $800 to upgrade from 16GB RAM to 64GB RAM. Upgrading to 32GB RAM continues to cost $400 over the base 16GB
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Apple Launches 'Media Literacy' Initiative to Encourage Critical Thinking and Better Informed Evaluation of News

Tuesday March 19, 2019 10:16 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today announced the launch of a new media literacy initiative that's designed to encourage critical thinking and empower students to be better informed. Apple is teaming up with several nonprofit nonprofit organizations in the United States and Europe that offer nonpartisan, independent media literacy programs, including the News Literacy Project (NLP) and Common Sense in the U.S. and the Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori in Italy. Each of these nonprofits will receive support from Apple to help them further their media literacy goals. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that news literacy is "vital" to maintaining free press."News literacy is vital to sustaining a free press and thriving democracy, and we are proud to be collaborating with organizations on the front lines of this effort," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We've been impressed by the important work being done by the News Literacy Project, Common Sense and Osservatorio, empowering young people to be active and engaged citizens."Alan C. Miller, founder and CEO of NLP, said that the organization is grateful for Apple's commitment to fighting misinformation."We are grateful for Apple's commitment to fighting misinformation and sustaining quality journalism," said Alan C. Miller, founder and CEO of NLP. "NLP is committed to equipping the next generation with the critical thinking skills to discern what news and other information to trust and the tools to become informed and engaged participants in our country's democracy. We welcome this timely initiative to help achieve our vision of seeing news literacy
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Code in Latest iOS 12.2 Beta Suggests AirPower Launch Coming Soon

Tuesday March 19, 2019 9:54 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple's long-awaited AirPower could be launching in the near future, based on coding changes that 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo says he found in the latest iOS 12.2 beta, released yesterday morning. There have been "significant changes" to the wireless charging code in the beta update, including "code responsible for identifying that two devices are charging on the same mat," which could indicate that Apple is planning an AirPower launch soon. Apple's AirPower charging mat will be able to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods (with a new wireless charging case) all at once. The AirPower charging mat was first announced in 2017 alongside the iPhone X, but has seen production difficulties that led to multiple delays. In the iOS 12.2 beta specifically, there are changes to the 3D animations that are displayed on the largest of the charging devices to let you know charging levels. Apple has been silent on the AirPower ever since announcing it, but there have been continual signs that the Cupertino company is still working on it, including multiple recent rumors that a launch is happening in the spring. Apple on Monday introduced a new iPad Air and an iPad mini 5, and today introduced refreshed iMacs, suggesting it is perhaps aiming to roll out all of its spring hardware updates ahead of its services-focused event on March 25. Ahead of when the iPads and iMacs launched, we heard from a source that suggested Apple would debut new products on Monday through Wednesday, with a new iPod touch set to be announced tomorrow. We haven't heard word of an AirPower
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Apple Lowers Price of MacBook Pro's High-End SSD Upgrade Options

Tuesday March 19, 2019 9:36 am PDT by Juli Clover
Alongside a refresh of the iMac and new Radeon Pro Vega graphics options for the iMac Pro, Apple today quietly lowered the price of some of the storage upgrade options for the MacBook Pro. 2TB and 4TB SSD upgrade options for 13 and 15-inch machines are now more affordable, with Apple dropping prices as much as $400. Upgrading to 2TB of storage on the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models is now $200 cheaper, while upgrading to 4TB on the 15-inch MacBook Pro is $400 cheaper. SSD upgrade pricing for the MacBook Pro models is below: Entry level 15-inch MacBook Pro: 512GB SSD - +$200 (No change) 1TB SSD - +$600 (No change) 2TB SSD - +$1,200 ($200 off) 4TB SSD - +$3,000 ($400 off) Higher-end 15-inch MacBook Pro: 1TB SSD - +$400 (No change) 2TB SSD - +$1,000 ($200 off) 4TB SSD - +$2,800 ($400 off) Entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro: 512GB SSD - +$200 (No change) 1TB SSD - +$600 (No change) 2TB SSD - +$1,200 ($200 off) Higher-end 13-inch MacBook Pro: 1TB SSD - +$400 (No change) 2TB SSD - +$1,000 ($200 off) It's not unusual for Apple to adjust storage prices for its products, especially at the higher end, as prices fluctuate and come down over time after a machine has been released. Apple has changed storage prices for various Macs multiple times over the years. Apple's MacBook Pro models are not designed to have the SSD upgraded after purchase as the storage is soldered to the motherboard, so the price drop is nice to see for those who want to purchase more storage to futureproof their
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Netflix CEO Confirms Netflix Won't Be Part of Apple's Upcoming Video Service

Monday March 18, 2019 5:40 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple is set to unveil its long-rumored TV service next Monday, and ahead of the event, Netflix has confirmed that it won't be participating in Apple's streaming offering. At a briefing at the company's headquarters in Hollywood, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said that while Apple is a "great company," Netflix isn't interested in offering its content on other platforms. "We want to have people watch our shows on our services," he said, according to Recode. Netflix has never embraced Apple TV features like "Up Next" designed to allow Apple TV users to see all of their watched TV shows at a glance, so it's no surprise to hear that Netflix does not plan to offer its content through Apple's upcoming streaming service. Set to be launched next week, Apple's TV offering will feature both its original content and add-on content from other cable providers like Showtime and HBO. Apple will allow customers to sign up for subscriptions to third-party services like HBO right within the TV app, which will serve as Apple's TV content hub. Apple's video hub will be similar to what Amazon offers through its Prime Video app. Amazon provides original TV shows along with options to subscribe to premium content through a Channels feature. In response to a question about how Netflix will compete with Apple and Amazon going forward, Hastings said the company will do so "with difficulty," though he pointed out that Netflix has already been competing with Amazon for years. "You do your best job when you have great competitors," he said, before admitting that the increased
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