Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Deals: Anker and Aukey Continue String of Holiday Sales, While eBay Discounts Apple Items in New Event

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Anker is keeping up the holiday sales today with an all-new Amazon Deal of the Day event that has discounts on the company's popular PowerPort and USB-C products. There are a few other Anker discounts that kicked off today as well that won't expire until the middle of December, and you can find more details about both sales in the lists below.

December 5 Gold Box Flash Sale

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

December Anker Sales (Expiring 12/19)


Also on Amazon, accessory company Aukey has a few worthwhile discount codes that mark down USB-C wall chargers, headphones, and more. Aukey's wall chargers all have power delivery features that work well for fast charging Apple devices like the new iPhone XS.

December Aukey Sales (Expiring 12/9)


In another flash sale, eBay today began its "December Dozen" sale, which will total 12 days of savings with new discounts appearing through December 16. The first day's deal is themed around Apple devices, including $29 off iPhone XS Max (256GB), 30 percent off 9.7-inch iPad (2018, 32GB), and $69 off Apple Watch Series 3.


As with most items on eBay, some of the Apple products on sale today are used and seller refurbished items, like a HomePod for $279.00 sold by VIP Outlet or an Apple Watch Series 2 for $164.99. Of course, many other products are brand new and unopened, like an unlocked iPhone XS Max for $1,220.00 or the latest 9.7-inch iPad for $279.99 (with an included non-Apple Pencil stylus). This price on the 2018 32GB iPad currently beats its $289.99 price tag found at Amazon and B&H Photo.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to keep an eye on all of the latest sales and bargains happening this holiday season.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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HomePod Coming to China and Hong Kong in Early 2019

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Apple today updated its websites for China and Hong Kong, confirming that the HomePod will be launching in both territories sometime early next year. Apple added support for Mainland China and Hong Kong in the HomePod software update released as part of iOS 12.1.1 today.

Like other countries, users in China and Hong Kong will be able to buy HomePod in White and Space Gray.


In China the HomePod will cost RMB 2,799, and in Hong Kong it will be priced at HK 2,799. Both of these prices translate to about $358 in US Dollars, which is just over the $350 price of the HomePod in the United States.

The HomePod first launched in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia in February 2018, and then expanded to Canada, France, and Germany in June 2018. This past October, Apple added Spain and Mexico to the list of available countries selling the smart speaker.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)

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Apple Releases macOS Mojave 10.14.2 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

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Apple today released macOS Mojave 10.14.2, the second update to the macOS Mojave operating system that first launched in September. macOS Mojave 10.14.2 comes three weeks after Apple launched macOS Mojave 10.14.1 with Group FaceTime support and new emoji.

macOS Mojave 10.14.2 can be downloaded by going to the "Software Update" section of System Preferences, a new installation method that was introduced with the Mojave update.


The 10.14.2 update introduces performance improvements and bug fixes for issues that weren't addressed in macOS Mojave 10.14.1. There were no major feature changes discovered during the course of the beta testing period.

Additional details on the macOS Mojave operating system can be found in our dedicated Mojave roundup.

Related Roundup: macOS Mojave

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Apple Releases tvOS 12.1.1 for Fourth and Fifth-Generation Apple TV

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Apple today released tvOS 12.1.1, the third update to the tvOS 12 operating system designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 12.1.1 comes three weeks after the launch of tvOS 12.1 and two months after the September launch of tvOS 12.

tvOS 12.1.1 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System -> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 12.1.1 automatically.


As a minor 12.x.x update, tvOS 12.1.1 focuses on bug fixes and under-the-hood performance improvements. No major features were found during the tvOS 12.1.1 beta testing period, and Apple does not provide release notes for tvOS updates, so it's not known what specific bug fixes and improvements are included in the new software.

If any additional information on the content of the tvOS 12.1.1 update becomes available, we'll update this post.

tvOS 12.1.1 follows the tvOS 12 update, which introduced support for higher-quality Dolby Atmos sound, zero sign-on, and new aerial screensavers created in collaboration with the International Space Station.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Caution)

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Apple Releases iOS 12.1.1 With Reworked FaceTime Interface, FaceTime Live Photos, Haptic Touch for Notifications on iPhone XR, and More

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Apple today released iOS 12.1.1, the third update to the iOS 12 operating system since its September launch. iOS 12.1.1 is a minor update that follows iOS 12.1, a more significant release that brought features like Group FaceTime, eSIM support, and new emoji.

The iOS 12.1.1 update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.1.1 is free to download.


iOS 12.1.1 reintroduces a feature that's designed to let you take a Live Photo while on a FaceTime call so you can capture favorite moments and save them indefinitely. Taking a Live Photo on a FaceTime call requires the person you're video chatting with to have the "FaceTime Live Photos" setting toggled on, which can be accessed by going to Settings > FaceTime > FaceTime Live Photos. If this setting is disabled, people you chat with won't be able to take a Live Photo during the call.

FaceTime also includes a reworked bottom bar that offers up quick access buttons for muting a call and flipping the camera. Sliding up on the bottom bar brings up additional options with conversation participants.

Prior to today's update, FaceTime users were required to tap on three dots to access a secondary menu with these features, so this greatly streamlines often used options.

On the iPhone XR, the iOS 12.1.1 update introduces support for Haptic Touch with notifications. Haptic Touch can now be used to expand notifications on the Lock screen through a long press to see additional content. This is identical to the 3D Touch option on notifications on other iPhones.

For owners of Apple Watch Series 4 models, the iOS 12.1.1 update introduces support for the the ECG feature included in the watchOS 5.1.2 update for Apple Watch Series 4 models. A single-lead ECG reading, which detects your heart rhythm, can be taken on an Apple Watch Series 4 by placing a finger on the Digital Crown after updating to watchOS 5.1.2.


iOS 12.1.1 also adds a new option in Apple News to hide the side bar on the iPad when using the app in landscape mode, it introduces an option to turn off the physical SIM in the device in favor of the eSIM, and it tweaks the icon of the Apple Watch app so it looks like the Apple Watch Series 4.

Related Roundup: iOS 12

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 71 With Dark Mode Enhancements, Bug Fixes, and Other Improvements

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safaripreviewiconApple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced over two years ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

Safari Technology Preview release 71 includes bug fixes and feature improvements in a number of areas, including the most substantial tweaks to Dark Mode in several months.

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.

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 download.
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Apple Receives FCC Approval For What Appears to Be a New Beddit 3.5 Sleep Monitor

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Apple today received FCC approval for a nondescript "sleep monitor" in the United States. While much of the application is hidden due to a standard confidentiality agreement, one document reveals that the sleep monitor is "designed by Beddit in California" and has an all-new model number 3.5.


Simply put, this could end up being an all-new Beddit 3.5 sleep monitor that Apple will eventually release, but no further details are available. It could also be a modified version of the existing Beddit 3 sleep monitor.

Apple acquired Beddit, a company that develops health-related hardware, in May 2017 and continues to sell the Beddit 3 sleep monitor for $149.95 on its online store. The thin, flexible sensor is placed under the sheet on top of the mattress and automatically begins tracking sleep-related data when you lie down.


The data collected and analyzed includes sleep time and efficiency, heart rate, respiration, temperature, movement, snoring, room temperature, and room humidity. The data can be viewed in the Beddit app on iPhone and iPad.

Beddit technology is based upon a scientific principle known as ballistocardiography or BCG, described as an unobtrusive, non-invasive technique for measuring the mechanical activity of the heart, lungs, and other body functions:
Each time the heart beats, the acceleration of blood through the circulatory system generates a mechanical impulse that can be measured and analyzed. Throughout the night, Beddit tracks each individual heart beat and respiration cycle. Beddit's advanced analysis and machine learning algorithms adapt differently to each body type and provide detailed sleep data.
There has been hope that Apple's acquisition of Beddit could lay the foundation for first-party sleep monitoring on the Apple Watch, but this FCC application does not appear to be related to the Apple Watch.

Tags: FCC, Beddit

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