Apple Music Renames 'The A-List: Alternative' Playlist to 'ALT CTRL' and Updates 'Essentials' With Cover Art Shot on iPhone

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Apple Music today released a new playlist called "ALT CTRL," which is a rebranded version of its previous "The A-List: Alternative" playlist. This list of songs includes alternative bands and is currently headlined by HAIM's new single, "Summer Girl" (via Billboard).


ALT CTRL's playlist art will showcase a new artist each week, starting with HAIM. The playlist includes artists like Twenty One Pilots, The Black Keys, Dominic Fike, Lana Del Rey, and Vampire Weekend.

"Alternative is more an attitude than a sound -- music that colors just a bit outside the lines. ALT CTRL, formerly known as The A-List: Alternative, is where you'll find the best of those new left-of-center tunes."

Apple has slowly been rebranding its "The A-List" playlists, which now also includes "The A-List: Hip-Hop" changing to "Rap Life" in July and "The A-List: Dance" changing to "danceXL" in March. Other playlists still categorized as "The A-List" include genres like Pop, Country, R&B, Christian, Classical, Bollywood, African, K-Pop, Telugu, Khaleeji, Mandopop, J-Pop, Russian Hip-Hop, and more.


Amid the ongoing rebranding of its A-List playlists, Apple has also updated a few "Essentials" playlists with new Shot on iPhone cover art. Artists include Lizzo; Travis Scott; Kacey Musgraves; Tyler, The Creator; Tierra Whack; IDLES; Leon Bridges; Skrillex; and CHAI.


Each playlist showcases an image of the artist shot on an iPhone on their tour, and some artist's profile images have also been updated with similar Shot on iPhone iconography, including Lizzo and Kacey Musgraves. Apple has highlighted a few artists in a similar fashion with its "Shot on iPhone on Tour" video series, including artists like Florence Welch and FKA Twigs.


Apple Music has continued to grow over the years, and in June the streaming music service was reported to have just over 60 million paid subscribers. Earlier this week Spotify reported on its own paid subscriber count, which broke 108 million globally in Q2 2019.

Tag: Apple Music

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Deals Spotlight: Get the 2019 10.5-Inch iPad Air for $50 Off (Lowest Ever)

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Amazon is discounting Apple's new 10.5-inch iPad Air by $50 across numerous models, including both W-Fi and cellular configurations.

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.

Prices start at $449.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model and rise from there. Across the board, these are the lowest prices ever seen on each iPad Air, which was just updated in March.

2019 iPad Air Sale

• Wi-Fi, 64GB - $449.99, down from $499.00 ($49 off, lowest ever)
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• Wi-Fi, 256GB - $599.00, down from $649.00 ($50 off, lowest ever)
• 
  
• Cellular, 64GB - $579.99, down from $629.00 ($49 off, lowest ever)
• 
  
• Cellular, 256GB - $729.00, down from $779.00 ($50 off, lowest ever)

The new iPad Air has a 10.5-inch display with Touch ID, a headphone jack, A12 Bionic processor, Apple Pencil support, and Smart Keyboard support.

Our full Deals Roundup has even more information on the latest sales and bargains going on this week.

Related Roundups: Apple Deals, iPad Air

Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Buy Now)

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The best iPhone deals of August 2019

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Looking for a new iPhone at a great price? We've rounded up the best cheap iPhone deals and attractively priced contracts of August 2019

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Apple Card App Expected on iPad, Barclaycard Visa No Longer Offers Apple Rewards

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Apple is set to launch its own credit card this month, and ahead of time, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed a few more details.


The report claims that the iPad will have a dedicated app for signing up for and managing the Apple Card, as confirmed by hidden iOS 12.4 references uncovered by developer Steve Moser. This is because the Wallet app, where the Apple Card will usually be found, is limited to the iPhone and iPod touch.

Meanwhile, in new terms disclosed this week, the report adds that Apple Card holders will be offered standalone financing plans for select purchases, in addition to the ability to carry a revolving balance. This could possibly allow users to make a large purchase and pay it off over a set period of time for a fixed monthly fee.

Last, the report notes that the Barclaycard Visa no longer offers Apple rewards, such as $50 worth of Apple Store or iTunes gift cards to new customers and three points per dollar spent on Apple products. The card remains available for now with special financing rates for qualifying Apple purchases.

Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed the Apple Card will launch in August in the United States, but he did not provide a specific date. In a previous report, Gurman said the Apple Card will be available as early as the first half of the month.

Tags: Apple Card, Barclayscard

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DigiTimes: Apple to Launch MacBooks with Cellular 5G Connectivity in Second Half of 2020

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Apple is working on a range of MacBooks with 5G cellular connectivity for launch as early as next year, claims a new report today by DigiTimes.


According to the hit-and-miss Taiwanese publication, Lenovo, HP, and Dell will kick off the 5G laptop market later this year, and Apple is set to follow with its own high-speed cellular notebook in the second half of 2020.

The world's top-3 notebook vendors Lenovo, HP and Dell are set to introduce their first 5G models in the second half of 2019, and Apple is also expected to roll out its 5G MacBook series in the second half of 2020, according to industry sources.

The English version of the DigiTimes story is currently paywalled, so the following details are based on a machine-translation of the same report on DigiTimes Taiwan.

DigiTimes' notebook supply chain connections claim that Apple has finalized its integrated 5G MacBook design and though it did so later than other vendors, its 5G transceiver offers higher efficiency and superior high-speed transmission rates than rival designs.

According to DigiTimes' sources, Apple is achieving better 5G performance in its notebook designs through the use of a ceramic antenna board, which costs six times that of a regular metal antenna board but offers twice the transmission and reception efficiency.

Another reason a 5G-enabled MacBook is expected to be high is reportedly down to the case: A metal chassis shields the 5G signal, meaning the notebook would require 13 to 15 antennas, where a 5G smartphone typically uses 11.

This is the first time we've heard anything about Apple planning to launch a MacBook with 5G, and DigiTimes has a mixed track record in relation to reporting on Apple's future plans, so it's best to treat its rumors with some skepticism until the info is corroborated by additional sources.

That said, Apple has explored the possibility of developing MacBooks with cellular connectivity in the past. Indeed, the company reportedly considered launching a MacBook Air with 3G connectivity, but former CEO Steve Jobs said in 2008 that Apple decided against it, since it would take up too much room in the case and would lock customers to a specific carrier. Plus owners who wanted to could always use a USB modem and choose their own carrier.


Despite retreating from the idea, Apple received approval for two patents in 2016 that would enable it to add LTE connectivity to its MacBooks. Both describe the use of an installed "cavity" antenna that runs parallel with the notebook's hinge which could be used for long-range communications such as cellular telephone bands. The patents also describe other uses including near-field communications (NFC), light-based wireless connectivity, satellite navigation, and more.

While it appears that Apple and Qualcomm's multi-year licensing and chipset supply agreement will result in Qualcomm supplying modems for the first 5G-enabled iPhones, expected to launch in 2020, multiple reports have indicated that Apple is on the path to developing its own cellular modems.

Indeed, Apple recently announced that it plans to acquire the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business, subject to regulatory approvals. The acquisition will certainly benefit Apple's cellular technologies team, but whether it will factor in on any plans for a series of 5G MacBooks remains to be seen.

Tag: 5G

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Aiwa Re-enters Indian Market with A Range of Android Smart TVs And Audio Products; Aims to Sell 200,000 Units Per Annum

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[Exclusive] Samsung Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+ Color Options and Storage Variants for India

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