Sunday, May 31, 2020

Tim Cook Addresses George Floyd's Death and Ensuing Protests and Riots as Apple Temporarily Closes Some U.S. Stores

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Amid unrest in numerous U.S. cities following last week's killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Apple CEO Tim Cook has shared an internal memo with employees (via Bloomberg) addressing the pain that many are feeling and urging others to commit "to creating a better, more just world for everyone."


Cook also announced that Apple is making donations to several groups challenging racial injustice and protecting human rights, and is also matching two-for-one all employee donations made via Benevity during the month of June.

Cook's full memo to employees:
Team,

Right now, there is a pain deeply etched in the soul of our nation and in the hearts of millions. To stand together, we must stand up for one another, and recognize the fear, hurt, and outrage rightly provoked by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism.

That painful past is still present today — not only in the form of violence, but in the everyday experience of deeply rooted discrimination. We see it in our criminal justice system, in the disproportionate toll of disease on Black and Brown communities, in the inequalities in neighborhood services and the educations our children receive. While our laws have changed, the reality is that their protections are still not universally applied.

We’ve seen progress since the America I grew up in, but it is similarly true that communities of color continue to endure discrimination and trauma.

I have heard from so many of you that you feel afraid — afraid in your communities, afraid in your daily lives, and, most cruelly of all, afraid in your own skin. We can have no society worth celebrating unless we can guarantee freedom from fear for every person who gives this country their love, labor and life.

At Apple, our mission has and always will be to create technology that empowers people to change the world for the better. We’ve always drawn strength from our diversity, welcomed people from every walk of life to our stores around the world, and strived to build an Apple that is inclusive of everyone.

But together, we must do more. Today, Apple is making donations to a number of groups, including the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit committed to challenging racial injustice, ending mass incarceration, and protecting the human rights of the most vulnerable people in American society. For the month of June, and in honor of the Juneteenth holiday, we’ll also be matching two-for-one all employee donations via Benevity.

To create change, we have to reexamine our own views and actions in light of a pain that is deeply felt but too often ignored. Issues of human dignity will not abide standing on the sidelines. To our colleagues in the Black community — we see you. You matter, your lives matter, and you are valued here at Apple.

For all of our colleagues hurting right now, please know that you are not alone, and that we have resources to support you. It’s more important than ever to talk to one another, and to find healing in our common humanity. We also have free resources that can help, including our Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources you can learn about on the People site.

This is a moment when many people may want nothing more than a return to normalcy, or to a status quo that is only comfortable if we avert our gaze from injustice. As difficult as it may be to admit, that desire is itself a sign of privilege. George Floyd’s death is shocking and tragic proof that we must aim far higher than a “normal” future, and build one that lives up to the highest ideals of equality and justice.

In the words of Martin Luther King, “Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”

With every breath we take, we must commit to being that change, and to creating a better, more just world for everyone.

Tim

With the unrest escalating to vandalism and looting in some areas, Apple has seen a number of stores affected, and the company has temporarily closed some of its U.S. stores just days after reopening them as health-related restrictions have eased in many areas.

Apple issued a brief statement to 9to5Mac acknowledging that it was keeping a number of its stores closed today, but ongoing protests and disturbances may force Apple to keep some locations, particularly those that have been significantly damaged, closed for longer.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
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Honor Play 4 Pro Full Specifications Leaked Ahead of Launch, Receives TENAA, MIIT Certifications


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App Recap: Magnet, Parcel, Unfold, and Major App Updates

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In this week's App Recap, we've highlighted productivity app "Magnet," utility app "Parcel," and graphic app "Unfold" as three apps that are worth checking out. We've also compiled a list of apps that received major updates this week.


Apps to Check Out



  • Magnet (Mac, $1.99) - Magnet is a productivity app that helps to seamlessly organize open windows on a Mac by "snapping" windows into tiles. Dragging a window to the side of the screen allows for it to be sized to take up half of the screen, while dragging a window into a corner of the screen allows for it to be "snapped" into quarters. Magnet features several additional ways to organize windows, offers a menu bar icon, and supports keyboard shortcuts to help make multitasking much more efficient.

  • Parcel - Delivery Tracking (Mac & iOS, Free) - Parcel is a delivery tracking app that features a very simple and streamlined user interface. Upon downloading the app, users can simply add tracking information for over 300 delivery services, and the app will track all deliveries in an organized manner. Parcel also supports push notifications for both Mac and iOS devices, as well as customizable widgets for adding or viewing upcoming deliveries. Although the app is free to download, push notifications and tracking more than three deliveries at once requires a premium subscription that's priced at $2.99 per year.

  • Unfold - Story Templates (iOS, Free) - Unfold is a graphics app that allows users to create stories from over 200 templates. The editor consists of several text tools and unique stickers, and users can then export their stories to other platforms in high resolution. Unfold is free to download, but users looking to get the most out of the app can subscribe to Unfold+, which features access to all templates and fonts, exclusive access to new collections, and more. Unfold+ offers monthly and yearly subscriptions that are priced at $2.99 and $19.99 respectively.



App Updates



  • Apollo - Apollo, the popular Reddit client, was updated this week with improvements to the media viewing experience. In addition, the update added cursor support for iPad which works well with Reddit awards and Reddit Polls.

  • Heart Analyzer - Heart Analyzer was updated this week with a new dashboard, a new interface, its own dark mode, and more. The Apple Watch companion app was also refined with metrics for the week, LiveHR, and workout readouts as part of new heart rate chart complications.

  • Quibi - Quibi, a video app that features shows that are framed to fit phone screen and come in episodes of 10 minutes or less, was updated this week with AirPlay support. Quibi is also working to bring Chromecast support to its service in June.

  • Spend Stack - Finance and budgeting app Spend Stack this week announced support for importing Apple Card data directly into its app. Apple Card users are now able to take advantage of Spend Stack's budgeting and transaction monitoring tools without having to copy over the data manually into the app. In addition, the iPad version of the app has been optimized for cursor support. The update also features custom list currencies when traveling internationally, services subscription tracking, and more.
  • Tidal - Music streaming service Tidal this week announced Dolby Atmos support for Atmos-enabled devices like TVs, sound bars, speakers, and, notable for Apple users, the Apple TV 4K. The welcomed update brings more immersive sound when an Apple TV is paired with a Dolby Atmos soundbar or receiver and speakers.

  • Twitter - Twitter this week announced it has added the ability to schedule tweets using its web interface. Users also now have the ability to save draft tweets in the web app.

  • YouTube - YouTube this week announced a new Chapters feature that allows content creators to embed timestamps directly into the video progress bar. The feature now allows users to quickly skip to the bits that interest them.

  • YouTube Kids - The popular YouTube Kids app is now available on Apple TV, making it easier to access the platform's kid-friendly video content on bigger screens. YouTube Kids is compatible with both 4K and HD models of Apple TV, and it works with Siri.


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Apple Introducing New Internal USB-C Diagnostic Tool

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Apple is introducing a new internal USB-C Diagnostic Tool as a successor to its existing Serial Number Reader, which can be used to both collect a device's serial number directly from its logic board and test power on a device itself.

Image via Giulio Zompetti

With only a Lightning version previously available, images have surfaced of a new USB-C Diagnostic Tool (UDT) that appears to be known as "ChimpSWD" internally. The new tool was produced for compatibility with Apple's iPad Pro lineup, which has been USB-C based since 2018.


Based on the above information, it appears a technician should connect the UDT to the Hardware Diagnostic Interface (HDI) Mac using the appropriate cable and the other end to the target device to correctly utilize the new tool and obtain diagnostic information.

Apple has informed service providers that its Apple Service Toolkit 2 diagnostic system has been updated to support HDI Serial Number Reader for the first-generation 11-inch iPad Pro and third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro using the new USB-C Diagnostic Tool. Support for the latest second-generation 11-inch model and fourth-generation 12.9-inch model will follow at a later date.
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OPPO Reno 4 Surfaces on Geekbench with Snapdragon 765G SoC, 12GB RAM Before June 5 Announcement


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Motorola Moto E LE with Snapdragon 632 SoC, 3550mAh Battery Listed on Verizon’s Website, May Launch Soon


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Three new Tiger Lake Chromebooks in the works, ASUS is in the mix


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Deals: Amazon Prime Members Can Get the AirPods Pro for $219.99 Today on Woot

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Woot today is discounting a new pair of AirPods Pro to $219.99 for Amazon Prime members, down from an original price of $249.00.

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

If you don't have an Amazon Prime account, the AirPods Pro will be priced at $224.99 during today's sale, but if you do connect a Prime account to Woot you can take an additional $5 off during the checkout process. If you're a Prime member, you can also get free two-day shipping.

$29 OFF
AirPods Pro for $219.99


Woot's discount today matches the previous low price on the AirPods Pro seen at Verizon. This sale won't last long at Woot, so be sure to head to the retailer soon if you're interested in the high-end wireless headphones.

Additionally, we track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.
Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Leaker Suggests MicroLED Apple Watch Not Coming This Year

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The Apple Watch Series 6 will feature an OLED screen like previous models, according to a leaker of upcoming Apple products, suggesting the company isn't quite ready to use its in-house MicroLED display technology in consumer products.


Apple reportedly has a secret manufacturing facility in Santa Clara, California where it is designing and producing test samples of displays that use microLED, a technology that will follow OLED. microLED screens can result in devices that are slimmer, brighter, and use less power.

The technology isn't expected to reach an iPhone for another year or so, but there is precedent for new screen technologies showing up in the ‌Apple Watch‌ first. When it was introduced in 2014, the ‌Apple Watch‌ had an OLED screen. The technology then migrated to the ‌iPhone‌ X three years later.

Apple is said to have been testing prototype ‌Apple Watch‌ models with MicroLED displays since 2017, and rumors have suggested an ‌Apple Watch‌ with a microLED display could launch as soon as this year.

However, the Twitter account @L0vetodream, whose short Apple leaks come prefaced with "in my dream," this morning claimed the Series 6 "will continue [to] use the display from JDI."

Over the last couple of years, JDI Display has supplied some of the OLED displays for ‌Apple Watch‌ models, and Apple has been gradually increasing its proportion of orders from the manufacturer, which was recently buoyed by a $200 million investment from Apple to enable larger production of OLED displays for iPhones.


‌Apple Watch‌ Series 6 models, which are in development for a fall 2020 launch, are rumored to feature faster performance, better water resistance and improved wireless transmission for faster Wi-Fi and cellular speeds.

According to code found in a leaked version of iOS 14, Apple is working on watchOS 7 and ‌Apple Watch‌ Series 6 features that will allow the ‌Apple Watch‌ to detect blood oxygen levels and panic attacks. Apple may also add a new fitness app and a sleep tracking app to the ‌Apple Watch‌.

The anonymously-run Twitter account @L0vetodream accurately revealed several details about the new ‌iPhone SE‌ before any other leakers that we know of, including that the device would launch in the second week of April and come in three storage capacities. Likewise, the account accurately claimed that new iPad Pro models would launch in the third week of March. It has also hinted at a 2021 release for a rumored 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 6
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

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Saturday, May 30, 2020

Cloud FTW: Steam on Chrome OS may not look like we thought


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Apple Doubles the Price of RAM Upgrade on Entry-Level 13-Inch MacBook Pro

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Apple today doubled the price for upgrading the RAM on the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, with customers in the United States now being charged $200 to move from 8GB to 16GB compared to the previous $100 upgrade price. Similar increases are seen in other countries, such as moving from €125 to €250 in Germany and from £100 to £200 in the United Kingdom.

Current pricing on RAM upgrade for entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro

While Apple does sometimes adjust upgrade pricing as its costs for components change over time, what makes today's change unusual beyond the fact that it is an increase rather than a typical decrease is that the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ just launched less than a month ago.

The entry-level model is largely similar to its predecessor, using the same 8th-generation Intel processors and many other internal components have similarly been carried over. Still, it is considered an updated model with changes like the new Magic Keyboard and it's extremely rare for Apple to adjust pricing so soon after launch, suggesting an unexpected increase in Apple's costs being passed along to consumers.

RAM upgrade pricing yesterday

Supply chains around the world have been disrupted in recent months due to the current health situation, but China, where most of Apple's manufacturing partners operate, has been reopening ahead of many other countries around the world as it was the first to shut down. So with pricing having been set on the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ just a month ago, the supply situation should generally have improved since then rather than worsened.

Apple does not appear to have altered pricing for RAM upgrades on its other Mac lineups, although different machines use different types of RAM, so a shortage or cost increase for one specific type would not necessarily affect all of Apple's Macs. Even the high-end 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is unaffected, as it uses a faster type of RAM paired with its newer 10th-generation Intel processors and upgrading from 16GB to 32GB remains priced at $400.

(Thanks, Ashlin!)
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro

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Now Patched 'Sign in With Apple' Bug Left Users Open to Attack

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Researcher Bhavuk Jain in April discovered a critical Sign in With Apple vulnerability that could have resulted in a takeover of some user accounts. The bug was specific to third party apps that used Sign in With Apple and didn't implement additional security measures.


Jain notes that Sign in With Apple works by authenticating a user through a JWT (JSON Web Token) or a code that's generated by Apple's server. Apple then gives users the option to share either the email tied to their Apple ID or a private relay email address,which creates a JWT that's used to login a user.

Jain then discovered that once JWTs for both Apple ID emails and private relay email addresses were requested and the token's signature was verified using Apple's public key, it "showed as valid." Should the bug have not been discovered, a JWT could be created and used to gain access to one's account.

In an interview with The Hacker News, Jain spoke about the severity of the bug:
The impact of the this vulnerability was quite critical as it could have allowed a full account takeover. Many developers have integrated Sign in with Apple since it is mandatory for applications that support other social logins. To name a few that use Sign in with Apple - Dropbox, Spotify, Airbnb, Giphy (now acquired by Facebook).


According to Jain, Apple conducted an investigation and concluded that no accounts were compromised using this method before the vulnerability was patched. Jain was paid $100,000 by Apple under its Apple Security Bounty Program for reporting the bug.
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Lenovo Chromebook Duet Review: unreal value


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Apple TV+ Show 'Ted Lasso' With Jason Sudeikis Launching August 14

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Actor and Saturday Night Live alumnus Jason Sudeikis's "Ted Lasso" series is set to launch on Apple TV+ on Friday, August 14.

Sudeikis played Ted Lasso for the 2013 NBC Sports English Premier League coverage, and now he is reviving the character for his new television show.
Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer.
In addition to starring in the series, Sudeikis is also an executive producer alongside Bill Lawrence, known for his work on "Scrubs."

The original Ted Lasso content

Apple has been adding new television content to ‌Apple TV‌+ on a regular basis, yesterday premiering "Central Park," a new animated series from Loren Bouchard and earlier this week adding all of the old episodes of "Fraggle Rock."
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Apple Music Debuts New 'Interview Series' Podcast Hosted by Zane Lowe

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Apple this week launched a new Apple Music podcast titled "The Zane Lowe Interview Series," featuring iconic artists such as Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Kanye West.



The series is set to be home to interviews with popular artists, often coinciding with the launch of new albums. Artists will speak "about their lives and the stories behind their songs," in "candid, in depth conversations."

Although the podcast has just launched, there are already seven episodes live. These seem to be previous interviews from Beats 1, but available in full-form. Host Zane Lowe announced the new podcast on Twitter.



‌Apple Music‌'s artist interviews have usually been confined to Beats 1. This move therefore may indicate a new strategy to bolster Apple's original podcast offerings. Earlier this week it was reported that Apple is looking to launch exclusive original podcasts to compete with Spotify.
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Smart Deal: Today only, grab the Lenovo Smart Clock for $39.99


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Top Stories: macOS 10.15.5, New Powerbeats Pro Colors, iPhone 12 and 13 Rumors, and More

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This week saw an interesting mix of news and rumors on the Apple front, led by the release of macOS 10.15.5, which brings a new battery health feature to newer Mac notebooks, while we also saw the official announcement of new colors for the Powerbeats Pro earphones.


On the rumor front, we heard a few tidbits about not just this year's iPhone 12 but also next year's iPhone, while we saw photos and videos of a new style of Leather Loop Apple Watch band. And finally, there was a weird iOS bug last weekend that saw users unable to open some popular apps. Apple fixed the issue, although it appears to have required users to redownload a bunch of recent app updates.

Read on for more details on all of this week's top stories!

Apple Releases macOS Catalina 10.15.5 With Battery Health Management Features, Fix for Finder Freezing


After releasing operating system updates for most of its products last week, Apple this week pushed out macOS Catalina 10.15.5, an update that brings a new battery health management feature to recent notebook models, as well as some other updates and bug fixes.


Not all of the changes are being greeted with applause, however, as there appears to be a bug related to creating bootable backup drives, and a change by Apple will make it harder for users to escape being nagged to upgrade to the latest macOS updates going forward.

Apple Confirms 'No Longer Shared' App Bug Has Been Fixed


Late last week, many iOS users found themselves unable to open a number of popular apps, with their devices displaying a "This app is no longer shared with you" alert whenever an affected app was launched.


While there were some workarounds for the issue, Apple ultimately fixed the issue late Sunday, but it required reissuing recent updates for a number of apps, which for many users resulted in dozens or even hundreds of app updates.

On Tuesday, Apple confirmed that it had fixed the issue, although it didn't offer any additional explanation about the cause of the problem.

Leaker: Apple to Stick With Lightning Over USB-C for 'iPhone 12' Before Going Port-Less Next Year


Noted Twitter leaker @choco_bit has shared that the iPhone 12 will unsurprisingly continue to feature a Lightning port for charging rather than transitioning to USB-C, but it's what the leaker has to say about next year's iPhone that's more interesting.

Apple will reportedly be eliminating the charging port entirely on the 2021 iPhone, shifting to a Smart Connector similar to that seen on recent iPad models to allow for power and data transfer with accessories like keyboard cases.

MacRumors mockup based on 2021 iPhone camera rumor

A separate rumor from @choco_bit indicates that the 2021 iPhone could include four camera lenses in the 40- to 64-megapixel range, in addition to a LiDAR sensor for augmented reality purposes. The leaker says the rumor should be taken with a "huge amount of salt," so we won't put too much stock in it just yet, but it's an interesting claim that bears watching.

Powerbeats Pro Debut in Four New Colors: Spring Yellow, Cloud Pink, Lava Red, and Glacier Blue


Following a couple of leaks in recent weeks, Beats today is officially announcing four new colors for its Powerbeats Pro wireless earphones: Spring Yellow, Cloud Pink, Lava Red, and Glacier Blue. The new earphones will go on sale June 9 and sell for the same $249.95 price as the existing color options.


Aside from the colors, the new ‌Powerbeats Pro‌ models are otherwise identical to the original Powerbeats Pro, offering up to nine hours of listening time with the charging case bringing the total listening time to over 24 hours. Apple's H1 chip brings easy pairing, seamless switching between devices via iCloud, and "Hey Siri" functionality, while on-ear volume and track buttons on each earbud offer simple controls and adjustable earhooks help secure the earphones during vigorous workouts.

Apple Could Be Planning Redesigned Leather Loop Apple Watch Band


Recently surfaced photos and videos show what could be a redesign for Apple's Leather Loop Apple Watch band, shifting from a single-piece loop style to two pieces that attach magnetically.


It remains to be seen whether these are ready for launch in the near future, perhaps at WWDC next month or in September alongside the Apple Watch Series 6. Alternatively, these could be prototypes that were ultimately scrapped, or even knockoffs meant to mimic Apple's band style.

Jailbreak Tool 'unc0ver' 5.0 Released With iOS 13.5 Compatibility


Jailbreaking to install unauthorized apps and modifications on iOS devices has waned in popularity over the years, but the team behind the "unc0ver" jailbreaking tool has released a blockbuster new update that claims to be able to jailbreak "every signed iOS version on every device" ranging from iOS 11.0 to iOS 13.5.


Apple will undoubtedly move to fix the vulnerability that allows the jailbreak to work, so expect to see a new iOS update in the not-too-distant future.

MacRumors Newsletter


Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
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