Monday, September 2, 2019

Apple Watch Sleep Tracking, Schooltime Mode, AR/VR Headset Icon, and More Revealed in iOS 13 Code

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Over the past few days, MacRumors has published several details about Apple's upcoming Tile competitor and its development of an augmented reality headset after receiving an internal build of iOS 13 from a source.


Digging further into the code, we have come across several other tidbits of information related to the Apple Watch and iPhone.

First, it appears Apple is working on a new Schooltime feature for the Apple Watch, which is designed to help students focus during school hours by blocking access to apps, complications, and notifications on the device. Emergency calls and alerts will not be blocked for safety reasons.

Users can set when Schooltime is enabled in the Apple Watch app on iPhone, such as every weekday.

Apple is also testing sleep tracking on the Watch, as reported by 9to5Mac earlier today. We can confirm this functionality is referred to as "Time in Bed tracking" based on internal iOS 13 code, with one string noting that "you can also track your sleep and get woken up silently by wearing your watch to bed."

A new Sleep app on the Apple Watch will provide users with an overview of their sleeping patterns, as well as send users bedtime and battery charging reminders. Apple Watch users will be recommended to have at least 30 percent of battery life to wear it to sleep, according to an iOS 13 string seen by MacRumors.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to report that Apple was testing sleep tracking on the Apple Watch. Back in February, he said Apple plans to roll out the feature by 2020 if the testing is deemed successful. This follows Apple's acquisition of the iPhone-connected sleep tracking accessory Beddit in 2017.

MacRumors has also uncovered references to new Apple Watch complications, including ones for Altitude, Latitude, Longitude, and Sleep. When released, the Sleep app may also have an entire watch face, based on a "ClockFaces-Burrito" string. "Burrito" is the codename for the Apple Watch's sleep tracking.

As for the iPhone, internal strings in iOS 13 point towards new low-light photo settings in the stock Camera app and possibly a new Tournaments feature in Game Center for multiplayer games, although details are slim.

Earlier today, MacRumors uncovered an icon within Apple's internal Find My app that depicts what appears to be an AR or VR headset. There are "on" and "off" versions of the icon in white and gray respectively, and each has "B389" in its filename, the codename for Apple's upcoming Tile-like item trackers.


This icon could simply represent the expected augmented reality mode in the Find My app and likely does not depict Apple's actual augmented reality headset. Read our earlier coverage for more details on that project.

MacRumors continues to dig through the iOS 13 build, which is from June, and we will be sure to share any further discoveries.

Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

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Linux for Chromebooks could get an installation menu for different distros


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Labor Day Deals: Save on Apple Products and Accessories from Pad & Quill, Nimble, Satechi, and More

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Today is Labor Day in the United States, and a number of retailers have introduced deals on Apple products and related accessories. In this article we've rounded up some of the best Labor Day deals for Apple fans, including discounts on the Apple Watch Series 4, charging accessories, HomeKit devices, and more. Most of the bargains will expire later tonight.

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

Apple Watch Series 4


Best Buy's Labor Day sale is winding down today, and still offers $50 off the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) and $70 off models with cellular support. This means that prices start at $349.00 for 40mm Aluminum models (GPS) and $379.00 for 44mm Aluminum models (GPS), and then rise to $429.00 for 40mm Aluminum models (GPS + cellular) and $459.00 for 44mm Aluminum models (GPS + cellular).


Of course, there are a wide variety of Apple Watches on sale at Best Buy through this weekend, including Nike+ editions and models with stainless steel cases. You can browse the full list by heading to Best Buy, and then check out the full Labor Day sale by visiting this page.

AirPods


There are a few AirPods-related deals going on this Labor Day, with the best sales found on Amazon. You can get the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case for $169.99, down from $199.00 ($30 off). Additionally, the retailer has the updated AirPods with Charging Case for $144.95, down from $159.00 ($14 off).


Adorama has the best deal on the standalone Wireless Charging Case, priced at $64.99, down from $79.00. This option is best for anyone with the original AirPods model, which they can upgrade to wireless charging through the accessory.

iPad


Amazon's sale on the 2018 9.7-inch iPad and iPad Pro continues today, with savings of up to $399 off original prices of the tablets.


9.7-inch (Early 2018)

11-inch iPad Pro (Late 2018)

12.9-inch iPad Pro (Late 2018)
  • Wi-Fi, 1TB - $1,349.99, down from $1,749.00 ($399 off, lowest ever)

  • Cellular, 64GB - $899.99, down from $1,149.00 ($249 off, lowest ever)

  • Cellular, 256GB - $1,099.99, down from $1,299.00 ($199 off)

MacBook Air


You can find discounts on the MacBook Air from late 2018 at B&H Photo, with savings of up to $300. If you're on the hunt for the newer models, Amazon has savings on the 2019 MacBook Air models.


Late 2018

Mid 2019
  • 128GB - $999.99, down from $1,099.00 ($99 off)

  • 256GB - $1,199.99, down from $1,299.00 ($99 off)

MacBook Pro


Best Buy's Labor Day sale includes a few solid discounts on the brand-new MacBook Pro from 2019, with lowest-ever prices on both the 13-inch and 15-inch models.


13-inch (Mid 2019)

15-inch (Mid 2019)

Arlo


A variety of Labor Day deals have hit Arlo's security camera line across Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot.


Target

Best Buy
  • Arlo Pro Security (1-camera) – $179, down from $229

  • Arlo Pro 2-Camera + Audio Doorbell Bundle – $379, down from $479

  • Arlo Pro 2-Camera – $329, down from $399

Home Depot
  • Arlo Pro 2 Security Camera System – $329, down from $399

CalDigit


CalDigit's Labor Day sale kicked off late last week, and offers discounts on both refurbished and brand-new items.


You can find the full list of markdowns right here, including sales on Thunderbolt docks, external hard drives, USB-C cables, and much more.

Nimble


Nimble is offering 30 percent off sitewide today in celebration of its one-year anniversary, offering you a chance to save on the company's eco-friendly portable chargers, wireless chargers, bottle iPhone cases, and cables. Nimble also just released its first USB-C to Lightning cable to support fast charging on the iPhone.


All of Nimble's products have been made with as small a carbon footprint as possible, and each device and all of the company's packaging is made with environmentally friendly materials. Head to Nimble.com to check out all of the company's products before the anniversary sale ends.

Miscellaneous

  • Twelve South - Get free two-day shipping on all U.S. orders $19.99 and up

  • Pad & Quill - Up to 15 percent off

  • Macally - Save on Macally's mounts, stands, and other accessories

  • eBay - eBay's heralding in the fall season with a big sale on numerous categories, including tech deals on iPhone and other devices

  • Satechi - Get 20 percent off sitewide with the code SATECHI20

  • JBL - Save up to 60 percent off speakers and headphones

  • Newegg - Get up to 50 percent off
As always, you can check out our full Deals Roundup to browse even more of the best Apple-related sales and bargains.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Apple and Burberry Develop Personalized Retail Chat Service for Luxury Shoppers

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Apple has been working with Burberry on a new chat service called "R Message" that integrates with the luxury fashion retailer's internal iOS app and allows store associates to directly communicate with customers.


Vogue Business reports that the service, now being piloted, will be invitation-only and is designed to enable staff to chat with "high-value" clients via Burberry's internal app, known as "R World."

The idea is that R Message will essentially integrate Burberry's internal system with its customer-facing app, allowing shoppers to book in-store appointments, receive personalized item recommendations, and buy products more directly.

The benefits for sales associates are said to include tight integration with the company's back-end inventory system, which will let staff check stock and drive sales. In addition, a Newsfeed-style feature will keep them up-to-date with company updates, advertising campaign images, and press mentions to encourage regular usage and foster client relationships.
"You've got highly skilled associates who know how to serve in a luxury way, but even for a great associate, there might be 10 per cent extra that you can give them by giving them the right information at the right time," says Mark Morris, Burberry's vice president of digital commerce. "[Customers] now know much more about what they want… and to be at that service level where you can give credible advice, you need the basics."
The service is broadly reminiscent of Apple Business Chat, which Burberry already uses, but rather than go through iMessage, in this case the business-client communications obviously take place within the retailer's own app.

The Apple-Burberry partnership doesn't come as too much of a surprise, as the two brands have maintained close ties over the years. The British luxury retailer used Apple's iPhone 5s to capture its 2014 runway show, which Apple promoted in kind. Burberry was also the first clothing company to debut an Apple Music channel. And Apple's former retail chief, Angela Ahrendts, was of course CEO of Burberry prior to her stint with the tech giant.

According to Vogue Business, the R Message service will support Apple Pay and is set to be piloted at Burberry's Manchester flagship store before being rolled out to all 431 global locations and 6,000 associates.


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2020 iPad Pro Said to Feature 3D Sensing Rear Cameras [Updated]

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Update - Sep 2: The Elec has again reported that Apple plans to release an iPad Pro with 3D sensing camera technology early next year:
US-based Apple also plans to adopt the ToF module for the first time in its tablet, the iPad Pro, early next year. The ToF function will be available for the iPhones beginning in the latter half of next year.
Update - Aug 27: In an email to MacRumors, a representative for Derkwoo Electronics claimed that The Elec's report contained "wrong information" and "something that is not true about us." The Elec has since deleted its article. Original story follows.




Apple plans to release a new iPad Pro with 3D sensing rear cameras in March 2020, according to Korean website The Elec.


The report, citing unnamed industry sources, claims that Korean contract manufacturer Derkwoo Electronics will provide some of the components for the 3D sensing camera modules, including stiffeners and brackets. Mass production of those parts will supposedly begin towards the end of 2019.

The rear 3D sensing is said to be powered by time-of-flight technology, which measures the time that it takes for a laser or LED to bounce off of objects in a room, providing an accurate 3D map of the surroundings.

While the iPhone is expected to adopt a similar time-of-flight system next year, the report suggests that the iPad Pro will adopt the technology six months before the iPhone. Specifically, the new iPad Pro models would be released in March 2020, while new iPhones would likely follow in September.

This lines up with a January 2019 report from Bloomberg that claimed a laser-powered 3D camera could debut first on an iPad Pro as early as spring 2020, but Bloomberg more recently reported that Apple plans to refresh the iPad Pro line by the end of 2019, so Apple's roadmap is not entirely clear.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also said there is an over 50 percent probability that the iPad Pro adopts time-of-flight technology in the fourth quarter of 2019 or first quarter of 2020.

Apple would be breaking precedent by refreshing the iPad Pro in March 2020, as the tablet has gone roughly 18 months between hardware updates since first launching in November 2015 — the second-generation 12.9-inch model was released in June 2017, followed by third-generation models in November 2018.

It's also worth considering that the iPad rarely receives new features before the iPhone, with exceptions including LTE on the iPad 3 before the iPhone 5 in 2012, and the iPad receiving A4 and A5 chips before the iPhone.

Given that Bloomberg and Japanese blog Mac Otakara expect an iPad Pro refresh by the end of 2019, it is possible the March 2020 timeframe is inaccurate and that next year's iPad Pro models launch in the fall instead, which would better space out the 2019 and 2020 refreshes and allow rear 3D sensing to debut on the iPhone.

3D sensing rear cameras coming to both the iPhone and iPad is not much of a surprise as Apple pushes further into augmented reality.

As additional reports surface, the iPad Pro's roadmap should become clearer.

Updated at 9:45 a.m. Pacific Time with additional details from Bloomberg and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro

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OPPO A9 (2020) with Quad Cameras bags TENAA Certification Ahead of launch


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China Reportedly Used iPhone Exploits to Target Uyghur Muslims

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Last week we reported on Google's discovery of an old iPhone vulnerability – now fixed by Apple – that enabled malicious websites to steal data from thousands of users over a two-year period.


Google described these attacks in its original blog post as "indiscriminate," however a report over the weekend by TechCrunch suggests the websites were part of a state-backed attack that specifically targeted Uyghur Muslims.
The websites were part of a campaign to target the religious group by infecting an iPhone with malicious code simply by visiting a booby-trapped web page. In gaining unfettered access to the iPhone's software, an attacker could read a victim's messages, passwords, and track their location in near-real time.
According to TechCrunch's sources, the Chinese government was allegedly behind the malicious websites, which also infected non-Uygurs who unintentionally accessed these domains because they were indexed in Google search. The FBI is said to have alerted Google to ask for the sites to be removed from its index to prevent infections.

Beijing has long sought to suppress the ethnic minority Uyghur community in the country's Xinjiang state, with brutal crackdowns in the 1980s and 90s leading to significant numbers of Uyghurs fleeing China to seek asylum.

In the past year, at least one million Uighurs have been detained in internment camps, according to the United Nations human rights committee. Beijing claims the centers across Xinjiang are for "vocational training," but a US Congressional hearing on the camps characterized them as "political re-education" centers.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.

Tag: China

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