Thursday, May 14, 2020

HomePod 'Sold Out' on Apple's Online Store

https://ift.tt/2T6VulT

Apple's $299 HomePod is no longer able to be purchased from the online store because it's been out of stock since this morning.

Both the white and space gray versions of the ‌HomePod‌ are currently listed as "Sold Out" on Apple's website, perhaps due to supply chain issues.


There's no word on when the ‌HomePod‌ might be back in stock from Apple, but customers who want to purchase one can still order from stores like Best Buy and B&H Photo.

There have been rumors suggesting Apple is working on a new low-cost, smaller version of the ‌HomePod‌ that will be released at some point later this year, but the current shortage is most likely a supply problem.
Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)

This article, "HomePod 'Sold Out' on Apple's Online Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums



from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://ift.tt/2zCqEuj

Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet now up for pre-order in Canada


via Chrome Unboxed – The Latest Chrome OS News https://ift.tt/2T3TISb

Deals: B&H Photo Offering Discounts on MacBook Pro, 2018 iPad Pro, and Mac Pro in New Sale

https://ift.tt/3fQOALh

B&H Photo has a new series of specials on Apple devices going on today, including sales on MacBook Pro, 2018 iPad Pro, and the Mac Pro.

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.

Low prices on the MacBook Pro start at $1,149.00 for the 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2019 (1.4GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD), down from $1,299.00. This sale is being matched at Amazon and Adorama.

There are a few 2018 iPad Pro models on sale, starting with the 64GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch model at $899.00, down from $999.00. For more storage, the 256GB Wi-Fi model is priced at $999.00, down from $1,149.00. These aren't quite lowest-ever prices, but they are among the best deals you'll find online this month.

If you're interested in the 11-inch iPad Pro from 2018, you can get the 256GB Wi-Fi model for $799.00, down from $949.00. The 256GB cellular model is discounted to $949.00, down from $1,099.00.

Lastly, there are a few Mac Pro models being marked down this week, which we've rounded up below, along with a sale on the Apple Pro Display.
If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.
Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "Deals: B&H Photo Offering Discounts on MacBook Pro, 2018 iPad Pro, and Mac Pro in New Sale" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums



from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://ift.tt/3fS6Vaz

Apple Acquires Virtual Reality Company NextVR

https://ift.tt/2LsdOl1

Apple has acquired California-based virtual reality company NextVR, Apple confirmed to Bloomberg today.


New's of Apple's planned NEXTVR acquisition first surfaced in April, but it appears the purchase wasn't completed until recently. Apple reportedly spent around $100 million to purchase the company.

The NextVR website has disappeared, and there is a message that says the company is "heading in a new direction." Apple gave Bloomberg its standard acquisition statement: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."

NextVR melds virtual reality with sports, music, and entertainment, providing VR experiences for watching live events on VR headsets from PlayStation, HTC, Oculus, Google, Microsoft, and other manufacturers.


Prior to its acquisition by Apple, NextVR had established partnerships with the NBA, Wimbledon, Fox Sports, the WWE and more, plus it holds more than 40 patents that could be of interest to Apple.

Apple has been working on multiple augmented, virtual, and mixed reality headsets over the course of the last several years. Just today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple's augmented reality Smart Glasses that are in the works could launch in 2022.

Along with the smart glasses, there have also been rumors indicating Apple is working on some kind of virtual reality headset that would feature an 8K display for each eye and that would be untethered from a smartphone or computer.
Related Roundup: Apple Glasses

This article, "Apple Acquires Virtual Reality Company NextVR" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums



from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://ift.tt/2zBbpSn

Apple Updates COVID-19 App With New CDC Recommendations for Healthcare Workers and Best Practices for Quarantining

https://ift.tt/2Wxq9KZ

Apple today updated its COVID-19 screening app, created to help people stay informed and take the proper steps to limit the spread of the coronavirus.


Today's update includes updated recommendations for healthcare workers to align with CDC guidelines, plus best practices for quarantining if you've been exposed to COVID-19.

The app update also adds new information for pregnancy and newborns. Apple has also updated its accompanying COVID-19 website to provide the same new information for those who prefer to use the website.

Apple created the COVID-19 app and website in partnership with the CDC, White House Coronavirus Task Force, and FEMA. Along with the features introduced today, the tools provided by Apple let users answer a series of questions on risk factors, recent exposure, and symptoms to receive CDC recommendations on the next steps that they need to take.

The screening tool is available to anyone who is 18 years or older in the United States. Data provided in the COVID-19 app and on the website is not shared with Apple, the CDC, or other government agencies.
This article, "Apple Updates COVID-19 App With New CDC Recommendations for Healthcare Workers and Best Practices for Quarantining" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums



from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://ift.tt/2T89BHz

Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 106 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

https://ift.tt/1UdN45a

safaripreviewiconApple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced four 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 106 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Inspector, Async Scrolling, Web Animations, CSS, JavaScript, WebRTC, Web API, Media, and Rendering.

The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS Mojave and macOS Catalina, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was released in October 2019.

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.
This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 106 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums



from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://ift.tt/2T6bXXd