March Event iPad and iPhone Rumors, iPhone 8, MacBook Pro Keyboard Issues, Apple Park - MacRumors

Brought to you by: Apple Said to Debut New iPad Pro Lineup, 128GB iPhone SE, and Red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus at March Event March is right around the corner, and we've been hearing for quite a while that Apple might be planning a media event around that time to make some product announcements. According to a new report from Japanese site Mac Otakara, Apple is indeed planning a March event where the company will announce an updated iPad Pro lineup, a higher-capacity 128 GB iPhone SE model, a new red color option for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and likely some new Apple Watch band options and colors. The report claims the iPad Pro update will include four new models, including updated 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch models and an upgrade to the 7.9-inch iPad mini to bring it up the same "Pro" level. The fourth new iPad Pro is said to be the much rumored 10.5-inch model that could see some more significant changes including the removal of the iconic Home button, but that model may not be available to purchase until May. We're also expecting some updated Macs such as the iMac and perhaps the MacBook in the first half of this year, but there's no word yet on whether they'll be part of this media event.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories The Simple Way to Get the App That You Need Setapp is here to improve how we find apps. There’s no store — just a folder on your Mac containing high-quality apps and utilities for every need. There are no hidden costs — just a flat monthly fee. Change your path. Take the shortcut. Taking the app experience to a new level: finding and getting new apps has been stuck in the same place for too long. We felt it was time for a change. Setapp offers a curated library of Mac apps that are always just a click away. When you need them, wherever you are. A solution for every problem: Setapp has a growing library of over 60 premium Mac apps and utilities that cover all the digital challenges you could face. Just type your problem into Finder, and you’ll get a Setapp app ready to help. Free to try: The full Setapp experience is free to try for one whole month.   Visit Sponsor Popular Stories Feb 23, 2017 iPhone 8 Will Include 'Revolutionary' Front Camera With 3D Sensing Abilities Rumors about the "iPhone 8" are continuing to fly, with prominent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo highlighting his belief that it will include a "revolutionary" front-facing camera with 3D sensing capabilities. The feature could support facial recognition as well as other uses for depth information. Apple has in fact just recently acquired RealFace, a small Israeli startup focused on facial recognition. Other iPhone 8 rumors include specs such as 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB and 256 GB storage options. Numerous rumors have pointed toward wireless charging in at least the all-new iPhone 8 model, and Apple is said to have at least five separate teams focused on the technology. Rumored battery life improvements could also be a major factor encouraging owners of older iPhones to upgrade.   Read Full Article Data Plan Comparison: Unlimited Options From T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint Spurred by T-Mobile, all four of the major U.S. carriers now offer unlimited data plan options for their customers, with AT&T being the latest to jump on the bandwagon last week. So how do the various carriers stack up in terms of their unlimited plan options? We took a look and put together a handy video overview that outlines who has the best deal depending on how many lines you need. While Sprint generally comes out as the cheapest, T-Mobile likely offers the best combination of price and coverage to suit the broadest number of users. As always though, make sure whichever carrier you choose has good coverage at your home and other places you frequent, because it doesn't matter how cheap your plan is if you can't get a signal.   Read Full Article Some 2016 MacBook Pro Owners Experiencing Keyboard Problems As with many major redesigns, the new MacBook Pro has had its fair share of issues and consumer complaints, and the latest is a growing trend of problems related to the keyboard. The MacBook Pro uses a second-generation butterfly design adapted from the MacBook, allowing for greater stability and greater sense of travel even in a very thin design. A number of users have, however, been experiencing problems such as keys not responding or registering twice when pressed, while others have experienced oddly pitched squeaking noises from certain keys. In some cases the problems could be due to dust, crumbs, or other objects getting under the keys and may resolve over time, but in other more stubborn cases Apple has been repairing or replacing affected machines.   Read Full Article Here's the 'Stealth' Case Apple Uses to Conceal iPhone Prototypes During Transport Given the size of Apple's supply chain and the sheer number of devices the company needs to produce, the iPhone routinely sees the greatest number of leaks ahead of new models, but that doesn't mean Apple isn't doing its best to try to keep its secrets. We got a look at the custom "stealth" case Apple uses to hide prototype iPhones as they travel back and forth between China and Cupertino. The case completely covers the iPhone with the exception of some openings for the display, cameras, and other physical features, hiding the overall look of the device.   Read Full Article Apple Campus 2 Officially Named 'Apple Park', Set For Grand Opening in April Apple this week officially announced that its new campus in Cupertino will be named "Apple Park" and open in April, although it will take six months to fully move employees over to the new campus. The 1,000-seat auditorium at Apple Park will be named "Steve Jobs Theater" to honor the Apple co-founder and CEO, and current CEO Tim Cook and other executives will be moving their offices to Apple Park. The new campus will include a visitors center, cafe, and store that will be open to the public.   Read Full Article ColorWare Is Now Selling Apple's AirPods in 58 Colors if You're Willing to Pay $289 Are Apple's white AirPods too boring for you? If you're willing to lay out some extra cash, ColorWare can help as the company is now offering AirPods in 58 colors for $289, including the cost of the AirPods. Users can choose from dozens of colors in both solid and metallic shades, and the two AirPods can be either the same or different colors. For an extra $30, ColorWare will also customize the AirPods case. While ColorWare typically allows customers to send in their own products for color customization, for the time being AirPods are only being offered for direct purchase through ColorWare. As a result, users will have to wait six weeks, as Apple's online store remains backlogged on AirPods orders.   Read Full Article

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WWDC Moves to San Jose, iPhone 8 and Apple TV Rumors, Apple Watch and iPad Pro Shortages - MacRumors

Brought to you by: Apple Announces WWDC 2017 Takes Place June 5-9 in San Jose In a surprise move, Apple has announced it will be holding this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose rather than San Francisco. The conference will be held June 5 through June 9 at the McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, and $1599 tickets to the conference will be distributed through a lottery system beginning March 27. It's the first time WWDC is being held in San Jose since 2002, and it puts the conference closer to Apple's current and future headquarters while also avoiding some of the congestion and high prices attendees have experienced in San Francisco. At the WWDC keynote, we should see the unveiling of iOS 11 and macOS 10.13, along with new versions of watchOS and tvOS, and possibly some hardware announcements.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories You’re Invited to Try Our Next Big Thing for Mac Setapp gives you access to a growing suite of premium, curated apps from a single folder on your Mac. No ads, no hidden costs — just a flat monthly fee. It's simple, the way it should have always been. Updated for you: does it feel like you're always updating apps or, in a worst-case scenario, paying for an upgrade to an app you've already bought? Setapp puts an end to that. Our apps are always the latest versions, and you'll never have to pay for an upgrade. Fresh, always and forever: apps get old in many different ways. From not being updated to no longer being developed. Setapp apps are amazing today, and they will be amazing tomorrow. If an app doesn't keep improving for you, then it's not a Setapp app. Free to try: Setapp's full collection of over 60 premium apps is free to try for one whole month.   Visit Sponsor Popular Stories Feb 16, 2017 iPhone 8 to Feature 5.8-Inch OLED Display With 5.15-Inch Main Screen and Virtual Buttons Below iPhone rumors are heating up, and the past week saw a number of reports headlined by Ming-Chi Kuo's predictions on how the device's OLED display will function. According to Kuo, the OLED iPhone 8 will be roughly the size of the current 4.7-inch iPhone 7, but will pack a 5.8-inch screen that takes up essentially the entire front of the device. That screen will include a 5.15-inch main display area and a smaller "function area" strip along the bottom that will include virtual buttons. In another report this week, Kuo claims the OLED iPhone 8 will use a smaller "stacked" logic board that will allow for a larger L-shaped battery. The design would let Apple pack the battery capacity of the current 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus into a form factor the size of the smaller iPhone 7. Alongside the OLED iPhone 8, Apple is also said to be introducing two 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models that will be more like "iPhone 7s" evolutions of the current iPhone models. Kuo says all three models will include wireless charging.   Read Full Article Many Apple Watch Models 'Sold Out' Ahead of Possible Spring Band Refresh Apple has experienced fairly tight supplies of the Apple Watch Series 2 since its launch last September, but the situation appears to be escalating with numerous models now simply listed as "sold out" in Apple's online store. Based on previous patterns, it seems likely Apple is drawing down stock ahead of a potential refresh in the next month or two. No new hardware is expected at this time, but Apple will likely roll out new band colors to refresh the lineup. In a similar vein, Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro is in short supply, perhaps supporting rumors of an update for the iPad lineup around the March timeframe. A recently published Apple patent application also hints at some potential changes for the iPad Pro's Smart Keyboard accessory, but it's unknown if the changes proposed in the document such as the inclusion of dedicated sharing, emoji, and Siri keys will actually be adopted.   Read Full Article Apple Testing 4K Capable Fifth-Generation Apple TV for Possible Release This Year The Apple TV got a major update in late 2015 including the launch of an App Store to make it easier for third-party developers to get their apps onto the platform. It now looks like Apple is preparing an upgraded model that will include support for 4K content. Apple reportedly opted not to include 4K support in the current Apple TV due to cost considerations, but as technology has advanced, costs have come down, and competition has increased, Apple apparently now sees it as a viable addition.   Read Full Article BeatsX Earphones Launch on Apple Store for $150 Apple's BeatsX earphones are now available to purchase, offering consumers another option for headphones carrying Apple's custom W1 chip that makes for power efficient connections and synced pairing via iCloud across devices.  Black and white color options are available now, with orders for blue and gray options shipping in 2-3 weeks. Make sure to check out our hands-on video to see what they're like. As with some of Apple's other new Beats headphones, the BeatsX come with a three-month subscription to Apple Music.   Read Full Article Matte Black iPhone 7 Users Complain About Chipped, Peeling Paint Five months after Apple debuted its new matte black color on the iPhone 7, a few reports about chipping and peeling of the finish have begun surfacing online. It doesn't appear to be a widespread issue, and Apple's anodization process should be durable enough for most users, but it's something to be aware of. Because it's a cosmetic issue, Apple has been declining to offer repairs or replacements to affected users.   Read Full Article Eddy Cue Previews 'Planet of the Apps' at Code Conference: Non-Linear Viewing, Weekly Release, First Trailer and More Eddy Cue was on stage at Code Conference this week to talk about some of Apple's upcoming television-related projects. The lead item was Apple's "Planet of the Apps" reality show that will see developers pitching app ideas to celebrity judges who will then assist their favorites in building their plans and pitching to investors. A source shared some details on the filming with MacRumors, highlighting the process for developers and the overall experience. Cue also showed off a promo video for the upcoming "Carpool Karaoke" series based on the segment from James Corden's "The Late Late Show." Apple's version will pair various celebrities discussing and singing along with their favorite songs in the car while also expanding things a bit to take the experiences outside the car. A shorter trailer was released a few days before Cue's appearance. Both "Planet of the Apps" and "Carpool Karaoke" will be available exclusively to Apple Music subscribers.   Read Full Article

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iPhone 8 to Cost Over $1000?, Next MacBook Pro Spotted in 10.12.4 Beta, $199 Pro Apps Bundle for Education - MacRumors

Brought to you by: The 2017 iPhone Could Cost Upwards of $1,000 Apple is expected to introduce at least one all-new iPhone model this year, perhaps featuring an edge-to-edge OLED display, glass front and back, Touch ID integrated into the display, and wireless charging. According to a new rumor, however, all of those advancements won't come cheaply, with Apple said to be considering charging in excess of $1000 for the phone. One analyst firm is reporting that Apple appears to be getting an earlier than usual start on production of this year's iPhone, although there are currently no signs Apple is planning to deviate from its traditional September launch. The earlier start to production may be related to all of the rumored changes for the upcoming phone, as there are undoubtedly some kinks to be worked out. We've yet to see any specific part leaks from the upcoming iPhone, but that hasn't stopped designers from sharing their ideas and mockups of what the device might look like based on the circulating rumors.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories MailButler Takes Apple Mail Productivity to a Whole New Level As 2017 has just begun, many of us are very motivated to start fulfilling our New Year resolutions. To do this, at least when it comes to time-consuming tasks, it wouldn’t hurt to have a couple of free hours a day more. Now, if you are an Apple Mail user, you are probably missing some very important productivity tools. The answer to this problem is MailButler – a mail plugin which adds a variety of great features to your Apple Mail, helping you get total control over your Inbox and saving you plenty of time without making any dramatic changes to your daily routine. Use MailButler Message Templates to send emails, which include information that you frequently share with different recipients. Compose and save emails as templates to use them again in future. Also, with MailButler you can easily schedule your emails, get detailed read receipts, and pause your inbox at any time. Besides, MailButler has amazing signature templates, and can be integrated with the leading cloud services. This amazing plugin is certainly something that saves you time from the very moment you start using it, so don’t hesitate to try it right now!   Visit Sponsor Popular Stories Feb 09, 2017 References to Next-Generation MacBook Pro Models Discovered in macOS 10.12.4 Beta It feels like the new MacBook Pro was just released, but signs of the next-generation models are already showing up in macOS 10.12.4 betas. It looks like Apple is planning to keep the same lineup of Touch Bar and non-Touch Bar models, with all of the current models seeing new Kaby Lake processor upgrades from the current Skylake chips. The Kaby Lake chips should provide only a minor bump in speed and efficiency over Skylake, but Apple is also rumored to be developing a new ARM-based chip that could take over some of the low-power functions such as Power Nap.   Read Full Article Apple Releases $200 Pro Apps Bundle for Education Customers Apple late last week introduced a new Pro Apps Bundle for Education, allowing eligible students, faculty, and staff to purchase all five of Apple's video and audio pro apps for $199, a savings of over $400 compared to regular pricing. The bundle includes Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4, and MainStage 3, and can be purchased through Apple's online Education store with users receiving redemption codes for Mac App Store downloads of the apps. Availability in countries other than the U.S. is coming soon.   Read Full Article BeatsX Officially Launching February 10, Two New Colors Coming After Launch It's been a long wait, but Apple's BeatsX earphones are finally launching on Friday, February 10. The $150 earphones will initially be available in white and black, with gray and blue options coming at a later date. Designed for active users, BeatsX consist of a pair of earbuds connected by a wire that sits on the neck. Other features include Apple's custom W1 chip for simple iCloud-synced pairing, in-line audio controls, multiple eartip sizes, and magnets for securing the earbuds around your neck.   Read Full Article Apple Seeds Second Beta of iOS 10.3 to Developers Apple this week seeded a second beta of iOS 10.3 to developers for testing purposes. We haven't seen a ton of changes from the first beta, but overall the update should provide some nice enhancements including a "Find My AirPods" feature, a brand-new file system, and some changes to the way App Store reviews are handled. In addition to the new iOS 10.3 beta, developers also received new betas of watchOS 3.2 with Theater Mode and tvOS 10.2 with improved scrolling behavior.   Read Full Article Wi-Fi Router Issue Fix Coming for LG's UltraFine 27-inch 5K Display Following numerous complaints about flickering and freezing issues with LG's UltraFine 5K display when placed near a Wi-Fi router, LG has acknowledged that there is an issue with electronic shielding on the display. LG has tweaked its manufacturing process as of this month to address the issue, while users of existing units who are experiencing problems are encouraged to contact LG to arrange for repairs.   Read Full Article

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Apple's Activation Lock Checking Tool Removed, Record Earnings, Apple Watch Theater Mode - MacRumors

Brought to you by: Apple Removes Tool to Check if an iPhone or iPad is Activation Locked Apple late last week removed its online tool that allowed users to check an iOS device's serial number to see whether it was activation locked to an Apple ID. The tool was popular with those purchasing used devices, as it enabled them to make sure Activation Lock had been disabled before completing a transaction, thereby avoiding the potential for significant hassle. Perhaps just as interesting as the removal itself is the apparent reason for it: Dedicated hackers and thieves had used the tool as part of a process to hack devices that had been activation locked. The hacking technique may also explain why some users have occasionally found their brand-new devices locked to another Apple ID.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories Your Shortcut to the Best Apps for Mac Setapp gives you a growing suite of hand-picked apps in one signup. There’s no store — just a folder on your Mac, and no hidden costs — just a flat monthly fee. It's simple, like shortcuts should be. We hand pick the apps, so you don’t have to: there’s no need to dig through hundreds of App Store listings, search for reviews, and compare prices: with Setapp, you always have the best app for the job. It’s like getting all the apples, while someone else does the picking. You already own every upgrade: Setapp gives you access to shiny new software versions without charging any extra for upgrades. Every app you see on Setapp is yours — and we do mean the app, not just the current version. Free to try: Setapp is packed with stellar apps, and you get to try them free of charge for a whole month.   Visit Sponsor Popular Stories Feb 02, 2017 Apple Reports Record Results for 1Q 2017: $17.9B Profit on $78.4B Revenue, 78.3M iPhones Apple has released its financial results for the holiday quarter ending in December, setting new all-time company records for overall revenue and earnings per share, as well as revenue for iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and Services. Apple's Services segment, which includes such offerings as Apple Music, the App Store, Apple Pay, and iCloud, saw particularly strong growth and Apple stated it aims to double that segment's performance within four years. Strong iPhone sales on the back of the iPhone 7 launch, combined with Samsung's problems with exploding Note7 devices, allowed Apple to retake the lead in the worldwide smartphone market. iPad remains a weak spot for Apple, however, with sales continuing to decline even as it still leads the overall tablet market. Tim Cook promised "exciting things" coming for the iPad, which was hampered by a lack of new models in the quarter.   Read Full Article Hands-On With the New Theater Mode in watchOS 3.2 Following last week's betas of iOS 10.3, macOS 10.12.4, and tvOS 10.2, Apple this week seeded developers with the first test build of watchOS 3.2. The release gives us our first look at the new "Theater Mode" for Apple Watch, so we went hands-on with the feature to see what it has to offer. Theater Mode is a quick Control Center shortcut that silences your Apple Watch and turns off the raise to wake function of the display, preventing your watch from disturbing others in dark theaters. In Theater Mode, notifications will continue to generate haptic feedback, and the screen can still be manually activated by tapping or through the crown or side button.   Read Full Article Apple and Amazon Adopt Opposing Strategies as Smart Home War Heats Up With Amazon's Alexa-enabled Echo platform taking the home automation market by storm recently, Reuters has taken a look at the different approaches being taken by Amazon and Apple in the market. While Amazon has embraced an open approach that has allowed other companies to quickly add Alexa support to hundreds of devices, Apple has opted to emphasize security and ease of use with its closed HomeKit system. Apple requires HomeKit manufacturers to use certified chips and assembly factories for their products to ensure compliance with Apple's standards, and Apple's own testing of each product can take several months.   Read Full Article iOS 10.3 Beta Says 32-Bit Legacy Apps Will Not Work With Future Versions of iOS Apple recently started warning users about older 32-bit iOS apps that may experience performance issues, and a change to the warnings in the new iOS 10.3 beta suggests Apple may soon prevent those apps from working entirely. Apple has required that all new and updated apps be optimized for 64-bit architecture for several years, but many older apps have not been subjected to that requirement due to their lack of updates. Discontinuing support for these apps is undoubtedly intended to encourage developers to update their apps, but many legacy apps that are no longer under development or which Apple has opted not to approve may find themselves disappearing in the coming months as Apple continues its effort to clean up the App Store.    Read Full Article Apple Developing ARM-Based Mac Chip to Handle Low-Power Functions Alongside Intel Processors Apple is still planning to rely on Intel processors for future Macs, but according to a new report from Bloomberg, the company is looking to add a new custom ARM-based chip to Macs that would take over some functionality from the main processor. The chip, which is said to be a variation on the new T1 chip used in the MacBook Pro to power the Touch Bar and Touch ID, would handle the low-power Power Nap features that happen in the background while a Mac is sleeping. Those features include mail fetching, syncing of iCloud and Photos updates across devices, Find My Mac location updates, and more. Shifting those functions to a more efficient ARM chip could significantly improve battery life for sleeping devices.   Read Full Article

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