With goals of reducing waste and increasing convenience, European lawmakers today will debate whether all smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices should have a standardized charging port such as USB-C.

At least some members of the European Parliament want “binding measures” that ensure one type of charger is compatible with all portable devices, as the European Commission’s previous approach of merely “encouraging” tech companies to develop a standardized solution has “fell short of the co-legislators’ objectives,” according to a briefing on the European Parliament website today.

The proposed charging ports for portable devices include Micro-USB, USB-C, and the Lightning connector.

Nearly a year ago, Apple said regulations that would force all smartphones to have the same charging port would “freeze innovation,” be “bad for the environment,” and be “unnecessarily disruptive for customers.”

More than 1 billion Apple devices have shipped using a Lightning connector in addition to an entire ecosystem of accessory and device manufacturers who use Lightning to serve our collective customers. We want to ensure that any new legislation will not result in the shipment of any unnecessary cables or external adaptors with every device, or render obsolete the devices and accessories used by many millions of Europeans and hundreds of millions of Apple customers worldwide. This would result in an unprecedented volume of electronic waste and greatly inconvenience users. To be forced to disrupt this huge market of customers will have consequences far beyond the stated aims of the Commission.

Beginning in 2009, Apple led industry efforts to work together to promote a common charging solution. And with the emergence of USB Type-C, we have committed alongside six other companies that all new smartphone models will leverage this standard through a connector or a cable assembly. We believe this collective effort by many of the industry’s leading companies is better for innovation, better for consumers and better for the environment.

A vote on the matter will be held in a forthcoming parliament session. While some members want the policy to be regulated, forcing companies like Apple to comply, there is still a possibility that it will be implemented with a voluntary approach, which could simply be ignored, according to the European Commission.

European lawmakers have been considering similar regulations since at least 2009.

This article, “European Lawmakers Want to Force All Smartphones to Have Same Charging Port, Apple Defends Lightning” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has shared a heartwarming short film about three generations of Chinese women coming together for the Chinese New Year. The video, starring leading Chinese actress Zhou Xun, was shot on the iPhone 11 Pro.

Prominently featured on Apple’s website in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the short film was directed by Academy Award nominee Theodore Melfi, with cinematography by Golden Globe Award nominee Lawrence Sher.

Apple has also shared a Chinese New Year gift guide on its website in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.

Likewise, Apple Stores are celebrating the Chinese New Year with a series of special “Today at Apple” sessions called “Modern Traditions” through February 8 in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. “Breathe new life into local traditions through photography and more in fun hands-on sessions for the whole family.”

This year, the Chinese New Year falls on January 25.

This article, “Apple Celebrating Chinese New Year With Heartwarming Short Film, Today at Apple Sessions, and Gift Guide” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon and Best Buy have introduced a bunch of new deals on Apple’s iPad Pro, with discounts reaching as much as $199 off original prices. Both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro have received discounts, in Wi-Fi only and cellular configurations.

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.

Additionally, you’ll find notable sales on the new iPad Air, with one particularly good sale on the 256GB Cellular iPad Air, now priced at $599.00, down from $779.00. All prices listed below represent sales found on Amazon, unless otherwise noted as a Best Buy discount.

iPad Air

• 64GB, Cellular – $519.00, down from $629.00 ($110 off)
• 256GB, Cellular – $599.00, down from $779.00 ($180 off, lowest ever)

iPad Pro

11-Inch

• 64GB, Wi-Fi – $674.99, down from $799.00 ($124 off)
• 256GB, Wi-Fi – $799.99, down from $949.00 ($149 off)
• 512GB, Wi-Fi – $949.99, down from $1,149.00 ($199 off)
• 1TB, Wi-Fi – $1,149.99, down from $1,349.00 ($199 off)
• 64GB, Cellular – $824.99, down from $949.00 ($124 off)
• 256GB, Cellular – $949.99, down from $1,099.00 ($149 off)
• 512GB, Cellular – $1,099.99, down from $1,299.00 ($199 off)
• 1TB, Cellular – $1,299.99, down from $1,499.00 ($199 off)

12.9-Inch

• 64GB, Wi-Fi – $874.99, down from $999.00 ($124 off)
• 256GB, Wi-Fi – $999.99, down from $1,149.00 ($149 off at Best Buy)
• 512GB, Wi-Fi – $1,149.99, down from $1,349.00 ($199 off)
• 1TB, Wi-Fi – $1,349.99, down from $1,549.00 ($199 off, lowest ever at Best Buy)
• 64GB, Cellular – $1,024.99, down from $1,149.00 ($124 off)
• 256GB, Cellular – $1,149.99, down from $1,299.00 ($149 off)
• 512GB, Cellular – $1,299.99, down from $1,499.00 ($199 off)
• 1TB, Cellular – $1,499.99, down from $1,699.00 ($199 off, lowest ever at Best Buy)

Accessories

• Apple Pencil – $89.99, down from $99.00
• Apple Pencil 2 – $120.00, down from $129.00
• Smart Keyboard Folio for 11-inch iPad Pro – $169.98, down from $179.00
• Smart Keyboard Folio for 12.9-inch iPad Pro – $189.99, down from $199.00

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

This article, “Deals: Apple’s iPad Pro and iPad Air Receive Major Discounts, With Lowest-Ever Prices on Select Models (Up to $199 Off)” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon is discounting Apple’s AirPods with Charging Case from 2019 to $129.00, down from $159.00 ($30 off). This is the lowest price currently available for the AirPods among the major Apple resellers, and a return to the lowest price seen on this model on Amazon since last November.

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.

If you’re shopping for the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case, Amazon is still continuing to discount that model as well: it’s on sale for $169.00, down from $199.00 ($30 off). The standalone Wireless Charging Case for AirPods is priced at $64.99, down from $79.00 on Amazon ($14 off).

We track all of the changing AirPods deals in our Best Deal on AirPods guide. You can also head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.

This article, “Deals: AirPods With Charging Case Hit Low Price of $129 on Amazon ($30 Off)” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Billy Crudup has won a 2020 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Cory Ellison in the Apple TV+ series “The Morning Show.” The full list of winners is available here.

This represents the first major award won by Apple TV+. “The Morning Show” was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Series last month, while stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon were nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series, but competitors won in both categories.

“The Morning Show” was widely panned by critics upon the launch of Apple TV+, but they were only provided with the first three episodes to watch. The series has a strong audience score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and as more episodes came out in the series, some critics began to view the show more favorably too.

This article, “‘The Morning Show’ Actor Billy Crudup Wins 2020 Critics’ Choice Award” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Last month, reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected four 5G-enabled iPhones to launch in the second half of 2020, including models with both sub-6GHz and mmWave support depending on the region.

Kuo said iPhone models with mmWave would be available in five markets, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom, adding that Apple may disable 5G functionality in countries that do not offer 5G service or have a shallow 5G penetration rate to reduce production costs.

Kuo has now doubled down on his prediction. In a follow-up research note today, viewed by MacRumors, he said Apple is still on track to release both sub-6GHz and sub-6GHz-plus-mmWave iPhone models simultaneously in the second half of 2020, with shipments beginning in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter.

Last week, analyst Mehdi Hosseini had disagreed with Kuo’s timeframe, claiming that sub-6GHz models would launch in September 2020 and mmWave models would follow in December 2020 or January 2021.

Kuo says development of 5G iPhones with both sub-6GHz and mmWave support is progressing as scheduled, however, and he has the more reputable track record as it relates to forecasting Apple’s roadmap. So, as of now, it looks like the entire 5G iPhone lineup will be announced in September as usual.

This article, “Kuo: All 5G iPhones on Track to Launch in Fall 2020, Including Both Sub-6GHz and mmWave Models” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Early January always sees a flurry of news coming out of CES, but that wasn’t all that was on the docket this week. Additional topics of interest in this week included new emoji personalization options for AirPods charging cases, “iPhone 9” rumors, and an upcoming change to Apple’s serial number format.

CES 2020: New HomeKit Accessories, Wireless Chargers, and Other Cool Tech From the Show

CES week has wrapped up in Las Vegas, where thousands of tech companies both small and large unveiled their latest products and concepts. As usual, Apple did not have a booth at the trade show, but a wide range of HomeKit-compatible smart home products and accessories for products like the iPhone and Apple Watch were unveiled over the past week.

Here are some of the most popular CES stories on MacRumors this week, plus three videos with cool tech from the show:

• Intel Unveils 10th-Gen ‘Comet Lake’ Chips With Speeds Over 5GHz
• Arlo Debuts New Wire-Free Pro 3 Floodlight Camera
• Alpine Debuts Largest-Ever CarPlay Receiver With 11″ Hovering Display

• CES Unveiled 2020 Highlights
• CES Pepcom 2020 Highlights
• Best of the CES 2020 Show Floor

Subscribe to MacRumors on YouTube for new Apple videos every week!

Aura Smart Strap for Apple Watch to Launch in March

Last year, startup Aura introduced a “smart strap” for the Apple Watch, designed to measure weight, water, fat, and muscle via electrodes built into the band. At CES this week, Aura said the strap is set to launch in March, with pre-orders available now for $99.

Body composition and hydration is not something the ‌Apple Watch‌ can track on its own, though testing will need to be done to see how accurate the Aura strap is in practice.

Apple Launches Replacement Program for Smart Battery Cases Designed for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR

Numerous customers have run into issues with Apple’s Smart Battery Cases for the company’s 2018 iPhone lineup, experiencing issues with the cases failing to charge or the cases failing to charge the iPhones.

Addressing the situation, Apple this week launched a replacement program that allows iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR users who have run into these problems to receive a free replacement case. Customers will need to visit an Apple retail store or authorized service provider to have their cases inspected and ensure they qualify for the program.

Apple TV App Coming to Select LG, Sony, and Vizio Smart TVs Later This Year

Apple this week announced that its Apple TV app will be available on select LG, Sony, and Vizio smart TVs later this year. Apple shared the news in a press release highlighting the success of its various services.

When available, the Apple TV app will allow owners of newer LG, Sony, and Vizio smart TVs to stream Apple TV+ shows and movies, use the à-la-carte Apple TV Channels feature, access their iTunes libraries of movies and TV shows, and buy or rent more than 100,000 shows and movies from the iTunes Store.

TiVo, meanwhile, has said that the Apple TV app that it promised back at CES 2019 is no longer something it is focusing on right now.

iPhone 9 May Be Slightly Thicker Than iPhone 8

OnLeaks, a well-known leaker who shared accurate renders of the iPhone 11 Pro over nine months before the device was unveiled, has returned with new concept art for the so-called “iPhone 9” or “iPhone SE 2.”

In line with earlier predictions from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, OnLeaks expects the iPhone 9 to resemble the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch LCD display with thick bezels, Touch ID home button, and single-lens rear camera, but with a faster A13 chip, 3GB of RAM, and no hardware-based 3D Touch.

OnLeaks also expects the iPhone 9 to be 7.8mm thick, which would be 0.5mm thicker than the iPhone 8. The device will launch by the end of March, starting at around $399, according to Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple Plans to Switch to Randomized Serial Numbers for Future Products Starting in Late 2020

In an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, Apple has indicated that it plans to update its serial number format to a randomized alphanumeric string for future products starting in late 2020.

Apple says all serial numbers that exist before the change is made will remain the same.

Apple already uses alphanumeric serial numbers, but it has long been possible to determine the date and location that a product was manufactured based on the current format. Readers would often use serial numbers to glean more information about their devices, like the iPhone or MacBook Pro.

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!

This article, “Top Stories: CES 2020 News, iPhone Battery Case Replacement Program, iPhone 9 Renders” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A documentary focusing on sexual misconduct in the music industry will no longer air on Apple TV+, as Oprah, who brought the project to the streaming TV service, has stepped away from it.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oprah today said that she will no longer be an executive producer on the project and it will not be offered on ‌Apple TV‌+. Oprah believes there’s more work to be done on the film and that it’s not ready to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival that the filmmakers want to debut it at. From a statement Oprah gave to The Hollywood Reporter:

I have decided that I will no longer be executive producer on The Untitled Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering Documentary and it will not air on ‌Apple TV‌+.

First and foremost, I want it to be known that I unequivocally believe and support the women. Their stories deserve to be told and heard. In my opinion, there is more work to be done on the film to illuminate the full scope of what the victims endured, and it has become clear that the filmmakers and I are not aligned in that creative vision.

Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering are talented filmmakers. I have great respect for their mission but given the filmmakers’ desire to premiere the film at the Sundance Film Festival before I believe it is complete, I feel it’s best to step aside. I will be working with Time’s Up to support the victims and those impacted by abuse and sexual harassment.

News of Oprah and Apple’s interest in the documentary came in early December after Oprah signed on to executive produce the film. The documentary explores alleged sexual misconduct in the music industry, following a former music executive who struggles with whether or not to go public with her story of assault and abuse by well-known music industry titan Russell Simmons.

The documentary was created by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, who have previously worked on several other documentaries, including “The Hunting Ground,” exposing sexual assault on college campuses and “The Bleeding Edge,” an exposé on the medical device industry.

Note: Due to the political 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.

This article, “Apple TV+ and Oprah Drop Documentary on Sexual Misconduct in the Music Industry Over Creative Differences” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today launched a battery case replacement program for Smart Battery Cases designed for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and iPhone XR.

According to Apple, some Smart Battery Cases can experience charging issues, including cases that will not charge or charge intermittently when plugged into power, or cases that will not charge an iPhone or charge it intermittently.

Affected Smart Battery Cases were manufactured between January 2019 and October 2019. Apple says that this is not a safety issue and Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will replace eligible cases for free.

All Smart Battery Cases designed for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR manufactured between the above dates are eligible for replacement. Apple says that no other iPhone Smart Battery Cases are a part of the program, which means no iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max battery cases will be replaced.

Apple says that customers with an impacted Smart Battery Case can find an Apple Authorized Service Provider or make an appointment at an Apple retail location to have their case replaced. Smart Battery Cases will be examined prior to service to verify that they are eligible for the program.

Affected cases will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way and the program covers Smart Battery Cases for two years after the first retail sale of the unit.

Since the Smart Battery Cases launched in early 2019, there have been complaints over various failures and issues with charging. At one point in mid-2019, the Smart Battery Cases were unavailable for purchase and backordered for over a month, a stock issue that could have been related to ongoing charging problems.

This article, “Apple Launches Replacement Program for Smart Battery Cases Designed for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, this week urged customers who are using the Firefox browser to upgrade to version 72.0.1, as there is a major vulnerability in older versions of the Firefox browser.

Mozilla released Firefox 72.0.1 on Wednesday to address a security issue that allows malicious entities to run unauthorized code on a target computer through a webpage, letting them take control of an affected system. From Mozilla:

Incorrect alias information in IonMonkey JIT compiler for setting array elements could lead to a type confusion. We are aware of targeted attacks in the wild abusing this flaw.

As the above quote states, there are known targeted attacks exploiting this flaw, which means it’s important for all Firefox users to upgrade, including enterprise users.

The vulnerability was first discovered by Chinese company Qihoo 360 two days after the release of Firefox 72, but there is no word on how long the bug has been exploited nor who used the vulnerability or who might have been targeted. This is the third zero-day vulnerability that Mozilla has addressed within the last year, with the company patching two other major vulnerabilities in June 2019.

MacRumors readers who use Firefox for Mac but have not installed the latest version should make sure to do so. The latest version of Firefox can be downloaded from the Mozilla website or through the update function within Firefox itself.

This article, “U.S. Department of Homeland Security Urges Firefox Users to Install Update Amid Active Attack” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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