Amazon has begun discounting the Apple Watch Series 5, with prices starting at $384 for aluminum models with the Sport Band. Sales on the newest Apple Watch model haven’t been as frequent as those we’ve seen on the Series 3 and Series 4 models, so this is a solid option for anyone still considering the Apple Watch Series 5.

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.

The sale includes as much as $70 off the stainless steel cases for the Apple Watch Series 5, while the aluminum models are seeing $15 to $30 off original prices. We’ve rounded up a few of the deals below, but be sure to head to Amazon to see more of the sale.

Apple Watch Series 5

GPS ($15-$30 off)

• 40mm, Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band – $384.00, down from $399.00
• 40mm, Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sport Band – $384.00, down from $399.00
• 40mm, Silver Aluminum Case with White Sport Band – $384.00, down from $399.00
• 44mm, Silver Aluminum Case with White Sport Band – $399.00, down from $429.00
• 44mm, Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sport Band – $414.00, down from $429.00
• 44mm, Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band – $414.00, down from $429.00

Cellular ($15-$70 off)

• 40mm, Silver Aluminum Case with White Sport Band – $484.00, down from $499.00
• 40mm, Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band – $484.00, down from $499.00
• 44mm, Silver Aluminum Case with White Sport Band – $499.00, down from $529.00
• 44mm, Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band – $514.00, down from $529.00
• 44mm, Gold Stainless Steel Case with Stone Sport Band – $699.00, down from $749.00
• 44mm, Space Black Stainless Steel Case with Black Sport Band – $679.00, down from $749.00

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

This article, “Deals: New Amazon Sale Takes Up to $70 Off Apple Watch Series 5” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Mujjo to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of the company’s Leather Wallet Cases designed for Apple’s iPhones, including the most recent iPhones (11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max) and older devices dating back to the iPhone 6s.

Priced at $42 to $50 depending on device, the Mujjo cases come in four attractive colors: Tan, Black, Monaco Blue, and Alpine Green, with Olive also being a color option for some older ‌iPhone‌ models.

All of Mujjo’s cases are designed to be simple, clean, and slim, with each one made from full-grain vegetable-tanned leather. As with all leather cases, these cases will develop a custom patina over time with usage, for richer colors and a personalized feel. Mujjo’s cases are sleek and slim, and won’t add a lot of bulk to Apple’s iPhones, but the leather still offers protection and grip to make the ‌iPhone‌ easier to hold.

The inside of each case is lined with Japanese microfiber to keep it safe from scratches, and all buttons are covered in leather. According to Mujjo, button designs have been tested for responsiveness and ease of use, so they continue to be easy to press despite the covering. The camera opening and mute button taper inwards, and the leather rises 1mm above the edge of the glass so there’s a raised bezel to keep the ‌iPhone‌’s display safe.

Specific to the Wallet Cases, there’s a slanted leather line at the back that’s neatly stitched in place and able to hold two to three bank cards or ID cards so you can take what you need without having to carry a full wallet.

The design of the wallet portion of the case varies based on ‌iPhone‌ size. For the 11 Pro case, for example, the pocket is aligned in the center and puts your cards right under the camera. On the larger 11 Pro Max case (and cases for other large iPhones), the card pocket is placed at an angle, a look that better fits a bigger form factor.

While this ‌giveaway‌ focuses on the Wallet Cases, Mujjo also makes plain leather cases without the card pocket for those who do not need that functionality.

We have 10 of the Leather Wallet ‌iPhone‌ Cases to give away to MacRumors readers, and each winner will be able to pick the case that fits their ‌iPhone‌ and the color of the case. Mujjo has cases that fit the current iPhones and older iPhones dating back to the ‌iPhone‌ 6s, though case colors and details will vary for older iPhones.

To enter to win our ‌giveaway‌, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the ‌giveaway‌ restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

Mujjo

The contest will run from today (January 3) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on January 10. The winners will be chosen randomly on January 10 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

This article, “MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Leather Wallet Case for iPhone From Mujjo” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today added a new game to its Apple Arcade gaming service, introducing Doomsday Vault, a post-apocalyptic adventure game that tasks players with saving the plant life remaining on earth.

The aim of the game is to investigate desolate landscapes, abandoned buildings, and flooded cities to find seeds for critical plant species, taking them back to the Doomsday Vault.

The game, designed by Flightless Limited, features challenging puzzles, 3D environments, and helpful plant information, according to the App Store description.

Doomsday Vault, like all ‌Apple Arcade‌ games, can be downloaded and played by anyone with an ‌Apple Arcade‌ subscription. ‌Apple Arcade‌ costs $4.99 per month and allows up to six members of a family to play.

This article, “Post-Apocalyptic Adventure Game ‘Doomsday Vault’ Now Available on Apple Arcade” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today added updated engraving options for the AirPods Charging Case, allowing customers who purchase ‌AirPods‌ to choose to engrave emoji characters on their devices.

‌AirPods‌ have always been able to be engraved, but the engravings were limited to text and there was no option to add an emoji character. Apple is highlighting the engraving options on its main site and when customers visit one of the ‌AirPods‌ product pages.

Customers who choose to personalize their ‌AirPods‌ during the purchase process can choose from several emoji characters, though not all emojis are available. Options like smiling face, face with tongue out, and thumbs up are available, as are multiple animals.

There’s a ghost, unicorn, bear, skull, dragon, poop, snake, and others, including the animals from the Chinese zodiac. Customers can choose text or an emoji, but not both as the emoji is done in a larger style. Apple has also tweaked the text that can be added to the ‌AirPods‌, bumping up the size.

Customization options with emoji are available for all ‌AirPods‌ models and apply to the Charging Case for each order.

Thanks, Stanford!

This article, “Apple Now Allowing AirPods Charging Cases to Be Engraved With Emojis” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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IKEA has started rolling out a HomeKit software update for its FYRTUR electric blinds, part of its TRADFRI line of smart home products.

Multiple users on Reddit have indicated receiving a new 1.10.28 firmware update for their TRADFRI gateway, which allows IKEA smart home products to work with platforms like HomeKit. The rollout appears to be starting in the United States, so users in other countries may not see the firmware update yet.

Following the firmware update, the blinds should automatically appear as tiles in the Home app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. HomeKit support enables users to raise or lower the blinds using the Home app or Siri, in addition to existing support for Google Home and the IKEA Home app.

FYRTUR blinds start at $129, while the TRADFRI gateway retails for $35.

(Thanks, Brandon Smith!)

This article, “HomeKit Rolling Out to IKEA’s TRADFRI Smart Blinds” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacSales is discounting Apple’s HomePod to $189.88, down from the retail price of $299.00. This is for a brand-new HomePod (White), but there are caveats to the sale: the HomePod will come in “Bulk (Non-Retail) Packaging,” which essentially means you won’t be getting Apple’s typical HomePod box, but instead a plain, nondescript box.

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

MacSales includes a 1 Year OWC-fulfilled limited warranty with the HomePod, so you won’t receive a warranty directly from Apple. That being said, MacSales is a trusted Apple reseller with a solid reputation so those who missed out on the holiday HomePod deals should visit OWC’s website before the offer expires.

Once it’s been added to your cart, you’ll see the OWC instant rebate of $30 appear on the HomePod at the checkout screen. The Space Gray version is available for $194.88 as well.

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

This article, “Deals: OWC Discounts HomePod to $189.88 ($110 Off)” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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At least some new iPhones in 2020 will feature touch-integrated displays supplied by LG, according to Korean website The Elec:

LG Display is aiming to upgrade its production facilities for flexible, Gen-6 OLED panels for smaller displays at its E6 lines in Paju of Gyeonggi Province. For this, the firm will be adding new equipment by early 2020 to produce touch-integrated panels, while switching to the LTPO backplane technology.

As the E6 lines are known to be Apple-exclusive, the touch-integrated screens are to be supplied to the new iPhones to be launched next year, according to industry sources on Dec. 17.

This mirrors a recent report from Korean website ETNews, which claimed that so-called iPhone 12 Pro models will adopt a technology that allows touchscreen circuitry to be directly patterned on the OLED panel without the need for a separate layer, resulting in a thinner display and lower production costs.

ETNews said a lower-cost 6.1-inch model, presumably the iPhone 12, will stick with a traditional film-based display.

It is unclear if thinner displays would translate to thinner iPhones as a whole this year. Notably, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are actually slightly thicker and heavier than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively, as Apple included larger batteries in its latest iPhones.

Today’s report from The Elec also claims that LG is preparing to switch to LTPO backplane technology in the second half of 2020. The backplane is responsible for turning individual pixels on and off on the display.

LTPO, or low-temperature polycrystalline oxide, has an Oxide TFT structure that uses up to 15 percent less power than LTPS, or low-temperature polysilicon, the backplane technology that Apple currently uses. Naturally, that could contribute to more power efficient displays and longer battery life on 2020 iPhones.

Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5 models already feature LTPO displays. Apple’s website says the technology enables Series 5 models to have the same up-to-18-hour battery life as Series 4 models despite having an always-on display:

The low temperature poly-silicon and oxide display features a reinvented pixel architecture that lets the screen refresh rate dip from 60Hz to a power-sipping 1Hz when the watch is inactive. A new low-power driver, ultra-efficient power management, and a new ambient light sensor work together so the display can stay always on with up to 18 hours of battery life.

It is unclear if LG will be ready to mass produce LTPO displays in time for 2020 iPhones.

2020 is expected to be a big year for the iPhone, with rumors pointing to new display sizes and technologies, a redesigned metal frame similar to the iPhone 4, rear-facing 3D sensing, 5G support, up to 6GB of RAM, and more.

This article, “2020 iPhones Expected to Feature Thinner and Possibly More Power Efficient Displays” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Ahead of next week’s Consumer Electronics Show, Nanoleaf has announced the addition of several new products to its HomeKit-enabled lighting ecosystem, including the Nanoleaf Learning Series and new hexagon light panels.

The Nanoleaf Learning Series is described as an “all-in-one, interactive, intelligent lighting system for the home,” designed to learn, sense and react to a user’s needs to make it easier for customers to use smart home products.

Nanoleaf says that the Learning Series offers a “system of products” designed to “know when and there you need light” and “how you need it” with minimal need for manual controls. The Learning Series will include the Learning Switch, Learning Button, Learning Bulb, and Learning Gateway.

The Learning Series uses U-IQ technology, which combines a network of sensors (the Learning Series products) and an intelligent learning algorithm. With U-IQ, a room knows when you’re approaching and the lights will gradually turn on before you enter. The lights will also change based on the existing light within the space, working in harmony with the sun.

Nanoleaf is aiming to eliminate reliance on apps, voice assistants, and physical switches for controlling smart lights, and the system will become more accurate with more Learning Series sensors installed.

Along with the Learning Series, Nanoleaf is also announcing a new line of interoperable Unified Light Panels, which will have shape interconnectivity.

The first lights in the Unified Light Panel line will include touch-reactive Unified Hexagons that will allow users to create all new configurations ranging from geometric layouts to replicas of characters and shapes.

The Hexagons will be shown off at the Nanoleaf booth and customers can sign up to be notified when pre-orders become available ahead of a spring 2020 launch.

This article, “CES 2020: Nanoleaf Debuts New Learning Series Lighting System, Hexagon-Shaped Panels” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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To end the week, Amazon and Best Buy have a few discounts on Apple’s newest iPads and MacBook Pro notebooks. You’ll find as much as $600 off the MacBook Pro, up to $180 off iPad Air, and up to $70 off the 10.2-inch iPad.

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

The products listed below represent the latest 2019 versions of each respective line and include numerous lowest-ever prices for select models. In total, you’ll find deals on the 15-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Air, and iPad.

Note that certain devices on Amazon have lengthy shipping estimates, including the 15-inch MacBook Pro. This notebook won’t be in stock until February 6, but if you’re interested you can still place your order now to lock in the $600 discount before it expires.

15-inch MacBook Pro

• 2.3 GHz 8-Core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD – $2,199.00, down from $2,799.00 ($600 off, lowest ever)

16-inch MacBook Pro

• 2.6 GHz 6-Core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD – $2,187.92, down from $2,399.00 ($211 off, lowest ever)
• 2.3 GHz 8-Core, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD – $2,549.00, down from $2,799.00 ($250 off, lowest ever)

10.5-inch iPad Air

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

10.2-inch iPad

• Wi-Fi 32GB – $279.99, down from $329.00 ($50 off)
• Wi-Fi 128GB – $359.99, down from $429.00 ($70 off)
• Cellular 32GB – $409.99, down from $459.00 ($50 off)
• Cellular 128GB – $489.99, down from $559.00 ($70 off)

Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.

This article, “Deals: Lowest-Ever Prices Hit 2019 MacBook Pro (Up to $600 Off) and iPad Air” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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