Dutch brand ZENS today announced the availability of its AirPower-like wireless charging mat with 16 overlapping coils, allowing two devices to be charged anywhere on the mat.

The ZENS Liberty can charge any Qi-enabled devices, with the 16 coils providing a total output of 30W (2x15W) as well as supporting Apple and Samsung Fast Charge. Meanwhile, the built-in 2.4A USB port can be used to charge another device, including an Apple Watch using the optional Apple Watch USB-stick accessory.

The 16 overlapping charging coils give complete freedom of placement, allowing you to place two devices anywhere on the charging pad. For those who were wondering why the USB-port of the Liberty is placed on the top side of the charging pad, the ‌Apple Watch‌ USB-stick is the reason why. This add-on is specifically made for the Liberty so you can simultaneously charge an iPhone, AirPods and an ‌Apple Watch‌ with the Liberty, the ideal 3-in-1 wireless charger!

The USB-stick is made of the same aluminum as the Liberty and is placed in a vertical position in the USB-port of the Liberty to charge the ‌Apple Watch‌ in sleep-mode. The stick can also be connected to any USB-A-port to charge an ‌Apple Watch‌ without the mat. The USB-stick is officially MFi certified and works with ‌Apple Watch‌ Series 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The ZENS Liberty has a USB-C connection and comes with a 60W USB-C certified power adapter. Separate power plugs for the E.U., U.K. and U.S. are included to make the adapter suitable for global usage.

The mat is available either with a surface of high-quality woolen upholstery textile (Atlas by Kvadrat) or with a tempered glass surface revealing the overlapping coils within. The fabric version costs $139.99 (€139.99), while the Glass edition costs $179.99 (€179.99). Both models come with a three-year extended warranty. The Apple Watch USB-add-on is available separately for $39.99 (€39.99).

This is the closest alternative to Apple’s canceled AirPower mat, which would have been able to charge three devices placed anywhere on the mat, including an ‌iPhone‌, ‌Apple Watch‌, and ‌AirPods‌.

Apple canceled the ‌AirPower‌ in March 2019, stating that “after much effort,” the mat failed to achieve the company’s “high standards.” An earlier report from Sonny Dickson claimed the ‌‌AirPower‌‌ would have been equipped with 21 to 24 coils, but reports claimed the mat suffered from overheating and potentially dangerous electromagnetic interference issues.

Expect a full review of the ZENS Liberty Wireless Charger on MacRumors soon.

This article, “ZENS AirPower-Like Liberty Wireless Charger With 16 Coils Now Available to Order” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Consumer spending on the App Store totaled a record $193 million on Christmas Day 2019, representing a 16 percent increase year on year, according to a new report by Sensor Tower.

Approximately $84 million was spent on the Google Play store, representing year-on-year growth of 2.7 percent. Apple’s ‌App Store‌ accounted for 70 percent of spending between the two platforms, which amounted to $277 million combined.

That total represented combined year-over-year growth of 11.3 percent for the two stores, which brought in $249 million combined in user spending on Christmas Day in 2018.

Sensor Tower says the increase in spending was largely due to new mobile device owners and people who received ‌App Store‌ gift cards, with games being the most popular purchase.

The majority of mobile spending on Christmas, approximately $210 million, was focused on the Games category, which generated 76 percent of revenue across both stores and grew about 8 percent Y/Y from $195 million. PUBG Mobile from Tencent’s TiMi studio led in-game spending with $8.5 million, up 431 percent from the $1.6 million players spent in the game on Christmas 2018.

Other apps accounted for approximately 2 percent more of all spending this Christmas compared to a year prior, bringing in an estimated $67 million. The top non-game app for overall spending on Christmas was reportedly the dating app Tinder, which brought in a gross global revenue near $2.1 million.

The ‌App Store‌ makes up a huge portion of Apple’s services business. It currently receives a 30 percent cut of all revenue that developers earn from the ‌App Store‌, with the exception of subscription apps. For apps where a customer maintains a subscription for more than a year, developers are entitled to an 85/15 split, with Apple taking a 15 percent cut rather than a 30 percent cut.

This article, “Sensor Tower: Global App Store Spending on Christmas Day 2019 Hit a Record $193 Million” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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LG today announced the upcoming debut of its 2020 8K TV lineup featuring eight new TVs in sizes ranging from 65 inches to 88 inches, all of which support Apple’s HomeKit and AirPlay 2.

There are premium 77 and 88 inch LG Signature OLED 8K TVs along with 8K LG NanoCell TVs in 65 and 75-inch sizes. LG says that all of the TVs exceed the official 8K Ultra HD definition set by the Consumer Technology Association and are able to play native 8K content.

The new TVs work with Apple ‌HomeKit‌ and ‌AirPlay‌ 2, allowing them to interact with other ‌AirPlay‌ 2 devices and to be controlled via Siri voice commands. ‌HomeKit‌ support also means the new LG TVs will show up in the Home app.

LG’s 2020 8K TVs include a new AI processor that takes advantage of deep learning for optimized picture and sound quality. The TVs are able to recognize faces and text on the screen, fine-tuning and sharpening for natural skin tones, better defined facial features, and clearer characters.

LG will be showing off its 8K TV lineup at the Consumer Electronics Show, which is set to kick off next week.

This article, “CES 2020: LG Unveils New 8K TVs With HomeKit and AirPlay 2 Support” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple shares today hit a new all-time high and reached a closing price of $300 following yesterday’s New Year’s holiday, marking significant growth over the course of the last year.

In early January 2019, Apple shares were at $144 after Apple lowered its revenue guidance for Q1 2019 by up to $9 billion, spooking investors.

iPhone sales in late 2018 and 2019 saw a major drop in China due to rising ‌iPhone‌ prices and trade tensions, but Apple has managed to boost sales by lowering prices, offering promotions, and introducing the iPhone 11 at a new $699 price point.

Apple stock has surged over the course of the last two months thanks to reports of better than expected ‌iPhone 11‌ and 11 Pro sales and reports of stronger than ever AirPods sales.

This article, “Apple Stock Sets New All-Time High, Closes at $300 Per Share” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Former HBO CEO and chairman Richard Plepler has signed a five year deal with Apple to produce content for Apple TV+, reports The New York Times.

Under the terms of the deal, Plepler’s newly formed company, Eden Productions, will make TV shows, documentaries, and films exclusively for the ‌Apple TV‌+ streaming service.

Image via The New York Times

Plepler worked at HBO for 27 years before leaving in February 2019, eight months after AT&T became its owner, and under his leadership, HBO had hits like “Game of Thrones” and “Big Little Lies.”

Rumors of talks between Plepler and Apple first surfaced in November, with Plepler making it clear at the time that he did not want to return to TV as an executive, but instead wanted to take on a new role as a producer.

In today’s article from The New York Times, Plepler explained why he didn’t want to continue working as a TV executive:

“It was instantaneously clear to me that I had a wonderful and very privileged run at HBO and I wasn’t going to be able to duplicate that again,” Mr. Plepler said in his first interview since leaving the network. “And I didn’t want to try to duplicate that again. It felt very clear to me that I just wanted to do my own thing.”

Plepler was drawn to Apple because he has been a “longtime admirer” of Eddy Cue, who runs Apple’s software and services, including overseeing Apple’s TV division. Cue got in touch right after Plepler left HBO and invited Plepler to “talk” when things settled after his departure.

According to Plepler, he had conversations with multiple people about his next step, but his only “serious” talks were with Apple. ‌Apple TV‌+ is new enough, said Plepler, that he felt he could “make a little contribution there.”

Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, the two ‌Eddy Cue‌ hires who run Apple’s TV business, will work with Plepler. Van Amburg said that he’s looking forward to seeing Plepler “thrive” at Apple.

Along with Plepler, Apple has signed production deals with multiple companies, including A24, Imagine Documentaries, and Oprah Winfrey, plus it has established deals with producers and directors like Jason Katims, Alfonso Cuaron, and Justin Lin.

This article, “Former HBO CEO Richard Plepler Inks Five-Year Apple TV+ Production Deal” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Now that it’s 2020, many retailers have kicked off their first sales of the year. We’ve rounded up some of the more notable sale events in this article, including those for Mophie, Pad & Quill, Nimble, and Best Buy.

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.

Mophie

Mophie is offering 25 percent off its entire site, with no exclusions according to the retailer. This means you can save on Mophie’s iPhone battery cases, wireless charging mats, portable batteries, and more.

This discount applies to all of Zagg’s brands, so you can also shop for 25 percent off Invisible Shield, Braven, iFrogz, Gear4, and Halo. Mophie is also letting shoppers know that there might be a delay on orders placed through January 6, with some orders not shipping until next week.

Pad & Quill

On Pad & Quill, you can shop a New Years Event that is offering 25 percent off select items. You can stack these savings with our coupon code MR15 to get an additional 15 percent off your order.

With this set of discounts, you can get an accessory like the Cambridge Leather 12.9-inch iPad Pro Case for $61.16, down from $119.95. Be sure to browse through the full New Years Event sale to see everything discounted, but you can also use MR15 on anything you see on Pad & Quill’s website.

Nimble

Nimble is giving our readers a chance to get 30 percent off their orders, which is a solid discount on the company’s eco-friendly charging products. Use the code MACRUMORS30 to see the discount applied in your cart.

You can get big savings on Nimble’s Fast Charge Kits, which include a portable battery, USB-C to Lightning cable, 18W wall charger, and USB-C to USB-C cable. You can get the 5-Day Kit (including a 13,000 mAh portable battery) for $73.47, down from $104.95.

Best Buy

Best Buy is starting 2020 with a new Apple Shopping Event, which is offering sales on devices including the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, iPhone 11, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats headphones.

• iPad Pro – Save up to $100 on select models [My Best Buy members only]
• MacBook Pro – Save up to $400 on select models [My Best Buy members only]
• iPhone 11 – Save up to $250 with qualified activation and trade-in
• Powerbeats Pro – $199.99, down from $249.99
• Beats Studio3 – $199.99, down from $349.99

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

This article, “Deals: Shop the First Big Sales of 2020 From Mophie, Best Buy, Pad & Quill, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple accessory maker Brydge this week introduced a new iPad Pro keyboard with a built-in multi-touch trackpad.

Taking advantage of new AssistiveTouch functionality in iPadOS, the trackpad can be used to bring up the Dock from any app with a two-finger tap, access the App Exposé screen with a three-finger tap, and more.

The full-size QWERTY keyboard features LED-backlit keys with three levels of brightness and an advertised three-month battery life per charge. It is compatible with the latest-generation 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, connecting via Bluetooth 4.1 rather than the Smart Connector.

Pricing is set at $199.99 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $229.99 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with the first 500 pre-orders estimated to ship in late February 2020, followed by the remainder of pre-orders shipping in late March 2020.

Brydge is also gauging interest for a standalone multi-touch trackpad for the iPad Pro, pictured above, that is “coming soon.”

This article, “Brydge Introduces iPad Pro Keyboard With Multi-Touch Trackpad, Also Teases Standalone Trackpad” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon has returned the Powerbeats Pro to their lowest-ever price of $199.95, down from $249.95, for a limited time only. This sale is the same one we’ve been tracking for the Powerbeats Pro since last fall, offering a solid $50 discount off the original price of the wireless headphones.

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.

Every color of the Powerbeats Pro are being discounted as well, so you can get the Black, Ivory, Moss, or Navy for $199.95 today. It’s unclear how long the sale will last this time, but Amazon is marking it as a “limited time deal,” so if you’ve been waiting for the sale to return, be sure to head to Amazon soon.

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

This article, “Deals: Powerbeats Pro Discounted to $199.95 in All Colors” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple will be making several changes to the suppliers of its products in 2020, according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

For starters, Kuo expects Chinese company Goertek to begin assembly of AirPods Pro in the first half of the year. The addition of a second supplier alongside Luxshare Precision should help improve supply of the popular earphones, which continue to face multi-week shipping estimates on Apple.com.

Luxshare itself will replace Quanta Computer as the exclusive manufacturer and supplier of S-series chips for the new Apple Watch in 2020, aka Series 6 models if Apple sticks with its naming trend, Kuo added.

And last, Kuo expects Chinese manufacturer BYD Electronic to replace Quanta Computer as the sole assembler of the iPod touch in 2020, as well as obtain at least 10-20 percent of non-cellular iPad orders. Naturally, if this goes well, the company is expected to receive an even larger percentage of orders in 2021 and beyond.

Kuo outlined these details in a research note with investment firm TF International Securities, seen by MacRumors.

This article, “Kuo: AirPods Pro, Apple Watch Series 6, and iPod Touch Getting New Suppliers in 2020” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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As expected, Apple chipmaker TSMC has secured orders for the “A14” processors to go in this year’s iPhones and is expected to start manufacturing the chips in the second quarter, according to industry sources cited in a DigiTimes report.

The sources said Apple’s 5G mmWave handsets to be released in 2020 are reportedly to each carry at least three AiP modules, which can also be packaged with FC_AiP (flip-chip) process in addition to InFo_AiP.

TSMC has been working hard to miniaturize its fabrication process to 5 nanometers – down from 7 nanometer fabrication seen in the A12 and A13 – with the aim of securing orders for Apple’s processors in its iPhones for the fourth year running.

Previous successes in miniaturization have enabled the foundry to be Apple’s exclusive supplier of A-series chips, beginning with the A10 Fusion chip in the iPhone 7/7 Plus, and continuing with the A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone 8/8 Plus and ‌‌iPhone‌‌ X, the A12 Bionic in the iPhone XR/XS/XS Max, and the A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11 series.

Last year it announced a $25 billion investment in the new 5nm node technology in a bid to remain the exclusive supplier of the processors.

Apple is expected to release five new ‌‌iPhone‌‌ models in 2020, including a so-called ‌iPhone SE 2‌ with a 4.7-inch LCD display in the first half of 2020, followed by a higher-end all-OLED 5G lineup consisting of 5.4-inch, two 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch models in the second half of the year.

This article, “TSMC Expected to Begin ‘A14’ 5nm Chip Production in Second Quarter” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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