While not yet reflected on Apple’s website, Apple Pay’s Express Transit mode has been functional on at least some tube and bus routes in London since last Tuesday or so, according to multiple MacRumors readers.

Image: Trusted Reviews

One reader said the Express Transit mode works on Transport for London’s U5 bus route between Hayes and Uxbridge, as well as at the Ealing Broadway and Farringdon stations serving the London Underground and National Rail. Not all stations support Express Transit mode yet, so this could be early testing.

Despite this, Transport for London has advised customers that Express Transit mode is “not currently an option” as recently as Thursday, although it said it is having “positive discussions with Apple” about enabling the feature. Apple and Transport for London did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Express Transit mode eliminates the need for users to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode or even wake their device when they pay for rides with Apple Pay. Simply hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless reader until you feel a vibration and payment has been completed.

Apple Pay with Express Transit mode is also available in New York City, Portland, Beijing, Shanghai, and where Suica is accepted in Japan.

This article, “Apple Pay’s Express Transit Mode Working in Parts of London Underground” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Dane Dehaan, known for his starring role in “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” has joined the cast of upcoming Apple TV+ series “Lisey’s Story,” which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, reports Deadline.

Dehaan is joining Julianne Moore, who is playing Lisey, and Clive Owen, who will be taking on the role of Lisey’s deceased husband and novelist Scott Landon.

Image credit: Dane Dehaan

“Lisey’s Story” is a psychological horror with romance elements, split between Lisey’s life in the present and her dead husband’s life as she remembers it. Lisey starts to recall things about her husband that she had suppressed, while being terrorized in the present by a former fan of her husband’s.

Dehaan will be playing the role of Jim Dooley, the aforementioned fan who is trying to get Lisey to release her husband’s unpublished work.

“Lisey’s Story” is a limited series that will feature eight episodes all written by Stephen King. There’s no word on when “Lisey’s Story” is set to be released, but given that it’s still in the casting stages, we won’t be seeing it on ‌Apple TV‌+ until sometime next year.

This article, “Dane Dehaan Joins Cast of Upcoming Apple TV+ Show ‘Lisey’s Story’ Alongside Julianne Moore” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Card users will now receive 3% Daily Cash when making purchases via Apple Pay at Nike stores, on Nike.com, in the Nike app, and across SNKRS, Nike Training Club, and Nike Running Club, according to TechCrunch.

3% Daily Cash only applies to Nike purchases made with the Apple Card via Apple Pay. The physical Apple Card only offers 1% Daily Cash.

3% Daily Cash was initially limited to purchases made directly with Apple, but partners now include Uber and Uber Eats, Walgreens, Duane Reade, T-Mobile, and Nike. Apple says additional partners will be added over time.

All other purchases made with the ‌Apple Card‌ via ‌Apple Pay‌ will continue to receive 2% Daily Cash.

To apply for an ‌Apple Card‌, simply open the Wallet app on an iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later, tap the plus button in the top-right corner, and follow the on-screen steps. The process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, your digital ‌Apple Card‌ will be ready for purchases immediately.

Daily Cash is unlimited and paid out daily to your Apple Cash account. For more details, make sure to check out our Apple Card guide.

This article, “Apple Card Now Offers 3% Cash Back on Nike Purchases via Apple Pay” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Just a few days out from Black Friday and Amazon is already matching one of the more notable discounts we’re set to see this year, this one for the new 10.2-inch iPad. You can get the 32GB model with Wi-Fi for $249.99, down from $329, along with a few other configurations on sale.

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.

For the 32GB model, this is a sale we’re expected to see across numerous retailers on Friday, including Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. The $80 discount is the lowest price we’ve tracked for the 32GB Wi-Fi model, so if you were planning on purchasing the 10.2-inch iPad on Friday, you can do a little early shopping on your list today.

10.2-inch iPad Sale (Lowest Ever Prices)

• Wi-Fi 32GB – $249.99, down from $329.00 ($79 off)
  
• Wi-Fi 128GB – $329.99, down from $429.00 ($99 off)
  
• Cellular 32GB – $379.99, down from $459.00 ($79 off)
  
• Cellular 128GB – $459.99, down from $559.00 ($99 off)

If you’re planning out your game plan for Friday, be sure to visit our Black Friday Roundup to find the best deals on Apple devices, accessories, and more.

This article, “Deals Spotlight: Get the 32GB Wi-Fi 10.2-Inch iPad at its Black Friday Price of $250 ($80 Off, Lowest Ever)” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced that it will donate $1 to (RED) for every purchase made with Apple Pay on Apple.com, through the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store worldwide through December 2, up to a total of $1 million.

Apple says 100 percent of all proceeds generated by (RED) partners goes to fund HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, as part of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Since 2006, Apple has raised over $220 million for (RED) through the sale of red-colored products and accessories.

In honor of World AIDS Day on December 1, many Apple Stores will also likely turn their logos red during the first week of December.

This article, “Apple Donating $1 to (RED) for Every Apple Store Purchase Made With Apple Pay Ahead of World AIDS Day” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has announced its annual four-day shopping event, offering customers up to a $200 Apple Store gift card with the purchase of select products between Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States.

Apple has yet to reveal the full terms for its offer. Last year, most Macs came with a $200 gift card, while previous-generation iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch models were eligible for a $50 gift card. HomePod and Beats were also eligible for a $50 gift card, while the Apple TV was bundled with a $25 gift card.

Last year, the offer excluded the latest iPhone, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch models, as well as refurbished products, products purchased with an educational discount, and iPhones purchased via the iPhone Upgrade Program. AirPods, special edition Beats, and then-new MacBook Air and Mac mini models also did not qualify.

Apple’s four-day shopping event runs November 29 through December 2 on Apple.com, by phone at 1-800-APPLE, and at Apple Stores.

The offer will also be available in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and several other countries, with gift card amounts varying.

As usual, there are better Black Friday deals on Apple products than what Apple offers itself, so be sure to check out our Black Friday roundup this week for all of the best discounts leading up to the big day. We’ll also be highlighting various one-off deals throughout the week.

Update: As noted by MacGeneration, Apple is offering iTunes gift cards instead of Apple Store gift cards in some countries, such as France, Germany, and Switzerland.

This article, “Apple Offering Up to $200 Gift Card With Select Products on Black Friday Through Cyber Monday” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple may have just released Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone 11 lineup, but there are plenty of people still using last year’s devices. If you’re an iPhone XS Max owner looking to boost your battery life, Amazon has just dropped the price of Apple’s Smart Battery Case in black to $59, more than 50 percent off of Apple’s $129 list price.

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 case is currently listed as in stock, but supplies may run out quickly so be sure to take advantage of the deal while it’s available.

For more deals, check out Amazon’s discount on the new AirPods Pro and stay on top of our Deals Roundup and Black Friday Roundup as we hit the holiday shopping season.

Update Nov 23: The ‌iPhone XS‌ Max case has sold out, but Amazon now has the iPhone XS Smart Battery Case in white on sale at the same $59 price point.

This article, “Deals Spotlight: Apple’s iPhone XS Max Smart Battery Case Drops to Just $59 at Amazon [Updated]” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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It was another interesting week for Apple news, with Apple finally launching Smart Battery Cases for its latest iPhone 11 lineup after several leaks from within the company’s own software, and this time they come with an unexpected twist: a dedicated camera button.

Other news this week included word of an app-related Apple media event early next month, rumors about an update to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, an interesting anecdote from Apple’s former ad chief about the time he accidentally walked off with Steve Jobs’ laptop, and more.

Apple Launches New Smart Battery Cases for iPhone 11 Lineup With Dedicated Camera Button

Almost exactly two months after the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max launched, Apple has released new Smart Battery Cases for the trio of devices for $129 each.

According to Apple, the cases are designed to provide up to 50 percent longer battery life to each iPhone when fully charged for longer talk time, internet use, and audio and video playback. New this year is a dedicated camera button on the case that is designed to launch the Camera app whether the iPhone is locked or unlocked.

We went hands-on with one of the new cases to check out the feel and looks and test out the new camera button, which should come in handy for lots of users.

Apple is offering the soft, silicone cases in black, white, and pink sand, though the iPhone 11 version comes only in black or white.

Apple to Hold December 2 Event to Honor ‘Favorite Apps and Games of 2019’

Well, this was unexpected. Apple has invited the media to a “special event” on Monday, December 2 at 4 p.m. ET in New York City, where it will “honoring” its “favorite apps and games of 2019.”

No hardware announcements are expected at the event, and Apple has yet to even list the event on its website, so it sounds pretty low key.

Apple usually shares “best of” lists for the App Store, iTunes Store, and its other storefronts in early December, so it appears that Apple simply plans to announce the winners in person this year as well. But that won’t stop us from dreaming of a surprise or two!

13-Inch MacBook Pro With Scissor Keyboard Expected in First Half of 2020

Following the 16-inch MacBook Pro, Apple reportedly plans to release a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with a scissor switch keyboard in the first half of 2020. Presumably, this would include a physical Esc key and inverted-T arrow key layout.

While there have been hopes of a 14-inch MacBook Pro, the report claims the display size will remain 13.3-inches. However, given DigiTimes is not the most reliable of sources, we would not entirely rule out the possibility of a slightly larger display just yet.

Apple refreshed most of its 13-inch MacBook Pro lineup in May, followed by the entry-level model in July.

Apple’s WWDC App Rebranded as ‘Apple Developer’ App With Year-Round Content

Apple has rebranded its WWDC app as the Apple Developer app with a new focus on year-round content for the developer community.

Apple says that the new Apple Developer app will provide “in-depth information from Apple experts all year round,” with the app featuring developer news, videos, and more for all of its software platforms.

The app will continue to be the official hub for Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose.

Former Apple Employee Shares Incredible Story of Accidentally Stealing Steve Jobs’ MacBook From His Office

Apple’s former vice president of mobile advertising Andy Miller has shared a fascinating story about accidentally stealing Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ laptop, mouse, and mouse pad from his office.

The situation apparently played out during a heated meeting in Jobs’ office, serving as a good example of how intense Apple’s iconic CEO could be. Miller resigned from Apple in late 2011, shortly after Jobs passed away.

16-Inch MacBook Pro Hands-On: Benchmark and Performance Tests

Apple’s new 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ uses the same 9th-generation Intel processors as the 15-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models released in May, but there’s a new thermal architecture that Apple says boosts performance.

On our YouTube channel, we went hands-on with the new 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ to test those claims, putting it through real world tests and benchmarks.

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This article, “Top Stories: iPhone 11 Smart Battery Cases, December 2 App Event, 13-Inch MacBook Pro Rumors” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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