Following the release of iOS 13.2.2 on November 7, Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.2, which means downgrading to iOS 13.2 is no longer possible.

iOS 13.2 was a major update that brought support for AirPods Pro, added new emojis, and introduced Deep Fusion support for the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date.

iOS 13.2.2 is the current public version of iOS. iOS 13.2.2 is a bug fix release that addresses an issue that caused apps running in the background to unexpectedly quit, leading to background apps refreshing more often than normal.

The update also fixes a few other bugs with cellular connectivity, cellular data, Safari, and more.

Developers and public beta testers can also download iOS 13.3, an upcoming update that introduces Communication Limits for Screen Time and a handful of other tweaks and changes.

This article, “Apple Stops Signing iOS 13.2 Following Launch of iOS 13.2.2” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Though Apple has not yet come out with a 5G iPhone, the company is expected to lead the 5G smartphone market in 2020, according to a new report today from analytics firm Strategy Analytics.

Apple is expected to capture a dominant share of the emerging 5G market in 2020, following the launch of 5G iPhones. Strategy Analytics believes that Apple simply needs to match its current upgrade rates to dominate the 5G market after September 2020.

“It may seem counterintuitive that Apple, which currently has no 5G phones in its portfolio will be able to pass current 5G market leaders Samsung and Huawei,” comments Ken Hyers, Director at Strategy Analytics. “But with three new 5G models coming next year, Apple merely needs to match its current upgrade rates for newly introduced iPhone models to take the lead next year.”

“Currently Samsung is the undisputed market leader in 5G smartphones,” comments Ville-Petteri Ukonaho, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics. “But with the two largest 5G markets in 2020, China and the USA, dominated by Huawei and Apple respectively, these two vendors are set to lead in 5G next year.”

All of the iPhones coming in 2020 are expected to include 5G technology, according to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo originally believed that only the two higher-end iPhones coming in 2020 would support 5G, but later revised his prediction.

Apple will offer 5G speeds for all of its smartphones in order to better compete with lower-cost Android smartphones that support 5G. We’re expecting a total of three iPhones in 2020, including a 5.4-inch model, a 6.7-inch model, and a 6.1-inch model.

The 5.4 and 6.7-inch iPhones are expected to be higher-end devices similar to the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, while the 6.1-inch iPhone will feature a lower price tag much like the iPhone 11.

Though Apple is expected to do well in the 5G smartphone market in 2020, Strategy Analytics ultimately believes that Samsung will be the 5G leader longterm due to its “dominance of the overall smartphone market” and broader range of price points.

Huawei’s success, meanwhile, is limited by the US trade ban, but it is still expected to be the dominant 5G smartphone provider in China.

For more on Apple’s plans for a ‌5G iPhone‌, make sure to check out our guide.

This article, “Apple Expected to Lead 5G Smartphone Shipments in 2020” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has been struggling to add new subscribers to its Apple News+ service that launched in March, according to a new report from CNBC that cites people familiar with ‌Apple News‌+.

When ‌Apple News‌+ debuted, Apple signed on approximately 200,000 subscribers within 48 hours, but has not had luck attracting many new customers. The subscriber count has not “increased materially from its first couple of days,” based on information from CNBC‘s sources.

‌Apple News‌+, which offers up access to magazines and newspapers for $9.99 per month, was promoted at launch, but Apple has not been heavily marketing it since then. Despite this, Apple is said to be committed to improving ‌Apple News‌ for years to come.

Publishers who thought the service would bring in more revenue are “disappointed” with poor sales. Apple takes 50 percent of the revenue from every ‌Apple News‌+ subscriber, while the rest of the money is doled out to publishers based on the amount of time that subscribers spend reading their content.

One publisher has received between $20,000 and $30,000 per month from ‌Apple News‌+, which is lower than expected. Another publisher told CNBC that while ‌Apple News‌+ revenue growth is lower than anticipated, advertising from the free ‌Apple News‌ product has consistently climbed.

A Bloomberg report from earlier today suggested Apple is considering a bundle that would include Apple Music, Apple TV+, and ‌Apple News‌+ for one monthly price, which could potentially make ‌Apple News‌+ more appealing because other services would be available alongside it. Such a bundle could be released as early as 2020.

This article, “Apple News+ Struggling to Get New Subscribers” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Logitech today announced that existing Circle 2 Home Security Cameras are being updated with HomeKit Secure Video support.

‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video is designed to offer up a more secure way to manage the footage captured by in-home security cameras.

The Logitech Circle 2 camera will leverage the iPad, Apple TV, or HomePod (whichever is set up as a Home Hub) to analyze video on your devices. Video feeds are encrypted end-to-end and uploaded to iCloud where you and you alone can see the footage.

‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video will send notifications if activity is detected so recordings can be reviewed, and Apple is providing 10 days of ‌iCloud‌ storage for video content that does not count against data plan limits.

Using Apple’s ‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video does, however, require a higher-end ‌iCloud‌ storage plan with either 200GB or 2TB of storage. A single camera can be connected with the 200GB plan, while up to five cameras can use ‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video with the 2TB plan.

In the United States, 200GB of storage is priced at $2.99 per month, while 2TB of storage is priced at $9.99 per month.

When ‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video was announced, Apple said that Logitech, Eufy, and Netatmo would be among the first companies to support it. Official support for ‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video came in iOS 13.2, which means companies can now begin rolling out the feature.

‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video for the Logitech Circle 2 camera requires a beta firmware update that Logitech is rolling out today.

This article, “Logitech Circle 2 Camera Gains Support for HomeKit Secure Video” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released a new firmware update for the AirPods Pro, which were originally released on October 30.

Today’s firmware update is labeled as 2B588, up from 2B584, which was the release version of the firmware that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ shipped with.

There’s no word on what’s included in the firmware update, but it may improve connectivity or resolve other small issues with the earbuds.

The firmware update will install automatically when connecting the ‌AirPods Pro‌ to your iPhone or iPad, and it could take some time for the update to become available for everyone. To check the firmware of your ‌AirPods Pro‌, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone, iPod touch, or ‌iPad‌.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap About.
4. Scroll down to ‌AirPods Pro‌ and tap it.
5. The firmware number is listed under “Firmware Version.”

There’s no reliable way to force a firmware update on the ‌AirPods Pro‌, so ‌AirPods Pro‌ owners will need to be patient and expect the ‌AirPods Pro‌ to be updated over the course of regular use.

This article, “Apple Releases Firmware Update for AirPods Pro” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Twelve South today announced that its new AirFly Pro accessory is now available to purchase at Apple.com and Apple Stores worldwide.

AirFly Pro

Like the classic AirFly, the Pro version allows Bluetooth headphones like AirPods or Beats to work with 3.5mm headphone jacks. For example, on an airplane, you can plug the AirFly dongle into the headphone jack, pair AirPods with the AirFly via Bluetooth, and then listen to the in-flight entertainment system wirelessly.

AirFly is also ideal for treadmills with headphone jacks for listening to a TV at a gym, and it is also compatible with the Nintendo Switch.

What sets the AirFly Pro apart from the classic version is that it can turn any AUX port into a wireless audio receiver, useful for sending audio from an iPhone to a rental car, boat, or speaker without Bluetooth. AirFly Pro can also be paired with multiple Bluetooth headphones for shared listening.

AirFly Pro has a built-in battery that is rated to last 16+ hours and recharges via USB-C. The dongle is available for $54.95 on Apple.com.

This article, “AirFly Pro Launches at Apple Stores With Receiver Mode for AUX Ports, Headphone Splitting, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A few months ago, YouTuber and photographer Andrew Levitt teamed up with his friends Jacob Phillips and Taylor Gray on a one-week road trip to try to recreate all of Apple’s default wallpapers included in macOS.

Photo Credit: Jacob Phillips

Just a few weeks after the video, Apple publicly released macOS Catalina, giving Levitt and his friends one more wallpaper to recreate. The task was more challenging this time, however, as the default ‌macOS Catalina‌ wallpaper showcases the remote, northern tip of Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California.

To get there, Levitt and his friends took a ferry to Catalina Island and hiked over eight hours across the island, complete with camping gear and other supplies.

The trio of friends eventually reached the tip of the island and, despite windy conditions, managed to capture a nearly identical version of the default ‌macOS Catalina‌ wallpaper with a drone.

On the hike back to the ferry terminal, Levitt and his friends were stopped by a police officer and learned that hiking at night on Catalina Island is apparently forbidden. Fortunately, the police officer was kind and merely escorted them back to the other side of the island. All in all, a fascinating video.

Here’s the original video:

Follow the creators on Instagram: Andrew Levitt, Jacob Phillips, and Taylor Gray.

This article, “Trio of Friends Make Challenging Hike Across Catalina Island to Recreate the macOS Catalina Wallpaper” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced it has released its Research app with three studies related to heart and movement, women’s health, and hearing. The app is designed to make it easier for iPhone users to contribute to medical research.

iPhone users in the United States can download the free Research app from the App Store and enroll in the multi-year studies starting today. After enrolling in a study, participants using an iPhone or Apple Watch can contribute movement, heart rate, and noise level data captured during everyday activities.

Apple first previewed its Research app and the first three studies back in September:

– Apple Women’s Health Study: In partnership with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Apple has created the first long-term study of this scale focused on menstrual cycles and gynecological conditions. This study will inform screening and risk assessment of conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), infertility, osteoporosis, pregnancy and menopausal transition.

– Apple Heart and Movement Study: Apple is partnering with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the American Heart Association on a comprehensive study of how heart rate and mobility signals — like walking pace and flights of stairs climbed — relate to hospitalizations, falls, heart health and quality of life in order to promote healthy movement and improved cardiovascular health.

– Apple Hearing Study: Alongside the University of Michigan, Apple is examining factors that impact hearing health. The Apple Hearing Health Study is the first of its kind to collect data over time in order to understand how everyday sound exposure can impact hearing. The study data will also be shared with the World Health Organization (WHO) as a contribution toward its Make Listening Safe initiative.

Apple COO Jeff Williams:

Today marks an important moment as we embark on research initiatives that may offer incredible learnings in areas long sought after by the medical community. Participants on the Research app have the opportunity to make a tremendous impact that could lead to new discoveries and help millions lead healthier lives.

Apple emphasizes that the Research app was designed to only share data with the chosen studies when the user approves. An enrollment screen explains how data will be used and allows a user to control the type of data shared with each study. Apple says the data collected will never be sold to third parties.

This article, “Apple’s Research App Launches With Heart, Women’s Health, and Hearing Studies in United States” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is considering bundling its subscription services as early as 2020, including Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple News+, according to Bloomberg.

The report indicates that Apple has included a provision in its contract with Apple News+ publishers that permits Apple to bundle News+ with its other services if it desires. The monthly price of the bundle would presumably be lower than the cost of paying for each service separately in a bid to attract more subscribers.

Apple Music and Apple News+ each cost $9.99 per month in the United States, while Apple TV+ is $4.99 per month.

Apple is already experimenting with at least one services bundle. Last month, the company began offering free access to Apple TV+ to students who subscribe to Apple Music. The offer is available for a limited time only.

The report goes on to cite “some media executives” who said the amount of money they have received from Apple News+ so far has been less than expected. On the other hand, some executives are pleased with the service so far, including Los Angeles Times executive editor Norm Pearlstine.

This article, “Bloomberg: Apple Considering Bundling Apple Music, TV+, and News+ as Early as 2020” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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