Apple is rumored to be working on an updated lower-cost “iPhone SE 2,” which is set to be released in 2020. In a new research note to investors highlighting supplier expectations for the new device that was seen by MacRumors, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some sales predictions.

Kuo believes Apple will ship at least 20 million ‌iPhone SE 2‌ units in 2020, following the device’s launch in the first half of the year. An optimistic situation, says Kuo, is 30 million units.

iPhone SE and iPhone 8

According to Kuo, the ‌iPhone SE 2‌ will use a 10-layer Substrate-like PCB (SLP) for its motherboard, which will benefit some iPhone suppliers like Pending Holdings, Xinxing, and AT&S despite the fact that it’s expected to be a less expensive component than the SLP used in the iPhone 11 series.

In prior research notes, Kuo has shared quite a lot of detail on the “‌iPhone SE 2‌,” which, despite the somewhat misleading name, is actually closer in design and specification to an ‌iPhone 8‌.

The device will feature a 4.7-inch display, a single-lens rear camera, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It will ship with the same A13 chip that’s in the ‌iPhone 11‌ and 11 Pro, and it will have 3GB RAM.

The only thing that’s “‌iPhone SE 2‌” about the upcoming iPhone is its price, which is expected to be $399. At that price point, it will replace the ‌iPhone 8‌, which Apple currently sells for $449.

Apple’s upcoming low-cost iPhone is expected to be a very popular upgrade option for iPhone users who are still holding on to an older model like an iPhone 6 or 6s and are looking for an affordable upgrade option that offers the same speeds and many of the same features as Apple’s flagship devices.

It’s also expected to be popular in countries where lower-cost devices sell well, such as India and China.

The new iPhone is expected to come out in the spring of 2020, which would see Apple launching it months ahead of when the new 2020 flagship iPhones come out in September.

This article, “Kuo: Apple Expected to Sell at Least 20 Million ‘iPhone SE 2’ Models in 2020” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Mophie has begun a major new sale on Juice Pack Air cases for older models of the iPhone. This includes the iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, ‌iPhone 8‌ Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and ‌iPhone XS‌ Max. There are multiple colors discounted for each case, but stock is limited considering how deep the discounts are during the sale.

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

All of these Juice Pack Air Cases can be purchased for $29.95 for a limited time, down from $99.95. For an even deeper discount, you can use the MacRumors exclusive promo code RUMORS20 to take an additional 20 percent off, and get each case for just $23.96, the lowest we’ve ever tracked for a new model of Mophie’s Juice Pack Air line ($75.99 off).

Juice Pack Air Cases ($23.96 with code RUMORS20)

• iPhone XS Max
  
• iPhone XS
  
• iPhone XR
  
• iPhone X
  
• iPhone 7 Plus/8 Plus
  
• iPhone 7/8

Visit our full Deals Roundup for more Apple-related discounts.

This article, “Deals Spotlight: Get Mophie’s Juice Pack Air Cases for Older Model iPhones at Just $23.96 ($75.99 Off)” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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New data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners indicates that 35 percent of iPhone buyers in the United States have a smartwatch, compared to just 16 percent of Android buyers. This suggests that iPhone users are more than twice as likely as Android users to purchase a smartwatch.

Within this percentage of iPhone owners in the U.S., 19 percent own the Apple Watch and 10 percent own a Fitbit. Android owners are more likely to own a Fitbit (5 percent) than a Samsung smartwatch (4 percent).

“Among the relatively small share of all smartphone buyers that have any kind of smartwatch, iPhone buyers are twice as likely to own one than Android buyers,” said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder.

“Not surprisingly, ‌Apple Watch‌ is the leading smartwatch for iPhone buyers, while about half as many own a Fitbit. Until now, Fitbit was a neutral brand, but now becomes part of the Google-Android-Pixel-Nest universe. This creates an interesting new Android entry point into the Apple ecosystem, with a decent percentage of iPhone owners now using a wearable that becomes a more Android-friendly device. Also, among the small percentage of Android owners that have a smartwatch, Samsung and Fitbit have roughly equal shares.”

Google just announced its plan to acquire Fitbit for $2.1 billion, planning to release a new “Made by Google” wearables category that includes Fitbit devices.

For Apple, CEO Tim Cook recently stated that Apple set new fourth quarter revenue records for its wearables in every market, based on strong sales for ‌Apple Watch‌ and other devices like AirPods and Beats headphones.

CIRP based its findings on a survey of 500 mobile phone buyers in the United States, surveyed from September 29 through October 10, 2019. Those surveyed activated a mobile phone in the U.S. in the July to September 2019 period.

This article, “iPhone Buyers in U.S. More Than Twice as Likely to Own a Smartwatch as Android Buyers” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apex Clean Energy today announced that Apple is leading a group of companies that has committed to purchase approximately 75 megawatts of energy from an upcoming wind farm in Texas. Sprint, eBay, and Samsung have all partnered with Apple on the agreement, and the full 500-megawatt White Mesa Wind project is scheduled to come online in early 2021.

Shared energy purchases like this allow companies to pool their energy demands and collectively support the addition of large-scale renewable energy projects to the grid. Apple brought together other technology leaders dedicated to responsible business practices – eBay, Samsung and Sprint – in the aggregation agreement, which will enable all participants to access cost-effective low-carbon renewable energy from the new project. […]

“We’re proud to be powering all of Apple’s operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy and driving the private sector to support the clean energy transition,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Businesses of all sizes and of varying energy needs can help bring new, renewable energy online. This collaborative agreement in Texas is a model we hope others will replicate.”

Apple has been aggressively pushing forward on its renewable energy efforts, not only moving its own operations to 100 percent renewable but pushing its suppliers to do the same. Just a few weeks ago, Apple announced that it has partnered with ten of its suppliers to invest in three wind farms in China.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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 Partners With Sprint, eBay, and Samsung on New Texas Wind Farm” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon’s latest Gold Box deal today is offering up to 48 percent off of select Anker accessories, including portable batteries, wireless earphones, Bluetooth speakers, and more. We’ve rounded up the sale below, so be sure to check it out soon if you’re interested because it will only last until later tonight.

As is usual with Amazon’s Gold Box sales, all of the discounts have been automatically applied and you will not need any separate discount codes for these Anker deals. In addition to the items listed below, you can also save on a Nebula Capsule II Mini Projector and a carrying case for the projector.

Anker Deal of the Day 11/5

• PowerWave Pad – $11.99, down from $15.99
  
• PowerWave 7.5 Stand – $20.99, down from $29.99

• Soundcore Icon Speaker – $34.99, down from $49.99
  
• Soundcore Icon Speaker Earphones – $55.30, down from $79.00
  
• Soundcore Icon Mini Earphones – $69.30, down from $99.00
  
• Soundcore Model Zero Speaker – $118.89, down from $199.99

• 5-Pack PowerLine Micro USB Cables – $11.19, down from $15.99
  
• 3-in-1 USB-C Hub – $20.99, down from $29.99
  
• PowerCore II Slim 10,000 mAh Portable Battery – $25.19, down from $35.99

Our full Deals Roundup has even more of the latest bargains on Apple-related accessories.

This article, “Deals Spotlight: Save Nearly 50% on Anker’s Portable Batteries, Wireless Earphones, and More on Amazon” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon this week kicked off a big sale on iPhone 11 cases, including Clear Cases, Leather Cases, and Silicone Cases for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max. These are some of the lowest prices we’ve seen yet on the new 2019 official Apple iPhone accessories, with prices as low as $30 for Leather Cases and $23.99 for Silicone Cases.

Nearly every color option is available at a discount today, with the main exceptions being the Pine Green Silicone Case colors for iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

iPhone 11

• Clear Case – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Silicone Case in Black – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Silicone Case in White – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)

iPhone 11 Pro

• Clear Case – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)

Leather Case

• Black – $30.00, down from $49.00 ($19 off)
  
• Saddle Brown – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• Midnight Blue – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• Meyer Lemon – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• Forest Green – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• (Product)Red – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)

Leather Folio

• Black – $90.99, down from $129.00 ($38 off)
  
• Aubergine – $90.99, down from $129.00 ($38 off)

Silicone Case

• (Product)Red – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Alaskan Blue – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Black – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Clementine – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Midnight Blue – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Pink Sand – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• White – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)

iPhone 11 Pro Max

• Clear Case – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)

Leather Case

• Black – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• Saddle Brown – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• (Product)Red – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• Forest Green – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• Meyer Lemon – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)
  
• Midnight Blue – $34.99, down from $49.00 ($14 off)

Leather Folio

• Black – $90.99, down from $129.00 ($38 off)

Silicone Case

• Black – $23.99, down from $39.00 ($15 off)
  
• (Product)Red – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Alaskan Blue – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Clementine – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Midnight Blue – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• Pink Sand – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)
  
• White – $27.99, down from $39.00 ($11 off)

Head to our full Deals Roundup for more of the latest Apple-related discounts.

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.

This article, “Deals Spotlight: Save Up to 40% on Apple’s iPhone 11 Cases, Including Silicone, Leather, Clear, and Folio” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Almost a quarter of Apple customers in the U.S. own an Apple TV, according to new data shared by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP). As reported by Cult of Mac, the survey asked U.S. Apple customers which devices they own, and ‌Apple TV‌ came out top in the “Other Products” category, suggesting the set-top box is more widely used than AirPods and Apple Watch.

“‌Apple TV‌ is the most popular of the gadgets among the Other Products, with about one-quarter of current customers owning one,” said Mike Levin, CIRP partner and co-founder. “‌Apple TV‌ has been around for many years, so we’re not surprised that it has achieved this penetration.”

‌Apple Watch‌ came in second in the Other Products category, with around 20 percent of Apple customers owning the iPhone accessory, while less than 10 percent of customers own a pair or ‌AirPods‌.

It’s important to note that the survey doesn’t tally new sales, but devices that are in use as of September 2019, regardless of when they were purchased. Even so, the results show a several percentage point rise in ‌Apple TV‌ penetration over the last year.

That bodes well for ‌Apple TV‌+, the company’s streaming service which launched on November 1 featuring $2 billion worth of original programming. For $4.99 per month, ‌Apple TV‌+ subscribers can watch Apple Originals on their television via Apple’s set-top box. The service is also available on iOS devices and Mac via the TV app, as well as select Samsung smart TVs and Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices.

As for HomePod, Apple’s $299 smart speaker “trails both Amazon Echo and Google Home, even among Apple customers,” noted Levin. Apple cut the price of ‌HomePod‌ by $50 in April, down from $349. Apple does not disclose exact ‌HomePod‌ sales figures.

Rumors have suggested that Apple is considering a more affordable version of the ‌HomePod‌ that could be priced as low as $150, but it’s not clear if and when Apple might release such a speaker.

CIRP bases its findings on a survey of 500 U.S. Apple customers, surveyed from September 29 to October 10, 2019 that purchased an Apple device in the U.S. in July-September 2019 period.

This article, “25% of US Apple Customers Own an Apple TV, Survey Suggests” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Back in January 2017, MacPaw’s subscription app service Setapp launched as an alternative to the Mac App Store, offering unlimited access to more than 60 Mac apps across a wide range of categories for a flat $9.99 monthly fee.

Since then, Setapp has grown its curated software collection to over 160 apps and gained 1 million users, and this week the service announced the public beta launch of Setapp for Teams, which offers the same raft of apps at a slightly reduced per-user pricing and single-point billing for a company or organization.

The pricing is pretty simple: For a team of four users, Setapp costs $8.99 per user per month. Each person can use Setapp on one device, and each additional device is $7.99 per month.

MacPaw says Setapp for Teams will remain in beta while it works to add features like single sign-on for admin management of app access, and user groups. Otherwise, the same apps that are available to Setapp’s individual subscribers are accessible to teams.

Setapp’s extensive catalog includes many popular apps in categories including productivity, design, writing, social media, and maintenance tools, all from approved vendors, and all apps on Setapp are available without ads or in-app purchases. Interested workgroups can try Setapp for Teams by following this link.

This article, “MacPaw Launches ‘Setapp for Teams’ Subscription App Store” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Microsoft has revealed its plans to bring a new design to its Outlook for Mac app along with several performance improvements (via The Verge).

Account syncing optimizations are promised as Outlook will adopt the same cloud sync technology that’s used in Outlook for iOS and Android, which should mean Office 365, Outlook.com, and Google accounts sync faster.

Design-wise, users can expect a bundle of new features they may already be familiar with from using the web and mobile versions of Outlook. They include single line email views, a new mail compose interface, the ability to ignore emails, and collapsible panels in the main view.

Regular users will also notice that the ribbon has gone from Outlook for Mac. Microsoft explained its removal to The Verge in the following terms:

“Following the same design principles as the Office 365 user experience updates announced last year, the ribbon was updated in the new Outlook for Mac to be fully customizable. In Mac environment, we refer to it as a toolbar – at this time, there are no plans to announce updates to the ribbon elsewhere on Office for Mac.”

Meanwhile, Microsoft is integrating Microsoft Search into the Outlook search bar, which will now live at the top of the Outlook window and hopefully provide quicker and more relevant results. There’s also a new My Day view being added to the calendar in the main mail screen.

The new-look Outlook for Mac is available this week to beta testers in signed up to the Insider Fast builds. Simply toggle the “New Outlook” in the top right-hand corner of the app window. Microsoft says it has more updates in the works that should arrive over the coming months.

This article, “Microsoft Outlook for Mac Redesign Bringing New Features and Performance Improvements” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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