Apple is planning to host an Apple TV+ premiere event for “The Morning Show” in New York City, according to a stage and banners that have been erected at the Lincoln Center plaza in Manhattan.

Based on multiple images shared on social media, Apple has a stage and multicolored signs that alternately highlight ‌Apple TV‌+ and “The Morning Show,” an upcoming series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell. The show is set to premiere tonight, with additional premiere events happening later in the week.

‌Apple TV‌+ reviews came out this morning and critics were not particularly kind to “The Morning Show” despite its all star cast. The Hollywood Reporter, for example, called the pilot “brutally dull,” while Variety said Witherspoon and Aniston couldn’t “salvage this politically muddled, underthought, and underwhelming streaming misfire.”

Apple appears to be planning to hold a red carpet launch event at the Lincoln Center plaza tonight along with additional showings at the Paley Center tomorrow evening, which will also include a Q&A session with Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.

AppleTV+ Event coming soon to Lincoln Center, NYC 👀 pic.twitter.com/4tVNtXXnfm

— tonn (@Antwittie) October 28, 2019

A recent Instagram story from “The Morning Show” suggests ‌Apple TV‌+ is going to debut at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, though earlier reports suggested the service would be launching at midnight Pacific Time on November 1.

‌Apple TV‌+ will also launch with “See,” “Dickinson,” “For All Mankind,” “Ghostwriters,” “Snoopy in Space,” and more.

Update: Apple has shared details about the official New York premiere of “The Morning Show” in a Newsroom article.

(Thanks, Parker!)

This article, “Apple Hosting Apple TV+ Event for ‘The Morning Show’ in New York City [Updated]” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Music, Beats 1, and the ‌Apple Music‌ Radio feature are down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page.

The outage has been ongoing since 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time, and Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with “certain features of the music service.”

According to multiple reports on Twitter, there are a good number of users who appear to be unable to access the entirety of the ‌Apple Music‌ service at this time.

There’s no word on when full ‌Apple Music‌ functionality will be restored, but we’ll update this post when the outage ends.

Update: According to Apple, the ‌Apple Music‌ outage has ended.

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LIFX earlier this year teased the Candle Color, a candelabra bulb that uses Polychrome Technology, which is a fancy way of saying it can display more than one color at once. Now the Candle Color is available for purchase.

LIFX has used Polychrome Technology in the Tile, Beam, and Z Strip light strip, but this is the first time the color blending feature has been available in a light bulb.

The Candle Color is a candelabra bulb that fits in E12 sockets, which are on the rarer side as far as home lights go. These are often in smaller table lamps or chandelier-style hanging lamps, but aren’t as common as standard A26 bulbs.

LIFX uses multi-colored LEDs inside of the Candle Color to create different lighting zones, which is what allows for the multiple colors and the different lighting effects that are available like mimicking a real candle. There are 26 customizable color zones inside the tiny bulb, which can be set to one of 16 million colors.

Design wise, the Candle Color looks like a standard candelabra bulb, so there’s not much to look at before it’s added to a compatible lamp. After it’s powered on, setup is as simple as scanning a HomeKit code in the included manual. The Candle Color requires a 2.4GHz connection, which is something to be aware of before attempting to set it up.

This is a WiFi connected bulb, so it can be controlled over WiFi and no hub is required for it to function. Using the capabilities in the LIFX app, the Candle Color can be set to multiple different colors at one time, with an option to “paint” the bulb as you see fit.

I put the Candle Color into a small candelabra lamp with a soft white lampshade that I bought on Amazon to test how it works in a lamp. In general, it’s difficult to see more than one color in any kind of lamp that diffuses the light. When painting different colors on each area of the bulb, it was hard to tell that there was more than one color involved just because it’s such a small bulb.

Blues and reds, for example, blend together into purple, and the same goes for other color combos – it tends to make a blend of light. It’s easier to see a slight difference in person with colors that are opposite, but for the most part, the lighting effects aren’t super impressive when the bulb is obscured.

The same is not true for a naked bulb. With the bulb sans shade, it’s easy to see the different colored areas, so I think this is the kind of light bulb that’s going to work best in a lamp with no shade, such as a chandelier or similar style. I loved the look of the multicolor bulb when it was just the bulb itself — it’s easy to see the different color zones and it’s fun to paint on different colors.

Due to a lack of brightness, this is more of an accent lighting option that anything that you’re going to want to use to put off significant light, though if you paired up several in a multi-bulb lamp it could put off enough light to be more than just a special effect bulb. You can set these lights to be either colored or various shades of white, so they can be used like more traditional bulbs.

Along with being able to be painted different colors, the LIFX app supports different animated modes like a fire (shifting reds), a spooky theme (the light flickers off and on), morphing colors (shifts through different colors), candle (mimics a flickering candle), and more.

There are options in the app for changing colors, swapping between white and color, setting the aforementioned effects, selecting different colored themes that are available (which are just preset colors), and setting the light to a schedule to turn on and off at specified times.

Most of the control for the LIFX Candle Color will need to be done in the LIFX app because it’s the only location that supports the bulb painting options and effects. That said, this is a HomeKit-enabled bulb so you can use Siri or the Home app to turn it on/off, dim it or brighten it, or set it to a solid color.

I had no problems with connectivity with the LIFX Color Candle, and the app worked well for control purposes. It stayed connected to my ‌HomeKit‌ setup, worked with ‌Siri‌, and offered a painless setup process.

Bottom Line

As someone who has a whole Hue setup, multiple Nanoleaf products, and other smart home lighting installed, I’m a big fan of the Candle Color. I love the way that the naked bulb looks when different colors are painted on, and the effects are a neat bonus that look awesome in any lamp.

This is a bulb that works best in a lamp where it can be shown off, and it’s fun to change the colors and the available animation options. That said, it’s still usable when a lamp shade is involved, but the different colors won’t be quite as visible.

Unfortunately, this is a candelabra bulb so it’s not going to go in just any lamp, but I’m hoping LIFX will come out with additional bulbs that offer the same color painting features in the future. That said, you can get an E12 to E26 adapter if you want to use it in a larger lamp, but I also think the color painting feature will ultimately work better in a bigger bulb.

How to Buy

The Candle Color can be purchased from the LIFX website for $44.95.

This article, “Review: LIFX’s HomeKit-Enabled Candle Bulb Offers Multi-Colored Lighting” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on new Smart Battery Cases designed for the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro according to assets found by MacRumors in the latest version of iOS 13.

There are three different model numbers for the battery cases, and each battery case image found by MacRumors has a slightly different look, indicating Apple will release separate Smart Battery Cases for ‌iPhone 11‌, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.

Design wise, the battery cases are similar to the cases created for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, but with a larger square-shaped camera cutout to accommodate the new dual and triple-lens camera design.

There’s no word on when Apple plans to release new battery cases for its latest iPhones, but last year, Apple launched battery cases designed for the ‌iPhone XS‌, ‌iPhone XS‌ Max, and iPhone XR January following the September/October debut of the devices.

The appearance of battery case images in the iOS 13.2 beta suggests this year’s release could perhaps come earlier, maybe even before the end of the year.

This article, “Images of New Smart Battery Cases for iPhone 11 and 11 Pro Found in iOS 13.2” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is rumored to be working on Tile-like Bluetooth trackers that can be used to keep track of items that are often lost, such as keys, wallets, and more.

Hints of the Bluetooth tags have been seen multiple times in prior iOS 13 updates, and iOS 13.2 adds another piece of the puzzle – Apple could call the accessory “AirTags.”

The name was spotted in today’s iOS 13.2 release by 9to5Mac. A folder in the iOS 13.2 filesystem uses the “AirTag” name. There’s also a “BatterySwap” video asset in today’s update, which suggests the AirTags will have batteries that can be swapped out.

Multiple rumors have confirmed Apple’s work on AirTags, which are expected, based on leaked assets, to be little round circles that can be attached to your items to make them locatable through the Find My app right alongside your Apple devices.

AirTags will connect to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more via Bluetooth, and will leverage the ultra-wideband U1 chip in the newest iPhones for more precise indoor tracking that’s unmatched by competitors.

As we found earlier this year, there will also be an augmented reality component that will let you use your device’s camera to pinpoint exactly where a lost item might be. Longer-range tracking will also be available, and AirTags will likely take advantage of the offline crowd-sourced tracking feature that was added in ‌iOS 13‌.

There is no word on when AirTags will be released, but given that Apple has been adding new details to each beta, there’s a possibility that the accessories are coming this year, perhaps even quite soon.

This article, “Apple’s Rumored Tile-Like Bluetooth Tracker May Be Called ‘AirTag’” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is planning to make a donation to help wildfire relief efforts in the state of California, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Twitter this morning.

It is fire season in California right now, and Sonoma County in Northern California is currently facing the Kincade fire, which has burned more than 65,000 acres and has required hundreds of thousands of people in the area to evacuate.

Image via the San Francisco Chronicle

Over the weekend, winds that reached close to 100 mph drove the fire further towards Santa Rosa, a major city in the area, and additional high winds are expected later this week. Combined with dry conditions, the higher winds California sees in October and November can be disastrous.

Our hearts are with those affected by the wildfires across California, including members of our Apple family. Thank you to the first responders who are working tirelessly to control the fires. Apple will be donating to relief efforts. To everyone in harm’s way, please stay safe.

— ‌Tim Cook‌ (@tim_cook) October 28, 2019

In Northern California, power company PG&E has been cutting power to millions of customers in an effort to avoid fires (PG&E was found responsible for last year’s Camp Fire), but that didn’t stop the Kincade fire.

There are fires raging in both Southern and Northern California at this time, and California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency.

Apple also provided aid during last year’s California fires and the 2017 Tubbs Fire that impacted Northern California.

This article, “Apple Donating to Wildfire Relief Efforts in California” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released iOS 13.2, the second major update to the iOS and iPadOS 13 operating systems. The new software updates come two weeks after the release of iOS/iPadOS 13.1.3 and over a month after the initial release of iOS 13.

The iOS and ‌‌iPadOS‌‌ 13.2 updates are available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update. For older iPhones still running iOS 12, Apple has also released an iOS 12.4.3 update with security improvements.

iOS 13.2 is a major update that introduces support for the new AirPods Pro earbuds that were just announced as there are new Control Center features for Active Noise Nancellation.

iOS 13.2 brings support for new Unicode 12 emojis, with more than 230 characters when different genders and skin tones are taken into account.

Orangutan, sloth, otter, skunk, and flamingo are the new animals included in the update, while new food items include garlic, onion, waffle, falafel, butter, oyster, maté, and ice cube.

Image via Emojipedia

New faces, gestures, and poses include yawning face, pinching hand, person kneeling, person standing, and new people holding hands options that are both gender and skin tone inclusive, plus accessibility-related emoji like deaf person, person in wheelchair, guide dog, and more.

For the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models, iOS 13.2 brings Deep Fusion, a new camera feature. Deep Fusion is an image processing system that leverages the A13 Bionic and the Neural Engine to take advantage of machine learning techniques for pixel-by-pixel processing of photos.

Deep Fusion optimizes for texture, details, and noise in each part of an image, resulting in better overall photographs. Deep Fusion is aimed at improving indoor photos and photos taken in medium lighting.

When taking a photo on an ‌iPhone 11‌, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max following the update, Deep Fusion will activate automatically when the lighting conditions require it.

iOS and ‌iPadOS‌ 13.2 bring a promised privacy option that lets users opt out of sharing their Siri and dictation audio recording with Apple, plus it adds an option to delete ‌Siri‌ and dictation history.

These settings, which you can find under Privacy > Analytics and Improvements and ‌Siri‌ > Search, provide users with more control over how their ‌Siri‌ voice recordings are used.

Apple has reintroduced the Announce Messages with ‌Siri‌ feature in the update, which lets ‌Siri‌ read incoming messages without having to unlock the iPhone. The feature works with the second-generation AirPods and the Beats Pro.

Deleting apps from the Home screen is an option for the first time, with the delete button coming up when long pressing or Haptic Touching on an app’s icon. The Rearrange Apps option has also been changed to “Edit Home Screen.”

On the ‌iPhone 11‌ and 11 Pro, there’s a new option to change video recording settings right from the Camera app, and there are privacy settings for Apple’s upcoming Research app, which could potentially see a launch alongside iOS 13.2.

There’s a new Transfer to HomePod toggle in the Settings app to turn on ‌HomePod‌ handoff, there’s an updated volume bar in Control Center that displays ‌AirPods‌ and Beats icons, and an option to display multi-function HomeKit products as either multiple tiles or a single tile.

Apple’s full release notes for the update are below:

iOS 13.2 introduces Deep Fusion, an advanced image processing system that uses the A13 Bionic Neural Engine to capture images with dramatically better texture, detail, and reduced noise in lower light, on ‌iPhone 11‌, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Additional features include updated and additional emoji, Announce Messages for ‌AirPods‌, support for ‌AirPods Pro‌, ‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video, ‌HomeKit‌ enabled routers, and new ‌Siri‌ privacy settings. This update also contains bug fixes and improvements.

Camera

– Deep Fusion for ‌iPhone 11‌, ‌iPhone 11 Pro‌, and ‌iPhone 11 Pro Max‌ uses the A13 Bionic Neural Engine to capture multiple images at various exposures, run a pixel-by-pixel analysis, and fuse the highest quality parts of the images together resulting in photos with dramatically better texture, details, and reduced noise, especially for mid to low light scenes

– Ability to change the video resolution directly from the Camera app for ‌iPhone 11‌, ‌iPhone 11 Pro‌, and ‌iPhone 11 Pro Max‌

Emoji

– Over 70 new or updated emoji, including animals, food, activities, new accessibility emoji, gender neutral emoji, and skin tones selection for couple emoji

‌AirPods‌ support

– Announce Messages with ‌Siri‌ to read your incoming messages aloud to your ‌AirPods‌

– ‌AirPods Pro‌ support

Home App

– ‌HomeKit‌ Secure Video enables you to privately capture, store, and view encrypted video from your security cameras and features people, animal, and vehicle detection

– ‌HomeKit‌ enabled routers put you in control of what your ‌HomeKit‌ accessories communicate with over the internet or in your home

‌Siri‌

– Privacy settings to control whether or not to help improve ‌Siri‌ and Dictation by allowing Apple to store audio of your ‌Siri‌ and Dictation interactions

– Option to delete your ‌Siri‌ and Dictation history from ‌Siri‌ Settings

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. This update:

– Fixes an issue that may prevent passwords from autofilling in 3rd party apps

– Resolves an issue that may prevent the keyboard from appearing when using Search

– Addresses an issue where swipe to go home might not work on iPhone X and later

– Fixes an issue where Messages would only send a single notification when the option to repeat alerts was enabled

– Addresses an issue where Messages may display a phone number instead of a contact name

– Resolves an issue that caused Contacts to launch to the previously opened contact instead of the contact list

– Fixes an issue that may prevent Markup annotations from being saved

– Resolves an issue where saved notes could temporarily disappear

– Fixes an issue where iCloud Backup might not successfully complete after tapping Backup Now in Settings

– Improves performance when using AssistiveTouch to activate App Switcher

For more on all of the new features that are included in the iOS 13 update, make sure to check out our iOS 13 roundup.

This article, “Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 13.2 With New Emoji, Deep Fusion for iPhone 11, Siri Privacy Options, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Alongside of the release of iOS 13.2, a major new update that introduces a long list of new features and changes, Apple has also debuted a new software update that’s designed for the HomePod.

The new ‌HomePod‌ software will be installed automatically on the ‌HomePod‌ after you update to iOS 13.2, but you can also manually update and check your software version by following the instructions in our HomePod software how to.

After installing the software update, the ‌HomePod‌ will be able to distinguish between different voices for the first time. That means Siri is able to recognize the voices of everyone in the family, which will allow each person in the home to listen to their own music, playlists, radio stations, and more.

‌HomePod‌ now supports Handoff, so you can hand off music, phone calls, and podcasts from the iPhone to the ‌HomePod‌ and vice versa. If you come home from work, for example, and are listening to music on the iPhone, you can beam it right over to the ‌HomePod‌ so you can continue listening without missing a beat. You can also add music to your HomeKit scenes after upgrading to iOS 13.2.

The new software brings a new Ambient Sounds feature that lets you play relaxing soundtracks like rain falling, nature sounds, white noise, and more, plus you can set sleep timers to fall asleep to these new Ambient Sounds or to music.

iOS 13.2 provides support for new ‌HomePod‌ features:

– The ability for ‌HomePod‌ to recognize the voices of different family members to provide a personalized experience

– Handoff music, podcasts, or phone calls by bringing your iPhone close to ‌HomePod‌

– Add music to your ‌HomeKit‌ scenes

– Play relaxing high-quality soundtracks with Ambient Sounds

– Set sleep timers to fall asleep to music or Ambient Sounds

For more on the ‌HomePod‌, make sure to check out our HomePod roundup.

This article, “Apple Releases New Software for HomePod Alongside iOS 13.2 With Handoff, Voice Detection for Different Family Members and Ambient Sounds” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released tvOS 13.2, the first major update to the tvOS 13 operating system that runs on the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 13.2 comes more than a month after the launch of tvOS 13.

‌tvOS 13.2‌, which is a free update, can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ by going to System -> Software Update. ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to ‌‌tvOS 13‌‌.2 automatically.

We didn’t find any new features in tvOS 13.2 during the beta testing period, making it unclear what’s included in the update, but it likely focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements.

Details on the update will be provided through Apple’s tvOS support document, but haven’t been added just yet.

‌tvOS 13‌ was a major update introducing multi-user support, a Control Center, ocean-themed screensavers, and more. Details on ‌tvOS 13‌ can be found in our tvOS 13 roundup.

This article, “Apple Releases tvOS 13.2 for Fourth and Fifth-Generation Apple TV” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced that it is releasing new AirPods Pro earbuds on October 30. As rumored, updated new accessory features an all new-design with an AirPods-style shape and silicone ear tips to support active noise cancellation technology, along with a $249 price point.

Apple says that the AirPods Pro have been engineered for “comfort and fit” and each earbud ships with three different sizes of silicone ear tips that conform to the contours of the individual ear, offering up a comfortable fit and a “superior seal.”

Apple has designed an Ear Tip Fit Test to make sure that users get the best audio experience. After putting the ‌AirPods Pro‌ in each ear, Apple’s software will leverage the built-in microphones to measure the sound level in the ear and compare it to what’s coming from the speaker driver. Apple says that in just seconds, its algorithm will be able to tell whether the ear tip is the right size and has a good fit or should be adjusted for a better seal.

Inside, there’s an “innovative vent system” that’s designed to equalize pressure to minimize discomfort common with other in-ear designs. Apple also says that the ‌AirPods Pro‌ are both sweat and water resistant with an IPX4 rating. That means they’ll hold up to some light splashing and sweating, but submersion should be avoided.

Despite rumors of multiple color options that include black and green, it appears that Apple is selling the ‌AirPods Pro‌ only in white. Due to the larger in-ear design, the ‌AirPods Pro‌ also feature a larger, redesigned charging case to accommodate them.

“AirPods are the best-selling headphones in the world. The one-tap setup experience, incredible sound and iconic design have made them a beloved Apple product, and with ‌AirPods Pro‌, we’re taking the magic even further,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new in-ear ‌AirPods Pro‌ sound amazing with Adaptive EQ, fit comfortably with flexible ear tips and have innovative Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. We think customers are going to love this new addition to the ‌AirPods‌ family.”

The ‌AirPods‌ feature an Active Noise Cancellation feature that uses two microphones (one outward facing to detect environmental noise and one inward facing towards the ear) combined with “advanced software” to adapt to each ear and headphone fit and customize sound signal 200 times per second. Apple says that this setup removes background noise for a “uniquely customized, superior noise-canceling experience.”

A built-in Transparency mode offers users the option to listen to music while still hearing the environment around them, for situations like biking in traffic or listening for an important train message. Transparency mode takes advantage of the vent system in the ‌AirPods‌ to leave just the right amount of noise cancellation.

Swapping between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode can be done using a new force sensor system that Apple has added to the stem of the ‌AirPods Pro‌. This force sensor can also be used to play, pause, or skip tracks and answer and hang up phone calls. The mode can also be controlled through the Control Center on iPhone and iPad, or by tapping the AirPlay icon on Apple Watch while music is playing.

According to Apple, ‌AirPods Pro‌ have been engineered to deliver superior sound quality with Adaptive EQ, a feature that automatically tunes the low and mid frequencies of the music to the shape of an individual’s ear for what Apple says is a “rich, immersive listening experience.”

There’s a custom high dynamic range amplifier that’s able to produce clear sound while also extending the ‌AirPods Pro‌ battery life, plus it powers a custom high-excursion, low-distortion speaker driver designed to optimize audio quality and cut down on background noise.

‌AirPods Pro‌ are equipped with the Apple-designed H1 chip featuring 10 audio cores able to power real-time noise cancellation and deliver high-quality sound while also processing “Hey Siri” commands. Battery life is the same as the ‌AirPods‌ 2, lasting for up to five hours in standard mode. When Noise Cancellation is active, ‌AirPods Pro‌ offer up to four and a half hours of listening time and three and a half hours of talk time.

The H1 chip also supports hands-free “Hey ‌Siri‌” commands and it allows for Audio Sharing so two people who have ‌AirPods Pro‌ can watch the same movie or listen to the same song with an iPhone or ‌iPad‌.

The included Wireless Charging Case (which does indeed support Qi-based wireless charging) can deliver more than 24 hours of listening time and over 18 hours of talk time. A USB-C to Lightning cable is also included in the box for charging purposes.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ can be ordered immediately from Apple.com and the Apple Store app and will be arriving to Apple retail locations on Wednesday, October 30. The first orders are offering up Thursday, October 31 arrival dates.

Apple plans to continue to sell the ‌AirPods‌ with Charging Case ($159) and the ‌AirPods‌ With Wireless Charging Case ($199) alongside the ‌AirPods Pro‌.

This article, “AirPods Pro Launching on October 30 for $249” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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