In this week’s top stories: New iPhone 11 details, cheaper HomePod rumors, Apple Card launches to everyone in the U.S., and more. Read on for all of this week’s biggest news.
Bloomberg this week published a wide-ranging report detailing Apple’s current product pipeline. The report said that the new iPhone 11 camera technology will allow for much better low light photos, while the iPhone 11 will also include a new “multi angle” Face ID sensor.
One interesting tidbit in the Bloomberg report is that Apple might release a new, cheaper HomePod “as earlier as next year.” This speaker would purportedly feature two tweeters as opposed to seven tweeters like the $300 HomePod. Read our full roundup of the Bloomberg report here.
A separate report this week also claimed that the iPhone 11 will include a USB-C charger in the box. This would mean the iPhone would come with a USB-C charging block, as well as a Lightning to USB-C cable, instead of the the traditional USB-A charging block and cable. This would theoretically mean that the iPhone will finally ship with a fast charger in the box.
Apple Card officially launched to everyone in the United States on Tuesday. After a slow rollout to testers, users can now go into the Wallet app to apply for the card. Apple has also announced that Apple Card now offers 3 percent cashback through Uber and Uber Eats – and that it will add more popular merchants as time progresses.
Last but not least, 9to5Mac exclusively reported on Monday that Apple is planning a $4.99 price for Apple Arcade. The subscription gaming service was originally announced back in March and will go live to users later this fall. In addition the $4.99 price point, Apple Arcade will work with Family Sharing and offer a free trial.
These and the rest of this week’s top stories below.
iOS | macOS | tvOS |
- Apple releasing iOS 13 developer beta 8 today [U]
- iOS 12.4 jailbreak publicly released after Apple mistakenly unpatches vulnerability
- Apple releases macOS Catalina beta 6 to developers
iPhone |
- Bloomberg: iPhone 11 will take better low light photos
- Another report claims iPhone 11 will bundle USB-C charger in the box
- iPhone 7 radiation safety tests find device over legal limit; Apple disputes
- iPhone 11 case maker planning for Apple Pencil support
- Comment: Apple seemingly trying hard to justify rumored iPhone 11 Pro name
- British Airways giving all 15,000 cabin crew members an iPhone XR for customer support
- Apple closer to signing off on first ever OLED iPhone screens from China
- Strategy Analytics: iPhone upgrade cycle continues to slow as customers perceive a lack of innovation
Mac + iPad |
- Bloomberg: Multi-angle Face ID, new iPads coming, cheaper HomePod in 2020
- Apple registers new (16-inch?) MacBook Pro in Eurasian database
Top Apple stories, retail |
- Photos: New Apple Waterside Shops brings latest design to Southwest Florida
- Today at Apple Remix series continues with new Music Lab featuring Taylor Swift
- Rebuilt Altamonte Springs Apple Store opens August 31
- Chicago Music Industry Summit returns to Apple Michigan Avenue to highlight local leaders
- Apple’s next store in Japan is coming soon to Tokyo’s Marunouchi district
Apple Watch |
- Alabama woman says ‘no doubt’ Apple Watch atrial fibrillation detection saved her life
- Apple registers new Apple Watch models in Eurasian database
Apple Card |
- Apple Card now available to all iPhone users in the United States, 3% cashback for Uber and Uber Eats
- On Apple Card launch day, Mastercard touts security, Goldman says it’s only the beginning
- Apple Card: How to opt out of the arbitration agreement
- Here’s how Apple is promoting its new credit card to iPhone customers
Apps |
- Exclusive: Apple planning $4.99/month price for Arcade game subscription service after free trial, works with Family Sharing
- Apple’s Home app takes a step back in iOS 13
- Photoshop for iPad begins beta testing ahead of public release [update]
Tech Industry |
- T-Mobile suffering from widespread outage affecting calling and texting
- Major US carriers join forces with state attorneys general to fight robocalls
Accessories |
- IKEA’s affordable smart blinds won’t support HomeKit at launch after all
- OtterBox launches OtterSpot modular home and portable wireless charging system for iPhone and more
- Beats launching three new Powerbeats Pro colors next week
- Review: BladeX 15.6-inch 4K portable monitor is a great MacBook Pro companion
Top Apple stories, company |
- France says ‘crazy’ that Apple and others get ‘permanent tax haven status’
- Trump says Tim Cook made a ‘compelling argument’ that tariffs would impact Apple’s ability to compete against Samsung
- Apple rolls out redesigned iCloud interface on the web in beta with new Reminders app, more
- Apple removes ‘Designed by Apple in California’ book from US online store
- Trump says Tim Cook is a ‘great executive’ because he calls him ‘whenever there’s a problem’
- Contractors in Ireland heard 1,000 Siri audio recordings every shift, now laid off following suspension of Siri grading
- Bloomberg: Apple targeting $9.99 per month for Apple TV+, launching in November with 5 shows
Subscribe to 9to5Mac’s YouTube channel for more videos.
This week’s top videos |
9to5Mac Daily |
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
- 9to5Mac Daily: August 23, 2019 – Apple Music playlists, ‘Designed by Apple’ book
- 9to5Mac Daily: August 22, 2019 – New iPads, iPhone 11, cheaper HomePod, more
- 9to5Mac Daily: August 21, 2019 – iPhone 11 fast charging, IKEA smart blinds
- 9to5Mac Daily: August 20, 2019 – Apple TV+ details, Apple Card public launch
- 9to5Mac Daily: August 19, 2019 – Apple Arcade details, new Apple Watch models
9to5Mac Watch Time |
9to5Mac Watch Time is a brand new seasonal podcast series hosted by Zac Hall. Over the next three months, we’ll talk to real people about how the Apple Watch is affecting their lives.
In the fourth episode of our new Watch Time podcast, Zac is joined by Kyle Seth Gray to talk about fitness experiences in school, fitness trackers before the Apple Watch, useful watchOS apps for exercise tracking, learning to scale and even enjoy workouts including cycling and yoga with the Apple Watch, and much more.
9to5Mac Watch Time is now available on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and your favorite podcast player through RSS. Subscribe now to enjoy our teaser trailer and hear new episodes as soon as they drop — starting next week.
Happy Hour Podcast #239 |
This week Benjamin and Zac discuss the full rollout of Apple Card in the US, new Apple Watch material leaks including titanium cases, what the latest EEC database entry tells us about Apple’s fall hardware lineup, new iPhone 11 Pro features coming, iPad and iPad Pro upgrades in the works, a rumored cheaper HomePod, HomeKit in iOS 13, more Apple TV+ info, 9to5Mac’s exclusive Apple Arcade preview leak, and much more.
9to5Mac Happy Hour is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play Music, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
Stacktrace Podcast #50 |
John launches the first beta of Swift by Sundell 2.0, while Rambo launches Apple Arcade a bit earlier than expected. Also, Apple Watch series 5 materials, iPhone naming, your weekly dose of productivity tips, and more.
Stacktrace by 9to5Mac is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
Apple @ Work |
Apple @ Work is a weekly series from Bradley Chambers covering Apple in education. Bradley has been managing Apple devices in an education environment since 2009. Through his experience deploying and managing 100s of Macs and 100s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple’s products work at scale, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for students.
- Introducing Apple @ Work, a new 9to5Mac series covering Apple in the enterprise
- Apple @ Work: Top 3 mistakes Apple IT managers make [Video Webinar]
- Apple @ Work: When to deploy macOS Catalina, iOS 13, and iPadOS 13
- Apple @ Work: IoT devices face security problems that must be addressed
- Apple @ Work: Did web apps allow the Mac to flourish in the enterprise?
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