Top Stories

This week’s top stories: Apple TV+ hire, PRODUCT(RED) Apple Watch rumor, more

Chance Miller | Jan 5 2020 - 8:16 am PT

In this week’s top stories: More 2020 iPad rumors, Apple wins Christmas, IKEA’s smart blinds add HomeKit support, Apple TV+ makes a notable hire, and more. Read on for all of this week’s biggest news.

Apple TV+ has made a notable hire as we head into 2020. Former HBO CEO Richard Plepler has officially reached a production deal with Apple. The five-year deal with Apple will see his new company, Eden Productions, produce TV shows, documentaries, and feature films exclusively for Apple TV+. During his time at HBO, the network rolled out shows including “Game of Thrones,” “Big Little Lies,” and “Veep.”

In other news, Apple has reached a new deal with its former GPU chip supplier Imagination Technologies. The deal comes after months of public disputes between the two companies. Under the new agreement, Apple will have access to a wider range of Imagination’s intellectual property in exchange for licensing fees.

Apple may be planning to launch the first ever PRODUCT(RED) Apple Watch. Evidence of a new PRODUCT (RED) Apple Watch briefly appeared in an Apple database recently, before being quickly removed. This Apple Watch variant would reportedly be made out of an aluminum casing with a red finish. It’s possible that we could see this new PRODUCT(RED) Apple Watch as soon as this spring.

Last but not least, Brydge has unveiled its latest iPad keyboard accessory. The company will release the Pro+ keyboard next month, with the 11-inch model costing $199 and the 12.9-inch model at $229. The Bryge Pro+ features not only a keyboard, but also a built-in trackpad. Read more here.

These and the rest of this week’s top stories below.

iOS | macOS | tvOS |

iPhone |

Apple Watch |

iPad & Mac |

Apple TV |

HomeKit |

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This week’s top videos |

Five iOS 13 sleeper features that everyone should know [Video]

9to5Mac Watch Time episode #12 |

Gregory McFadden from GregsGadgets and GadgetCast joins Zac to talk about his podcast debut, how his popular YouTube channel dates back to the first Apple Watch, and his experience losing 100 pounds and discovering a healthy lifestyle with Apple Watch.

9to5Mac Watch Time is a podcast series hosted by Zac Hall. In this series, we talk to real people about how the Apple Watch is affecting their lives. 9to5Mac Watch Time is available on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and your favorite podcast player through RSS.

Happy Hour Podcast #258 |

Benjamin and Zac kick off 2020 with rumors about a Product (RED) Apple Watch Series 5, new perks for Apple Store staff, the first Made for iPhone external flash, HBO’s former chief signing an exclusive deal with Apple TV+, Apple’s surprise agreement with Imagination Technologies, and the latest iPad Pro and iPhone 12 rumors.

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 #67 |

Special guest Myke Hurley joins John and Rambo for the grand season two finale of the show! A wrap-up of 2019’s trends, stories, products and services, and what those might mean for Apple and the tech industry in 2020.

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 hundreds of Macs and hundreds 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.