In this week’s top stories: Apple stands firm against the FBI, new MacBook Pro evidence, what to expect from Apple in 2020, and more. Read on for all of this week’s biggest news.
Apple continues to stand firm against the FBI’s request for help unlocking two iPhones. As it turns out, the FBI could easily unlock the iPhones using third-party tools, but instead it is engaging in a public battle with Apple. Apple has emphasized that it helps the FBI to the fullest extent possible, but that it does not believe in creating an iOS backdoor even if it’s “only for the good guys.”
Elsewhere, 9to5Mac has discovered evidence within the latest macOS 10.15.3 beta that suggests Apple is working on a “Pro Mode” feature to boost performance on portable Macs. The strings we found explain that “apps may run faster, but battery life may decrease and fan noise may increase” when Pro Mode is enabled.
Speaking of the Mac, new regulatory filings this week hinted that a new MacBook Pro with the Magic Keyboard could be on the way. A new filing for an upcoming MacBook has shown up in the European Economic Commissions database, which follows reports saying that the Magic Keyboard will come to the rest of the MacBook lineup sometime in 2020.
According to a new report from reliable Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, all four of the iPhones Apple releases with 5G capabilities in 2020 will support both the sub-6Ghz 5G technology and millimeter wave 5G. Kuo says that the development of the 5G iPhones is proceeding on schedule, with shipping timelines on track for Q3 or Q4 of this year.
Last but not least, Apple made another artificial intelligence acquisition this week. The company has acquired Xnor.ai, which was a Seattle-based startup that focused on low-power artificial intelligence technology. Apple reportedly paid somewhere in the range of $200 million for Xnor.ai, and the team has already started moving into Apple’s existing office space in Seattle.
These and the rest of this week’s top stories below.
iOS | macOS | tvOS |
iPhone |
- Everything we know about the iPhone SE 2
- Comment: European charger standard law will be too late to affect Apple
- Report: The FBI recently unlocked an iPhone 11 Pro with GrayKey, raising more doubts about the Pensacola case
- The FBI wants Apple to break encryption for iPhone models that third-party companies can already unlock
- Report: Rumored 5.4-inch iPhone to be similar in size to the iPhone 8, support Face ID
- Kuo: This year’s iPhones will support faster mmWave 5G despite earlier report
- A14 chip could make the iPhone 12 as powerful as the 15-inch MacBook Pro
Apple Watch |
- Fitbit releases blood oxygen monitoring before Apple Watch
- Apple Watch fall detection sends paramedics to the rescue when San Francisco e-biker hit by car
- Apple Watch alerts popular YouTuber to tachycardia caused by dehydration and stress
- Three half marathon Apple Watch Series 5 battery tests with LTE, always-on display, and Apple Music
iPad & Mac |
- New evidence shows MacBook Pro with Magic Keyboard likely coming soon
- macOS beta hints at future ‘Pro Mode’ to boost performance on portable Macs
- Sensei app for Mac launches with SSD trim, battery health, storage management features, more
- Apple’s rack-mountable Mac Pro is now available for purchase for $6499
Top Apple stories, retail |
- Stamford Apple Store to be replaced by SoNo Collection location in February
- Grand Apple Store opening this spring on Rome’s historic Via del Corso
Services |
- Apple TV+ takes home its first awards win, as Billy Crudup named Best Supporting Actor at the Critics Choice Awards
- Apple TV+ originals ‘Home’ and ‘Central Park’ debuting at SXSW in March
- ‘Beastie Boys Story’ doc from Spike Jonze coming to Apple TV+ in April after IMAX debut
Top Apple stories, company |
- Ex-Apple SVP Tony Fadell says the original iPod was designed, engineered, and released within the same year
- Trump says Apple needs to ‘help our great country’ and unlock iPhones used by criminals
- What to expect from Apple in 2020: iPhone 12, triple-lens iPad Pro, new MacBook keyboards, more
- The Unofficial Apple Archive is on a mission to save Apple history and inspire new creators
- Apple acquires low-power AI startup behind Wyze on-device person detection for $200M
Subscribe to 9to5Mac’s YouTube channel for more videos.
This week’s top videos |
- Back to the Mac 015: My Mac Pro upgrades – 24TB SSD and 384GB of RAM [Video]
- Pro Display XDR top features — amazing build quality and stunning view [Video]
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.
Sponsored by Longvadon: Get 15% off Longvadon’s premium leather Apple Watch bands with code 9TO5MAC15. Enter the Apple Watch Series 5 Giveaway here.
- 9to5Mac Daily: January 17, 2020 – iPhone 12 Face ID upgrade, 9to5Toys deals
- 9to5Mac Daily: January 16, 2020 – Apple’s AI acquisition, Apple Watch competition
- 9to5Mac Daily: January 15, 2020 – Rack mount Mac Pro, more
- 9to5Mac Daily: January 14, 2020 – ‘Pro Mode’ for macOS, Apple vs FBI
- 9to5Mac Daily: January 13, 2020 – 5G iPhone speculation, 2020 MacBook rumors
9to5Mac Watch Time episode #13 |
This week on 9to5Mac Watch, Zac explores recent stories that show how the Apple Watch can be your silent health guardian with fall detection and heart rate alerts, his experience testing Series 5 battery life in different modes during half marathon races, short term and long term goals with Apple Watch in 2020, and more.
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 #260 |
This week Benjamin and Zac discuss the iPhone XS Smart Battery Case repair program, the new Sensei app for Mac, Apple’s AI startup acquisition, the new Apple security battle with the FBI, racked mounted Mac Pro launch, a new ‘Pro Mode’ coming to Macs, and the latest Apple TV+ developments.
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.
- Making the Grade: How to get AirPlay 2 in the classroom without the expense of an Apple TV
- Apple @ Work: Here’s how Apple TV has quietly become a robust digital signage solution
- Apple @ Work: Privileges for macOS is the open source tool that all Apple IT departments need
- Apple @ Work: When to deploy macOS Catalina, iOS 13, and iPadOS 13
- Apple @ Work: IoT devices face security problems that must be addressed
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