Benjamin Mayo

Whilst stocks last, Apple is listing the iPhone SE for $249 on its clearance site. Apple stopped selling the iPhone SE last September, and all new products feature home-button-less designs with larger screens …

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The AirPods continue to be a smash hit sensation for Apple. However, having launched more than 2 years ago at this point, the focus in the tech community has moved to expectations as to when the AirPods 2 will come out, the first hardware update to Apple’s wireless earbuds.

A report from Digitimes today says Apple will release AirPods 2 within the first six months of 2019. Moreover, it claims that the earbuds will be redesigned to support health monitoring functions.

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Apple is purportedly looking to drop LCD screens from its iPhone lineup, starting with the 2020 iPhone. This year’s iPhone XR successor would be the last flagship LCD model, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The move to OLED will enable “more flexible handset design”, hinting at an ambitious 2020 iPhone roadmap. We already see this somewhat today with the iPhone XR featuring larger bezels than its OLED counterparts.

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As part of its Martin Luther King Day celebrations, Apple has shared a newsroom article highlighting the charitable giving and volunteering efforts of its employees.

The company announced that Apple’s Giving program has raised more than $365 million for nonprofits around the world since it began eight years ago. It also shines light on some of its volunteering initiatives, including a coding class in Ireland run by volunteers from Apple’s Cork campus.

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I get good battery life with my iPhone X as is, and my home office lifestyle means I’m never that far from a plug, so I’m admittedly not the target market for a battery case. Nevertheless, the announcement of Apple’s Smart Battery Case for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR piqued my interest.

I wanted to dip my toes in to see what using a Smart Battery Case is like. Read after the jump for some of my takeaways, and also be sure to check out our review from earlier in the week for a more thorough walkthrough of what’s new.

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Apple is seemingly set to debut at least two new iOS devices in the first half of this year.

Digitimes is reporting that touch-screen suppliers are gearing up to supply components for two new iPads in the coming months. These tablets are described as ‘entry-level’ models, including a long-awaited update to the iPad mini 4 and an update to the 2018 $329 9.7-inch iPad.

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Onleaks kicked off iPhone 11 rumor frenzy about a week ago showing renders of a square camera bump that featured three cameras in awkward alignment. Today, he has partnered with CompareRaja to show what he believes is an alternative iPhone 11 prototype currently circulating manufacturing plants.

The phone depicted here is much easier on the eyes, with a slimmer camera bump and smaller notch on the front screen. The contrast in appearance between each of the purported protoypes is significant but Onleaks says both prototypes are legitimate …

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Update: Verizon has now officially announced that Apple Music will be included in its “Beyond Unlimited” and “Above Unlimited” plans starting on January 17th.

We have exclusively learned that Verizon is adding Apple Music to two of its ‘unlimited’ cell phone plans, effectively offering the $9.99 subscription for no additional cost. This is not merely a free trial offer but an added service on an ongoing basis.

The perk will be added to existing and new Verizon customers on the Beyond Unlimited and Above Unlimited plans. The cheaper ‘Go Unlimited’ plans will continue to offer an Apple Music six month trial.

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As rumored earlier in the week, prominent Chinese retailers have cut the price of iPhone XR, and other models, as Apple faces demand weakness in the region.

Leading resellers JD.com and Suning have cut the sales price of iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and XR this week by about 20%. Apple has not changed pricing on its website.

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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple’s flagship 2019 lineup will feature three models, including 2 OLED and 1 LCD variant. The high-end ‘iPhone 11’ (iPhone 11 Max?) will feature a triple rear camera system. The successor to the iPhone XR, with LCD screen panel, will be upgraded from a single rear lens to a dual-camera system.

The triple camera system is visualised in this render from last weekend, which is meant to be based on iPhone 11 prototypes. The Journal’s story today corroborates that previous leak.

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Apple today launched support for turn-by-turn directions in Apple Maps for India, an emerging market that Apple has pinpointed for future growth potential.

Now, Indian iPhone customers or tourists can get precise routing throughout the country. Apple also launched support for ride-hailing apps Uber and Ola, so you can request rides from inside of Maps using the two biggest taxi app in India.

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The iPhone XR has firmly taken over the iPhone XS in usage, according to data from Mixpanel. Although Apple seems to be struggling to meet targets on sales across the iPhone line, the relative sales of the XR now means it has overtaken the 5.8-inch iPhone XS, which had a one month sales lead.

However, the iPhone XS Max continues to hold a sizeable lead despite being the most expensive option.

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Connected camera manufacturer Arlo has been a HomeKit partner for a while with the Arlo baby monitor. At CES, Arlo has announced that its existing 1080p home security camera system, Arlo Pro 2, will add HomeKit this quarter with a free software update.

The company also announces availability for its a new 4K indoor/outdoor Arlo Ultra security camera system, which you can order now from $399. The Ultra will also be upgraded with HomeKit integration soon.

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As reported by TechCrunch, Apple is pushing HomeKit hard at CES this year. It coordinated with manufacturers to demo key new HomeKit smart home announcements to the tech press ..,

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Following the Samsung Smart TV announcement earlier today (and now Vizio), Apple has updated its AirPlay page to give a bit more detail on the newly-unveiled AirPlay 2 integration with television sets. Apple says AirPlay 2 will be available on TVs by leading manufacturers, suggesting more manufacturers beyond Samsung will be announcing their support.

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The rumors for the 2019 iPhone haven’t really kicked into full gear yet, however reliable leaker Onleaks partnered with Digit.in to provide renders of what he believes are legitimate 2019 iPhone prototypes.

The images show that the new iPhone would feature three cameras on the back, in a particularly strange aesthetic arrangement, housed in a huge camera square bump. The middle of the three cameras is positioned out of line with the other two, and the camera is offset above …

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