EPIX is currently offering free access to its catalog of movies and TV shows through the Apple TV Channels feature in the TV app, and many additional services are also offering extended free trials.

Upon navigating to the ‌Apple TV‌ app, users will notice that EPIX is listed under the "My Channels" section. Rather than offering an extended trial where users must first sign up, EPIX is currently providing completely free access with no subscription needed until May 2nd.

In addition to the free content from EPIX, many other ‌Apple TV‌ Channel options have extended free trials available for new subscribers, such as ShowTime, A&E, Smithsonian, and more. Showtime, for example, is currently offering an extended one-month free trial before its $10.99/month subscription fee.

‌‌Apple TV‌ Channels are available through the ‌‌Apple TV‌‌ app on iPhone,...

We've been hearing rumors about a second-generation iPhone SE for quite some time, but this past week, Apple themselves revealed the name on their online store. Want to know more? Here are all the rumors about the new low-cost ‌iPhone‌ in once place.

Read More: iPhone SE roundup.

Global online music streaming subscriptions were up 32 percent year-over-year in 2019, hitting 358 million subscribers, according to new estimates shared today by Counterpoint Research.

Spotify was the market leader with a 31 percent share of total revenue and a 35 percent share of total paid subscriptions, while Apple Music earned the second place slot with a 24 percent share of total revenues in the industry and a 19 percent share of the total paid subscriptions. ‌Apple Music‌'s subscription base grew an estimated 36 percent year-over-year.

Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Tencent Music all trailed both ‌Apple Music‌ and Spotify."Spotify maintained its top spot with the help of promotional activities like free Spotify Premium for three months, price cuts, customized campaigns like Spotify and a focus on exclusive...

Apple has purchased artificial intelligence startup Voysis with the aim of improving Siri, reports Bloomberg. Voysis offers a platform that allows digital voice assistants to better understand natural language.

The company worked to improve voice assistants in online shopping apps, allowing software to better interpret requests from users. The website, which is now defunct, said that the technology used client databases with AI tools that deeply understand the specifics of products, services, and vocabulary to make the user experience "easier, faster and more intuitive."

The Voysis platform allowed customers to hone in on search requests with simple phrases like "I need a new LED TV" or "Just show me the 4K ones." Voysis said that shoppers could use voice to find what they're...

Apple has filed a rush application for their COVID-19 App icon/logo. They filed for the trademark on the very day that they sent out their press release on March 27, 2020 titled "Apple releases new COVID-19 app and website based on CDC guidance." USPTO only made it public today. In addition, Apple filed for a second trademark for ...

Apple is offering employees significant discounts on products that include the HomePod and Beats headphones, according to details on the deals shared by MacGeneration and 9to5Mac.

Apple is said to be clearing stock of Beats headphones and HomePods, providing them to employees through an internal deals program. The ‌HomePod‌ is available at a 50 percent discount, dropping the price to $149.50, while Beats are also available at a reduced price.

There's no confirmed word on why Apple is offering HomePods and Beats headphones to employees at a discount, but in the case of the ‌HomePod‌, there are rumors that Apple is...

On the 10th anniversary of the iPad launching in stores, Agile Partners co-founder Jack Ivers has shared an interesting story about how his company managed to get in Apple's good graces and ultimately gain access to prototype iPads.

The story begins in 2008, when Agile Partners released GuitarToolkit as one of the first iPhone apps on the App Store. The app used the iPhone's microphone to detect musical notes in an incoming audio stream to see the real-time pitch of a guitar string. Apple has long had an interest in music, so the app quickly caught its eye.

In 2009, Apple covertly reached out to Agile Partners about featuring GuitarToolkit in a worldwide advertising campaign:We began receiving calls that went as follows:

Apple: We need you to internationalize GuitarToolkit for the following languages: Japanese, simplified Chinese, German, French, and Spanish. By next week please.

Agile: Ummm ......

Following two interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve in March, the Apple Card's base APR has now decreased from 12.49 percent to 10.99 percent for some cardholders, including MacRumors reader Zed and others on Reddit.

This is at least the third time that the Apple Card's APR range has been lowered since the credit card launched in August 2019.

Due to current affairs, Apple recently launched a customer assistance program that allows Apple Card holders to skip their March and April payments without incurring interest charges. To enroll in the program, read Apple's support document.

Key features of the Apple Card include color-coded spending summaries in the...

"Legend of the Skyfish 2" is this week's addition to Apple Arcade on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV:A hundred years have passed since the hero known as Little Red Hook ended the reign of terror of Skyfish, the Lord of the Deep Seas… and now the peace that civilization struggled so much to build is in danger again.

As the last Red Hook guardians, you and your master must use the atypical tool of your clan – the Combat Fishing Pole – as both a weapon and a grappling hook to face the rising threat.

Unveil an exciting story as you journey in a world full of intriguing characters and devious traps. Explore gorgeous landscapes and mysterious dungeons while defeating mutant abyssal creatures."Legend of the Skyfish 2" is available on the App Store with an...

New sales on a variety of Beats headphones have appeared this morning, headlined by a return of the lowest-ever price on the Powerbeats Pro at $199.95, down from $249.99. This sale has popped up at numerous retailers today, including Amazon, B&H Photo, Target, and more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Even Apple is discounting the Powerbeats Pro today, and across all retailers every color is on sale:...

Late yesterday Apple, Deirdre O'Brien SVP Retail told employees that its retail stores in the U.S. will remain closed until ...

Apple News appears to be running into problems this morning, with social media chatter indicating the service is down for many users.

Apple's System Status page isn't reporting issues with its News service, but launching the iOS app and tapping the Today tab is throwing up a "Feed Unavailable" message for many users. However, other sections of the app do appear to be functioning.

MacRumors was able to replicate the behavior on iPhone and iPad, but the service appears to be working when accessed through the macOS app, at least in the United Kingdom.

According to Downdetector, the problem is mainly being reported by users in the United States and the United Kingdom. We'll update this article when the situation changes.

Another clue has surfaced to suggest that Apple's rumored lower-cost iPhone SE successor will likely be released soon.

Earlier today, a product listing for a Belkin screen protector on Apple's online store was updated to reflect compatibility with not only the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8, but also the iPhone SE. Given the original iPhone SE was a 4-inch device, and the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 are 4.7-inch devices, this is likely a reference to the rumored 2020 model of the iPhone SE.

The product listing does not reveal any further details about the device, which was previously dubbed the iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9, beyond supporting rumors that it will have a 4.7-inch display. The device is also expected to have an A13 chip, 3GB...

Today is Autism Acceptance Day, and as it has done in the past, Apple is recognizing the occasion by highlighting top apps, accessibility tips, and education resources, while also sharing art created by individuals on the spectrum.

In the Today section of the App Store, Apple is offering a collection of apps that are designed to support neurodiversity and people with autism spectrum disorder.

These apps include Proloquo2Go for those who can't speak or need help being understood, Speech Blubs language therapy app, Streaks to-do app, Calm meditation app,...

Apple has accidentally referenced its widely rumored AirTags item tracking tags in a video that it uploaded to its Apple Support channel on YouTube today. The video was first spotted by the blog Appleosophy and has quickly been removed.

The video was titled "How to erase your iPhone." AirTags were mentioned in Settings > Apple ID > Find My > Find My iPhone under Enable Offline Finding, with fine print indicating that "offline finding enables this device and AirTags to be found when not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular."

AirTags will compete with Tile, helping users keep track of their personal belongings, such as their keys, wallets, and backpacks.

MacRumors uncovered evidence of AirTags within iOS...

The popular video conferencing company Zoom has been under scrutiny over the past few days for the method used to install the Mac version of its app, which essentially abused a "preflight" compatibility check to install the app without the user needing to explicitly grant installation permission, as highlighted by developer Felix Seele earlier this week.

Screenshot of preflight compatibility check for Zoom; clicking Continue immediately installs the app if the user has admin privileges (via Felix Seele)

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan responded to Seele, noting that while the installation method was "implemented to balance the number of clicks given the limitations of the standard technology," he recognized the issue and promised to "continue to improve."

Revised installer with traditional installation process...

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to computer user interfaces, and more specifically to Apple's newly designed underwater mode user interface when an iDevice is working under water. The user can switch back to the standard iOS UI when back on land. The UI seems to be geared towards Snorkelers who love to take photos and videos while underwater. This could be a very popular feature indeed. 

Amazon has returned the 2019 AirPods with Charging Case to a low price of $129.98, down from $159.00. This price is just about $1 away from Amazon's previous lowest-ever price on the AirPods, and the current best deal you'll find online among the major Apple resellers.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This model of Apple's AirPods comes with the regular Charging Case; if you're looking for the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case Amazon has that model for $169.00, down from $199.00. At $30 off that's another solid discount and among the lowest price you'...

Today, Apple provides users with a variety of depth controls on their iPhone photos such as changing lighting effects, controlling the level of the Bokeh effect, adding text etc. In the future, according to a new Apple patent published by the US Patent & Trademark Office today, Apple will be advancing 'Depth Controls" that will allow users to edit photos by adding different kinds of ....

Spotify now supports Siri voice commands on any Apple Watch running watchOS 6, as spotted by 9to5Mac.

With the latest version of the app, rolling out on the App Store, Apple Watch users can say "Hey Siri, play music on Spotify" or any other voice command with "on Spotify" to control Spotify playback without opening the app directly.

Spotify gained Siri support on iPhones and iPads as of iOS 13 after Apple opened up its SiriKit framework to third-party music, podcasts, audiobooks, and radio apps.Related Roundups: Apple Watch...

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that generally relates to computer-generated reality (CGR) environments, and more specifically to techniques for remote touch detection for a future HMD. Apple introduces an all-new concept ....

Flexibits today updated its popular Fantastical calendar app with some notable changes and improvements, including cursor support for iPads.

With the release of iPadOS 13.4, Apple introduced mouse and trackpad support for its tablets, and Fantastical has been updated to take full advantage, enabling users to navigate the interface and edit calendar entries using a cursor.

Version 3.0.9 of the app also adds a new feature that shows users a preview of surrounding events and tasks when a new invitation is received, while weather is now shown on days that have no events when showing one or two days at a time in the list.

Other changes in this update for iPhone and iPad include:

• Day and Week view can now show more hours at once
  ...

Tile Inc is an American consumer electronics company which produces devices to help users find their belongings, such as keys and backpacks, which use Bluetooth 4.0. Today, Tile Inc testified against Apple in Congressional hearing

A new report published this afternoon notes that Apple has stated today that it would stop taking a cut of some sales of Amazon.com’s Prime Video and ...

Apple has informed Apple Card customers that the COVID-19 situation poses unique challenges for everyone and some customers may have difficulty making their monthly payments.

In an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, Apple has indicated that the following 2013 and 2014 models of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro will be added to its vintage and obsolete products list on April 30:

• MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2013)
• MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)
• MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2014)
• MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2014)

Apple defines vintage products as those that were last manufactured more than five years ago. While vintage products were previously ineligible for service, Apple says vintage Macs remain eligible for hardware service at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, but only if repair parts are available, or if required by law.Tag: vintage and obsolete
This article, "...

In an effort to encourage social distancing, Apple has indicated that it will provide subsidies to Apple Authorized Service Providers that offer product repairs on a pickup and drop-off basis in the United States and Canada.

In an internal memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple said it will provide $20 for each iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Beats repair and $25 for each Mac repair that is completed on a pickup and drop-off basis. Apple stressed that it "encourages such arrangements when possible."

Apple has provided technicians with further instructions on how to qualify for the subsidies, which begin today and will be offered indefinitely.

With all Apple Stores outside of China remaining closed, many customers have turned to local Apple Authorized Service Providers for service and support, at least in communities where electronics repair shops are permitted to stay open. Apple's subsidies will hopefully lead to...

The Amazon Prime Video apps for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV now allow customers to purchase and rent movies and TV shows within the app, and Apple appears to be allowing Amazon to use its own payment system, skirting the traditional in-app purchase screens.

Opening up the Prime Video app now includes the message "Browse, rent, or buy new release movies, popular TV shows, and more -- now within the app." Purchasing or renting a movie brings up an option to charge the credit card that a user has on file, rather than the charge going through the App Store.

According to The Verge, the new Prime Video app features a...

Yesterday Google was granted a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that clearly indicates that their Pixel smartphone team have been working on a foldable hybrid device that favors a style using a large single flexible display that folds over.

Apple has more than doubled its donation to China's virus recovery efforts, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Chinese social networking site Weibo today (via Reuters).

Apple has now donated more than 50 million yuan ($7 million) to the country, which will be used to support long-term public health recovery efforts.China has shown incredible spirit and resilience during the COVID-19 outbreak and we are grateful to our teams, partners and customers for their support during these challenging times. In addition to the 20 million yuan contribution we made with CFPA to support Lei Shen Shan and five other hospitals in the Hubei area, we are supporting longer-term public health recovery efforts. Our total commitment...

Apple today shared the trailer for "Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth," an upcoming Earth Day-themed short film that's set to premiere on Friday, April 17, a few days ahead of Earth Day.

The animated short is based on best-selling children's book of the same name by Oliver Jeffers, and it will be narrated by Meryl Streep.On the eve of Earth Day, a precocious seven-year-old learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents--and a mysterious exhibit at the aptly titled Museum of Everything. Based on the best-selling children's book by Oliver Jeffers. The all-star voice cast includes Chris O'Dowd, Ruth Negga, Jacob Tremblay, and Meryl Streep."Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth," which is aimed at children, joins several existing Apple TV+ shows for kids, including "Ghostwriter," "Helpsters," and "Snoopy in Space."Tags: Apple TV Shows...

T-Mobile today announced that it has completed its merger with Sprint, with the merged company to operate under the T-Mobile brand. Effective immediately, T-Mobile's former COO Mike Sievert will assume the role of CEO, with John Legere stepping down.

T-Mobile said it plans to focus on creating a "transformational" nationwide 5G network. Within six years, the carrier promises to provide 5G to 99 percent of the U.S. population and average 5G speeds in excess of 100 Mbps to 90 percent of the U.S. population. T-Mobile also plans to provide 90 percent of rural Americans with average 5G speeds of 50 Mbps.

The "new" T-Mobile has committed to delivering the same or better rate plans for at least three years, including access to 5G. Rate plans are not changing today.

For now, the merged company says all customers will stay with the same Sprint and T-Mobile network, stores, and service they have...

Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy have a collection of discounts on both the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro this week. For the 2018 models, prices start at $699.99 for 64GB Wi-Fi on the 11-inch iPad Pro, and also include discounts on cellular configurations and the 12.9-inch models.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Sales for the iPad Pro that just launched last month are not quite as steep, but they're still solid $50 off discounts on a select few tablets, making them the lowest prices we've tracked so far. For the 2020 11-inch iPad Pro you'll find discounts on 256GB and 512GB Wi-Fi, and on the 2020 12.9-inch iPad Pro there is a sale on the 256GB Wi-...

Spotify has launched its standalone app for children in Canada, France, and the United States. Called Spotify Kids, the family-friendly version of the music streaming service is exclusively for Premium Family subscribers and comes tailored for children aged three and up.

The service was originally launched as a beta in Ireland last year and has since rolled out to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Mexico, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Spotify says the app now has 30 percent more content than when it first launched, including 8,000 songs, 125 playlists, sing-alongs, soundtracks, and audiobooks.

Now, at a time when so many kids are home from school, we're bringing the experience to even more people as the app rolls out in the U.S., Canada, and France — and we hope parents there will find it useful as well.The app also touts...

Zoom is facing fresh scrutiny today following a report that the videoconferencing app's encryption claims are misleading.

Zoom states on its website and in its security white paper that the app supports end-to-end encryption, a term that refers to a way of protecting user content so that the company has no access to it whatsoever.

However, an investigation by The Intercept reveals that Zoom secures video calls using TLS encryption, the same technology that web servers use to secure HTTPS websites:

This is known as transport encryption, which is different from end-to-end encryption because the Zoom service itself can access the unencrypted video and audio content of Zoom meetings. So when you have a Zoom meeting, the video and audio content will stay private from...

Following the release of iOS 13.4 on March 24, Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.3.1, which means downgrading to that version of iOS is no longer possible.

iOS 13.3.1 was a minor update that added a toggle for disabling the U1 chip in Apple's iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date.

iOS 13.4 is the current publicly available version of iOS, with the update bringing a new Mail toolbar, iCloud Folder Sharing, new Memoji stickers, trackpad support on iPad, and more.

Developers can...

Contract workers at Apple's Silicon Valley campuses will continue to be paid their normal wages while Santa Clara County's shelter in place order is in effect, an Apple spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal today.

The announcement was a departure from Apple's original plans. Over the last few days, hundreds of contract workers were told that their jobs would be suspended without pay, but Apple appears to have reversed course on that decision.

Apple's contract workers include janitors, bus drivers, and other individuals who perform similar functions on its Apple Park and Infinite Loop locations.On Monday, in response to an inquiry from The Wall Street Journal, a spokeswoman said the janitors' pay would continue. "We're working with all of our suppliers to ensure hourly...

Apple today released the first betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.4.5 updates, and while the new software appears to focus primarily on bug fixes, there's at least one new feature.

When listening to a song in Apple Music, tapping on the Share button and then selecting Instagram creates generates a Story with the song title and album name, plus a matching animated background.

9to5Mac says that once a song is shared on Instagram, other people should be able to tap on the song name and then listen to it in the ‌Apple Music‌ app, but we were unable to get this feature to work, perhaps because the feature is still being...

Apple has recently contacted some Genius and Technical Specialist employees in the U.S. with an opportunity to work from home as a support advisor on a temporary basis due to the ongoing pandemic, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Retail employees who accept this offer will receive the necessary equipment from Apple to offer sales and technical support to customers, as well as a small cash incentive, our source noted. It is unclear how long this at-home role will last, how many employees have been offered this opportunity, or if it is being offered in any other countries.

Jon Prosser of the YouTube channel Front Page Tech has also relayed this news today, noting that participating employees each receive an iMac.

To help with the launch, over the next two weeks, Apple is shipping iMacs to select retail employees who are being asked to work remotely.

Those employees will be trained in order to offer sales and tech...

Apple has acquired weather app Dark Sky, Dark Sky's developers announced today. Dark Sky is one of the most popular weather apps on the App Store, known for its accuracy and storm warnings.

Our goal has always been to provide the world with the best weather information possible, to help as many people as we can stay dry and safe, and to do so in a way that respects your privacy.

There is no better place to accomplish these goals than at Apple. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to reach far more people, with far more impact, than we ever could alone.There will be no changes to the Dark Sky for iOS app, and it will continue to be available for purchase in the ‌App Store‌. Apple does not appear to be making the app free at this time, and it continues to be priced at $3.99.

In the future, Apple could be planning to build Dark Sky into its own weather app,...

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing macOS Catalina 10.15.4 with Screen Time Communication Limits, iCloud Folder Sharing, and real-time Apple Music lyrics.

The new ‌‌‌macOS Catalina‌‌‌ beta can be downloaded using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper software from the Developer Center.

We don't know what improvements the fifth update to ‌‌‌macOS Catalina‌‌‌ will bring, but it likely includes performance improvements, security updates, and fixes for bugs that weren't able to be addressed in the ‌macOS Catalina‌ 10.15.4 update.Related Roundup:...

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 74 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular patent we cover two patents. The first patent we briefly cover possible new materials for future iDevices. Apple could choose from a wide variety of polymers for lower-end products and liquid metal (metallic glass) for higher-end products. The second patent covers a unique invention that covers a magnetic imaging system ...

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 74 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we briefly cover a patent that describes a major future Hand Gesturing system with the focus on the optical radiation and projection system behind it.

TSMC is "on track" to begin volume production of 5nm chips in April, despite "recent speculation" indicating that the foundry had been requested by Apple to defer production of A14 processors by one or two quarters, according to DigiTimes.

A paywalled preview of the report claims that TSMC's manufacturing lines remain fully booked for 5nm chips amid the current pandemic.

TSMC has been Apple's exclusive supplier of A-series chips since 2016, and its chips have gradually become smaller as it continues to refine its manufacturing process, benefitting performance, battery life, and thermal management on iPhones.

Apple plans to introduce four high-end iPhone 12 models with 5G support in the fall, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model, according to...

Apple Configurator 2 has been updated to version 2.12 with several improvements, including support for restoring firmware on the 2019 Mac Pro.

The release notes:• Added support for restoring firmware on the 2019 Mac Pro

• Allow access to websites using TLS 1.0 and 1.1

• VPN: Configure Provider Designated Requirement for Custom SSL connection type

• VPN: Configure network options for Cisco, Juniper, Pulse, F5, SonicWall, Aruba, CheckPoint, and Custom SSL connection types

• Send all traffic through VPN

• Exclude local networksApple Configurator 2 makes it easier to deploy iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV devices in an institution or enterprise. The app can be used to configure large numbers of devices with specific settings, apps, and data for students, employees, or customers.

Apple Configurator 2 is...

Apple plans to release the first beta of iOS 13.4.1 with bug fixes in the coming days, according to Israeli website The Verifier, which has a mixed track record.

The report also suggests that there will not be an iOS 13.5 update this year, which would not be too surprising, as Apple has never released a point-five iOS version like iOS 12.5 or iOS 11.5 in previous years. Instead, Apple apparently has three more bug fix updates planned for iOS 13, with a max version number of iOS 13.4.4 expected.

The Verifier has shared several Apple rumors this month, claiming that the next Apple Watch will support fingerprint authentication and that a Kids Mode is coming to tvOS. In the past, the website has shared some...