Category: Apple Insider

Dubbed the “FreeFortnite Cup,” the upcoming tournament starts on Aug. 23 and includes prizes like a “Tart Tycoon” skin borrowed from the Tim Cook caricature that starred in Epic’s “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite” ad.

Physical prizes are also up for grabs, with the company giving away 20,000 “Free Fortnite” hats (designed in the style of Apple’s classic “Think Different” merchandise) and 1,200 pieces of non-Apple gaming hardware like an Alienware Gaming Laptop, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, OnePlus 8, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch.

Players can take part in the tournament by navigating to the “Compete” tab in game and selecting the “#FreeFortnite Cup Playlist.” Participants have four hours to rack up points — active time, eliminations and victories — in up to 12 solo matches.

“These are the final days of the entire Fortnite community’s ability to play together. Apple has blocked Fortnite from the App Store, preventing players from updating to new versions,” Epic said in a press release. “Players on iOS devices will be left behind on Chapter 2 – Season 3 while everyone else jumps into the Chapter 2 – Season 4 launch on August 27.”

Former Fortnite players who deleted the game from their iPhone or iPad can take part in the tournament by reinstalling the title.

Epic last week baited Apple into removing Fortnite from the App Store by issuing an update that incorporated a direct payment option for in-game currency. Once the title was removed, as per App Store guidelines, Epic launched an all-out legal assault targeting Apple’s store fees and business strategy. Corresponding PR and social media campaigns followed.

Filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the action targets the so-called “stage light” or “flexgate” issue that presented in MacBook Pro models manufactured in 2016 and 2017.

Discovered in 2018, the problem manifests as dark patches that run across the bottom of an impacted MacBook Pro’s display, resembling light installations commonly seen on a theater stage. Some users reported that opening their MacBook Pro’s display past a certain angle renders the screen nonfunctional.

Independent repair outfit iFixit investigated the “stage light” effect in early 2019 and tracked the issue back to a thin flex cable that connects the display to a controller situated on the logic board beneath MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar. According to the lawsuit, these flex cables were defective and would deteriorate over time as the connected display was opened and closed.

Following initial reports of the “stage light” effect, a host of complaints claiming similar troubles surfaced on social media outlets, blogs, a Change.org petition and Apple’s own Support forums.

While Apple ultimately launched a repair program covering 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro models, the company failed to include 15-inch Pros and models produced after 2016 that faced identical issues. Further, the tech giant delayed issuing the repair program “despite the fact that it both knew and should have known” the root cause of the problem.

Prior to the repair program, owners were forced to pay out of pocket for costly repairs. As the flex cable was an integral display component, remedying “stage light” often necessitated replacement of the entire screen assembly.

Apple has not revealed when it first recognized complications with the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro, but variants unveiled in 2018 included a longer display flex cable in an apparent bid to fix the issue.

“Apple was aware of the issues with the backlight screen and the defective flex cable, in light of the comments posted by consumers on Apple’s discussion forum and that those comments were deleted after they were posted,” the lawsuit reads.

The class-action argues violation of unfair competition laws in various states, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and consumer fraud statutes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment are also asserted.

Plaintiffs seek damages, court fees and a judgment requiring Apple to identify and declare all defective MacBook Pro laptops, among other relief measures.

B&H’s latest Deal Zone event includes multiple deals on Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Late 2018) models. These tablets are Verizon Unlocked, but can work with AT&T and T-Mobile as well (a physical SIM card may be needed, please check with your carrier to confirm compatibility).

With prices starting at $669 with free shipping, the 24-hour iPad Pro deals deliver the lowest prices available on the 64GB tablets that can be paired with the Apple Pencil 2 (sold separately). The iPad Pros can also be bundled with AppleCare and/or a Magic Keyboard, bringing the total savings to up to $528 off.

Check out the specials below and on B&H’s Deal Zone page. Offers are valid through 9 p.m. Pacific on Aug. 19, or while supplies last.

24-hour iPad Pro deals

• 2018 12.9″ iPad Pro (64GB, Verizon Unlocked) Gray: $669 ($480 off)
• 2018 12.9″ iPad Pro (64GB, Verizon Unlocked) Gray + AppleCare: $769 ($509 off)
• 2018 12.9″ iPad Pro (64GB, Verizon Unlocked) Gray + Magic Keyboard: $999 ($499 off)
• 2018 12.9″ iPad Pro (64GB, Verizon Unlocked) Gray + Magic Keyboard + AppleCare: $1,099 ($528 off)

Additional iPad Pro savings

• 2018 12.9″ iPad Pro (256GB, Verizon Unlocked): $929 ($370 off)
• 2018 12.9″ iPad Pro (512GB, Verizon Unlocked): $1,049 ($450 off + free earbuds)
• 2018 12.9″ iPad Pro (1TB, Verizon Unlocked) Gray: $1,199 ($500 off + free earbuds)

Find even more of the lowest iPad Pro prices…

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running additional exclusive discounts on Mac hardware that will not only deliver the best Apple prices on many of the items, but also throw in bonus savings on AppleCare, Office 365 and more. These offers are as follows:

Citing a person familiar with the matter, CNBC on Monday reports enterprise software specialist Oracle is throwing its hat into the ring as ByteDance eyes a lucrative TikTok sale.

Oracle is joining forces with a group of U.S. venture capital firms that currently own a stake in TikTok, the report said. While CNBC’s failed to specify which investors are working with Oracle, a report from the Financial Times claims General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital are on board with the plan that would see an acquisition of TikTok’s U.S., Canadian, Australian and New Zealand businesses.

Earlier this month it was reported that Microsoft was leading the pack with a potential bid topping out at $30 billion. Microsoft and Oracle’s group are “far ahead” of other companies that have expressed interest in the popular social media app, CNBC reports.

As noted in the report, TikTok is an odd target for Oracle, which concentrates its efforts on enterprise solutions. The app could, however, deliver valuable customer data for Oracle’s various marketing products.

Trump last week issued an executive order calling on ByteDance to divest from its U.S. TikTok business within 90 days. The new order supersedes a previous directive called on ByteDance to cut U.S. business ties within 45 days.

“There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that ByteDance … might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States,” Trump’s said in the Aug. 15 order.

There are quite a few capable smart locks on the market, but typically you have to make the choice between a more intrusive door lock that involves swapping the hardware on your door or a minimalist one that can retrofit to existing deadbolts.

That also decides if you want a normal keyhole on the exterior or a number pad. With a number pad, it offers yet another way to control your door alongside HomeKit or a key.

August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is an excellent minimalist lock that can fit on the inside of your door, but on its own, lacks a number pad.

Fortunately, August offers an add-on accessory to provide that number pad for those that want it.

The August Smart Keyboard is as simple as they come. It is very small, with two columns of numbers above the August logo. The front is a soft rubberized material so that the buttons can be pressed.

August Smart Keypad mounted to door

Even though it is doesn’t have a large footprint, it does stick out from the wall a solid amount, which isn’t a dealbreaker but it can look odd depending on where it is mounted.

Speaking of which, there are two ways to mount the August Smart Keypad.

A set of mounting screws are included that can be screwed to the exterior wall and the keypad can be pressed right onto them. Two rubber holes on the rear of the keypad hold tight onto those screws.

August Smart Keypad adhesive

Alternatively, a precision-cut adhesive is also included, which you can affix to the rear of the keypad and then press it to the wall for mounting. Regardless of which mounting option you choose, the number pad can always be removed to gain access to the battery compartment around the back.

August Smart Keypad backlit numbers

The keys are backlit in a well-suited red glow, making it easy to see in low-light settings. One small criticism is that the August logo is not inherently obvious as a button, as it isn’t always clear to new users that they must press the logo to submit their code.

A quick first-time “how-to” guide is all that is needed to solve this, however.

Setting up the August Smart Keypad is about as simple as it gets. Just launch the August app, tap on “Add a new product,” and choose the keypad from the list of possible devices.

Once you remove the plastic battery guards, it flashes and is then discovered by the app. Select the door lock you want the keypad to control and wait for the app to finish.

It was mildly confounding for a moment post-install as we looked for an option to set up the passcodes. August doesn’t prompt you for individual passcodes during the install, but rather you set them within settings afterward.

There, you view who has control of the August lock and what their passcodes are for the number pad. You can create a passcode for each person with smart lock control, as well as an emergency code or folks who don’t have a smartphone or access to the app. Kids and the older users are most suited for that last category.

Codes by default are five characters though you can create more secure or less secure passcodes as you choose.

Activity feed in the August app

The keypad connects to the August lock via Bluetooth, which is both simple and straightforward, but also a little time-consuming.

As you approach the door, you input your passcode and press the August logo, and after a few moments, the door will unlock. At times, it could take five to ten seconds for our lock to respond and unlock, which seems too long in our opinion, but it’s just something to keep in mind.

One of our favorite features of the August Smart Keypad is that it can be used to lock the door as well as unlock. On our way out, just tap that August logo, and the door will lock behind you.

A constant theme in any of our smart home reviews is convenience for everyone — both for smart home users as well as kids, guests, and anyone who doesn’t have a phone or use technology. The August Smart Keypad provides benefits for all users.

August Smart Keypad

HomeKit is great to control an August lock, but it isn’t always the best way to do it. Sometimes it is hard to open the Home app or invoke Siri and tapping a button is faster and easier.

That’s not to mention guests and others who may also benefit from having access.

August also controls these keys very securely, with access able to be revoked at any time. The codes can operate certain times or certain days of the week or just left on all the time.

We won’t say that the keypad is essential for all August users but it is convenient enough that we can see many August users opting to add it on.

• Easy to setup and install
• Activity log in app to see who accesses lock
• Solid build that can be installed anywhere
• Backlit buttons
• Unique codes for everyone
• Codes can be revoked any time and can be schedule to only work at certain times
• Option for August lock users

• August icon is not obvious as a button
• Sticks out a bit too much for some locations
• Gets expensive as a smart lock setup

The August Smart Keypad will work with any generation August smart lock and is available separately on Amazon for $55.

The lowest Mac mini price is courtesy of Amazon this weekend, with the e-commerce giant knocking $130 off the standard 2020 model with a 3.6GHz Core i3 processor, 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage.

To snap up the deal, look for a green $100 bonus savings message on the Amazon product page and verify the $669.99 price in your shopping cart. It’s unclear how long the promotion will last, so don’t delay if you’re looking for a stellar Mac deal on a budget.

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running additional exclusive discounts on Mac hardware that will not only deliver the best Apple prices on many of the items, but also throw in bonus savings on AppleCare, Office 365 and more. These offers are as follows:

The order comes on the heels of an investigation conducted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.

“There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that ByteDance … might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States,” Trump said in the order, as reported by CNBC.

A previous executive order called on ByteDance to cut U.S. business ties within 45 days. Friday’s order presents the firm more time to strike a deal that would save TikTok for an estimated 100 million U.S. users.

While the loss of TikTok would be a relatively minor blow to the App Store ecosystem, the impending ban on Tencent’s and Tencent massively popular messaging app WeChat could have major consequences for Apple. With more than one billion monthly active users, the all-in-one messaging and shopping app is for many a key decision-maker when buying a new smartphone. Earlier this week, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimated that Apple could suffer a 30% decline in global iPhone sales if Trump’s WeChat ban takes effect.

A number of companies, including Apple, called on the White House to reconsider its stance on WeChat, but their collective plea fell on deaf ears. Asked Friday if he was concerned about iPhone sales faltering due to the ban, Trump said, “Whatever.”

Epic’s update, which was pushed out to both iOS and Android versions of Fortnite, integrated methods for users to bypass App Store and Play Store in-app payment mechanisms. Apple and Google maintain store policies that strictly prohibit such behavior.

Apple responded by removing Fortnite from the App Store within hours. Google has since followed suit and is no longer offering the game through its Play Store, though the Android version is still available through the Epic Games app and other third-party stores.

Google issued a statement detailing its decision to The Verge.

The open Android ecosystem lets developers distribute apps through multiple app stores. For game developers who choose to use the Play Store, we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users. While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. However, we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back to Google Play.

Whether Epic intends to level a lawsuit against Google, as it did Apple, remains unclear.

Shortly after Apple yanked Fortnite from the App Store, Epic filed a private antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant over App Store fees, restrictions on third-party app stores and other policies. The developer also launched a social media campaign to drum up support from users and the general public, going so far as to prepare a parody video of Apple’s famous “1984” ad.

Update: Epic has sued Google over alleged anticompetitive practices. Like its fight with Apple, the developer paints a picture of duplicity — mocking Google’s already ridiculed “Don’t Be Evil” motto — in its suit. A corresponding parody video was not released.

According to Canalys, smartphone shipments fell 10% from 33.4 million units in Q2 2019 to 31.9 million units in the same quarter in 2020. Shipments grew 11% sequentially, however, due to increased production from Chinese factories.

Apple and Samsung accounted for seven out of every ten devices sold in the U.S., with Apple reaching a quarter two record of 15 million iPhones shipped, the research firm estimates. The report says that the iPhone 11 is outperforming 2019’s bestselling iPhone XR by 15% despite the pandemic.

Apple grew its share of the market to 47% on the back of iPhone SE, stay-at-home orders and the failure to spread 5G effectively during the coronavirus outbreak.

“As the coronavirus pandemic forced consumers to stay at home, 5G adoption in the US failed to take off,” said Canalys analyst Vincent Thielke. “Store closures and virus fears limited interaction with demonstration models, tight consumer budgets further constrained spending power, and with scarce 5G network coverage in American suburbia, consumers saw plenty of reasons to buy a 4G device instead. Despite the lackluster 5G roll-out so far, strong carrier marketing in coming quarters will be instrumental in catalyzing a multi-year transition period from LTE to 5G.”

Apple’s 15 million iPhone shipments were up 10% from Q2 2019. Apple missing out on 5G in its 2019 iPhone line may have not been an issue according to these numbers, and the “iPhone 12” is expected to launch a super cycle of demand in the fall.

The report goes on to say that 70% of smartphones shipped in the U.S. in Q2 2020 were made in China, up from 60% in Q1.

Since exiting beta in May, the Apple-Google API has been integrated into coronavirus contact tracing apps in 16 countries including Italy, Japan, Latvia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Uruguay, The Markup reports.

In early July, Ireland’s Health Service Executive integrated the Apple-Google API in the country’s COVID Tracker Ireland. According to today’s report, the app has been downloaded 1.4 million times, accounting for a significant portion of the country’s approximately 4.8 million citizens.

Adoption in Germany, another coronavirus hotspot, is similarly strong with the Corona-Warn-App downloaded some 16 million times since June.

Though the apps are not being used by an overwhelming majority of either nation’s population, participation could be enough to make an impact. As noted in the report, a study conducted by researchers at Oxford suggests that the number of daily infections can be reduced even if a mere 20% to 40% of a given population downloads and uses contact tracing apps.

The Apple-Google Exposure Notification API uses random device identifiers — keys — to generate temporary IDs that are sent between devices via close proximity Bluetooth communications. By swapping keys, apps integrating the Apple-Google system can track and notify users when they are exposed to others who test positive for coronavirus.

With security at the fore, the solution does not store data on central servers run by Apple or Google, but instead silos anonymized Bluetooth beacons on user devices until participants elect to share the information with an outside party. If and when a user is diagnosed with COVID-19, they can opt to upload a 14-day list of recent anonymized contacts to a distribution server, which matches beacon IDs and sends out notifications alerting those individuals that they came in close contact with a carrier of the virus. Doctors can also peruse the data, if such access is granted.

Research has yet to conclude whether the Apple-Google API is an effective tool in combating coronavirus, but more than a few major world powers have adopted or pledged support for the system as part of an unprecedented worldwide response. Domestically, however, the solution has not won over many states.

Alabama and Virginia were the first to adopt the framework with app releases in August. Others, including North Dakota and South Carolina, have signaled intent to follow suit as virus rates climb.

Some states elected to forego the Apple-Google API in favor of invasive solutions that tap into personal information like user location data. Utah, for example, declined Exposure Notification for its Healthy Together app, which collects user names, location and phone numbers to pinpoint virus spread. State officials in June decided to disable the GPS-tracking feature after finding potential users disliked the idea of being constantly monitored. At the time, only 200 people had downloaded the app.

Rhode Island’s Crush Covid RI app also uses location data, though the information is anonymized. App download numbers were left unreported.