Category: Apple Insider

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BofA ups AAPL target to $290 amid China concerns, rising 5G expectations

Despite mounting risks in mainland China, Bank of America Securities upped its price target another 7% on shares of Apple this week, saying the international roll out of 5G should help the company sustain consistent sales of over 200M iPhones over the next few years.

In a report issued to clients on Wednesday, Bank of America Securities analyst Wamsi Mohan said the push amongst carriers and customers to upgrade to 5G networks and — and an iPhone 12 with 5G connectivity — in poised to increase and sustain iPhones shipments beyond the 200 million unit mark through 2022.

But unlike the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus “major cycle,” where shipments moved from 169 million in 2014 to 231 million in 2015 before shrinking to 212 million in 2016, the analyst believes iPhone maker’s 5G cycle will yield “smoother,” more consistent sales of iPhones the 36-month period.

“The launch will likely will come with added cost and higher price,” Mohan said. “Thus, we take a slightly more measured view of 5G as a catalyst and expect a steadier multiyear upgrade cycle.”

He’s currently modeling for Apple to ship 202 million iPhones in 2020, rising to 223.5 million in 2021 and 220 million in 2022.

While benefiting from 5G hype, it is suggested Apple won’t actually be racking up that many sales of 5G-enabled iPhones in its first year on the market, with only 20 million — or roughly 10% of its global iPhone shipments — being 5G capable. Still, that’s a huge increase over Mohan’s previous forecast of just 10 million 5G iPhone shipments in 2020. He partly attributed the increase to Apple’s settlement with Qualcomm, which he said “clearly suggests that Apple wants to have 5G capability ready to compete against Samsung and other vendors.”

Practically all of Apple’s 20 million 5G iPhone shipments during 2020 are expected to be clustered into the final few months of the year, and will amount to roughly 30% of the 60 to 70 million new iPhones that are expected to be sold in the back half of the year. Mohan sees this number rising over time, ultimately topping out at around 70% of all units by 2024.

Part of the analyst’s thesis is that Apple is taking “a long-term view” on 5G with its purchase of Intel’s smartphone modem business, paving the way for a second source of modems alongside Qualcomm’s version. He added that industry checks suggest Apple iPhone 5G launch could have a “staggered launch across regions and SKUs,” with the presumably more expensive 5G model being more readily available in some developed or more valuable markets than others. As such, he told clients he’s taking a “slightly more measured view of 5G” and expects a “steadier multiyear upgrade cycle” to match.

There will also be some considerable variation between markets, with the United States likely to be the main powerhouse for 5G sales. Mohan reckons Apple will capture 36% of the US 5G market in 2020 with domestic sales of 5 million units, ultimately growing its share to 40-50% “in the long term.”

The same cannot be said about China, which is predicted to be a poor market for Apple’s 5G ambitions. With a relatively late start behind local rival Huawei and main competitor Samsung, Apple could gain more than 15% of the 5G market, but Mohan thinks Apple may see a small decline over the years into 2024.

The growth of 5G penetration in China across all smartphone vendors is also thought to be generally slower than that of 4G from 3G, due to the cancellation of handset subsidies by carriers. While 4G penetration in 2014 was 44% in China for all device producers, 5G is expected to only achieve 35% penetration in 2020.

Bank of America Securities raised its pricing target on shares of AAPL to $290 from $270, saying its new target is based on a 17X multiple of estimated earnings for the 2021 calendar year of $17.40.

“We believe a multiple at the high end of the historical range is justified given a large cash balance and opportunity to diversify into new end markets, increasing mix and diversity of services, and a cyclically low point in iPhone sales,” Mohan said.

The firm’s newly proposed target is also based on a mix of two possible scenarios: one where hardware has “low-single-digit” revenue growth and Services growth in the high teens, and another where hardware revenue is flat and Services revenue growth decelerates to the mid-teens level.

Regardless of the pairing, the inferred result is a stabilization of the hardware business, while Services are used as the main driver for overall revenue growth.

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Apple Pay with Express Transit arrives at Penn Station in New York City

 

By AppleInsider Staff
Wednesday, December 11, 2019, 02:16 pm PT (05:16 pm ET)

New York’s Metro Transportation Authority continued a planned rollout of its Apple Pay Express Transit-compatible One Metro New York, or OMNY, system on Wednesday, expanding support to the busy hub at 34th St.-Penn Station.

MTA OMNY

Source: MTA

Announced in a press release, the new OMNY availability is part of the MTA’s ongoing efforts to modernize its payment network.

A total of 96 OMNY readers at 18 turnstile arrays serving the A, C, E and 1, 2, 3 subway lines now accept Apple Pay and touchless payment solutions from American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa. Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Fitbit Pay are also accepted.

With OMNY, riders simply tap their compatible contactless card or device like iPhone and Apple Watch on an active turnstile to payment point to enter subway stations or MTA-run buses. Additionally, support for Express Transit means iPhone and Apple Watch users can conduct touchless terminal transactions without unlocking or waking their device.

By the end of December, OMNY is slated to go live at 85 subway stations across NYC, all MTA-operated buses on Staten Island and two Staten Island Railway stations. A wide rollout to all subway stations and MTA buses is planned for completion by the end of 2020.

“Today is yet another momentous occasion in the continued rollout of OMNY, the MTA’s game-changing contactless fare payment system,” said Andy Byford, president, NYC Transit. “Penn Station is one of the system’s busiest subway stations and will allow hundreds of thousands of commuters the opportunity to tap and ride using a device or contactless card of their own choosing, including customers arriving on the Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit, and Amtrak, who connect with the subway system here at Penn Station. Chase, Visa and other partners have done an immense amount of work to help spread the word about OMNY and we’re thankful for their support.”

Apple Pay with Express Transit mode first debuted at a handful of NYC subway stations and buses in May. For now, OMNY offers a flat-fare, pay-per-ride option, though alternative fare products like passes are expected for availability in 2020.

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Cook talks China, antitrust probes, coding in education, more in interview

Apple CEO Tim Cook in an interview on Tuesday covered a range of hot-button topics from Apple’s reliance on Chinese labor to ongoing antitrust probes in the U.S. and Europe, while hammering home oft-repeated corporate messages like the importance of user privacy.

Tim Cook

Source: Nikkei

Speaking with Nikkei Asian Review during his Japan tour, Cook touted Apple’s track record as a major driver of U.S. economic growth, saying the company created “well over 2 million” jobs domestically. In August, Apple in a press release said it created some 2.4 million jobs spread across suppliers, developers and its own corporate and Apple Store staff.

“The glass on this iPhone is made by Corning in Kentucky. Several of the semiconductors in the iPhone are made in the United States,” Cook told Nikkei. “There’s enormous manufacturing happening in the U.S., just not the assembly of the final product.”

The executive went on to defend Apple’s reliance on Chinese manufacturers and suppliers, a point of contention for some U.S. lawmakers, including President Donald Trump, who believe Apple should shift those duties to U.S. companies.

“The way that we do manufacturing is we look at all countries and look to see what skills are resident in each country, and we pick the best,” Cook said.

During his time in Japan, Cook visited Seiko Advance, an ink supplier whose product is used in iPhone and other devices. Seiko Advance developed ink and an application process to create the high-quality Space Gray, silver, Midnight Green and Gold hues of iPhone 11 Pro, for example, and has done the same for previous Apple devices.

“They’re the reason that we’re able to put this color on the iPhone,” he said. “We’ve worked with them for years and we’ve grown together. Both parties enjoy working together, we push each other to innovate more.”

Commenting on smartphone sales, which have slowed over the past couple years in part due to saturation and slow-to-mature growth markets, Cook implied the segment has yet to reach its peak.

“I know of no one who would call a 12-year-old mature,” he said, referencing iPhone’s 12-year history. “Sometimes these steps are humongous, sometimes these steps are smaller. But the key is to always make things better, not just change for change’s sake.”

He added that Apple’s “DNA” has “never been stronger on the innovation front,” saying its product line “has never been stronger.”

On antitrust, Cook took issue with U.S. and European Union investigations into Apple’s business, saying the company does not monopolize any one industry category. Further, Apple is not in the same business as fellow tech companies Facebook and Google, which are also targets of the probe, Cook said.

Apple is being scrutinized for its tight control of the App Store, so-called “Sherlocking” of third-party apps and features, and a heavy-handed crackdown on claimed-abusive parental control apps.

U.S. regulators are also looking at Amazon, Facebook and Google.

“A monopoly by itself isn’t bad if it’s not abused,” Cook said. “The question for those companies is, do they abuse it? And that is for regulators to decide, not for me to decide.”

Referencing Facebook and Google, constantly criticized for leveraging consumer data for monetary gain, Cook took the opportunity to reiterate Apple’s privacy policies.

“It’s very important to realize that tech itself and these large tech companies are not monolithic,” he said. “You’re not our product, that’s very clear in our minds. We don’t believe in trafficking your data.”

Cook also touched on Apple Watch, again saying Apple will ultimately be remembered for its contributions to health, and mentioned the firm’s coding in education initiative. Earlier in his trip, the executive met with students from Rikkyo Primary School.

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Apple returns to CES in 2020 with exec scheduled to speak at privacy roundtable

 

By AppleInsider Staff
Monday, December 09, 2019, 01:53 pm PT (04:53 pm ET)

Jane Horvath, Apple’s senior director of global privacy, is slated to take part in a privacy-focused roundtable at CES in January, marking the company’s first official appearance at the trade show in nearly 30 years.

CES

Apple billboard at CES 2019. | Source: Chris Velazco via Twitter

Horvath will join Facebook VP of Public Policy and Chief Privacy Offer for Policy Erin Egan, Procter & Gamble Company Global Privacy Officer Susan Shook and Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter in an hour-long discussion moderated by Rajeev Chand, Partner and Head of Research at Wing Venture Capital.

The executives are expected to tackle a range of privacy-related topics including building privacy at scale, government regulation and consumer impact of privacy programs, according to an outline of the event posted to the official CES website.

Horvath has worked in her role as Apple’s privacy czar since September 2011 but entered the public eye when she attended a so-called “spy summit” to discuss data privacy and mass surveillance issues in 2015. It was around that time that Apple began to ratchet up its rhetoric on privacy in consumer tech. Prior to Apple, Horvath acted as Google’s Global Privacy Counsel.

Bloomberg reported on Horvath’s planned appearance earlier today.

An Apple executive last took the stage at CES in 1992, when then-CEO John Sculley unveiled the Newton. At the time, the trade show was still being held at its original Chicago venues.

The tech giant has since refrained from participating in CES, at least in an official capacity. Recent years have seen “undercover” employees prowling the grounds in search of new technology and staking out the competition. Previously electing to take part in Apple-friendly gatherings like the Macworld Conference & Expo, the company over the past ten years has relied on its own launch events and annual developers conference to expose consumers to new products and services.

In early 2019, however, Apple did make an appearance of sorts at CES in Las Vegas, plastering a massive billboard on the side of SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel that overlooks the Las Vegas Convention Center. That ad’s message: privacy.

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$73K in Apple products stolen from Target, iPad thief chased by 71-year-old on the Apple Crime Blotter

Investigation opened into Apple Store employee accused of sending nudes to himself, a bagel buffet iPhone theft, and more from the Apple crime blotter.

The Marlborough, Mass., Apple Store

The Marlborough, Mass., Apple Store

The latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.

71-year-old florist tracks down iPad thief

A septuagenarian British woman who owns a flower shop arrived one morning to find her store ransacked, and later that day decided to track down her stolen iPad, using the Find My iPhone app.

According to The Lancashire Post, the expedition led her to the door of the suspect’s apartment, at which point he brandished a knife, however, police soon arrived and arrested the man.

iPad stolen at swordpoint

A 40-year-old man in Florida has been charged with using a sword to rob a salesman of his iPad. Bradenton.com reports a home-alarm salesman was going door-to-door when the accused perpetrator grabbed the salesman’s iPad. Shortly afterwards, the perpetrator produced a sword, which he brandished in “a threatening manner.”

The man was soon arrested, and charged with armed robbery.

Police investigating ex-Apple Store employee who emailed customer’s intimate photos to himself

We told you last time about an incident in Bakersfield, Calif., in which a young woman who brought her iPhone to an Apple Store discovered that an employee of the store had emailed an intimate photo of the customer to himself from the phone. Now, per KRON, police have opened a criminal investigation into the matter.

The employee in question was fired following the initial discovery.

Seattle man tracked stolen iPad, leading to arrests

A man in Seattle whose iPad and laptop were stolen got his items back by tracking them to a fast-food restaurant parking lot in the city’s Capitol Hill section, leading to three arrests. Reported by Key News Network, police tracked the signal to a car —which had also been reported stolen —and found the trio of accused perpetrators.

Men charged with stealing $73,000 of Apple products from Target

Police in Delaware arrested three New York men, stating that they had stolen more than $70,000 worth of Apple products from a secured case at a Dover-area Target. According to WBOC, police say the men also attempted a similar theft at a Target elsewhere in Delaware.

iPhones and iPad seized from indicted Giuliani associate

It was a frequent occurrence during Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference for large numbers of iPhones, iPods and other devices to be seized from such targets of the probe as Paul Manafort and Roger Stone. Now, that’s happened in the Ukraine investigation as well.

The Washington Post writes Lev Parnas, the associate of presidential attorney Rudy Giuliani who was charged with campaign finance violations, had numerous devices, including “two iPhones, a Samsung device, an iPad and another cellphone,” seized when he was arrested in October at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Parnas’ attorney asked the judge to turn over the devices, which are in federal custody, in order to comply with a Congressional subpoena.

Apple Watch ping leads to arrests

Two California men were arrested, police say, after they were found with a stolen Apple Watch that was pinged by its owner. According to Fox 40, police were searching the motorhome with he two suspects inside it when the Watch made a sound, indicating that it was on the premises.

Both men were arrested and charged with possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance.

Congressman accused of improper Apple Store purchases pleads guilty

Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, who was indicted last year on charges that he directed more than $250,00 in campaign funds towards his personal use, changed his plea to guilty, NBC News reported.

The indictment against Hunter, which had also named his wife, alleged that the Congressman’s improper spending including two visits to the Apple Store, which included the purchase of a $1,199 Mac computer in 2010.

iPhone stolen at Bagel Buffet

An iPhone 10 was stolen last week at a Bagel Buffet location in Secaucus, N.J. The owner of the phone had arranged to meet at the location in order to sell the device to a buyer they had met on Craigslist. However, a co-conspirator of the “buyer” showed up, grabbed the phone, and ran, per Patch. The man who took the phone was apprehended and charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft, and was also held on an outstanding warrant.

Nationwide locker theft ring spent big on Apple products

Police in the Chicago area say a nationwide ring that steals credit cards from gym lockers has recently been active in the area. According to NBC Chicago, the ring has hit five different gyms in the Chicago suburbs, and has gone on to spend “approximately $30,000 on Apple products and high-end jewelry” at a local high-end mall.

The crew is said to consist of more than 20 people, who are described as “Eastern Europeans.”

“Thousands” in Apple Watches taken from Apple Store in Boston area

Police are looking for three men who they say stole 15 Apple Watches from an Apple Store in Marlborough, Mass. WCVB reports two of the men acted as lookouts while the third took the items, which are valued at a total of about $8,000.

Have an Apple crime story for us? Email AppleInsider and tell us about it.

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Review: Cleer Audio Enduro 100 wireless headphones are perfect for those who forget to charge their gear

Cleer Audio’s Enduro 100 Bluetooth headphones feature up to 100 hours of playback on a single charge, meaning you’ll drop out well before they do.

Whether you spend a lot of time traveling or you’re a serial “forget to charge,” Clear Audio’s Enduro 100 wireless headphones are here to save the day. Boasting an ultra-long battery life, plush ear cups, and better-than-average sound, the Enduro 100s are a mid-range headphone to keep your eye on.

Comfort and build quality

If you’re a fan of over-the-ear headphones, the Enduro 100s are very comfortable. The padding is plush and sufficient for long-wear sessions. The cavity that your ear sits in could be slightly wider —I found that my ears still had to bend a bit to fully fit within.

The controls are on the side of the left ear cup and can easily be controlled by reaching up and hitting them with your thumb as needed.

There’s not much airflow, so I do notice that on warm days or in a warm environment, these headphones can be prone to humidity buildup.

The build quality is also nice. They’re a substantial weight without feeling heavy, and the hinges and pivot points move easily but are tight enough that they don’t feel cheap or flimsy.

Navy

Aesthetically, these are probably my favorite pair of headphones I’ve gotten to take a look at. The design is simple, and the choice to contrast the deep navy —which appears almost black —exterior with a light gray accent color makes them stand out without being overbearing.

Sound quality and performance

The Enduro 100 plush earcups do not offer much in the way of passive noise cancellation

The sound quality on the Enduro 100 is surprisingly decent. I’ve come to temper my expectations somewhat with wireless headphones, but these headphones pack a real punch. They feature 44 millimeter Ironless Drivers, which Cleer says provides bold and articulate sound with low distortion. I’m inclined to agree.

While listening to podcasts, I noticed that the voices sound much more full-bodied than they do with my usual go-to, my iFrogz Airtime Pros.

As for music, the Enduro 100 provided a surprising amount of bass without drowning out the mid and high range. Volume-wise, these headphones are capable of getting loud. I personally don’t like to listen to my music at maximum volume in the first place, but if you’re someone who likes it loud, these should suffice.

In the same vein, these headphones do not have active noice cancelling, and I wouldn’t consider the padding in them to be much in terms of passive noise cancelling, either. If you are listening in particularly noisy environments, they may not be the headphones for you.

I should also mention that these headphones are Bluetooth 5.0, which means they’ve got quite a bit of range to them and lower latency than that of Bluetooth 4.x. I had no syncing issues while watching YouTube with these as I sometimes do with older wireless headphones. I had no problem with pairing them to my iPhone or my Mac, either.

Battery life

Perhaps one of the most impressive things about the Enduro 100 is that you can get 100 hours of playback on a three-hour charge. This is useful for those of us who wear headphones at our desk jobs all day, or those who throw their headphones in their backpack and forget them until they’re needed.

If you’re gearing up to marathon something on Apple TV+ or Disney+, these headphones will be going long after you are.

Charging is done via a USB-C cable. These headphones also feature a fast charge, enabling you to get up to 13 hours of playback with a 10 minute charge.

Charging ports

Of course, if you want to listen on a device that still has a 3.5 millimeter audio jack, Cleer includes a USB-C to 3.5 millimeter audio cable in the box as well.

Overall

If you’re in the market for a solid pair of wireless over-the-ear headphones, you may want to check out the Cleer Enduro 100. They have great sound quality and incredible battery life perfect for those who are using their headphones for extended listening sessions. The Cleer Enduro 100 headphones are available at Amazon for $179.00.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

    Pros

  • Surprising audio quality
  • Extra-long battery life
  • Wide volume range
    Cons

  • Higher-than-average price tag
  • Headphone cavity may be too small for some ears
  • Passive noise cancelation is weak at best

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B&H cuts MacBook Airs to $899, MacBook Pros to $1,099, Mac mini just $699, plus $300 off iMacs

 

By Christine McKee
Friday, December 06, 2019, 11:29 am PT (02:29 pm ET)

B&H is finishing Cyber Week with a bang, slashing prices on 2019 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, plus up to $300 off Apple’s latest iMacs. These deals match Cyber Monday pricing, with both standard and upgraded models available at hefty discounts. Shop the sale before sundown Eastern Time today.

Apple Cyber Week deals on MacBook Air and Pro

New Apple deals

Just in, B&H has issued price reductions on Apple’s latest Macs, with savings of up to $300 off and prices as low as $899. These Cyber Week Apple deals deliver Cyber Monday prices to those that missed out on Monday’s discounts. A variety of configurations are included in the sale, from standard MacBook Airs for $899, Mac minis for $699, and 13-inch MacBook Pros starting at just $1,099.99.

There isn’t much time to grab the flash deals, though, as B&H’s online checkout closes tonight at sundown Eastern. When online checkout resumes tomorrow night, there’s no guarantee these discounts will still be in effect.

2019 13-inch MacBook Pro deals

2019 13-inch MacBook Air deals

Mac mini deals

iMac deals

*Special activation instructions: To activate the discounts, you must shop through the pricing links in this post from a laptop, desktop or iPad. We apologize, but the offers cannot be redeemed through mobile apps at this time. Need help? Send us a note at [email protected] and we will do our best to assist.

Additional Apple deals

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running additional exclusive savings on Apple hardware for the holidays that will not only deliver the lowest prices on many of the items, but also throw in bonus discounts on AppleCare, software and more. These deals are as follows:

Interested in additional Apple hardware? See if there is a Mac, iPad or Apple Watch deal that will save you $100s by checking out prices.appleinsider.com.

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Apple releases fourth developer betas of iOS 13.3, iPadOS 13.3, tvOS 13.3 & watchOS 6.1.1

 

By Malcolm Owen
Thursday, December 05, 2019, 01:09 pm PT (04:09 pm ET)

Apple is now on its fourth round of betas for the current cycle of operating system tests, with new developer betas of iOS 13.3, iPadOS 13.3, tvOS 13.3, and watchOS 6.1.1 now available to download.

The newest builds can be downloaded via the Apple Developer Center for those enrolled into the test program, or via an over-the-air update on devices running the beta software. Public betas typically arrive within a few days of the developer versions, via the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The third round of betas were released on November 20, with the second out on November 12, and the first on November 5.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_HX_q6ct8&w=560&h=315]

The beta for iOS 13.3 fixed multitasking issues in iOS 13.2, one which killed background app processes and left users losing work or progress in the apps. Another update from the first beta saw the Apple Watch app icon changed to show a grey center in the Digital Crown instead of black.

Other updates in subsequent betas included the ability to disable Memoji on the keyboard, and a category for communications in Screen Time. Support for NFC, USB, and Lightning security keys in Safari via the WebAuthn standard is also available, albeit compatibility isn’t extended to all wireless versions at this time.

Both AppleInsider and Apple itself strongly recommend users don’t install the betas on to “mission-critical” or primary devices, as there is the remote possibility of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to make sure there are sufficient backups of important data before updating.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at [email protected].

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The best Thunderbolt 3 SSD and hard drives for your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, or iMac

Whether you’re a creative who is looking to store terabytes of high-res photography or 8K video, or a software collector looking to keep all your favorite tools at hand, we’ve got recommendations for the perfect Thunderbolt 3 drive for you.

best Thunderbolt 3 drives

Maybe you’re a person who produces a lot of content that you need to keep copies of. Maybe you’re someone who has outgrown the space on your MacBook Pro‘s internal storage. Regardless of your reasons, you’ve got plenty of choices when it comes to picking the perfect Thunderbolt 3 drive. Here’s a list of some of our favorites.

The best Thunderbolt 3 SSDs

LaCie Rugged SSD Pro

The Rugged SSD Pro is the fast, featuring a Seagate FireCuda NVMe SSD with up to 2800MB/s in transfer speeds. It also has IP67 dust and water resistant, features three-meter drop protection, and is capable of withstanding up to two tons of weight.

Instead of just a rugged bumper around the edge and in vivid orange, the Rugged SSD Pro is a sleek black with complete silicone coverage. It comes in 1TB and 2TB configurations.

The Rugged SSD Pro can be ordered from B&H Photo, priced at $699.99 for two terabytes.

G-Tech Mobile Pro SSD

The G-Technology’s Mobile Pro SSD features a Thunderbolt 3 connection and a fast NVME drive inside. The G-Technology Mobile Pro SSD got around 2200 megabytes per second to 2300 megabytes per on the write, and 2500 megabytes on the read speed.

The chassis itself feels durable and has a nice matte-like texture. G-Technology says that it features a 1000-pound crush-proof rating so you don’t ever have to worry about messing up your new portable storage solution even in the worst scenarios.

G-Technology’s 1TB G-Drive can be ordered from Amazon, starting at $374.99 for a half-terabyte of storage, though is available in sizes of up to two terabytes.

Samsung X5 Thunderbolt 3 SSD

Samsung built in some durability into the X5, including six feet of drop protection. This isn’t the most we’ve seen, but it should be sufficient for most drops in the field.

We also like the aesthetics of the Samsung X5, with a glossy finish on top and a bright, matte, non-slip red finish on the bottom.

In testing, we saw write speeds average around 1750 megabytes per second and read speeds around 2150 megabytes per second. This makes it ideal for high-speed work on the go.

Anyone interested in picking up an X5 can head to Amazon, where a one terabyte drive will run you $399.99, though it is also available in a 500 gigabyte and two terabyte storage formats.

Plugable Thunderbolt 3 NVMe External SSD

Plugable Thunderbolt 3 NVMe External SSD


Review: Plugable Thunderbolt 3 NVMe External SSD

The Plugable Thunderbolt 3 NVMe External SSD is a solid state drive that offers one terabyte or two terabytes of external storage for those who like to create on the go. It utilizes Thunderbolt 3, which in theory can deliver 40 gigabits per second —about 5 gigabytes per second in total across an entire chain of devices. Plugable says the drive can deliver more than 2400 megabytes per second for read speed, and 1800 megabytes per second of write speed —and we saw it exceed that from time to time.

Coming in at 6.1 ounces the Plugable Thunderbolt 3 NVMe External SSD about the weight of a hockey puck, with a surface area only slightly larger than a smartphone. Its aluminum body acts as both a heat sink and as protection from accidental bumps and drops.

The one terabyte Plugable drive costs $299 while the two terabyte version costs $499, though the latter is currently out of stock. Both come with a three-year warranty.

Glyph Atom Pro NVME SSD

The Atom Pro is an ultra-portable Thunderbolt 3 drive, built to go wherever you do. It’s been designed to MIL-Standard 810F for resisting shock, vibration, dust, and sand.

The Atom Pro boasts read speeds up to 2,800 megabytes per second and read speeds up to 2,600 megabytes per second.

Those who would like to get their own Glyph Atom Pro NVME SSD can head to Amazon, where a 500GB drive sells for $239.95 and a one terabyte drive sells for $399.95.

Alternatives: USB-C, Disk Arrays, Enclosures, Docks, and eGPUs

Those looking to add more storage capacity to their Mac have a number of different options available to them, other than simply going for a Thunderbolt 3 drive. While getting a drive using that connection may seem like the obvious choice, sometimes it may be worth looking at other devices.

USB-C Drives

The closest alternative to a Thunderbolt 3 drive is a USB-C version, as they also consist of a drive within a portable enclosure and a USB Type-C connector on the cable, and are compatible with Thunderbolt 3 ports. The main difference is that Thunderbolt 3 can offer up to 40Gbps of bandwidth under optimal conditions, whereas USB-C can handle up to 10Gbps.

While this does mean Thunderbolt 3 drives can provide faster access to stored data, effectively as fast as the drive can read or write in many cases, it is highly unlikely that many users will absolutely need to perform transfers at those speeds.

USB-C port of a G-Drive Mobile USB-C HDD

The USB-C port of a G-Drive Mobile USB-C HDD

However, as devices can be daisy-chained in Thunderbolt 3, the sheer amount of bandwidth available does mean that the same single Thunderbolt 3 port will have the capability to handle the data needs of multiple devices simultaneously. For example, one Thunderbolt 3 port could provide video data to a 4K display along with a drive, or even be used with multiple drives. USB 3.1 Gen 2 simply doesn’t support this possibility.

There is also the question of compatibility, as a USB-C drive will work with a Thunderbolt 3 port at full speed, but a Thunderbolt 3 device may be limited in utility when used on a USB-C port, such as operating at a lower data rate.

Lastly, a USB-C drive may simply be cheaper to procure than their Thunderbolt 3 equivalent. While not as fast for data transfers, the potential cost saving could make the slower method a better option.

Two good examples of portable USB-C drives are the G-Drive Mobile USB-C, which combines high capacity with a slim appearance, and the G-Drive ArmorATD, which is a ruggedized version built to withstand daily knocks and the elements.

LaCie d2 Thunderbolt 3 Drive

LaCie is also releasing the d2 Thunderbolt 3, a desktop drive that is designed to add up to 10 terabytes of additional storage to storage-limited laptops and all-in-one computers. Other specs include a Seagate 7200 RPM hard disk drive with speeds of up to 240MB/s. LaCie says thats a 10 percent improvement over the previous generation.

Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports allow users to daisy chain dual 4K displays, a single 5K display or up to six LaCie d2 drives. It’s also possible to power the latest MacBook Pro through its USB-C port.

Starting at $349.94 for six terabytes of additional storage, the LaCie d2 Thunderbolt 3 drive is available at Amazon.

G-Drive with USB-C

G-Drive is a high-performance storage solution that features Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 interfaces, packed into an all-aluminum inclosure. It’s geared toward creatives—video editors and photographers won’t need to worry about storage space, as the G-Drive is available in sizes of up to 14 terabytes. Additionally, it works with Time Machine and features plug-and-play setup for your Mac.

It’s worth noting that it is definitely not the fastest on the list—the G-Drive is capable of transfer rates up to 250 megabytes per second.If you’re so inclined, the G-Drive supports daisy-chaining up to five additional devices.

The G-Drive with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C is available on Amazon. Storage capacities start at 4 terabytes and pricing starts at $318.96.

Thunderbolt 3 Drive Enclosures

An off-the-shelf portable drive is handy and simple enough for the vast majority of people to use without too much fuss, but it does mean you are at the mercy of the manufacturer with regards to the type of storage and capacities that are available. An alternative option is to acquire a drive enclosure.

The enclosures offer the same functionality as the normal pre-made portable drives, except they can be opened up and the drives themselves switched out for other versions. This could allow for an older worn drive to be switched out for a newer version, or for a low-capacity drive to be replaced by a much bigger drive.

OWC MiniStack, designed for the Mac mini

OWC MiniStack, designed to sit under the Mac mini

In earlier years, this could also allow users to change the drive type, such as from mechanical disc-based drives for SSD. So long as the drives use the same connection method as the one that needs replacing, typically SATA or M.2, the inbound drive is almost certainly going to work.

The enclosures are cheaper than prebuilt drives, though adding on the cost of the separate drive may push the price up against the preformed equivalent. The idea of disassembling and handling drives may not be to everyone’s liking either.

But for those who are comfortable with computer hardware, a drive enclosure may be a good option.

Thunderbolt 3 RAID enclosures

The list above consists of drives with only a single data store inside. While this is useful for situations where the drive needs to be highly portable, it does however limit the amount of storage available to whatever the highest-capacity single-volume drive is available on the market.

The solution is to go for Thunderbolt 3 storage that uses multiple drives in an array. This works around the limit of what is possible speed-wise from a single drive by adding more drives to the equation, enabling more data to be stored and retrieved at faster speeds, or with more safety, if used as a single volume.

Western Digital's G-Speed Shuttle storage devices with multiple drive bays

Western Digital’s G-Speed Shuttle storage devices with multiple drive bays

By adding more drives, this can allow for extra protection of data to be made in the form of redundancy, which would allow one drive to die but still keep all of the data intact. In some RAID setups, this can provide speed boosts by striping data across drives, allowing for faster read and write speeds, albeit without the redundancy protection, and without the benefits of increased capacity.

Given a drive array isn’t limited to just two drives, it is possible to get enclosures with multiple bays that can be filled up over time. An example is the G-Speed Shuttle XL, which can hold up to 8 drives and has a maximum capacity of 112 terabytes of storage.

A more portable version of drive array concept is the OWC Thunderblade, which holds four M.2 NVMe SSDs instead of just one SSD.

We’ll be talking more about RAID enclosures soon.

Docks and eGPU enclosures

If there is a need to extend the functionality of the Mac or MacBook beyond extra storage, or if it is a situation where a MacBook is used with a dock at a desk a lot of the time, one potential answer is to buy a Thunderbolt 3 dock with built-in storage. By including the storage in the dock, this allows for the drive to be connected to the Mac automatically alongside other hardware the user requires.

This can also take the form of an eGPU enclosure, which is a unit that houses a graphics card to provide more performance. Some eGPU enclosures offer drive bays as well as other functions, effectively making them a dock in their own right.

The Mantiz M2-02 eGPU enclosure combines the ports of a dock with an eGPU enclosure, while still offering space for storage

The Mantiz M2-02 eGPU enclosure combines the ports of a dock with an eGPU enclosure, while still offering space for storage

AppleInsider has previously published roundups of Thunderbolt 3 docks and eGPU enclosures.

Aside from the cost and the possibility of including features that may not necessarily be used, the docks are also typically not that mobile. Most docks are intended to be placed in one working location and rarely moved, making them less suitable for users who are on the move.

A key example of a blending of the two concepts is the Mantiz M2-02 enclosure, which combines a Thunderbolt 3 dock with an eGPU enclosure. Along with providing space for a PCI-E GPU, five USB 3.0 type-A ports, and Gigabit Ethernet, the enclosure even has a mounting plate for an internal 2.5-inch SATA drive.

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How to set up and use HomeKit and AirPlay 2 on Sony Smart TVs

Just in time for the end of the year, Sony has delivered its long-promised HomeKit and AirPlay 2 update to some of its popular smart TVs. Let’s go hands-on to see how to perform the update, set it up, and what you can do with the newfound features.

HomeKit and AirPlay 2 support comes to select Sony Smart TVs

HomeKit and AirPlay 2 support comes to select Sony Smart TVs

We will dig much further into what these features can do, but on a high level, AirPlay 2 support allows you to cast audio and video the display without an Apple TV and HomeKit allows control of the TV through the Home app and Siri. It’s easy to see why this feature is so requested.

Setup

Updating your Sony TV to support HomeKit and AirPlay is easy. First, you need to ensure your TV is compatible. Sony originally announced support for the 2019 A9G, Z9G, X950G, and X850G but they’ve since added the 2019 A9F and Z9F models to the list. The update will be available for all those models, regardless of size.

To update the TV, users can head to Settings > Device Preferences > About > then System Software Update. The TV will search for the available update, and when found, let you install it. The update screen will also inlcude the release notes specifiying HomeKit and AirPlay 2 support.

The update will download, then when you turn the TV off, it will perform the necessary process to finalize the update. Be sure you don’t need to use the TV for a bit as the update can take up to 10 minutes.

Sony X950G Settings

Sony X950G settings

Post-update, the TV when next turned on will let you know your TV now supports HomeKit and AirPlay 2. You still have to head to Settings to enable the features, however. For this, venture to Settings > Device Preferences > Apple AirPlay & HomeKit.

AirPlay and HomeKit Settings on the Sony X950G smart TV

AirPlay and HomeKit Settings on the Sony X950G smart TV

This will bring up the AirPlay settings such as turning it on/off, requiring a code, and enabling/disabling subtitles and captions. Familiar options for anyone who has used AirPlay on an Apple TV.

There is also the option to enable HomeKit. A QR code will be displayed on the screen where it can be scanned when adding an accessory from the Home app. Once scanned, it will connect and allow you to configure your TV’s HomeKit preferences. That includes its name, the room, and all of the possible inputs. Home will then suggest various scenes that may be applicable.

You must allow mobile control for HomeKit to function

You must allow mobile control for HomeKit to function

As an important last step, you must confirm you want to allow mobile devices to control the TV on the television itself. Otherwise, HomeKit won’t function.

What can you do?

Once you have your television set up with AirPlay 2 and HomeKit there are several new features available to you.

AirPlay 2 is Apple’s method of casting audio and video to speakers, Apple TVs, and TVs. With this update, you can send a photo, video, or song from your iPhone right to your TV. Similarly from your Mac or iPad. You can even mirror those devices to the TV.

AirPlay 2 also enables multi-room audio, so you could send music from your iPhone to your HomePod, your AirPlay 2 speaker, and your Sony TV at the same time.

HomeKit is all about remote control and home automation. You can use Siri on your iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, or HomePod to turn the TV on or off, change the volume, or switch inputs. You can do the same things from the Home app. Apple’s Remote in Control Center can also control your TV.

If you want to take things to the next level, that is where clever scenes and automation rules come into play. Maybe when you say “goodnight” to Siri, your door locks, the thermostat adjusts, the blinds close, lights turn off, and your TV powers down.

Your “movie time” scene may dim the lights to five percent, lower the blinds 75 percent, turn on the TV, and set the input to your Bluray player. You could also set the TV to turn on to the cable box with your good morning scene so you can get started with the local news, or set the TV to turn off when you leave so that the TV isn’t left on.

HomeKit setup and controls for the Sony smart TVs

HomeKit setup and controls for the Sony smart TVs including using the Home app, Siri, and the Control Center Remote

Whatever your preference, there is much you can do with Siri, AirPlay 2, and HomeKit.

To explore more what you can and can’t do with HomeKit on TVs, check out our in-depth guide.

HomeKit and AirPlay on more than just Sony

Sony, alongside LG, Vizio, and Samsung all pledged to support AirPlay 2 natively on their TVs with all but Samsung also promising full HomeKit support. Samsung owns SmartThings and therefore doesn’t want to support a competing smart home platform.

The joint announcement with Apple came earlier in 2019 at the Consumer Electronics Show. Thus far, Samsung, LG, and Vizio have all already added support to their TVs. Sony was the last of the bunch to finalize support.