AirPods 2 vs. AirPods: What's changed with Apple's new earbuds?

Apple's new AirPods (or AirPods 2 if you prefer) have arrived, more than two years after the release of the original version. The wireless Bluetooth earbuds don't look any different from the old AirPods and miss out on a couple of our most-wanted updates. The new AirPods offer a wireless charging case, as we expected. You can buy it with the new AirPods themselves ($199, £199, AU$319), or if you'd rather add wireless charging to your first-gen AirPods, you can buy the case separately for $79.The new AirPods are also available with a standard charging case for $159 (£159, AU$249).All the cases (wireless charge or not) can still charge via Lightning as well.

New Apple AirPods now available: H1 chip, wireless charging case, hands-free Hey Siri

Apple has just launched the second generation of its Apple AirPods. The new earbuds and come with the long-promised wireless charging case, a new H1 chip, hands-free Hey Siri, longer battery life and faster connections to devices.The new AirPods are available now for $199 with the wireless charging case, or available with the standard case for $159. Existing AirPods owners can purchase the wireless charging case separately for $79.Apple says the new H1 chip in the AirPods deliver up to 50 percent more talk time compared to the first AirPods. The H1 should also speed up switching between devices, with Apple saying the AirPods now connect two times faster.

Apple updates its iMacs with faster processors and better graphics

Apple on Tuesday updated its 21.5-inch iMac with Retina display and 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display with new processors and graphics chips that include a lot more power. The company's entry-level iMac without a Retina display was not updated.The new 21-inch iMac with 4K display will start at $1,299, but you'll need to pay more for the bump up to the new six-core processor Apple will offer. The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K will start at $1,799. Both go on sale Tuesday and ship next week.

Apple updates $499 iPad Air, $399 iPad mini ahead of services event next week

We're one week out from Apple's services-focused event in Cupertino, and the company just announced a pair of devices we've been expecting for quite some time. Apple debuted a new, $499 10.5-inch iPad Air and a new, $399 7.9-inch iPad mini today. Both have familiar designs but also have the company's new A12 Bionic chip.The new iPad Air looks like previous models, with thicker bezels on the top and bottom of the advanced Retina display (now with True Tone technology) to house the camera array and the physical Home button. While both new iPads have updated cameras that can better handle low-light situations and immersive AR experiences, they appear to omit FaceID entirely.

U.S. judge rules Qualcomm owes Apple nearly $1 billion rebate payment

(Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge has issued a preliminary ruling that Qualcomm Inc owes Apple Inc nearly $1 billion in patent royalty rebate payments, though the decision is unlikely to result in Qualcomm writing a check to Apple because of other developments in the dispute.Judge Gonzalo Curiel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on Thursday ruled that Qualcomm, the world’s biggest supplier of mobile phone chips, was obligated to pay nearly $1 billion in rebate payments to Apple, which for years used Qualcomm’s modem chips to connect iPhones to wireless data networks.

Spotify files EU antitrust complaint against Apple

Spotify has filed a complaint with EU antitrust regulators against Apple, saying the iPhone maker unfairly limits rivals to its own Apple Music streaming service.Spotify, which launched a year after the 2007 launch of the iPhone, said on Wednesday that Apple’s control of its App store deprived consumers of choice and rival providers of audio streaming services to the benefit of Apple Music, which began in 2015.Central to Spotify’s complaint, filed to the European Commission on Monday, is what it says is a 30 percent fee Apple charges content-based service providers to use Apple’s in-app purchase system (IAP).

Apple confirms March 25th event, expected to announce new TV service

Apple has officially confirmed that it will hold an event on March 25th where it’s is expected to announce its long-rumored TV streaming and Apple News subscription services.As usual, the invitation doesn’t have much to go by, but the animated countdown GIF and “It’s show time” tag seem to hint that the new TV service will play a big role. Rumors of an event at the end of March began last month, saying that the company will reportedly focus exclusively on services. Although, there is always a chance that we could see the anticipated announcements of revamped AirPods, a new entry-level iPad, and the long-delayed AirPower wireless charging pad.

Wistron's Rs 5,000-crore plan for Apple gets ministry nod

NEW DELHI: The information technology ministry has approved contract manufacturer Wistron’s Rs 5,000-crore plan to make high-end Apple devices, a move that will give a big push to the government’s Make in India initiative. Wistron currently makes cheaper Apple phones in India. “We have just approved Wistron’s Rs 5,091-crore application and it is with the Cabinet now… Wistron will make the latest iPhone models,” IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in an interview, adding that another contract manufacturer Foxconn had submitted an application for a Rs 2,500-crore project on December 31. 

Chinese online retailers slash iPhone prices for second time this year

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese online retailers have started discounting iPhones for the second time this year as Apple Inc wrestles with a prolonged sales slowdown in the world’s largest smartphone market.Several electronics vendors announced discounts on iPhone devices this week, following mass discounts in January just before Apple reported sinking sales in China.Gadget retailer Suning.Com Co Ltd said it would slash the price of the iPhone XS by as much as 1,000 yuan ($148.95) from its official price. Suning had lowered the prices of other iPhone models in January along with other retailers, but those cuts excluded the iPhone XS.

IDC Reports Strong Growth in the Worldwide Wearables Market, Led by Holiday Shipments of Smartwatches, Wrist Bands, and Ear-Worn Devices

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The worldwide market for wearable devices grew 31.4% during the fourth quarter of 2018 (4Q18), reaching a new high of 59.3 million units according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker. Growth in the market was driven by new wearables launching during the months leading up to the holiday season as well as new smartphone launches as many were bundled with wearables from leading brands. Shipments for the entire year of 2018 grew by 27.5% with 172.2 million wearables shipped. Much of this growth was attributed to the growing number of ear-worn devices as they captured almost a quarter of the market during the year.