Apple today announced all-new iPad Pros featuring the same M1 chip found in the company’s latest Macs along with several other new features, including a Thunderbolt-compatible port, 5G connectivity on cellular models, updated cameras, and on the 12.9” model, a Liquid Retina XDR display that shares many of the specs as the company’s Pro Display XDR.
New iPad Pros Announced with the M1 Chipset, Thunderbolt, 5G, New Cameras, and a Liquid Retina XDR Display on the 12.9” Model
Apple Announces Apple Podcasts Subscriptions
During today’s keynote event, Apple announced their new Apple Podcasts Subscriptions service. Launching in May in over 170 countries, the service will allow users to subscribe to premium podcasts directly from the Apple Podcasts app. Premium shows will offer access to various perks for users, such as removing ads, releasing shows early, or providing exclusive content.
Podcast creators can participate in the service for $19.99/year, and can use the redesigned Apple Podcasts Connect website to manage their subscription offerings. Apple has partnerships set up with some creators and companies to kick things off, including NPR, The Athletic, Tenderfoot TV, and Pushkin Industries.
Accompanying the new subscription service is an update to the Apple Podcasts app. The updated app will allow subscribing to premium podcasts, and will also display new “channels.” Podcast channels are groups of shows curated by creators, and can be either free or paid.
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions details:
- Channels are “groups of shows curated by creators”
- New ‘Apple Podcasters Program’ with “tools needed to offer premium subscriptions” at $19.99/year
- Subscriptions can be shared with family #AppleEvent— Federico Viticci (@viticci) April 20, 2021
While the integration into Apple’s ecosystem means users can easily subscribe using their existing App Store accounts, it also means that Apple will be taking its usual 30% of revenue from podcast creators. This will drop to 15% after the first year, the same way it does for in-app purchases.
You can follow all of our April event coverage through our April 2021 Event hub, or subscribe to the dedicated RSS feed.
Bartender 4.0 Offers Powerful New Control Over Your Mac’s Menu Bar Apps
Bartender 4.0 was in beta for a long time, and the time and attention to the details paid off. If you were waiting to update until the app was officially released, now’s the time to act because it’s out, and the update is excellent.
I use Bartender on all my Macs, but I appreciate it most on my MacBook Air. The updated app, which manages your menu bar apps, retains its core functionality, allowing you to rearrange your menu bar apps and hide the ones you don’t need regularly. However, with version 4.0, Bartender does a lot more too.
Microsoft to Begin Beta Testing Xbox Cloud Gaming on the iPhone and iPad→
Tomorrow, April 20th, Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming, also known as xCloud, is coming to the iPhone and iPad and the PC as a limited, invitation-only beta. The service will allow invited Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to stream over 100 games using the Edge, Chrome, and Safari browsers.
In an announcement on Xbox Wire, Catherine Gluckstein, Microsoft’s head of xCloud said:
The limited beta is our time to test and learn; we’ll send out more invites on a continuous basis to players in all 22 supported countries, evaluate feedback, continue to improve the experience, and add support for more devices. Our plan is to iterate quickly and open up to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members in the coming months so more people have the opportunity to play Xbox in all-new ways.
Xbox Game Streaming was launched on Android last year but was delayed on iOS and iPadOS when Apple told Microsoft it couldn’t stream the games to a dedicated app unless each game was approved by Apple App Review.
Boom 3D: Experience Immersive Audio on Your Mac [Sponsor]
Boom 3D by Global Delight is the premier app for enhancing your Mac’s audio whether it’s music, movies, games, or other content. The app produces exceptionally clear, clean, 3D sound without the need for added hardware – just use the headphones you already own.
The app’s 3D effect brings pro audio enhancement to all of your favorite apps on the Mac and Windows too. Boom 3D is the culmination of years of careful refinement by the team behind a long list of award-winning audio, video, and photography apps like Boom for mobile, Boom and Boom 2, Vizmato, Capto, and Camera Plus.
Boom 3D has been carefully crafted to take audio to the next level. The effect is the sort of thing that once you try it, everything else sounds lifeless and flat by comparison. It’s truly remarkable. Even if your source audio is only recorded in stereo, it will be up-mixed into an incredibly immersive audio experience.
In addition to its patented audio technology, the app features a 31-band equalizer that allows you to precisely tune your Mac’s audio to your tastes. The app has also received praise from hearing-impaired users who can adjust audio to boost frequencies they have trouble hearing. The app features its own audio player that supports a wide range of file formats, and it offers access to over 20,000 Internet radio stations. There’s even a mobile version for iOS and Android, which enhances audio played using the app.
Right now, MacStories readers can get a huge 70% off on Boom 3D by visiting the app’s website. Visit the site today to learn more and take advantage of this terrific offer. Boom 3D is also available on the Mac App Store, and the mobile version is available on the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store.
Our thanks to Boom 3D by Global Delight for sponsoring MacStories this week.
MacStories Unwind: Apple Event Announced, Spotify’s Car Thing, Fitness+ Expanded, and HomeKit Advice
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Sponsored by: MindNode – Ever Had a Geistesblitz?
This week on MacStories Unwind:
MacStories
- Apple Announces Online Media Event for April 20, 2021
- Spotify Announces Car Thing: Dedicated Audio Streaming Hardware for Drivers
- Apple Expands Fitness+ Offerings with New Classes Designed for Pregnancy and Older Adults, New Trainers, and Time to Walk with Jane Fonda
- Quinn Nelson’s Approach to Home Automation
Club MacStories
- MacStories Weekly
- Federico unveils MusicLink a shortcut that creates links to multiple music services and John shows how to link GoodTask and Craft using a shortcut
- John recommends CardioBot
- An interview with iOS developer and Sofa creator Shawn Hickman
- Apps, and more.
AppStories
Unwind
- Federico’s Pick:
- By the Lips EP by Glimmers
- John’s Pick:
Apple Expands Fitness+ Offerings with New Classes Designed for Pregnancy and Older Adults, New Trainers, and Time to Walk with Jane Fonda
Today, Apple announced an expansion of Fitness+ with new workouts for pregnancy and older adults. The company also expanded its existing offerings with new yoga, HIIT, and strength workouts for beginners and said Jane Fonda will be featured in the next episode of Time to Walk.
Ten pregnancy workouts will be added to Fitness+ led by trainer Betina Gozo who will be joined by Emily Fayette and Anja Garcia. Workouts for Older Adults will be led by trainer Molly Fox along with Gregg Cook, Dustin Brown, Bakari Williams, and Jhon Gonzalez. In addition, beginner classes will be added to Fitness+’s Yoga, Strength, and HIIT categories.
New Fitness+ trainers were announced too, with Jonelle Lewis joining as a Yoga and Mindful Cooldown trainer and existing trainer Anja Garcia joining the service’s group of HIIT trainers. Finally, Apple said that actor Jane Fonda will be featured in the next episode of the Time to Walk to commemorate Earth Day. Time to Walk is the walking workout feature added to the Fitness app in January.
Everything announced today will be available next week, beginning April 19th.
AppStories, Episode 213 – Music Part 2: Music Discovery, Playback, and Utility Apps→
This week on AppStories, we introduce part two of our music miniseries, with a focus on third-party music discovery, playback, and utility apps.
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Apple Announces Online Media Event for April 20, 2021
As first confirmed by Federico on Twitter, Apple has announced a media event for April 20, 2021 at 10:00 am Pacific. The event will be held online only.
Apple event confirmed: next Tuesday, April 20. Online event, 10 AM Pacific. Bring on those new iPad Pros! pic.twitter.com/6x8SfmkrO4
— Federico Viticci (@viticci) April 13, 2021
In an unexpected twist, the date of the event was leaked by Apple’s digital assistant Siri as reported overnight by MacRumors. When asked about the date of the next Apple event, Siri responded that it would be April 20th at Apple Park.
Based on changes coming with iOS 14.5, Apple is expected to introduce AirTags for tracking personal items, which is expected to work like the third-party Find My network devices announced last week. There has also been widespread speculation that the company will introduce new iPad Pros, and with the recent discontinuation of the iMac Pro, we may see new M1 Macs too. In addition to hardware, Apple will likely make iOS and iPadOS 14.5, watchOS 7.4, tvOS 14.5, and macOS 11.3 Big Sur updates available soon after the event.