Spotify complains Apple’s new App Store subscription changes don’t address core issues
Following news of incoming changes to Apple’s App Store that will benefit developers with a new subscription revenue split and paid search result ads, Spotify today outlined to The Verge why the improvements don’t address their issues with Apple’s policies.
Specifically, a Spotify representative noted the company’s inability to offer special deals to customers and lack of access to data into “why customers churn — or who even qualifies as a long-term subscriber.”
Father’s Day Gift Guide Hub: One Place with all the best deals

There are a ton of deals on tech and more right now in the lead up to Father’s Day. Together with 9to5Toys & Canary, we’re keeping track of all the best deals and we’ve collected all the handy links in the hub below.
Bookmark this page and keep checking back for more as we add the latest from 9to5Toys ahead of Father’s Day on June 19.

Best Buy iPhone SE & iPad Pro 9.7 deals: $50 gift card w/ SE, up to $350 off on Verizon
If you’re planning on picking up an iPhone SE or an iPad Pro 9.7-inch, here’s a look at promos Best Buy is offering at launch.
Deals include a $50 gift card with the iPhone SE, $300 off the LTE iPad Pro on Verizon, or $350 off both devices with activation on Verizon, as well as the usual trade-in offers. Here’s the rundown:

Bing Search for iPhone gets barcode scanner w/ price comparisons, deal finder feature, & 3D Touch
Users of the Bing app for iPhone are getting some welcomed improvements today with the latest update bringing a new barcode scanner with price comparison functionality and a new deal finder feature.
Shop Apple’s holiday gift guide, save up to $350: great 9to5 deals on every device + accessory

Every year, Apple puts together a beautiful-looking holiday gift guide on Apple.com, packed with the latest iOS devices, Macs, and accessories people would love to receive as gifts. The hitch is that Apple’s prices are almost always full retail, with no discounting, so it’s easy to spend anywhere from $5 to $300 more per item than if you shopped around.
This year, 9to5Toys and 9to5Mac have done the bargain hunting for you. We’ve found savings on virtually every item on Apple’s holiday shopping list, which this year is organized into 6 sections: Gaming, Photography, Music, Fitness, Learning and Travel. Using the links below, you can save up to $350 on a new 12″ MacBook, between $20 and $80 on many third-party accessories, and up to $130 on a pair of Beats headphones…
Cyber Monday: The best deals on Apple accessories, software, & more
While Black Friday often gets the most promotion, the deals aren’t over. Some of the best deals aren’t available until today, Cyber Monday, as many retailers offer the same or even deeper discounts in order to help move as much stock as possible ahead of the Christmas holidays.
Below we’ve done the dirty work for you, compiling the best of the best deals on accessories, software, and more for all of your iPhone, iPad, Macs, and other Apple products.
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Black Friday: The best deals on iPhone/iPad/Mac accessories + software deals and more

Black Friday is upon us and there is a long list of great deals on accessories, software and more for all of your Apple devices. Below we’ve collected some of the best we’ve seen, and check back often throughout the weekend as we update with more finds. Below you’ll find some significant discounts on popular iPhone, iPad, and Mac accessories, as well as some deals on rarely discounted software:
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Apple Black Friday Gameplan – knock out holiday shopping quickly, save tons of cash
Update: We’ve got hundreds of items in our Apple Black Friday Mac/iPhone/iPad accessories and software guide
As the Thanksgiving turkey and wine buzz starts to wear off and we head into the pinnacle of American consumerism known as Black Friday, we here at 9to5Mac have some tips which should make the shopping experience pleasant, efficient and productive. Over the next 24 hours, everything Apple related will be at the lowest prices of the year. We’re going to guide you to getting in, saving a bunch of cash and getting on your way.
First some don’ts:
- Don’t for any reason actually go to a physical store. The 2-3 $150 50″ Best Buy TVs per store isn’t worth being in the vicinity of Black Friday shoppers and the “Door Busting”. It’s a nightmare out there. Go to a park. Play with your kids. Spend a few minutes with us and we’ll knock out that gifting.
- Don’t actually buy anything online until Black Friday. Prices keep dropping in the runup to Black Friday. Wait. Enjoy the time with your family, watch some football. If you must, grab some small ticket items and get those out of the way. If you miss something, it will likely be around again on “Cyber Monday”.
- Don’t buy anything at an Apple Store or Apple.com. Apple has outsourced Black Friday to their retail partners and have normal prices across the board. The stuff you buy at Target/Best Buy/Walmart/Amazon/etc.com is the exact same product and warranty you get at Apple. Pro-Tip: Apple Stores are for showrooming and repairs.
- Don’t touch that dial. Stick with us here at 9to5Mac, 9to5Google and most importantly 9to5Toys for all of the best deals. Heck, now’s the time to subscribe to 9to5Toys Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications. We’ve got a team of 20 people scouring the web for the best deals out there and tomorrow it is going to come fast and furious.
As for Apple products, we’ve distilled the absolute best deals out there into just a few options. Important considerations include state tax at time of purchase, gift cards vs. actual savings, shipping and rewards. Also, AppleCare discounts. Here’s the quick rundown:
Apple Watch
Target, B&H and Best Buy in the US have the biggest discounts we’ve seen this year. Best Buy will knock off $50 on Sport and $100 on Stainless. Target gives you a $100 gift card on both models which is of course good for an additional 5% cash back using their RedCard. Both sites charge tax in all 50 states but offer free shipping.
However, the best option might be B&H Photo which offers the Apple Watch in fewer varieties than Best Buy but for the same $50 off Sport/$100 off Stainless. In addition, B&H throws in a $50 gift card, B&H only charges Tax in New York State which may save you big money.
B&H Photo:
- Sport 38mm: starts at $299 (Reg. $349) +$50 gift card
- Sport 42mm: starts at $349 (Reg. $399) +$50 gift card
- Stainless Steel 38mm: starts at $449 (Reg. $549) +$50 gift card
- Stainless Steel 42mm: starts at $499 (Reg. $599) +$50 gift card
Best Buy:
- Sport 38mm: starts at $299 (Reg. $349)
- Sport 42mm: starts at $349 (Reg. $399)
- Stainless Steel 38mm: starts at $449 (Reg. $549)
- Stainless Steel 42mm: starts at $499 (Reg. $599)
Target:
Apple Watch Sport starts at $349 and comes with a free $100 Target Gift Card. Use your REDcard to save an additional 5% and your effective net cost is just $231.55. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen on new Apple Watches. Target will throw in the free gift card on any in-stock Apple Watch.
Apple TV
Target has the New Apple TV for ~$50 off in store but those prices will likely hit retailers like Walmart ($112) tomorrow. HHGregg also is expected to have some availability on Black Friday at reduced cost. Staples has $25 off if you checkout with Visa Checkout. The 3rd Gen Apple TV is $50 in a number of places and $40 Geek squad refurb at Best Buy. Stay tuned.
iPods
For those of us that still love the iPod touch, there are a few nice deals around. Best Buy cuts $50 across the board, Target cuts $40-$60 and Walmart cuts $35.
iPhone
iPhones with plans from the major US carriers are marked down significantly in a number of retail outlets
- Boost Mobile No Contract iPhone 6s for $549 | Boost
- All iPhones $100 off + $100 Black Friday Gift Card | Walmart
- iPhone 6s/Plus $200 Gift Card w/ iPhone 5 (or newer) trade | Best Buy
- iPhone 6s/Plus, get a free $250 Gift Card (installment plan) | Target
- iPhone 6s/Plus 16GB/64GB $50 off (2-yr contract) | Target
- iPhone 6S 64GB (all colors): $719 (Reg. $749) | eBay
- iPhone 6S Plus 64GB (all colors): $819 (Reg. $849) | eBay
iPad
iPad Air/2
- Any iPad Air 2, get a free $150 Gift Card | Target
- iPad Air 2 16GB/64GB $100 off, 128GB $125 off | Best Buy
- iPad Air 2 16GB WI-Fi (Gold): $399 (Reg. $499) | Walmart
- iPad Air 2 16GB Wi-Fi: $374 (Reg. $499) | Staples
- iPad Air 2 64GB Wi-Fi: $449 (Reg. $599) | Staples
- iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular $175 off | Sam’s Club
- iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB Wi-Fi $150 off | Sam’s Club
- Any iPad Air, get a free $100 Gift Card | Target
- iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi: $349.99 (Reg. $399) | HHGregg
iPad mini 2/3/4
- iPad mini 2 16GB Wi-Fi: $199 (Reg. $269) | Walmart
- Any iPad mini 4, get a free $100 Gift Card | Target
- iPad mini 4 16GB Wi-Fi: $299 (Reg. $399) | Staples
- iPad mini 4 64GB/128GB $100 off | Best Buy
- iPad mini 4 64GB Wi-Fi: $450 (Reg. $499) | eBay
- Any iPad mini 2, get a free $80 Gift Card | Target
iPad Pro
- All iPad Pros $12 off at MacMall, Tax in only a handful of states
- 32GB iPad Pro: $749.99 ($50 off)| Buy.com tax in a few states
Macs
Mac prices and inventory will fluctuate wildly on Black Friday. Best Buy gives an extra $50 off to students on iMacs and MacBooks
Retina 12-inch MacBooks are now widely available in Gold, Silver and Space Gray. The best prices as of this writing are:
- $150 off the 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB at Amazon, Best Buy
- $170 off the 1.2GHz/8GB/512GB without tax at B&H and eBay
- $100+ off configured at MacMall including 1.3GZ models.
MacBook Airs: B&H are running the table as of this writing with $120 off across the board, Tax only in New York and 6 months of Parallels Access but things will likely change – stay tuned.
- 11.6-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB: $180 off ($729) at Ebay, $120 off at Best Buy and Amazon: $779, B&H (Tax in NY Only) $100 off: $799
- 11-inch 4GB/256GB: $979 ($120 off at B&H)
- 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB:$150 off at Amazon $850, $879 ($120 off at B&H)
- 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB256GB: $1,079 ($120 off at B&H)
MacBook Pro
B&H is leading the way with $150-$500 off 13-inch MacBook Pros and $200-$500 off 15.4-inch MacBook Pros. We expect to see some lower prices at eBay and other locations through the day.
iMacs
The entry level iMac is a whopping $200 off at Best Buy ($899) and with the .EDU credit drops down to $850 shipped. After that B&H is leading the way with at least $100-$300 off on standard models and MacMall leads the way on custom configs. We’ve heard whispers that a retailler is going to do some serious price drops so we’ll post those when they happen.
Mac mini:
B&H takes $50 off the base model which now starts at $449 and $70 and $100 off the higher models. Other places take off less but will likely drop prices tomorrow.
Mac Pros:
Again, B&H has the lowest base model price and most of the configurations along with MacMall.
The above prices and inventory will likely be all over the place on Black Friday so we’ll be updating frequently. Thanks again for joining us for Black Friday 2015.
Back to school gift guide: Great stuff for Apple-obsessed students

The new school year is rapidly approaching, and that means stocking up on supplies and the latest tech to be ready for class by early next month. Since we’re tracking the latest deals from around the web incessantly over at 9to5Toys, and reviewing the best in tech for your Mac, iOS, and Android devices on 9to5Mac and 9to5Google, we’ve rounded up the team to put together a gift guide with our top picks for gear, supplies, apps and more to get you through the year.
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May the 4th be with you: Apple offers collection of iOS & Mac app discounts for Star Wars Day
To celebrate Star Wars Day— yes, that’s why everyone keeps saying “May the 4th be with you” today— Apple is offering a number of discounts on apps and in-app purchase content from Disney, Konami, and others.
Below we’ve put together links for all of the Star Wars App Store content on sale today, including both Apple’s iOS collection and other iPhone, iPad, and Mac titles discounted for the occasion:
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Apple Asia online stores offer deals on iPhones, iPads, & Macs for Lunar New Year sale
Earlier this week we told you that Apple had announced an upcoming sale in many of its Asian online stores to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year taking place at the end of January. The sales see Apple offering discounts in China, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia online stores similar to deals on offer for Black Friday in the US and other countries.
This year Apple is offering cash discounts on the usual products— up to $40 off iPads, $100 off Macs, and smaller discounts on iPods and Smart Covers— it’s also offering a rare discount on iPhones at around $50 off both the iPhone 5s and 5c. In addition, a much larger selection of accessories are on sale compared to the company’s Black Friday sale including popular products from Parrot, Apogee, Belkin, LaCie, and Apple.
App Santa is coming to town with big discounts on fifteen popular iOS apps
Santa’s coming a little early this year for App Store shoppers. App Santa, collaborative campaign between a group of award-winning app developers, launched today with deep discounts on fifteen of the most popular iOS apps from ten different developers.
Bring a little holiday cheer to your iOS devices by grabbing these apps while they’re on sale, or spread some joy to the world by gifting your favorites to your friends and family. You can find the full list of participating apps below.
- 1Password — $9.99 — Review
- Tweetbot 3 — $1.99 — Review
- Launch Center Pro — $2.99 — Review
- Perfect Weather — $1.99 — Review
- Clear+ —$1.99 — Review
Black Friday: The best Apple deals on iPhone, iPad, Macs, & Apps all in one place
It can be hard to keep up with all of the great Apple related deals available this Black Friday weekend, so we thought we’d make it easy for you. Here are all of the best deals available this weekend on Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple TV, iPods, iTunes gift cards, and a ton of great apps for both iOS and Mac. As always, 9to5Toys is tracking all the best Black Friday deals on other products as well as the latest discounts as they get announced.
Mac |
Best Buy: Retina MacBook Pro up to $200 off, iMac $150 off, MacBook Air $150 off
MacMall: Black Friday Begins Now at MacMall: MacBook Airs $100 off, iPads $40 off, more
B&H: Some of the best deals on Macs if you want AppleCare included.
iPhone |
Best Buy: Best Buy offering iPhone 5s for $75 off all models on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon
Walmart: Walmart will credit YOU $30 to get an iPhone 5c on contract this Black Friday
T-Mobile: T-Mobile, regional carriers offering iPhone 5s and 5c for $0 down on Black Friday
iPad |
Apple iPad Deals: iPad Air w/ $100 Target GC $479, iPad mini $249, iPad 2 $300, more
Apple TV |
Apple TV + HDMI Cable: $72.49 shipped
Apple TV 3rd generation 1080p $85 shipped (Reg. $99)
iPod |
Black Friday iPod Discounts: iPod Touch/iPod Nano $50 off, more
Accessories |
Where to find the best Black Friday deals on iPhones, iPads, Macs, & Apple accessories
iTunes |
Discounted iTunes Gift Cards: Save up to 20% on future apps, music, movies, more. $100 gift card for $85 or $50 gift card for $40.
Apps |
Black Friday App Store sale guide: The best deals on iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps
Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements 12 combo: $70 shipped
Adobe launches Black Friday deals up to 60% off on Photoshop, Lightroom, and more
VMWare sitewide Black Friday sale, VMWare Fusion 6: $38.99 new or $32.49 for an upgrade
Apple’s Black Friday deals go live in UK & other EU countries with discounts, not gift cards
While Apple’s Black Friday deals started going live in Australia and elsewhere today with Apple Store Gift Cards in place of traditional discounts, it appears Apple will be offering discounts and not gift cards in at least some countries. The UK, France, Germany and other European Apple Online Stores have now started posting Black Friday promotions with discounts on iPads, MacBooks, iPods, Apple TV, and many accessories.
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Where to find the best Black Friday deals on iPhones, iPads, Macs, & Apple accessories
It can be hard to cut through the noise with just about every retailer online having sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best deals available only for iPad, iPhone, iPods, and Mac. You won’t find any deals on TVs or microwaves in the list below, just the best of the best accessories for your iOS device and Mac, and we’ve only included great products from companies we trust (many of which we’ve reviewed personally). If you still need to buy a Mac, iPhone, or iPad first, you’ll also find a roundup of the best deals on Apple hardware from 9to5Toys at the bottom. As always, we’ll update as more deals are announced throughout the weekend and you can send any you might find to tips@9to5Mac.com.
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Best Apple deals found 3-9 months after launch
An analysis of discount patterns by Dealnews reveals the not entirely surprising news that the best deals on Apple products are typically to be had 3 to 9 months after launch.
While waiting that long for a product you don’t yet own may be a considerable test of one’s patience, savings of up to $350 may be sufficient incentive to delay upgrading an existing device until a little way down the road.
The best discounts on current products were found to be:
- MacBook Pro 15″ Retina: $350 saving at 9 months
- MacBook Air 11″: $199 at 7 months
- iPad: $59 at 1 month
- iPad Mini: $29 at 5 months
- iPhone: $73 @ 3 months
- iPod Touch: $50 at 3 months …
Of course, discount level isn’t the only factor you’ll want to consider in choosing when to buy. The strength of the existing model and likely time to the next refresh will also be key. You can find our reviews, times since refresh and a roundup of the best U.S. prices in the 9to5Mac product roundup. (Via Dealnews.)