First Phase of Apple's New North Carolina Campus Will Total 900,000 Square Feet

More than two years after Apple announced plans to invest over $1 billion in North Carolina with over half of that investment going towards a new engineering and research center in the Research Triangle area of Raleigh and Durham, the company has finally filed development plans for the first phase with local authorities.


As shared by the Triangle Business Journal, the 41-acre initial phase at Research Triangle Park will include six buildings and a parking garage totaling 700,000 square feet of office space, 190,000 square feet of accessory space, and almost 3,000 parking spaces.

Among the structures in the first phase are three office buildings with the largest coming in at around 242,000 square feet and the other two measuring just over 230,000 square feet each. All three buildings are listed as having heights of 73 feet.

Three smaller accessory buildings will join a parking garage for the initial phase, which does not yet have a disclosed starting date for construction. A starting date does appear to be close, however, as Apple has begun some initial site preparations and is moving forward on obtaining various approvals.

While this initial phase covers 41 acres, Apple owns a total of 281 acres at the site and the company's filed plans allude to future phases. Apple had said in its announcement about the North Carolina investment that it will eventually create at least 3,000 new jobs in "machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering, and other cutting-edge fields" with average salaries ultimately approaching $200,000.

At full buildout, Apple's Research Triangle Park campus is likely to become one of the company's largest employment centers in the United States after its Silicon Valley headquarters area and a major existing campus in Austin, Texas, that is itself seeing significant investment and expansion. Other major Apple employment centers in the U.S. include Southern California, the Seattle area, and New York City.

As Apple prepares to construct its major new campus in Research Triangle Park, the company has already been building up its presence in the region with temporary space, headlined by a takeover of one building of a three-building complex in neighboring Cary that had been built for insurance company MetLife.

Amid the rise in remote work, MetLife was recently able to consolidate operations into two buildings of the complex, freeing up the third to be used by Apple. Apple has also been working to acquire additional temporary space in the area as it will be several more years before its own campus is ready.
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Apple Now Offering Depth and Water Seal Tests for Apple Watch Ultra

Apple today published a new support document letting Apple Watch Ultra users know that they can request a Depth and Water Seal Test by Apple to determine if their watch's depth gauge and seals are working properly.


The document describes a couple of scenarios under which users might want to have their watches tested, including assurance of proper functionality of the depth gauge for those who rely on it such as for diving and to check for unseen damage in the case of impacts to the watch.

‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ owners can request a Depth and Water Seal Test for their device via Apple's normal online support channels. Apple will perform a visual inspection of the watch to look for any visible damage, and if the device appears intact, Apple will then test the water seals and depth gauge.

Users are cautioned that unseen damage could compromise the watch and that the Depth and Seal Water Test could render the device inoperable in such situations, necessitating a replacement fee unless the issue is covered by warranty.

Apple doesn't specify whether there is a cost for this service, so you'll need to check with Apple if you wish to have the tests performed on your watch. Once your watch has been sent to Apple, it should be returned to you within seven to ten business days.
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Beats Fit Pro Launching in New Tidal Blue, Volt Yellow, and Coral Pink Colors

Following leaks earlier this month, Apple's Beats by Dre brand is today announcing three new colors of its popular Beats Fit Pro earphones: Tidal Blue, Volt Yellow, and Coral Pink. Originally launched in late 2021, Beats Fit Pro are an alternative to Apple's AirPods Pro which offer many of the same features such as active noise cancelation (ANC) and an H1 chip for Apple-specific features like "Hey Siri" and Find My support and automatic device switching, but in a more fitness-focused design.


As part of the refreshed color launch coming this Thursday, February 23, Beats is debuting a new "LOCK IN. WORK OUT." marketing campaign featuring singer/songwriter Chlöe Bailey and tennis player Frances Tiafoe.

Rather than the iconic stems of AirPods, Beats Fit Pro offer a lower-profile look that emphasizes an in-ear design but includes flexible wingtips on top for increased stability. With no stems for force sensors like on AirPods and ‌AirPods Pro‌, Beats Fit Pro controls are on the main body of each earbud with essentially the entire outer surface of each bud being a clickable button with the "b" Beats logo on it.


The onboard buttons offer the standard set of audio controls, with a single press allowing for play/pause for audio or answer/hang up for phone calls. A double press skips forward to the next audio track, while a triple press skips backward.

Each earbud also supports a press-and-hold function that can be configured independently for each side, such as using one side to activate ‌Siri‌ if you don't wish to use the "Hey ‌Siri‌" trigger phrase and the other side to cycle through listening modes (ANC, Transparency, and off). Alternatively the press-and-hold function can be used for onboard volume control with one bud raising the volume and the other lowering it.


Battery life for Beats Fit Pro checks in at around six hours with ANC or Transparency mode turned on and up to seven hours with those features turned off. The USB-C charging case lets you carry another 21 hours of battery life with you.


Overall, Beats Fit Pro have proven very popular with users, as many find the buds more comfortable to wear than ‌AirPods Pro‌, especially when working out or otherwise being active, and they offer solid sound quality and ANC. For more on Beats Fit Pro, be sure to check out our original hands-on coverage.


Offered at the same $199.99 pricing as other colors, the three new Beats Fit Pro colors join the existing Stone Purple, Sage Gray, Beats White, and Beats Black options that were part of the original launch, as well as the neutral skin-tone Moon, Dune, and Earth colors launched last August in collaboration with Kim Kardashian. Orders placed through Apple can be personalized with free engraving on the charging case.
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Apple Store App Updated With Improvements for Saved Items and Enhanced Store Information

Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS and iPadOS with several improvements, led by changes to saved item lists.


Apple says the update now lets you share your lists of saved items with friend and family, making it easier to share gift ideas or collaborate on shopping lists using a share sheet icon on saved list pages. Along with that, your saved items can now be accessed from more places in the app.

For those looking to visit an Apple retail store, the update also enhances the information displayed on store pages, offering more detail about each store and its surroundings.

The ‌Apple Store‌ app is a free download from the App Store.
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Deals: M1 iPad Air Hits Record-Low Prices at TigerDirect, Starting at $313.99 (48% Off)

Online retailer TigerDirect has slashed pricing on the M1 iPad Air in several colors, offering the base 64GB configuration for just $313.99 in Purple and Pink.


Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with TigerDirect. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

That's a savings of 48% compared to Apple's normal $599.00 pricing, and is by far the lowest price we've ever tracked for these current-generation models. Both models are listed as in stock and should ship the next business day.



For those who prefer cellular connectivity, the 64GB M1 iPad Air is similarly discounted to $391.99 from $749.00 in Purple and Pink. The Starlight color option is also listed at this price but described as "available for pre-order" and thus not in stock for immediate shipping. The Starlight model also requires a $9.99 shipping fee, whereas the other colors come with free shipping.



If 64GB isn't enough storage, TigerDirect is also heavily discounting some cellular 256GB models down to $469.99 from $899.00. This pricing is available in Blue, Purple, and Pink, but as with the Starlight 64GB cellular models, these configurations are listed as available for pre-order and will incur a $9.99 shipping fee.

With discounts this steep, we can't rule out the possibility that this is a pricing error and orders could be canceled by TigerDirect, but this is an excellent opportunity for those willing to take a chance on a fantastic deal on the current iPad Air. For those unfamiliar with TigerDirect, it is a longtime computer retailer that was merged with MacMall and which also absorbed online assets and operations of notable now-defunct brick-and-mortar retailers Circuit City and CompUSA.

For even more Apple-related products and accessories, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop.
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Deals: Apple Studio Display Drops to Record-Low $1,299.99 at Amazon ($299 Off)

Just a day after the launch of new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models, Amazon has slashed its pricing on the Apple Studio Display to $1,299.99, down from its regular price of $1,599.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This $299 discount on the Apple Studio Display is the steepest we've ever seen and is available only on the lowest-cost model with standard glass and a tilt-adjustable stand.



Upgrading to nano-texture glass for even less glare increases the price to $1,749.00, which is still a solid deal at a $150 savings over the regular price. Versions with the tilt- and height-adjustable stand are priced higher.

For more discounts, check out our Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
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